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As Ahren and Shiara headed into the house, Haradhel turned to Toshiro and Miyu.

"Toshiro, can you keep watching the children?" she requested. "Miyu, I think I may need your help." She glanced back at Ahren and Shiara. "I have a feeling this might be a bit of an odd case ..."

"I don't know," Haradhel murmured anxiously to Miyu. "I really don't know ... but we have to do everything we can for her. Even if we could just get her to speak ..."

Inside, Ahren had led Shiara to the dining room and had invited her to sit down at one of the tables.

"Possibly," Haradhel agreed with Miyu. "Why don't you run and bring another blanket while I get something ready for her then? I think there might be some clothes that fit her in Arwen's old bedroom closet as well, do you remember where that is?"

It was just easier if Haradhel would prepare the food, since she could use her magic to do so much more quickly.

It was warmer inside, and now that the snow in Shiara's hair was melting, she looked a bit wet. Still, Ahren made no move to help her to dry off or warm up: instead, he took a seat across from her and folding his hands on the table in front of him.

"You warm enough?" he asked her softly as Haradhel walked past them.

Shiara shrugged. It was warmer inside than out, and much warmer than it had been in the north.

"Are you hungry?" Ahren pressed as gently as he could. "Can I get you something to eat? Or to drink, perhaps?"

Shiara licked her lips slowly. "Something warm," she said quietly. "A drink ..."

Ahren nodded and smiled. "I'll tell Mother," he murmured, rising and heading towards the kitchen after her.

When Miyu got downstairs again, Shiara was still sitting alone in the dining room. She was holding the blanket tight around her shoulders with one hand, and her other hand was gently rubbing at a long cut on her neck. It wasn't completely fresh, but it looked only a few weeks old at the most.

She looked up at Miyu as the girl entered the room, and watched her silently.

Shiara stared at the clothes and the blanket that Miyu was holding out for her, but she made no move to take them from her.

Ahren returned then with a steaming mug, and he smiled when he saw the two. "Thank you, Miyu," he said warmly. "Perhaps it would be best if you just put it on the table next to her."

He sat down across from Shiara again and set down the mug between them. "Drink up."

Only when Ahren's hands were safely away from the mug did Shiara take it and hold it in her hands.

Shiara held the mug in both hands and sipped from it slowly, her eyes closed as if she were exhausted.

Ahren smiled encouragingly at Miyu so that she wouldn't feel as if she were useless. He knew how easily she doubted herself, and he wanted to be sure she knew that it wasn't her fault.

Haradhel returned then with a plate of vegetables and meat, and she set it down in front of Shiara. "Here you are," she said warmly. "You look as though it's been a while since you've had a decent meal ... if you're still hungry after this, let me know and I'll prepare some more for you, how does that sound?"

Shiara looked up at Haradhel, still huddling under the cold and wet blanket she had ridden in with; and then she looked over at Miyu again, her eyes once more filled with curiosity.

Haradhel smiled and put one hand on Miyu's shoulder, then knelt behind her and whispered softly in her ear: "Perhaps you might try speak with her. I haven't heard her speak yet, perhaps that would be the first step in healing her."