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"Not to us no...." Kara replied softly, "Lin had once told me she had gotten the impression they would be terrible in-laws to have."

She looked thoughtful, the topic of Pen's parents had never come up between them.

"I think it had to do with the fact it would give them too much satisfaction to be hosting the wedding or to have wedding at the palace, which was why Lin said she was glad they were just going to get married and be done with it."

She glanced at Donovan.

"At the time I thought she sounded a bit too much like Van."

"Which might explain why Pen goes under so many alias but his own," Donovan replied dryly.

He had recalled Lothiriel once mentioning that Pen wasn't his real name, and Donovan hadn't bothered at the time too much to find out Pen's name.

"Indeed," Elrohir nodded grimly. "Pen and Lothiriel had just gone to visit his parents to finally tell them that they had married - no matter their opinion of them, they did have to know, after all - and when they arrived, there was a townsman there to see Pen's father ... he had been robbed the night before, and he was asking the magistrate to send some men in search of the thieves, but Pen's father just ordered the man to be thrown out into the street. Pen and Lothiriel apparently arrived just in time to see the magistrate's men beating the poor man, and ..."

He coughed. "Let's just say ... Pen was holding himself back, and the guards weren't even able to walk away on their own. He and Lothiriel sort of stormed their way through the mansion-"

"Fighting all the way," Haradhel added, "since apparently even they were denied entrance by Pen's own parents."

"-and their biggest fight was with Pen's father himself," Elrohir resumed his narrative. "Long story short, Pen's sister and mother left the city in disgrace, his father was injured so badly he died a month later in the healer's house, and as soon as the city people heard what had happened, they demanded to know who had done it."

"The moment they heard Lothiriel is an Aldrich," Arwen piped up with a grin, "the entire city started shouting for her and Pen to be their leaders - a proper queen and king instead of a magistrate. Less than a week later they were coronated, and since then they've been living with Shael's brother and sister while they wait for their palace to be built."

She giggled. "Roydon and I are going to visit them on our way south," she added. "They said in their last letter that the palace is almost ready for them to move in, so we might even get to see that!"

Elrohir smiled. "I think they would love it if you made a portal there," he murmured, "but you might want to wait until the palace is complete so that it's safe. As for permission ..."

He chuckled. "Did you ask permission to put one in Nako's palace in the Southland? Or the one here in the valley, for that matter?"

He grinned. "Not that anyone minds. I'm just making a point. You know they're going to love having you visit, it's going to be a pain for you to travel there otherwise to ask first ... once you know the palace is complete, just do it."

Arwen stared at her father in disbelief. "Ada ... I've never heard you talk like that before," she said in amazement. "You've ... never ... never talked like that before ..."

Rose giggled at Naida. "Never mind," she smiled mischievously.

Elrohir chuckled. "Then it's settled. As soon as the palace is complete enough, we'll let you know. I don't know how much more information you would need to create a portal, but I know for a fact that Pen and Lothiriel would be more than happy to have you visit them quite often. And after decades of wandering, staying in one place, where they can't visit people, is going to drive them crazy."

"I just can't help but wonder if they might not need someone to help them out," Arwen mused thoughtfully. "I mean ... what with a new baby, and a kingdom to rule ... now that the Eastland is an official kingdom, and the borders have been established and everything ..."

"And yet you all managed to meet up," Elrohir chuckled. "But yes, if you're going to make it permanent, then it's best you see it first, or have someone else see it first."

"Beren and Serenity are there right now," Adanedhel told Naida with a grin. "As soon as Lothiriel's letter came last week with news of the baby, they were gone - they probably won't be back until after Pen and Lothiriel have moved into their palace and have more official help."

Just about everyone laughed at Naida's comment about the babies, and then Roydon put one arm around Arwen's shoulders.

"I really hate to end this so quickly," he smiled, "but I think we should be heading back home to bed. Good night everyone. Haradhel, thank you once again for dinner, it was lovely."

"Yes, thanks Mother," Arwen piped up, rising and tugging Roydon to his feet as well. "Good night everyone ... Kara, Donovan, Ahren, Arahad, Mother, Father ... Rose."

She giggled and headed towards the door.

Adanedhel smiled down at Rose. "And we should be heading back before Mother starts to worry again," he murmured. He put his hands on her shoulders and kissed her gently on the forehead, then held out his hands to take Naida from her. "Until tomorrow then," he said warmly. "Sleep well."

Rose giggled up at Adanedhel, but she didn't blush - this had become a ritual between them both each night even when Adonijah was present. "Sweet dreams," she smiled at him, passing Naida over.