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"Well, don't just stand there, you two," Aliya grinned at Feng and Ryu, "come on, sit down and grab some supper."

She would have offered them dry clothes ... except that she knew that the wet and cold didn't affect them in the least. If it did, they would never be able to sleep in the river like they did.

"I saw Cindy at lunch!" Adan boasted proudly to his brother as he returned to his chair. "And she's just like Uncle Adonai said!"

At the mention of Adonai's name, Shael pushed her chair back and stood, heading over to the cupboard for more dishes for Feng and Ryu.

Feng and Ryu blinked, they had and at the same time had not expected Shael to react that way. Then again there was a lot they did not know how things changed since the last time they were here.

"Is that so?" Ryu asked as he took a seat, his sister following after him.

Aliya and Amdir exchanged a silent glance, then Aliya turned back to Shiro and smiled.

"I think it would be best if you do," she nodded. "There's no telling what a storm here might do, it would be dangerous to go out in it again. I'm amazed that Aragost did, though I suppose he's seen worse. We have lots of clothes and many extra beds, so it won't be a problem."

She paused and looked at Feng and Ryu thoughtfully. "I don't know if you two are comfortable in the river during a storm," she murmured. There was after all the possiblity of lightning, even this late in the season.

Adan for his part had completely missed Shael's reaction to his announcement, and went on with his story eagerly.

"She's real pretty and really nice!" he assured the others. "And she's really smart, she knows a lot of things, an she has wings too just like Uncle Adonai said!"

Shael returned to the table then, her face an expression of calm, but it seemed forced, false. She set places for Feng and Ryu before she sat in her seat again, looking deliberately into her plate and seeming to ignore everything else as she ate.

"Shael....." Lin turned her head, she had been eating but stopped for a moment, "Are you okay?"

She just had to ask that again, but Shael was acting very strangely, and as far as she knew Shael was not normally like this. Though then again Shael was now an adult compared to her, so maybe it was an adult thing.

"I'm fine," Shael murmured softly, without averting her eyes from her plate or changing her expression. But she offered nothing more, no reassurances, no explanation for her strange actions.

"Perhaps you're just tired," Aliya suggested, though she knew better. She lowered her fork and knife and rose from her seat, moving to stand behind Shael. "Come, let's let you rest for a bit. Valar know you deserve it."

Shael nodded and rose, following Aliya out of the room.

Adan watched their receding backs, his expression filled with pity. "Adonijah must be keeping her up at night too," he concluded as he went back to his meal.

"Will she be all right?" Shiro asked Amdir softly, his red eyes filled with worry. "She doesn't seem well ..."

Ura had stopped his eating and was starting after the two women, his eyes curious and thoughtful, his ears flicking back and forth erratically.

"I think...." Ryu replied softly, "It would be easier not to talk about him in front of Shael yes. Him just leaving must have hurt her a great deal."

Feng thought about it, in truth she couldn't offer anything useful, she didn't know why Adonai just went away, but even she would admit she didn't know him that well.