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Earendil chuckled. "Yes, I did," he agreed. "And you have to promise me that you'll train hard so that when you do grow, you'll be good and ready to have an adventure with me!"

They were drawing near his greatgrandmother's study now, and he intended to have her look at Storm. She was a healer (which Elnara had inherited just as her father had), and he was more likely to have success finding Atalya in her study rather than combing the castle for his aunt.

"Of course I will!" Lin replied back.

Besides she had to get stronger so she could show that stupid ninja who's boss. Not strong and no honour her rear!

"Where are we going?"

"We're going to find - hopefully find my Ninako," Earendil replied seriously. "I want to make sure there's nothing wrong with Storm, it's a lot cooler inside than out, but he's still pretty out of it ..."

He knocked on the door of the queen's study and headd straight in without waiting for a reply.

"Ninako," he called out as he entered. "Storm needs to be looked at ..."


Atalya looked up from a thick sheaf of papers on her desk and rose, a concerned expression crossing her face. "What happened?" she asked, moving swiftly to see what was going on.

"Storm overheated," Lin replied as she looked at Storm.

She wasn't sure but she was sure he had overheated after all he was were a turtleneck! Even though she had been wearing dark colours at least she wasn't covered from neck to ankle.

Earendil nodded his agreement with Lin. "At least, I hope that's all it is," he added worriedly. "He just sort of ... well, we took off his sweater and he keeled over. Starr said he was really hot, so ..."

Atalya took Storm gently from Earendil and asked, "Would it not have been better to take him to Elnara?"

Earendhil shrugged. "Probably, but I haven't seen her yet and I wouldn't have the faintest idea where to look for her."




From behind the closed door came a muffled shout, and the words, "I requested to be left alone!" could vaguely be heard.

"Uhm..." Lore turned to Elnara.

Since she would be more likely to recongized the voice, than he, he had to ask.

"Is this the right room?"

The person on the other side did not sound all too happy.

After another moment of silence, the voice called out, "Who's there?"

Then the door opened and an elf stood in the doorway, glaring at the people who had interrupted him in his work.

He was tall like Elrohir, and darker-skinned as well, but he appeared much older than most elves. His face, which bore evidences of once being rather handsome, was now lined with cares and worries. His short, once-black hair was streaked with gray and silver, and only his eyes, still dark and full of emotion, indicated that he wasn't as old as he looked.

He stared at the four people in front of him, and his expression slowly changed from irritation to shock.




"Fall ... Autumn, then," Atalya nodded as she put her hand against Storm's forehead and cheeks. "And from what I understand, you don't have a desert, either," she added, smiling at Lin. "So he wouldn't have felt heat like this before."

She put one hand on Storm's belly and frowned. It was also warm - very ... very warm. She put her hand on his forehead once more and bowed her head in concentration, then nodded and looked at the others again.

"He just needs to cool down and rest," she told them. "A bit of sunstroke, he'll be all right."

A bit of nausea, dizziness, and a headache, but give him a day or two of good solid rest and he would be back to normal.

Lore studied the man and realized it had never occured to him that elves could go gray. Then again he didn't know how old the man was, but elves tended to defy normal aging cues. Besides, he was sure Ulani and Ulrich were older than Elnara's grandfather.

"Ah... hello," he finally spoke.