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"You know, I'm not sure yet," Wren admitted. "I had thought a bit about maybe going with Mari when she frees the rest of the country, but even I'm wise enough to know that might not be the best course of action. I don't know, maybe I'll just check out the city. See if there's anything I can do there to help Mari's effort."

"But you did say that Earendil was waiting for me to come," Lancaeriel interrupted with a smile. "Tell me, Earendil, what did you need?"

Earendil glanced at Lin. He knew she would rather he just rest, but he hated feeling like this. He looked back at Lancaeriel and sighed. "I was just wondering ... would it be possible to attempt a second healing?" he asked her hopefully. "I know ... with some magics, only one attempt can be made, but ... "

Lancaeriel sighed softly and looked at him with pity in her eyes. "Earendil, you are healed," she told him gently. "You're simply weak. To use magic to attempt another healing would simply drain more of your energy and lengthen your time of required rest."

Earendil couldn't hide his disappointment. "So there's nothing that can help?"

"I know you don't like to hear it, Earendil," Lancaeriel murmured, "but the only thing that will help you now is simple rest. Don't try to do things. Just stay in bed."

Earendil sighed again. If his mind would rest, too, it would be one thing; but his mind was wide awake and racing all the time, and that was what made him want to get up and do something.

Lancaeriel smiled bemusedly. "You know, I don't even know if they've thought that far ahead," she admitted. "I know Wren's been thinking about it-"

"Though that may not be the best course of action, as I said," Wren interrupted her.

"-but frankly, I think Mari has so far been concerned with simply making sure the city is safe," Lancaeriel went on as if Wren hadn't spoken. "The parade today frightened some people, I think, at least until they saw Mari at the end of it. She stayed out there to speak with them, to let them know that things are changing, and what she hopes will happen ... but the truth is, she is still just their princess, and until she becomes queen she won't have the power she needs."

Lancaeriel thought about it for a moment. "Coronation, as soon as someone can find the ceremony for it ... get the city in order ... and then she'll worry about the rest of the country. I don't know if Mari will want Coriander-"

She caught herself and shook her head. "If Mari will want Cael to go with her to the rest of the country, but ... I think things will go easier if he does go with her. He's asked me to stay behind, though I must admit ... I really don't want to."

Having found him after searching for so long, she didn't want to be without him again, even if she knew it would be safer for her to remain here.

"Well, I would very much like to," Lancaeriel admitted, "but Cael's right. It would be dangerous, and I would only be a distraction for him. I have no idea what I'd do here, waiting for him, but ..."

"Then we'll figure something out together," Wren grinned, nudging Lancaeriel playfully. "We've managed to keep ourselves occupied so far."

"I need to practice with my swords while we're here," Andarien said quietly, unusually serious. "But ... I don't know how much I can do without Kaito to teach me."

"Pity we can't get in contact with him to get him to come here," Wren said sympathetically. "You're right, you do need to practice."

She knew how little skill he had, and she knew that while he might not have natural talent with a blade, if he made himself practice he could do well enough. And if this is what it took to get him to take his swordsmanship seriously ... well, perhaps there were better ways, but at least he finally realized how important it was to be able to defend himself.

"Well, if you're going to learn elemental magic," Lancaeriel said seriously, "I do recommend that you make it one that will be useful in situations outside of battle as well. Fire, perhaps ... good offensively, and wonderfully useful in winter. Or water, though that's perhaps better for travel rather than offense."

She herself used electrical attacks mostly, but that wasn't very useful outside of battle. At least, not to her.