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"P-p-projects?" Ahkshi tilted his head, showing his curiosity.

Iorlas set the now-empty bottle aside and put the child to her shoulder and began rubbing his back. There was a proud glow in her eyes, and she smiled widely.

"Miyuki and Andarien are both extremely talented," she murmured, "and Miyuki especially has done many things to make our travel much easier. Runed quivers so that we don't run out of arrows, runed tents to make them bigger inside than out ..."

Ahkshi nodded at Miyuki's explanation of her project and the reason for it. More than anyone, he understood the need for eating properly, and despite what most people thought, even elves needed certain foods eventually.

"What do you m-mean, he was ins-s-spired?" he questioned. "What k-kind of projects does he d-do?"

"Actually, he was apprenticed to your nephew for a year," Daeron grinned. "Gear work."

The physician was surprised. "C-Corazin?" His expression turned thoughtful. "K-Kyrie did say something about him t-taking on a d-decent apprentice for once ..." He smiled. "I'm g-going to have to m-m-m-meet the rest of your g-group properly."

It had been such a rushed meeting the day before that really, he hadn't met anyone but Iorlas, Daeron and Amir.

Ahkshi grinned. "That would be g-g-great," he said brightly. "We spoke of m-many things last night, b-b-but without knowing who is who, it's d-d-difficult to really unders-s-stand it all."

"I can well imagine," Daeron chuckled.

"Ahkshi," Iorlas spoke up, her brow furrowed slightly, though she was still smiling, "do tell me if I'm being too forward, but ... your mother ... she doesn't like outsiders?"

Ahkshi blinked at Iorlas for a moment, and then he smiled sheepishly. "Ah ... y-yes, I forgot ... y-you would have understood her c-c-comment." He ran his fingers through his bright red hair and sighed. "My mother is c-complicated," he murmured. "She l-l-likes Kyrie, and she's p-p-polite to most of the visitors we g-get here ..."

"We seem to be an exception," Iorlas prodded with a smile.

"You g-got that impression, eh?" Ahkshi asked dryly. He was smiling though, and he seemed more amused than anything else. "I knew what k-kind of life I was asking for when I asked Kyrie to m-marry me. Mother doesn't seem to be able to accept it."

Turning back to Iorlas, he added, "She blames the people that Kyrie h-h-helps. That's why she's so c-cold to you all."

"So we shouldn't take it personally?" Iorlas smiled.

Ahkshi chuckled and shook his head. "Just g-give her time."

"I'll have a t-t-talk with her later," Ahkshi promised. He didn't look too thrilled at the thought but he did seem to be resigned to it. Clearly this was a discussion that had taken place before.

"B-but now that I can move," he added, stepping away from the bed where he had been sitting and moving towards Iorlas and Daeron and the child, "I should ch-check up on Amir."

Wren couldn't help but step closer to watch Ahkshi work. Amir was wide awake and had been dressed by this point, but to her knowledge he still hadn't made a sound.

Though Iorlas had been holding the boy, Ahkshi laid him down on the bed so that he could more easily check him over. He fussed over him for a while and at length he pronounced him well on the road to recovery.

"He's already making g-great progress," he reported cheerfully. "As long as we k-keep feeding him like we have been, he should be back to normal in a few days."

He paused, then amended, "Well ... almost. It's p-possible that his voice was damaged by the d-d-d-dehyd-d-d-dration. We'll f-f-f-find out in time, b-b-but until then we'll simply have to w-watch him to see when he n-n-needs things."

"F-for Amir?" Ahkshi asked for clarification. He thought about it. "Well ... I d-don't think so. C-clothes for him, of course. Aside from that, it s-seems they already h-have everything they need."

He listed the items he was aware of and ticked them off on his fingers.

"A b-b-bottle to feed him," he began, "b-blankets, a c-carrier ... chil-children really d-don't need much. Once he's a b-bit older and we kn-know whether or n-not he will be able to c-c-c-communicate, we can s-see if he needs anything else."

"He's right, we haven't got clothes for Amir," Iorlas murmured thoughtfully.

Ahkshi nodded. "Especially if you're g-g-going to be here a while," he agreed, "it would be b-best."

"I don't know how we would pay for it, though," Daeron worried. "Or anything else while we're here, for that matter. Your services, staying at the inn, our food, clothing ... we've money from our home, but it wasn't accepted in Caras Galadhon and I doubt it would be accepted here."

"P-probably not," Ahkshi agreed. He tilted his head curiously. "Do any of you have t-trades or skills you could offer while you're h-here?"

"I began to look at tailoring while we were in Caras Galadhon," Iorlas offered, "but only briefly, and I'm afraid I've not had the opportunity to hone my skills."

Daeron didn't have much to offer, either. "I can hunt," he shrugged, "so if food is an issue I can help with that."

Ahkshi nodded slowly, his expression pensive. "What about m-music?" he asked. "M-musicians are always wel-welcomed."

Iorlas brightened. "That, we have!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Miyuki plays the flute, and Lancaeriel plays all kinds of instruments - she only has her lyre with her, though, I think - and Shiro has that ... what's it called again?"

She looked to Miyuki, her eyes bright.