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"As long as it's nothing they can break down and swallow," Lore replied with a chuckle, "Garrick had been after flowers last night trying to put those into his mouth."

Fortunately most flowers were edible, at least the most common ones like the roses that Elnara liked.

"Maybe we should check it out just for Jair," Elnara suggested to Lore, one eyebrow raised. "He loves sweets, and he really doesn't get to go places like everyone else does."

It was hard for a mer to get around by himself, after all, and since Elnara rarely left the house anymore ...

Elnara nodded her agreement. "Jair would be ecstatic," she smiled. "He's always asking to go places ... but I just can't take him anywhere. I simply don't have the energy anymore, or the time ... and the others are all in school ..."

Well except Shiro, but he sort of worked most of the time, and researched the rest of the time.

Aranhil laughed. "Well, to be fair, children do love sweets, for the most part," he grinned. "Yes, some more than others, but I have to say, I've never met a child that would turn down a sweet."

He put one hand on Hana's head, smiling warmly at her, and then lowered his hand and put his hands in his pockets.

Before leaving the shop, Aranhil had requested that Elnara and Lore return at least once before they went back home again, a request that Elnara was glad to agree to. Then they left, much as before, walking hand in hand down the street.

"He seems to be doing well," Elnara smiled warmly at Lore, giving Hana a finger to suck on to keep her from fussing too much. She would have to feed the twins once they reached the inn, but for the moment they were holding up all right.

Elnara giggled softly. "Very soon," she agreed. "Actually, considering that we haven't let them run around yet, they're doing quite well."

She was amazed that Garrick at least wasn't fighting to be let down to run around - not that he could run yet, but he did enjoy wreaking havoc.

"At least it isn't far to the inn," she smiled, nodding forward. The inn was already in sight, just at the end of the level.

Meanwhile, back at the palace, Tinuviel and Lin were just getting through the route-planning part of their plot to travel the Southland. The plan so far seemed to be a clockwise circle around the cities, with stops at pretty much every place of note.

They had just begun to tidy up a bit (Tinuviel's study seemed to require more than a bit of tidying up, but it was nearly lunch time and after all they were in a bit of a hurry) when suddenly there was a knock at the door and a guard poked his head in.

"Lin," he said respectfully, "you have a visitor."

Tinuviel reached out one hand and caught Lin by the shoulder, stopping her before she could go far.

"We will see her here," she told the guard firmly. As he left, she turned back to Lin and explained, "If someone is coming to see you for disciplinary reasons, you let them come to you ... you don't go to them. If you do, you are telling them that they have power over you, and not the other way around."