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"But no bears or deer?" she asked, a little bit confused. She crawled up to the top of the bed and lay down on the pillow, which was big enough in and of itself to be a bed for her. She got herself comfortable and lay there, watching Lore put things away.

"Oh, I see," Idhril smiled, curling up into a ball. "Did you ever see any before, Papa?"

Her golden eyes were growing slightly droopy. It had been a long first day for her, even though it had just been the morning, and she was so comfortable now ...

Idhril closed her fists on two handfuls of Lore's robes and put her head on his chest again, then closed her eyes.

"Are they pretty?' she asked him, a little bit softer than before. "I think I would like to see some."

The living room had only one child left in it by now: Serenity, and she was so focused on a drawing she was working on that it seemed as if she might not even have realized that she was the only one in the room now.

Idhril was no better: her eyes were still closed and she was still leaning comfortably on Lore's chest ... and was very near the point of falling asleep on him - literally.

"Maybe ... see ... later," she murmured softly.

Just at that moment, Elnara came out of the kitchen. The children had gone in there, looking for some lunch, and she had learned from them that Lore had returned.

"Lore!" she said brightly when she saw him in the living room; but then she spotted Idhril, who looked like she might be asleep, and she lowered her voice to just above a murmur. "Welcome back!" she smiled at him. "Are you going to join us for some lunch? It's just ready now ..."

At her mother's announcement, Serenity looked up from her drawing, brushing aside one of the flowers from her wreath as it fell into her eyes. She smiled and rose to her feet, dropping her quill (the only thing here that Ulani had to write or draw with) onto her half-completed picture and moving to join Lore and Elnara.

"I'm hungry," she said softly, linking her arm into Elnara's. "Is it time to eat?"

Elnara smiled warmly. "Well, it was a very busy morning for her ... she was the first awake, and the most active ... and she is still very new. I'm sure once she sleeps a bit she'll be ready for some more adventures."

She looked down at Serenity and put one arm around her shoulders. "Yes, lunch is ready," she told her. "Go into the kitchen, Ulani will get you some food."

As Serenity headed obediently into the kitchen, Elnara looked back at Lore. "I can take her, if you'd like," she offered softly. "Perhaps I should put her back in bed ..."

Elnara took Idhril, smiling, and cuddled her in her arms, holding her close to her chest. She took the flower wreath from the girl's head so that it wouldn't get crushed and set it on a nearby table, then headed off down the hall.

Before she lay Idhril down on the large double bed, she kissed her forehead as she did with all of her children when she tucked them in. Then she set her down and covered her with a blanket. Idhril rolled over onto her side and curled up in a little ball, sticking her thumb in her mouth, and Elnara smiled.

She made her way back out to the living room, where she joined Lore once more. "Ready for some lunch?" she asked him softly, linking her arm in his.

"Good," Elnara replied with a smile. "Busy. I don't think I'll have any trouble sleeping tonight. We - Ulani and I helped the children make flower wreaths, and between catching up on what's been happening in the Four Lands since I left, and watching the children - the twins especially - it's been pretty hectic."

She led him into the kitchen, where Ulani was serving the children their lunch (simple sandwiches today). Celebor, Serenity and the twins were sitting around the table (or on it in the twins' case), and Skye was sitting on the large chest in the back corner, legs crossed and holding Aliya in her arms. She had been quite proud to be entrusted with the baby, and she insisted that she would hold her until Ulani was ready to take her back again.