Firy arrival|Skyheort, Talen'sul

[Northen Light36]

"I don't know," Ann replies. "I doubt it though. He'd have come and got me if he was leaving." She slides off the bed, deliberately not accepting Lya's appology just yet. "I'm glad you're feeling better, Lady Lya."

[Kender Bard]

Lya smiled faintly, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I know I've done more than I can possibly undo, child."

"Don't say that," Thelon grumbled to Lya, but there was genuine sympathy in his voice. "Of course there is."

"Time will tell," she answered noncomittally. "I humbly request someone let me know when Damien can stand to look at me again, so I can offer my apologies to him as well. For now, I need desperately to talk to Salacia and Twilight, and alter things I've done." She got up hastily and quickly strode out of the room and away at a pace just under a run.

Thelon groaned and pressed his palms into his eyes, leaning back in the seat he'd taken and groaning softly. "I can't wait to go home," he sighed. "Either of them. There's far less drama in Fira and Sensatia, and I much prefer it that way. I suppose I'll hang around until after Damien leaves, though. There's some warnings I need to give Lya prior to my departure."

[Northen Light36]

"Wait until the next time Elder Alexian annoys Uncle Damien," Ann comments with amusement, her bad mood lifting at the thought. "May I be excused, Elder-Lord Thelon? I should go find Uncle Damien." As much as it prickles her pride to ask permission for anything from someone she's still mildly irritated at, she's not risking getting her ears boxed again for being rude to an Elder. She doesn't outrank them yet.

[Kender Bard]

Thelon nods and waves. "Yes, of course, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ramble on like that. I think I'll just rest my eyes a bit."

[Northen Light36]

With that, Ann hurries off, slipping out of the palace and searching for her uncle.

---

A few hours later, Damien returns, carrying his half asleep niece and seeming perfectly calm again. "Down please," Ann requests as they near the palace. Damien pauses and strokes her hair.

"Are you sure?"

"Uncle Damien," Ann sighes, trying to look properly awake. "I'm too old to be carried." Damien laughs and places his heir on the ground.

"Very well."

"Oh! Lya wants to see you," Ann pipes up, remembering suddenly. Damien nods.

"Then I suspect we should go see her," he replies. All humor vanishing from the pair's expressions, the Fire Leader and Heir walk into the palace to find Lya.

[Kender Bard]

Lya, having already spoken with Twilight and Salacia, and anyone else who needed to know the change in plans, was in the nursery, caressing the head of Luminous as her baby daughter slept. She bent down and whispered something, though at Damien's approach she gave a slight, nervous jump and glanced back.

"Damien," she said quietly, hesitating, at a loss of what exactly to say. "I don't think there are words adequate to express my remorse for the things I said to you, and did. I ask that you not hold Talen'sul in contempt for my mistakes."

[Northen Light36]

Damien looks at Lya for a long moment, then sighes. "I can't blame any nation for following their leader, any more then I can blame you for what you said while you weren't in your right mind. As you pointed out, I've done worse in the same situation." Damien pauses for a moment, then continues, "I forgive you, Lya, this time. But don't ever try and convince me that I should send my people into a senseless battle because I did it before."

Ann looks at Lya for a long moment, then nods. "I accept your appology too, Lady Lya."

[Kender Bard]

Lya nods and swallows hard as she turns back to look at Luminous, speaking quietly, "I want you, when you go back, to give Shadow my love. Thelon warned me that I wasn't allowed to travel. He said that he did something to keep me calm, but it would wear off on the road. I've already put you both through enough. Is there anything you need while you're here?"

[Northen Light36]

"Well Shadow's going to have to wait awhile," Damien says calmly. "Or Thelon can pass on the message, since I'm assuming he'll go back to Tres. Now you're thinking calmly, we can put our heads together and see if we can't at least come up with a plan that stands a chance of at least driving this Mathew back into whatever hole he came out of." It's a peace offering of sorts.

[Kender Bard]

Lya gives a bit of a start at that. "But... Well I don't think we should commit anything on an offensive strike. But.. I.. wouldn't mind any help in making our defensive strategies as strong as iron. Are you sure you want to stay, though?"

[Northen Light36]

"I wouldn't offer if I wasn't willing," Damien replies. "I may not be able to stay for long, it'll depend on how things are in Naurorod, but I can spare a few days at the very least. And I agree, your defenses are the first thing we need to work on."

"Can't the Clans help against Mathew?" Ann pipes up. "Storms don't have an advantage against us." Damien frowns at her.

"We'll see," is all he replies.