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Aennan was amazed by their account of how Lancaeriel had made it possible for them to speak directly with Aranxia's parents, and when he heard that they wanted to speak with him, he was partially eager and partially nervous.

"I hope she isn't upset," he said anxiously, rubbing his forehead with his thumb and index finger. "I mean, I would understand if she were ... really ..."

"She didn't sound upset to me," Earendil assured the young man. "Surprised, yes, concerned, yes; but not upset." He chuckled softly. "And if you need reassurance, you ought to have seen Regan, Aranxia's sister. More excited than I've seen anyone, even River."

"Today?" Aennan blinked. "I don't know ... it's nearly-"

"Not today, after lunch, the afternoon's nearly gone already," Earendil interrupted him. "Tomorrow after lunch."

"Ah." Aennan smiled weakly and ran his fingers through his hair. "Yes, that'll be fine. I'll make sure it is."

Aennan's face flushed, the colour especially bright on his pale cheeks.

"Of course I have," he replied sheepishly. "I ate lunch with Aranxia. I just ... wasn't thinking."

Earendil chuckled and put one hand on the young man's shoulder. "Sudden panic, finding out that my niece's parents want to talk to you?" he winked at him.

The colour deepened on Aennan's cheeks, and he lowered his eyes. "Yes ... something like that, I suppose." He looked up at Lin and Earendil anxiously. "Do I have to be somewhere special? Do anything special? To talk to them, I mean."

Earendil shook his head. "Just be here," he said simply. "Lancaeriel will come here after lunch and get things set up for you. And really, don't worry too much about it. I'm sure it will be fine."

It wasn't as if he was going to have to face Ruel, after all.

Aennan nodded and smiled faintly. "It's not as though they can do anything else from this distance," he murmured. "But thank you. I will wait here for Lancaeriel tomorrow. I should get back to work for now, though - I have about a half hour left, and Amanya is rather ... um ..."

"Overbearing?" Earendil suggested dryly.

Aennan rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well, she's anxious for me to do my work," he admitted. "And really, I am getting paid for it, so I ought to be doing it ..."

Aennan smiled warmly at the two of them. "Thank you. I'm sure I'll see you again soon. And again, thank you for speaking with Kelirahc and Lancaeriel."

"Very welcome," Earendil grinned. "See you."

Aennan returned to his work, and Earendil headed back to the stairs with Lin.

Most of the preparations for the wedding were centered around the completion of the house where Aennan and Aranxia were going to live, relatively near Luk's house in the forest outside the city, very close to the beach, as Aennan's small house had been. There was of course a lot to do for that, though the biggest part was procuring and moving furniture.

Of course, with Aennan working five days each week, most of that sort of thing had to be done in the evenings, though, surprisingly, Aennan had been given several afternoons off of work of late. While he was working, Aranxia spent her time, as usual, at Lykor and Galanna's house, doing her own work.

This particular day was different, though. Unbeknownst to Aranxia, it was the day when her parents were scheduled to arrive, and Aennan had asked for the morning off work as well so that he could be there to greet them. Thus it was that Aranxia was at Aennan's brother's house, but Aennan and Lancaeriel were at the doorstep of Lara and Cantor's house to get Lin and Earendil.

"Would you like to come with us, Miyuki?" Earendil asked his daughter as he and Lin prepared to head out with Aennan and Lancaeriel.

Earendil put one hand on Miyuki's back. "Hey," he said softly, "she'll be all right. I'm sure of it. If she just wants to be left alone, maybe that's what she needs to get through whatever's going on."

He would be the first to admit that he had never seen animals acting like this before, but he knew from tales he'd heard around the ranch that sometimes animals did odd things. In almost every case, things turned out fine. The only things that were required were time and patience.

Not that it meant it would be easy.