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"I'm sure it didn't," Alena agreed. "A night with the gnomes would drive anyone mad. I would like to speak with her sometime, if it's possible, see if she's all right ... apologize somehow if I can."

Though it would be hard to make up for such a night of terror as she must have experienced.

Alena nodded. "And I don't blame her," she smiled ruefully, rubbing her shoulders gently in the cool air. "Do you think it would be possible for me to go to your ship and see her?"

"You should meet my parents then as well," Leyenda put in. "You should anyways, they won't stay where they are without permission of the ruler."

She knew Alena wasn't the ruler here, but she might as well be, with all the influence she exerted over the prince.

"Then we will have to take you sooner rather than later," Alena said, turning and leading them around the tower and back down the stairs. "Tell me, is there anything you need before we take you back?"

"Wait, you take us back?" Rhea blinked, following after her quickly.

Alena paused and looked back at the others over her shoulder. "How else would you return to your ship?"

Alena's eyes narrowed slightly. "There's a story behind this," she murmured. "When we have more time, I would like very much to know what it is."

She turned and led them down the stairs again. "I wonder if perhaps I might accompany you, then, and meet your leaders, and speak with Haldia ..."

"My dragon will carry you with us," Kelirahc called from the back of the line, "and I will take you back again when you are ready."

Leyenda grinned at Lin. "Of course. Mother and Papa wouldn't have it any other way."

"And I'm sure that making the effort would mean a lot to Haldia," Kelirahc added. "She tends to be a bit flighty, and she has something of a temper, but ... she is also forgiving, when the effort is made."

Alena nodded. "Then I shall do all in my power," she murmured. "And I shall speak with Aethos-sola as well later on ... he has some explaining to do."

When they returned to the dining room, the table had been cleared, and instead there was a pitcher of a warm drink as well as several tall glasses.

"Would you care for a drink before you leave?" Alena offered them as they walked towards the table. "It will warm you up, at least enough that you won't freeze on the way back to your ship. The air is cold and only growing colder."

"That would be wonderful," Kelirahc smiled gratefully; and it was no wonder. He was dressed as he had been dressed on his island home, wearing only a short pair of pants, and though he was too proud to say anything, he was shivering slightly.

Alena turned to the table and set out the glasses, then began to fill each of them. "Drust," she replied. "It's quite healthy, and it warms you from the inside out, for hours if it has been made correctly."

She handed the glasses out as she finished pouring them. "And Kelirahc," she added, looking him over, "you may want some more clothes ... our winters can get quite cold, and this is just the beginning of it."

Kelirahc accepted a glass, his face flushing invisibly under his black skin. "I have no other clothes," he admitted. "On our island, we had no need, it was always very warm ..."

Leyenda put one hand on his arm and stepped closer to him. "I know we have extra material in the hold," she murmured, "I'll make you some clothes as soon as we get back to the ship."

It had been warmer over the water, and they hadn't thought about the need for more clothes for him yet, though she was sure it would have occurred to them eventually.