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"Oh, well then I'm sure he'll understand," Leyenda beamed. "And even if he did still mean for you not to learn it, it would have been pointless, because I still would have learned it anyways, and Kelirahc and his people obviously know it, and Celeb still would have learned it ... so if you were the only one who didn't, what would it have mattered? The language still would have spread."

Kelirahc leaned forward. "But what do you mean, the power of the language?" he asked, frowning softly. "Can words do so much?"

Kelirahc's frown deepened. "And is that a bad thing?" he asked. "Why does that mean it needs to be stopped? Our people have always spoken that language, and nothing has ever happened because of it. If anything, we live in peace, whereas this country, and even Leyenda's country, have fighting all the time."

It seemed a little bit backwards to him.

Kelirahc raised one eyebrow. "I know who abused it," he said succinctly. "Morgoth did, that's who. But he is gone, and if your land has flourished so much that you need not fear him or his creatures, then anything to do with him must also have vanished, and the reason for fear must be past."

Leyenda put one hand on Kelirahc's arm to calm him. She hadn't seen him so worked up since the night of their marriage, when Haldia had confronted them so violently at the beach. "Calm yourself," she murmured. "Getting worked up will not do us any good here."

"Especially as we're in a sticky enough situation as it is," Earendil added, still helping himself to the food that had been provided for them.

Kelirahc nodded and clenched his jaw, remaining silent, though he squeezed Leyenda's hand slightly.

Leyenda sighed. "At any rate, hopefully Haldia is letting everyone back at the ship know what's going on, but we really should try to get back there at least by nightfall. I heard someone say something about a historian, if you're going to talk with someone you may want to get to it soon."

She glanced over at Rhea and Aethos, who were still discussing something intently. "If someone can get a word in edgewise, that is," she added.

Somehow, Rhea had gotten Aethos into a debate about the Light Elves: how they had once been, and what they were like now, and what their mentality was and how it had changed.

But they were interrupted by the arrival of a beautiful woman who entered the dining hall as if she belonged there. She had long, fire-coloured hair and brilliant green eyes and a pale complexion. She appeared young at first glance, but there was a look in her eye that showed that she had wisdom and experience, and a lot of both.

"Aethos-sola," she said, looking at the visitors curiously.

At the interruption, Aethos looked up, and when he saw the woman he smiled and rose to his feet. "Alena," he greeted her. "Please, come join us."

The woman stepped closer slowly, eying the visitors thoughtfully. "An interesting way to treat your prisoners, Aethos-sola," she told him. "Or could it be that they are not your prisoners, after all?"

She raised one eyebrow at him, and the prince flushed slightly.

"No, indeed," he murmured. "I should never have imprisoned them in the first place."

Alena nodded. "I am glad you realize that," she told him flatly. "Now, are you going to introduce us?"

Aethos flushed brighter, but he cleared his throat and turned to the others. "Prince Earendil Aldrich, Rhea Aldrich, Lin, Leyenda Aldrich, and Kelirahc," he said, confidently now, "this is Alena, the royal historian."

The others echoed the greeting, and Alena smiled warmly at all of them.

"And a pleasure for me to meet all of you," she said amiably. "Please, do not trouble yourselves on my account. Continue what you were doing."

She turned to Aethos. "Except you," she said sternly. "You have an explanation to give me, Aethos-sola."

Leyenda blinked and leaned over to Lin. "She's got to be more than the historian," she murmured. "A historian would never treat their liege like that. Not in a thousand years."

Earendil chuckled. "What, no guesses, Lin? This could be a fun little mystery for us. Might not even take us long to solve."

"Someone who is quite close with the royal family, that's for sure," Leyenda grinned. "Got to be more than a historian. What kind of people are allowed to talk to a ruling prince like that?"

She had scolded the man! How many people would dare, no matter how long they were with them?