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Cael stood up again and moved closer to Lancaeriel, and the two of them conversed quietly in another tongue.

While they spoke, Kyrie put her hands on Lin and Earendil's. "It looks like there was more than just external damage," she told them quietly. "I think Cael can tell you more."

At this point, Mari stepped in again. "We need to keep going and secure the rest of the palace," she told them, "and we need Cael for it. Prince Earendil, if you're up for it, we can help you to a comfortable room where you can rest and your family can be with you."

Earendil tilted his ear towards Mari when she spoke, and when she had finished, he looked at her curiously and asked, "Who are you?"

Earendil nodded. "Good." He tried to stand, but fell back weakly. "I'm going to need help," he sighed.

"Cael, where can they go?" Mari asked, looking up at the young man.

"My chambers," he replied immediately. He turned to the soldiers who were in the doorway. "Captain Alcar, take one of your men and help Prince Earendil and his family to my chambers. The rest of us will take the rest of the palace."

He turned to Lancaeriel. "Except you. Dearest Lancaeriel, I love you, but Prince Earendil needs the attention that only you or I could give him, and Mari needs me."

The soldier in silver who had been the one to lead the arrest at Tsara's house stepped into the cell and pulled Earendil's arm around his shoulders. At his command, a second soldier stepped forward as well and took Earendil's second arm, and the two of them carefully helped him to stand.

Andarien clapped his hands together with excitement and relief.

"Then Ada's all right!" he cried gleefully.

Mari and Cael led the way out of the cell, and Kyrie followed after her; then the soldiers who were helping Earendil, and Lancaeriel walked with Lin, keeping her light orb in her hands. The soldiers in the hallway moved aside to let them all pass. When Andarien saw Earendil being supported out of the cell, his eyes grew wide again.

"Ada? Are you okay?" he asked in a small voice.

Andarien looked down at his Pokemon, who were waiting with him in the hallway. "You guys watch out and make sure Ada doesn't get hurt again!" he ordered them firmly.

Eon and Zeus yipped their agreement, and Ponydash pawed at the stone floor.

The whole group started back the way they'd come, leaving the empty cell behind, and they all traveled together for a while, until they reached the main floor of the palace. There, they split up: Mari, Cael, Kyrie, Wren and most of the soldiers headed down a hallway that the group had not yet covered, and the two soldiers who were supporting Earendil turned back the other way with Lancaeriel, Lin, Andarien, Miyuki and their Pokemon.

The soldiers led them to a tower and a spiral staircase, and once they emerged on the second floor, they had to dispatch of a few guards who tried to stop them; but then they reached their goal.

Cael's chambers were indeed plural: three rooms, each of them enormous, even in comparison to the bedchambers in the Southland palace. One had a large bed and other furniture to sit and rest on; the second room seemed to be a study, with a desk and chair and shelves of books; and the third was his bathing chamber, with an empty tub and a linen cupboard.

The soldiers laid Earendil carefully on the bed, and then went to watch the door.

As soon as Earendil was lying down, he turned his head and looked for Lin. "Lin," he called out, holding one hand out for her.

Earendil put his arms around Lin and held her close. He was still quite cold, but his heart was beating strongly now. As he held Lin in his arms, he felt tears in his eyes, and though he tried to hold them back, he couldn't; and very soon he was crying into her hair.

Andarien had taken a seat on a couch rather than the floor, and Eon and Zeus had hopped up to snuggle with him while Ponydash stayed near the door. His eyes were fixed on his parents, though, and when he heart his father crying - not loudly, really, it wasn't much more than sniffles - he looked up at Lancaeriel worriedly.

"Is Ada going to be okay?" he asked her quietly. He didn't know what was wrong with Earendil, only that he'd needed to be healed magically and then carried upstairs - and that now Earendil was crying, which was something Andarien had never seen before, and it worried him.

Lancaeriel forced herself to smile down at Andarien. "He'll be all right," she murmured quietly. "He's just happy to be back with your mother, I think."

She hesitated a moment, then knelt and put one hand on Andarien's and Miyuki's shoulders. "Maybe we should give them a few minutes alone," she suggested quietly.

Lancaeriel nodded and silently ushered Miyuki and Andarien towards the next room. Eon and Zeus followed them, though Ponydash stayed near the door, just in case.

The study was a large one, and Andarien looked around, though he wasn't really interested in the things in the room. He wanted to be able to talk with their father, something he hadn't been able to do yet. He knew he would have to wait, but that didn't mean it would be easy for him.


Earendil tried to control his tears, but he couldn't.

"I was so afraid something would happen to you," he choked, and he held Lin tighter. "I was so terrified that I would break, that I would tell the General about you ... Lin, I was so afraid ..."

Earendil was not reassured by Lin's words. He could barely hear them. He clenched his teeth in frustration.

"I can barely hear you," he whispered, letting go of Lin so that he could look at her. His eyes were red and wet, and there were tears coursing down his cheeks. He wanted to say something else, anything ... but he couldn't think of anything to say that wasn't just downright depressing. He swallowed hard to try to calm himself, but fresh tears welled in his eyes and slid down his cheeks.