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"Perhaps we should try to talk to her more," Lancaeriel suggested with a soft smile. "Make her more comfortable with us. If she were really as aloof as she makes herself seem, then I really don't think we would have so many people speaking of her so fondly."

And personally, there were things about their guide that Lancaeriel was curious about. Her tattoo, for one.

"I don't know," Lancaeriel admitted after a moment of thought. "Perhaps she just needs to be reassured that we would never use magic against her ... surely she can't be afraid of all magic, or else she would not be so willing, I think, to travel to the different lands where magic is as commonplace as in the Four Lands."

Really, Caras Galadhon and the human countries would be the only magic-free places on this continent, and even then it was not complete. If it was magic itself that Kyrie didn't like, surely she would avoid the rest of the countries, would she not? And yet she spent her life traveling ...

Lancaeriel shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know then," she said simply. "The only thing I can suggest is being friendly with her, showing her that we are not a threat to her, and seeing where it goes from there."

She pursed her lips thoughtfully, then added softly, "Of course ... I could always look into her past ... though that would be a dreadful invasion of privacy ..."

It was a thought that had passed briefly though her mind, one that she was simply saying aloud for the sake of saying it. It was not something she would ever do without someone's express permission.

"Agreed," Lancaeriel nodded. "And I wonder if perhaps it might help for us to tell her exactly what our magic does. Fear is usually of the unknown, after all."

She brushed off her skirt and began to clean up the lunch that Miyuki had brought her.

"At any rate, we should be able to get those quivers working for you by tonight, if you're not too tired," she said, changing the subject. "It doesn't take long, but it does take quite a bit of energy. If you're not up for it now we can do it another day instead."

And so Lancaeriel and Miyuki passed the afternoon working on the rune for the quiver and arrows. Of course, they began with the theory, since that was the most important bit to start with, and once Lancaeriel was certain that Miyuki understood at least enough of it to make the rune work, they returned to the house and first practiced on her basket before putting a rune on Earendil's quiver.

Andarien had gone for more archery lessons that afternoon, and this time when he returned for dinner, he had both his hat and his goggles with him. He was also in a much better mood than he had been the day before, as he didn't pounce on what people said to him.

The days passed, Shiro recovered completely from his wound, and very soon it was time for the group to continue once more on their journey.

"You're sure you don't need anything else?" Elspeth asked them as she helped Lancaeriel pack up the last of the food that their hostess had prepared for them.

Lancaeriel couldn't help but laugh softly at the Earth Elven woman. "You've already given us food for a month, I'm sure," she assured her. "It is more than enough."

Elspeth didn't seem reassured by Lancaeriel's protest. "You're sure?" she asked again.

"You've already done so much for us," Iorlas added with a warm smile. "You've shared your home with us, fed us for over a week, done our laundry ... truly, it is we who owe you a great deal."

"If you insist," Elspeth smiled. "But do make sure to visit us again if you're ever in the area, won't you? It would be wonderful to see you all again."

"We'll be sure," Earendil chuckled, hefting his bag onto his back. "You take care of yourself as well, all right? And your son and your husband."

Elspeth laughed. "Yes, I'll keep reminding them to be more careful," she assured him. "Hopefully we can prevent more accidents like what happened to Shiro."

Kyrie was already out the door, waiting for the others so that they could be on their way. She had spoken with Elspeth earlier and said her goodbyes so that it hopefully wouldn't take so long now.

"I truly hope we do," Elspeth said warmly; and as the group headed out, she waved to them from the doorway until they were out of sight, up the street.

They were just passing out of the town when a voice shouted after them: "Wait!"

The group turned to see who it was and what they wanted, and more than a few of them (especially those who didn't know her) were surprised to see Sy, the girl whose brothers ran the bowyer's shop, chasing after them.

Sy caught up with them and crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah," she nodded, looking at Andarien. "Why didn't you come say good-bye, Andarien?" she asked him, sounding hurt.

Andarien blinked at her in surprise. "I said good-bye yesterday," he replied, sounding very confused.

"But today is when you're actually leaving!" the girl protested.

A light blush rose on Andarien's cheeks. "Oh ... well ... um ... bye," he said clumsily, lifting one hand and waving awkwardly. "Thanks for the lessons."

Sy was biting her lower lip as if she were nervous about something, and then, without warning, she stepped forward and kissed Andarien on the cheek. Then she said something in another language, something that made Kyrie grin and Iorlas' eyes begin to sparkle with suppressed laughter.

Andarien looked a bit flustered, and he replied to Sy in the same language as she'd spoken to him. It seemed that that took Sy by surprise, because all of a sudden she turned a bright hue of red and, once again biting her lip anxiously, she turned and ran back into the town.