From: mahtaniel	Date: 07/19/2007 19:51:07

*comes in late in the morning, bright-eyed and not too worse for wear from the party the previous evening*

*observes the visitors while it's not so crowded and offers further information and details upon request*

	From: broideress	Date: 07/19/2007 20:21:12

*pauses in front of a carving of Curufin and narrows her eyes*

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 07/20/2007 06:52:46

*thinks this is an odd sort of reaction to a statue even if it is Curvo*

*coming over to you* Is there something you find lacking here?

	From: broideress	Date: 07/20/2007 15:47:27

*turns to look at you* Lacking? I do not know. I do not know what I expected to see in Curufinwë, son of Curufinwë.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 07/22/2007 12:59:47

*curiously* Oh? Are you well-acquainted with the living version?

	From: broideress	Date: 07/23/2007 12:37:30

*looks at you with mild interest* Not remotely.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 07/23/2007 15:08:13

Oh, Eru. Did he kill you?

I see. *so doesn't* *politely* Well, if you have any questions about anything, feel free to ask.

	From: broideress	Date: 07/23/2007 16:56:12

Are they good likenesses of his boys? They certainly seem to be of proud bearing.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 07/24/2007 07:39:23

*arches an eyebrow* I should say they are quite good representations of my boys, yes. A mother never forgets her children, even after a long separation.

I'm sorry, but have we met? I feel as if I've seen your face somewhere before. *holds out her hand* I'm Nerdanel. Daughter of Mahtan.

	From: broideress	Date: 07/24/2007 13:24:55

*looks at your hand for a moment before reaching out to shake it*

*raises her chin* Míriel. Mother of Fëanáro.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 07/24/2007 19:34:19

*can't help laughing a little as she shakes your hand*

*not unkindly* Oh, dear. My condolences, Mother-in-law.

	From: broideress	Date: 07/24/2007 19:37:50

*finds that she has to smile* To think I was going to say the same to you, Daughter-in-law.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 07/24/2007 19:46:48

*waves that off* A bit silly, that. He was so long ago I perfectly hardly remember what he looked like.

*rests one hand on her hip and gestures with the other to Curufin's likeness and to a painting of Maglor nearby* I can probably arrange for you to meet the models, though, if you're interested.

	From: broideress	Date: 07/24/2007 19:48:54

*looks somewhat troubled* Do not think me ungrateful. Perhaps, in time, I will be equal to such a meeting but I do not think I am quite ready yet. *glances at the painting of Maglor* Not that they are not talented, handsome young men.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 07/24/2007 19:51:35

I do not think I am quite ready yet.

*sighs* I can't say I'm altogether surprised. I've just seen most of them and I don't think I'm quite ready yet, to be honest.

*her lip twitching* But just for future reference...I'd probably start with Macalaurë, if I were you.

	From: broideress	Date: 07/24/2007 20:08:21

*raises her eyebrows* *looks down at her brochure again* He is the musician, yes? I suppose I must be lenient towards the artistic ones.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 07/24/2007 21:57:31

*fondly* Macalaurë is the musician.

*still fondly (mostly)* And most of the others are just a tad on the abrasive side so you may have a slightly pleasanter time with my secondborn.

	From: broideress	Date: 07/25/2007 02:01:47

The secondborn is Maitimo, yes? *looks at the sculpture of him* He has more of a look of you than the others, the fortunate child.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 07/25/2007 07:35:37

No, no, Maitimo's my eldest. *looks at the statue wearing an unreadable expression* She's quite...strong-willed but she's got a good head on her shoulders, too. And she takes care of the little ones.

*focusing on you again* What made you decide to return this time? If you don't mind me asking.

	From: broideress	Date: 07/25/2007 13:46:58

*bewildered* She? I suspect I underestimated your sculpture skills because that looks like a man.

*looks at you levelly for a moment* I do not quite know. I promised myself that if I returned, I would not wed nor bear children. Perhaps my life will be my own this time.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 07/25/2007 14:14:59

He's a she now, yes. *brightly* I suspect divine shenanigans but what can you do?

*can't relate in the slightest* *on the other hand, it is Fëanáro we're talking about here* I'm sure nobody could blame you, after what you went through. *wistfully* I wouldn't mind having a few more of my own, though...

	From: broideress	Date: 07/25/2007 14:20:13

And -- she -- is otherwise her? him?self?. *is very confused by this concept*

*raises her eyebrows* More? Than seven? I suspect that your experience of motherhood has been rather better than mine.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 07/25/2007 14:26:04

*nods* A little heartsick, perhaps, but Yes. I'd have known my Maitimo anywhere.

I suspect that your experience of motherhood has been rather better than mine.

*wry smile* Oh, don't get me wrong. There is the tiny detail of them all deserting me to tyrannize Middle-earth. I haven't exactly forgotten. *shrugs* But they're my sons—and daughter—and I dearly love them. More than anything in the world.

	From: broideress	Date: 07/25/2007 15:01:50

Interesting. I have no desire to see my Fëanáro but I daresay I would know him. Strange that I could not love him enough.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 07/25/2007 16:47:15

*puzzled* Enough for what?

	From: broideress	Date: 07/25/2007 17:43:10

To bring him up? To give him younger brothers and sisters who may have tempered his spirit? *shakes her head* Or maybe the fault lay elsewhere.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 07/25/2007 18:58:40

younger brothers and sisters

He had a few of those. They did not fare even as well as I did, I'm afraid. *evenly* In any case, you can be sure Fëanáro never spoke to me of doubting your love. And nobody could mistake Finwë's, the bloody enabler.

*her tone conversational and (she hopes) nothing more* And as you may have heard, my husband? was never one to keep quiet on any particular subject.

	From: broideress	Date: 07/26/2007 14:02:14

*shakes her head* I have heard many things about him but there is very little that would make me want to meet him. He has managed to disappoint me at every turn, to say nothing of his father.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 07/26/2007 14:04:46

*with an air of something like regret* I don't think many people would blame you for that, to be perfectly honest.

	From: broideress	Date: 07/26/2007 14:28:19

*holds her brochure against her chest* I admire you, then, Nerdanel. You do not seem blinded to his faults.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 07/26/2007 14:36:11

I never have been, my lady. *looking at the likenesses of her sons* *softly* Even when it meant losing so much.

	From: broideress	Date: 07/26/2007 14:40:13

You are a braver woman than I.

*glances at the entrance and sees that more people are arriving* I should go back to my office. Seems the working day'll be gone before I'm ready to begin. *offers you a tentative smile*

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 07/26/2007 14:42:47

*pushes aside her reverie to smile back at you* It was lovely to finally meet you after all this time. *firmly* We'll do lunch sometime, yes?

	From: broideress	Date: 07/26/2007 14:45:18

*smiles* Do you know? I think I'd like that. *hands you a business card, adorned with the Þerindë Fashions logo* Do call?

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 07/26/2007 14:48:22

*glances at the card, impressed* *warmly* I certainly shall.

Until then. If the git shows up, I'll send you a smoke signal.