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Jacinthe leaned forward slightly, closer to Miyuki. "Miyuki," she murmured softly. "Who is that? Was she invited to the banquet as well?"

If she had been invited, why so late? And if not, then why was she there at all?

Iorlas shook her head at something that Daeron said, then rose from her chair and made her way along the tables towards the door where her sister was still standing and watching what was going on.

"Issues?" Jacinthe asked, confused.

As she watched, Iorlas walked quickly towards her sister and, when she was close enough, began to speak with her in an angry whisper. Daeron was only a few steps behind, despite the fact that she had clearly wanted him to stay where they'd been.

Jacinthe smiled sympathetically at Miyuki. "Never feel bad for telling the truth," she said softly. "No matter how terrible it might be."

Daeron's arrival only seemed to make the matter worse, whatever the matter was, because Ioreth - whom they could tell apart because she wasn't dressed up for the banquet - got a wicked look in her eye and pushed the prince so that he stumbled to the floor.

By now, Jacinthe and Miyuki weren't the only ones who had noticed the commotion: many of the couples on the dance floor, as well as some of those who had been in conversation, had stopped what they were doing and were staring at the two women.

The king stepped forward, letting go of his wife, and his expression was furious. "Guards!" he shouted. "Seize her!"

The music stopped abruptly as the guards around the edges of the room ran forward to take hold of Ioreth. River was seized with a sudden fear, and she grabbed Jess and ran to the tables, out of the way in case anything should happen.

The wicked look in Ioreth's eyes intensified, but before she could do anything, Iorlas grabbed her by the arms. "Don't!" she begged. "They'll have to kill you if you do!"

"Shades," Earendil echoed the Elven equivalent of Lin's cuss word. He looked around for Miyuki and Andarien, his first instinct being to protect them. Andarien was still asleep next to Shiro, but Miyuki was watching the commotion.

"Watch your eyes," he reminded Lin, squeezing her shoulder before he ran over to Miyuki. "Miyuki! Cover your eyes!"

As he ran, Ioreth and Iorlas's confrontation continued. Ioreth shoved Iorlas out of the way and stepped toward Daeron, who was still getting to his feet. Before she could do anything, she was grabbed on each side by a guard. She wrenched her arms out of their grasp and motioned as if to strike one of them: but a pained expression flashed across her face and she held her arm to her chest, clutching it as if something had happened to it.

Earendil arrived at the table where Miyuki and Jacinthe were sitting, and he looked angrily at Miyuki. "Yes, cover your eyes, or else stop watching her," he told her shortly. "I would have expected you to know better, after what happened last time."

Jacinthe immediately averted her eyes. She trusted that her children would do as they were told and keep their eyes turned away as well.

The guards took hold of Ioreth again, and though there was murder in her eyes, there seemed to be nothing she could do as they dragged her from the room.

Iorlas moved to follow them, but Daeron grabbed her hand and held her back.

Earendil leaned forward on the table, his heart rate coming down when Ioreth was taken from the room. When things went quiet, he looked over his shoulder to make sure it was safe.

He exhaled slowly when he saw that Ioreth was gone, and he came around the edge of the table and sat on the chair next to Miyuki. He held his hands out to her, looking at her anxiously. "Are you all right?" he asked her softly. "Shades, I was terrified there for a minute."

The room was almost entirely silent. The king looked at his wife, his jaw set angrily. She gave him a nod, and he left the room after the guards and Ioreth.

Earendil was relieved to see Lin as well (though he had only left her side a moment before), and he hugged Miyuki close when she sat in his lap. "We're all fine, Miyuki," he assured her softly. "But you gave me a scare, staring at her like that. I thought that after last time you would know better than to watch her."

His tone was gentle, and though he was repeating what he had said before, there was no anger in his voice anymore.

Jacinthe looked at the three of them quietly, her eyes thoughtful. "I take it she's more than simply mean," she said, her eyes focusing on Miyuki.

Earendil exhaled slowly. "Miyuki," he said softly, "you like to simplify things, sometimes a bit too much."

He looked at Jacinthe, wondering how much was safe - and necessary - to tell her.

"Ioreth is very bitter and angry," he decided to explain finally, "and it kills her to see people enjoying themselves. She does everything she possibly can to stop it. I'm not sure you could call Iorlas and Ioreth close," he added, looking down at Miyuki. "This is the first time in a very long time that they've laid eyes on each other. Ioreth prefers to avoid her sister. But yes, Iorlas does love her, despite what she does."

Jacinthe nodded slowly. "And are the children in danger from her?" she asked - her main concern.

Earendil shrugged one shoulder. "If she's cornered, she does have the ability to temporarily blind people who are around her, if they're looking at her, by creating a very bright light. Beyond that, my understanding is that she's magically incapable of physically hurting anyone."