Welcome to Gaia! ::

Ruque smiled shyly, then reached over and gave his sister a hug.

"He had a bad master before," Idhril offered up in Joruri's place, "one that did bad things to him and then when he broke he put him in the tree to get rid of him!"

She crawled out of Elnara's arms and moved over to Joruri, and she put her arms around his waist, hugging him softly, and then stroked his wings, those soft, beautiful wings that had given her so much comfort the night before.

"I want to make him whole again, Mama," she murmured softly. "He's so hurt ..."

Celebor chuckled softly and pressed his head against hers lightly, then slipped his arms around her chest and hugged her tightly.

"I would very much prefer if you would keep all of your limbs," he told her quietly. He kissed the top of her head. "Now ... before this goes any further," he chuckled again, "I think we should get this food ready for everyone. Kids' first meal, after all."

Ruque grinned happily, then released Kanis and jumped to his feet excitedly.

"Let's go help Mama with food!" he said enthusiastically. "I bet I can help with that, right?"

Aras smiled at her siblings. "You two go ahead," she nodded, "I'm going to stay with Uncle Jair until it's time to eat, since he can't move by himself and I don't want him to be lonely."

Elnara didn't know if she liked the sound of that ... his old masters not only treating him so badly, but leaving their marks on his mind as well as his body ... did that mean, then, that he might have a part of their evil minds in his? What if he lost control someday, what would happen? What if he hurt Idhril?

But he obviously hadn't as of yet, and she so obviously trusted him, and understood him far better than Elnara could ... she had to give him a chance, trust him to do what he said he would do - protect Idhril.

An interesting idea, since Silvrendir already did that. Though there was the point that Silvrendir wasn't allowed here, and as the past few days' events had shown, she could use some sort of protector here.

She nodded. "Yes ... if anyone can make you whole again, Idhril would be the one."

Idhril just had the gift, she supposed - she was so loving, so caring, to everyone, no matter who it was, no matter their circumstance ... in all honesty she was probably the only one of her children - with the possible exception of Celebor - that her brother Ruel respected.

Idhril was so happy she could hardly contain herself, and she hugged Joruri again tightly, her head pressing against his stomach.

"Joruri makes me feel safe," she told her mother happily. "He made it so I wasn't even scared of the storm last night even though I was out in it and everything! I'm going to make him all better so that he can be all healed, even his heart!"

Celebor chuckled softly and when she kissed his nose he kissed her chin, then rubbed her shoulders and ran his hands down her arms.

"Right away," he smiled warmly at her, heading off to grab some of the dishes they had managed to make during their week waiting for their children's vases to react.

Celebor chuckled softly as he began to set the table. "Well, I may be a guy, but I'm no healer," he told Niyana. "Mom heals magically, I wouldn't know the first thing what to do. Best if Mom takes care of him."

Elnara smiled. "And this time, I'll take him to the workshop so that you and the kids can get things ready out here, all right?"

She turned to Idhril and Joruri. "Come, Joruri," she said kindly, holding her hand out to him. "Let me look you over and make sure you're all right."

Idhril smiled up at Joruri and let go of him, nodding enthusiastically. "Yes, Mama can take care of you!" she agreed. "See? Look!" She held up her hands to show him. "You can't even tell I was hurt now!"

Celebor chuckled and ran his fingers down Niyana's spine.

"I'm sorry, my love," he murmured in her ear, putting his hand on the small of her back. "Next time I shall listen to your every word."

And he kissed the inside of her ear lightly before moving off once more to finish setting the table.

Ruque blushed and took a deep breath to calm himself, then ran over to Niyana and tugged on her pantleg to get her attention.

"Mama?" he asked in a squeaky, nervous voice. "Can I help with something?"

He looked up at her, his green eyes wide and hopeful, holding his breath as he waited for her answer.

Elnara squeezed Joruri's hand reassuringly. "It's all right," she murmured, "Idhril will heal what I cannot ... but when it comes to physical injuries, I can help you more quickly."

She led him over to the workroom. "Jair, Aras, would you mind waiting with the others?" she requested of them politely. "Joruri needs some looking after."

Aras jumped to her feet and nodded. "Okay!" she agreed cheerfully. "I'll take Uncle Jair on my back, just like Kanis did!"

And she skipped over to her uncle and tried to heave him up onto her back.

Jair giggled. He was having fun with his nieces! They were so eager to help ...

He flapped his wings once more to make himself easier to carry.

Ruque's eyes lit up brightly, just as his father's so often did, and he climbed eagerly into his mother's hand, tripping over one finger and face-planting on her arm before righting himself and giggling.

"I don't know," he admitted, "I've never done either ... what do you think I would be good at?"

Elnara sensed Joruri's shyness, and she smiled down at him reassuringly.

"It's all right," she murmured softly, "you'll be fine, and Idhril will be waiting for you when we're finished again."

Poor boy ... it was obvious now that he had gone through some terrible ordeal ... why else would he be so scared?

Now that the commotion had died down and Joruri had gone off with her mother, Idhril sighed a contented sigh and looked around the cave for the first time. It was a comfortable little place ... cozy. And full. Lots of people!

She knew that the surprises that were walking around must be Celebor and Niyana's children, but she hadn't been introduced to any of them ... but then she spotted one of them, the brown-haired one, who seemed to be all alone and perhaps a little bored. She smiled and walked over to him, crouching beside him and smiling kindly at him.

"Hello," she said warmly. "I'm your Aunt Idhril ... what's your name?"

Ruque took the square and weighed it in his hand, trying to decide if it was heavy or not. After a moment he smiled up at her. "Not heavy!" he announced proudly. "I bet I can carry two at a time! Or maybe even three!"

Considering they were bigger than his hand, that was pretty good - in his mind.

Elnara smiled and closed the door, motioning for him to sit.

"I'd like to look at the scar on your chest," she requested softly, "so if you wouldn't mind taking off your shirt ... and then you can tell me anywhere else you're hurt and we'll go from there, all right?"

He was so frightened ... she could see why Idhril felt so protective of him.

Idhril smiled at Ruran. He was cute! Eyes like Niyana, hair like Celebor's ... definitely his parents' child.

She shook her head at his question. "No, I just came to visit," she replied, crossing her legs and sitting down, making sure that Celebor's shirt covered the space between her legs. "I live with my Mama in a different world called Gaia, but I'm a Second like you and your family, so I come here a lot."

She looked around a bit, her eyes bright with curiosity. "But this is the first time I was here ... you have a nice home here."

Ruque nodded eagerly and climbed off his mother's hand onto the table.

"Until they're all gone?" he asked, looking up at her, eyes sparkling, so happy was he to be helpful. "One on one plate and then the next on another and around and around until they're all gone?"

He put the first piece onto the nearest plate and looked up at her for approval.

Elnara noticed Joruri's shiver right away and it worried her. Something was wrong ... something was very wrong ... he looked more and more afraid every time she asked him to do something, and she had no idea why.

As he started to undo his snaps, she reached out and put one hand on his, stopping him.

"If you don't want to do this," she murmured softly, "we don't have to ..."

Idhril giggled at Ruran, completely missing the looks in his eyes and just taking him as being friendly and talkative.

"I'll try to visit more," she smiled warmly at him, her eyes shining. "I have more reason to visit now that Celebor and Niyana and all of you are here. Besides, it's a nice world here, it's always so peaceful ..."

Usually.

"My home is getting a little crowded," she admitted to him. "Not as much space as there used to be ... there are so many of us. Maybe Celebor can take you for a visit someday!"

Ruque blushed deeply right to the tips of his long, pointed ears and smiled warmly up at Niyana.

"I'll do a good job!" he promised proudly, setting about to do exactly as his mother had asked. He understood now why Kanis liked being so helpful to everyone ... it made him feel so good inside!

Elnara's heart broke as she looked at Joruri. The boy wanted so badly to please Idhril, but if it meant hurting him or scaring him ... was it worth it?

"Perhaps it would be best," she murmured softly, laying her free hand on top of his so that his hand was between both of hers, "if I were to leave you to Idhril ... let her heal you in time, rather than trying to use magic. You are ... a very polite boy ... but I don't want to hurt you, or make you afraid, and if what we are doing in here does that to you ... that will hurt Idhril more than if I do not heal you at all. She would want you to be happy, not to fear."

She smiled kindly at him. "Why don't you go and join her again?" she suggested softly. "I'm sure she would like that." And she squeezed his hand encouragingly.

Idhril smiled at Ruran. He was so polite! And such a cutie. She was so lucky to have a nephew like him!

"Someday you will!" she told him happily. "And everyone can come and it will be a big visit!"

She noticed Kanis watching them, and she held one hand out to her as well, inviting her to join them. "And what is your name?" she asked her niece warmly.