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Earendil chuckled. "Are you kidding me?I wouldn't miss it for anything. It'll be great to get out and see things again."

Aerin laughed. "You are so very much like your brother sometimes," she told Earendil. "All right then, we'll leave directly after lunch. We'll wait for you in the front hall, then."

Earendil smiled. "Sounds good. We'll see you there shortly."

Andarien decided to leave Ponydash and Eon in his room - Eon to rest, and Ponydash to keep him company in case he should wake while Andarien was out. Aside from that, he took his cloak, scarf and cap again, and made sure he was bundled up as he joined his family in the front hall.

Aerin and Caranthir were also already there, but Aethos and Alassëa had not yet arrived.

"Where's Cameron?" Earendil asked curiously as they joined the royal couple.

Aerin smiled. "Lady Rhea has offered to take care of him for the afternoon. Cameron doesn't do well with long trips to the city yet. If it were summer, it would be one thing, but in the winter I can't let him wander on his own, either."

They didn't have too long to wait. Very soon, Aethos and Alassëa appeared down the corridor. Both of them were warmly dressed, and, as usual, Alassëa had her staff in hand and her falcon on her shoulder. Aethos had not gone back to his formerly habitual princely dress, but had opted to remain in his travel clothes.

"Sorry we're late," Aethos apologized as they joined the others.

"It's my fault," Alassëa spoke up apologetically. "I couldn't find my coin pouch. Aethos told me I didn't need it, but I don't always want to have him buy my things."

Aerin's eyes were sparkling. "Yes, do be careful not to let him spoil you too much," she agreed. "At least not until you're married. Then I'm afraid there will be no stopping him."

Alassëa smiled. She was glad. She didn't like it when people had to wait or make special considerations for her. She knew she was slower than others, and the only time it bothered her was when she thought it might hold them back from enjoying something more fully.

"Then off we go," Aerin said cheerfully. She took Caranthir's proffered arm, and they led the way out of the palace.

Aerin and Caranthir led the way to and into the city, followed by Aethos and Alassëa, and then Lin and Earendil and their children. A small distance behind them all, a group of guards followed.

They city walls were gone now, since there were no gnomes against which the people needed defending, which meant that a ring of houses formed the outer border of the city. Though they were made of the same marble as the original city, the houses were larger, and there were many more of them. The streets were more pleasant to walk through as well; many of the houses had large yards that were decorated with all manner of things, and which, in the springtime, promised flowers and other plants of all sorts.

A few people called out greetings to the passing rulers, and several people bowed to them; but every last person they passed stopped what they were doing and stared openly when they saw that Aethos had returned. Fear flashed through the eyes of many of the people, and not a few of them turned their backs and pretended not to have seen the prince at all.

Andarien observed all of this with curiosity. Why on earth would the people be afraid of Aethos-sola?

"First to the tailor's," Aerin replied. "Just for planning for now, they'll need to come to the palace for fittings ... we need to talk to the florist, see what they can offer us ..."

"You don't need to go through all of this for my sake," Alassëa spoke up timidly. She knew the tailor was for her, since her clothes were not exactly royal material.

Aerin however would have none of that. "This is going to be a celebration to remember," she promised. "It's more than just your wedding, Alassëa. It's about welcoming you and Aethos home ... truly home, for the first time."

Alassëa's brow furrowed in confusion. "I ... don't understand," she said softly. "What do you mean?"

For once, she wasn't the only one.

"Aerin, I grew up here," Aethos pointed out. "I lived here for hundreds of years."

"No, you lived in the palace for hundreds of years and spent your time with the former king," Aerin corrected him. "You've never had anything to with the people. The people were the former king's play things. He ruled them for love of power, not for love of the people. You were a part of that, a link in the chain of power. Now you have changed. Now you are someone the people would be honoured to call their sola. And for that, we must have a proper celebration."

Aethos smiled, but it was a bit of a grim smile. "Thanks, but even I can see that it's not working," he said softly.

"Don't be silly," Alassëa admonished him. "No one has even spoken with you yet!"

"Because they're all running away at the sight of me," Aethos replied.

Without hesitating, Alassëa whacked him on the head with her staff, something she hadn't needed to do for a long time.

"I'm blind, not deaf," she told him crossly. "There hasn't been a single person running at all since we left the palace."

She paused, tilting her head slightly. "Though I do believe I hear someone laughing ..."

Andarien looked around just in time to see a group of what looked like teenagers look away suddenly and hurry around a corner.

"If you're going to be a long time, let us know," Earendil called after Miyuki.

By the time Miyuki rounded the corner, the group of teens were only about halfway down the street. They were huddled together and speaking in hushed tones, and none of them noticed Miyuki coming up behind them.