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Earendil nodded, then bowed to Jacinthe. "Please excuse us," he apologized. "I need to see if my brother is all right."

Jacinthe smiled at him and nodded her head respectfully, since it would be too much trouble to get to her feet, and even more trouble to attempt a proper curtsy. "Think nothing of it, my lord. I should be collecting my children back again and preparing them for home. It is quite late after all."

Earendil nodded. "Until we meet again then." He bowed again, then took Miyuki's hand and held his other hand out to Lin.

Jacinthe smiled at Lin, her smile warm and friendly as always. "And you," she replied sincerely. She waved at Miyuki. "Come to visit us again before you leave," she invited them warmly.

"We will," Earendil promised; and with that they headed across the room towards where the king was speaking with his wife now.

"... in a cell," the king was saying as they approached. He spotted Earendil, Lin and Miyuki and waved them over before turning back to his wife. "I tell you, I just don't understand."

Amalthea saw her husband look past her, and she turned to see what he was looking at. Her expression was anxious, and it didn't change when she saw her nephew and his family approaching.

"What's going on?" Earendil asked the two quietly. "Neko-thel? Neko-tol?"

Eregon looked at him. "Ioreth is in a cell for the moment. A small one, so that she can't use her magic and change."

"And Daeron?"

"On his way to the House of Healing."

Earendil blinked in surprise, and his face grew pale. "What happened?" he asked anxiously, trying to keep his voice down.

The king held up one hand to stop the barrage of questions.

"He's fine," he said firmly. "Ioreth is the one who's injured. Daeron's just gone in search of Master Ethan, the healer. It makes no sense to me how she was injured, though. No one touched her, nor she anyone else, except when the guards took hold of her. Iorlas is staying with her, watching from outside her cell."

Earendil started to breathe again, relaxing slightly.

Earendil looked down at Lin. "Wonder?" he repeated curiously. "You have an idea of what it might be?"

He knew that she knew much more about magic than he did - than most people did, really - because she was used to many more types of magic than most people here knew about. If anyone knew anything, she probably would.

"What are you thinking?" the king asked, also curious.

"It's possible," Earendil agreed. "It sounds plausible, at least. It's a pity we don't have any experts in magic to talk to about it."

"We might," Amalthea spoke up.

The king looked at her and blinked. "We might?" he repeated.

She nodded slowly. "Think about it. This is the oldest area in the Four Lands. There has to be someone who is at least old enough to remember the old magics, before the time of gifts."

"Sir Elros and Lady Alena!" Earendil exclaimed. "I'm not sure how old Sir Elros is but Lady Alena I know is one of the oldest elves alive! I know that's no guarantee that she would know about the magic, but it's worth a try, isn't it?"

Eregon nodded. "Good." He sighed. "The timing for this is terrible. I wish we could wait for morning, but as it is ..."

Amalthea put one hand on his shoulder. "Go. I'll stay with our guests," she told him softly.

Eregon nodded and touched his hand to his wife's. "I'll let you know what happens." He turned to Earendil and Lin. "Come, let's get Sir Elros and Lady Alena and talk."

Elros and Alena had been out on the dance floor when the interruption had occurred, but they had disappeared in the meantime, taking Shiloh with them.

"Maybe we should put Andarien to bed," Earendil mused. "Their room is across from ours, and Andarien did fall asleep earlier already."

He looked down at Miyuki. "Do you want to stay here with your friends or come with us and go to bed?"

He didn't want her coming with to where Ioreth was - she couldn't use her magic to change, but he didn't know about the light she could make and he didn't want to risk her eyes again.