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"And she doesn't mean kill him," Uruloki said dryly, flicking the tip of his tail against Kyrie's arm. "So don't say it."

Kyrie glared at the dragon. "Then there is nothing that can be done."

Suddenly Wren appeared in the doorway, and she cleared her throat to get the others' attention. "Ahkshi's asking for the three of you," she told them quietly.

Suddenly Uruloki vanished, and only the brief rippling of the tattoo around Kyrie's torso indicated where he had gone. Rather than seeming lost, Kyrie seemed to gain new strength, and she stood up and nodded at Wren silently, then started back towards the hallway.

Daeron glanced at Lin, but he didn't say anything as he got up to follow after Kyrie and Wren.

Lin didn't have to wonder long, for as she followed Daeron, Kyrie and Wren back down the hallway, Earendil emerged from the room Daeron and Iorlas had first been staying in and fell into step beside her.

He didn't know what to say, so he simply reached for her hand to offer some small bit of comfort as they made their way back to the operating room.

Once they arrived, it was clear why Ahkshi had asked for them to come back. The White Elf, freshly sewn up though he was, had woken, and was looking around through barely open eyes. When the four of them entered, he turned his head slightly to look at them, and as he did so he winced with pain.

Kyrie stepped immediately to her husband's side, though her gaze was fixed on the man lying on the table. All expression disappeared from her face, and it was impossible to know what she was thinking.

The man's eyes flickered briefly towards Lin when she spoke, but his face was as expressionless as Kyrie's (aside from the pain that showed there) and he didn't focus on her for long. Instead he took the time to look at each and every person in the room. Several times his gaze went back to Kyrie, who was staring back at him evenly; and at length he simply stared at her.

His brow furrowed ever so slightly. "You ... look familiar ..." He licked his lips slowly and closed his eyes.

A muscle twitched in Kyrie's jaw, but aside from that she didn't move.

"What happened t-to you?" Ahkshi asked the man quietly. "I've n-never seen anyone as badly injured as you and s-still alive."

For a long moment, the man was silent; but then he opened his eyes again and looked towards Ahkshi and Kyrie.

"I'm certain ... I haven't seen you in my travels," he murmured softly, his voice dry. "I'm ... certain ..."

Kyrie's eyes narrowed slightly and her jaw muscles twitched again, but still she remained silent.

"I asked you what h-h-happened to you," Ahkshi repeated slowly, patiently, though he did reach for Kyrie's hand.

The man kept his eyes on Kyrie, but this time he answered immediately. "The ... earth tremors ... stirred the dragons ..." He licked his lips again. "I was ... in the wrong place ... at the wrong time ..."

He winced and reached up slowly to put his hand to his forehead, and Kyrie jumped visibly at the movement. Ahkshi squeezed her hand. He knew what kind of strain she was under, but he was there for her. She had to face it.

"Forgive me if I'm speaking out of turn," Daeron spoke up, trying to draw the man's attention away from Kyrie, knowing full well that that had also been Lin's intention a moment before, "but my understanding is that White Elves generally don't leave their homes."

This time, the man did look away from Kyrie. "They do when ... staying means dying," he said slowly. "Speaking ... speaking out ... against what they do ... is considered ... treason."

The man started to shake his head, but he grimaced with pain and stopped almost immediately. Instead, he spoke his reply.

"No ... I have been ... many places already ..." He licked his lips again, and this time Ahkshi left Kyrie's side and went for some water from a pitcher on the counter. He gave it to the White Elf, who drank slowly and then murmured his thanks before continuing on. "It has been nearly two centuries since I left. Now I travel ... I help those who need it ... many of them going to Caras Galadhon ..."

Earendil looked sharply at Lin. Could this be the man who had helped Elspeth, Duran and Alaric flee Garnelia and make their way to Suncliff?

The man's pale eyes grew slightly brighter, and he looked towards Lin.

"So you've met them," he said quietly, though he sounded pleased. "Yes ... they were being hunted ... they needed help more than most ..."

Without a word, Kyrie turned on her heel and left the room. Ahkshi looked like he wanted to go after her, but he shook his head slightly and remained where he was.

The White Elf's expression became one of confusion. "Did I ... say something wrong?" he asked hesitantly.

"N-nothing," Ahkshi said immediately, cutting off anyone else who might have wanted to reply. "Forget about it." Then he smiled. "We have h-heard of you. Your name is ...?"

"Mailon." He seemed reluctant to forget about Kyrie's sudden departure, but he didn't press the issue.

The man smiled faintly. "Thank you," he murmured. "They are ... quite a happy family, despite what they have been through ..."

Suddenly from the front of the clinic there came a shout. "Ahkshi! Ahkshi!" It was followed by some rapid Fire Elvish.

Ahkshi's expression suddenly turned serious. "Excuse me," he muttered; and he ran out of the room as quickly as he could.

Without hesitating, Wren and Daeron ran after him. Earendil turned to Lin, his eyes anxious. "Should we see what's going on?" he asked her. "If it's like last time, he may need us again ..."