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"Thanks to some extra guidance from Aennan and Aranxia," Dwr admitted sheepishly.

"What did they do?" River asked curiously.

Ta'neer giggled. "Pretty much smacked him upside the head and told him he was an idiot," she replied with a grin. "Same as I've been doing for the past year and a half, but I guess since it wasn't me doing it, it meant more."

"Aranxia told me very matter-of-factly that I am the only person she has ever considered truly stupid," Dwr winked.

Ta'neer eyed him. "You don't need to be so proud of the fact."

"And unfortunately also true," Aysu grinned.

Just then the next group of people arrived: Galanna in her new wheelchair made of metal, cloth, and leather, being pushed by her husband, Lykor, and with them was Ruel, talking with both of them. Galanna was looking well, considering the excitement and strain of leaving her house for the first time in over a decade.

They stopped the wheelchair at the base of the steps outside the house, and Lykor carefully helped his wife to her feet and into the house. He brought her immediately to the nearest chair, where she sat gratefully.

Earendil smiled and followed after Lin, though he had to admit to himself it was odd - pleasant, but odd - seeing his father seemingly so comfortable with the two who had just arrived with him.

"Good morning," Galanna greeted them excitedly. As she had been facing the room, she had been the first to see them, and when she spoke to them Lykor and Ruel also turned and greeted them.

"Good morning, Galanna, Lykor," Earendil smiled back, nodding to them. "Good morning, Father."

"Just wonderful," Galanna answered immediately, her voice filled with excitement. Despite her gray hairs, she seemed more like a young child at the moment then a middle-aged human woman suffering from the effects of a poison. "Really, you have no idea what it's like to see the world again after all this time ... to be outside, to breathe fresh air, to feel the sun on your face ... it's like going outside for the first time all over again!"

Lykor laughed and took his wife's hand and gave it a light squeeze. "She's been looking forward to today since Aranxia told her the news," he grinned, "but since your father and your son have been working on this chair for her, she's been more excited than I've seen her since we first left to come here."

Ruel was trying hard not to look too pleased by the indirect compliment, but he was grinning as Earendil had not seen him grin in decades - if ever.

"She's been getting better for a while now," Lykor told Lin and Earendil softly but proudly. "Since Aranxia started working at our home. Being alone was not good for her, and Aranxia's company has lifted her spirits - which has also improved her physical condition."

Not that she had hopes of ever fully recovering, but such improvement as she'd been experiencing was already far more than she had ever dreamed of.

"Oh, look," Galanna exclaimed excitedly, lifting a hand to point towards the stairway on the far side of the room. "There she is!"

Earendil turned to look where Galanna was pointing, and as she had said, Aranxia and Tinuviel had just come down the stairs together. Tinuviel looked like she might have been crying, but she was wearing a smile that looked as though she couldn't get rid of it if she tried.

Aranxia's cheeks were flushed, but she was beautiful in a dark crimson dress. Most of her hair was in a long plait down her back, but some shorter tendrils curled around her face.

Aennan went immediately to her side, took her hand, and pressed a kiss to her fingers, and then both of them started to talk to some of their guests.

Tinuviel watched them go for a moment before moving to join her husband, mother and her other daughter near one of the windows.

"She is," Galanna smiled warmly. "It's a pity that she doesn't like to paint herself in scenes with others, I think this day is one that ought to be remembered. Especially for her family, I think - she tells me that she does not plan to return any time soon now that they are here for her wedding."

Earendil smiled. He wasn't sure if he should bring up the fact that Luthien was also a painter, though he was sure that at some point, his mother would indeed paint at least a few canvases of this day.

There was another movement at the door, and Shiro and Kaito entered the house. Both of them looked a bit anxious, but when they saw how relaxed the atmosphere was, they also calmed down.

"Good, we're not late," Shiro murmured, breathing a huge sigh of relief and smiling.

Shiro laughed at Lin's question, but Kaito pretended not to have heard.

"For once, no," the demonic neko grinned at Lin, his red eyes gleaming with amusement. "Do you realize just how hard it can be sometimes to wake Kaito in the mornings?"

"I'm going to go see Nana-thel," Kaito said abruptly, heading off towards Luthien.

Shiro chuckled and watched his twin walk away from them. "I shouldn't bother him. He feels really bad about it. He had honestly meant to wake up early today."

As Kaito left them, Daeron and Iorlas entered the house, Unlike the nekos, they didn't seem to be in any hurry or concerned about being late. In fact, they looked quite relaxed and calm.

Iorlas saw Lin wave and waved back at her, then touched Daeron on the arm and guided him to where Lin and the others were standing (or sitting in Galanna's case).

"Good morning," Iorlas greeted them all warmly. "A beautiful day, is it not? And Galanna, it's so wonderful to see you out and about! And what an exciting occasion!"

"Indeed it is," Earendil agreed heartily. "And it looks as though they're hoping to get things going soon ..."

Aennan and Aranxia had moved to stand in front of one of the large open windows, and Aennan raised one hand to get everyone's attention. The room was pretty full, but once the first few people noticed him and hushed, the others followed, and it took only a short time for the room to grow silent.