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Tinuviel smiled at Lin and shook her head. "No, he certainly won't have a reason to do so," she agreed. "But come on, we can discuss this later. We still haven't even told Earendil about our idea yet. I'm sure he'll be delighted."

By the time they arrived at the Dining Hall for lunch, most everyone had finished eating, and Earendil was alone in the room, looking out the window and seeming very impatient.

Earendil's eyes grew wide when he spotted Lin, and he laughed softly and ran over to greet her, just about pouncing on her as he swept her up into his arms and hugged her tight, swinging her around in a circle before putting her down again.

"You always grow here!" he exclaimed delightedly. "It's always so amazing! Oh, Lin you look so wonderful! So much like your mother, though, I have to say."

He laughed and hugged her again.

Earendil groaned and released Lin. "And to think I was trying to avoid her," he said ruefully. "I'd have given a lot to see the look on her face."

"It was priceless," Tinuveil giggled softly. "Oh, Earendil, you should have been there. I think it would have been even better."

Earendil laughed again. "Well, I'm just glad she's already been here and gone again. Now we don't have to worry about her for the rest of your visit."

He grinned. "I guess you'll be spending the afternoon being fitted for new clothes ..."

"And I promised we would take her necklace to Aranhil to be adjusted," Tinuviel put in as two servants came from the kitchen with their meal. "Though we could do that another day, I suppose."

Earendil grinned down at Lin. "What do you think?"

Earendil nodded. "Then I'll use this afternoon to get caught up on my paperwork," he agreed. "Whenever you're finished, come to my study and get me, all right?"

He looked at his sister. "I suppose you'll be staying with Lin while she's getting measured?"

Tinuviel nodded, her eyes sparkling brightly. "Of course."

The month seemed to pass quickly, especially for Earendil, until it was all too soon the final week before Lin and his aunt and uncle would have to return home. It was early in the afternoon, and Earendil was taking Lin and Tinuviel to his study so that they could make a few more plans for their trip around the Southland - an idea which, surprisingly, Ruel and Luthien had heartily approved of - when Sir Valdemar came out of his own study, followed by a guard.

"Ah, Princess Tinuviel," he smiled in relief. "Come. Lin, you as well ... come, someone has arrived that may have answers for us all. Prince Earendil, you might as well come along, it's best you get this firsthand instead of by word of mouth. Quickly."

He motioned for all of them to follow as he hurried towards the stairs.

Sir Valdemar led the three down to the main floor and up the corridor to the Conference Hall, a large room with a long, narrow table down the center of it, and about three dozen chairs around it.

Queen Atalya was there, seated at the head of the table, and sitting next to her was King Reave. Sitting near them was a tall Southland elven man, with shoulder-length black hair and keen dark eyes. Perhaps what was most striking about him was the scar that ran from one temple up into his hair, a wide thing that gave him a bit of a grizzled look. Yet his face was one that seemed still young, and kind - though at the moment his expression was grim.

The three of them were talking together, but when Sir Valdemar entered the room with Earendil, Tinuviel and Lin, they stopped speaking and the man rose to his feet.

"Sir Valdemar," he said respectfully, bowing low.

Sir Valdemar nodded. "Sir Aranel. Prince Earendil, Princess Tinuviel, Lin, this is Sir Aranel. The one man who might know how the morgawr returned to our world."

Sir Aranel bowed again to the three of them before straightening up and looking up at Sir Valdemar, his eyes slightly narrowed.

"With all due respect sir," he said politely, "I came in my sister's place. She has a family to think of, and she does not need to be involved in all of this yet again."

Sir Valdemar only smiled faintly. "You were the one to read my letter, weren't you?" he said softly. "She does not even know of it."

Sir Aranel nodded. "I was there. I can tell you everything you need to know. You have the book. All the power we need is in this room. She does not need to be brought into this."

"Please sit," Queen Atalya said firmly, nodding at the chair where Sir Aranel had been sitting when the others had first come into the room. "As I already told you, your participation is most welcome, and if it is not necessary we will not involve your sister."

She motioned for Lin and the others to sit as well.