From:	Date: 09/18/2007 10:29:12

*is down with the soldiers learning how to shoot a gun bow*

	From:	Date: 09/18/2007 10:29:50

*is down with the soldiers, keeping an eye on their butts her brother*

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 09/18/2007 10:34:03

*sees all this going on as she nears you two but decides that thinking about the many things wrong with this scenario isn't likely to be good for her mental well-being*

*waits to speak until her son doesn't have anything dangerous pointed anywhere* Good morning, dears. I hope you're enjoying yourselves?

	From:	Date: 09/18/2007 10:36:39

*runs over excitedly*

Mom Mom MOM MOM. Harold says he's on guard tonight and I could stand guard with him if I wanted but you had to say it's okay so can I can I can I I know how to fight and shoot and everything.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 09/18/2007 10:40:25

*settles down in the grass out of everyone's way*

*draws her legs up beside her and smiles up at you* Tonight? How late are we talking about, sweetie? A graveyard shift?

	From:	Date: 09/18/2007 10:45:10

*nods manfully* Yup. It starts at midnight. *puffs his chest up* But don't worry, I can go for aaaaaaaages without sleep. Harold once went a week without sleep. I can do that easy.

	From:	Date: 09/18/2007 10:45:48

*distractedly, looking up from examining the ends of her hair* Please. You get cranky if you don't get a nap in the afternoon. You'll never even make it til midnight.



Do I have split ends?

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 09/18/2007 10:50:30

*pats the ground next to her, unwittingly offering you a better view* Come sit with me, love. I want to have a word with you both. Your hair is gorgeous, don't be silly.

*looks back to your brother* *after a moment's thought* I suppose it might be all right, Ambarussa. Just this once, though. It's not like you'd be missing school tomorrow. Oh Eru I'm such a bad mother. And I don't want you handling any guns. Understood?

	From:	Date: 09/18/2007 10:55:57

And I don't want you handling any guns

*is seriously about to protest that but thinks better of it*

Okayyyyy

*what you don't know won't hurt you, anyway*

	From:	Date: 09/18/2007 10:56:53

*comes and sits next to you as instructed*

*tries to sound interested as she is distracted by the better view*

A word?

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 09/18/2007 11:05:15

*rubs a smudge of dirt off Amrod's cheek* *resists the urge to lick her finger first*

*plays with a blade of grass* Yes, well, here's the thing. Your brothers and sister aren't fugitives from justice any longer, it would seem. And I'd be heading back home to my beautiful, beautiful gallery right about now except...you two wouldn't be allowed in with me.

*looks at you* So I was thinking of moving out of Doriath permanently. Any ideas?

	From:	Date: 09/21/2007 11:34:40

We're leaving?

*pauses for about all of three seconds* The beach. Definitely the beach.

	From:	Date: 09/21/2007 11:35:22

I don't like the beach.

*nods decisively* We should live in the mountains. I can hunt cougars.

	From:	Date: 09/21/2007 11:36:25

*doesn't even try to hide her snort*

We're not living in the mountains. *makes a face* And a cougar would eat you up before you even knew it was there.

	From:	Date: 09/21/2007 11:37:27

Nuh-uh. Mom, tell her I can hunt cougars! Maybe I'll just take one as a pet and it'll eat you.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 09/21/2007 11:48:01

No hunting cougars ever until you're at least a foot taller.

*frowns a little, thinking* I wondered about returning to Hísilómë, actually. Whether Findekáno would let us in is another matter. There are certainly mountains, and of course there's not a real beach, but there's the lake. And dear Findekáno and Írissë are part of the family anyway.

*turns an idea over in her mind slowly* But then there's also Vinyamar, where your uncle Aro's settling. Beach. Mountains. Sanity. Your father would have a fit.

	From:	Date: 09/21/2007 11:57:00

*brightly* If we went to Hísilómë we could be with Maitimo. Except the weather's terrible and Findekáno's a bit of a nutbag.

...I remember liking Vinyamar. It was pretty. *glances over at her brother almost affectionately* There are fun caves in the mountains.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 09/21/2007 12:04:39

*nods* We could be with Maitimo and I could sort out their love life. Well, at least when she's about.

Findekáno's a bit of a nutbag.

*lip-twitch* Don't be unkind, dear. Your cousin has a million crazy relatives to deal a good head on his shoulders.

*looks at Amrod expectantly* What do you think? I suppose in theory there's also the option of living with your f— with one of your...ah. Vinyamar? Hísilómë?

	From:	Date: 09/21/2007 12:13:23

...

Will there be soldiers in Vinyamar?

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 09/21/2007 12:23:38

*reaches out to give you a cuddle (before you can grow another foot and run off cougar-hunting, OME)*

I rather doubt there will be much of a military presence there, sweetheart. Your uncle is still something of a pacifist. </understatement of the Age>

	From:	Date: 09/21/2007 12:27:24

*tugs at a blade of grass and maybe leans against you*

I like soldiers.

	From:	Date: 09/21/2007 12:28:19

*helpfully* There'll be sailors. At the beach. Sailors. At the beach.

*is kind of liking the idea of Vinyamar now, yes*

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 09/21/2007 12:40:01

*puts an arm around you* What if we give Vinyamar a shot, hmm? Just for a little while, anyway. If we don't all like it, we can try somewhere else.

I'll have to go into Doriath from time to time to see to my gallery—which reminds me, I'm going to need someone to manage it for me—so you'll still get to spend time with your two eldest siblings only and see new places and all of that whenever I'm gone.

	From:	Date: 09/23/2007 22:38:45

*appears to mull the issue over for a few minutes*

*finally* I guess so. *pauses* Yeah.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 09/23/2007 22:45:16

*clasps her hands together, well-pleased* We're all agreed then? Amras, darling? Good? Good.

Any takers on telling Fëanáro?

	From:	Date: 09/23/2007 22:47:42

*smiles brightly thinking of all those sailors* Good!

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 09/18/2007 19:44:53

*wanders from room to room throughout the entire compound*

*runs into you some time later in the kitchens and almost turns around on the spot* Oh. Hello, Nerdanel. Have you— *stops as she realises the question she's been asking people all day is hardly an appropriate one, at the moment* *stammering* Have— I was wondering— have you seen—

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 09/18/2007 19:47:27

have you seen—

*takes a sip of tea*

Calm yourself, Finduilas. *has another sip* No, I have not seen him at all today. *kindly* Will you have some tea?

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 09/18/2007 19:50:31

*long pause*

*a little defiantly* I was talking about Curufin, actually.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 09/18/2007 19:55:28

*smoothly* As I have already said, I've not seen him today. Nor have I seen Carnistir, which, combined with the former non-event, is more often than not a recipe for disaster. *idly hopes Curufin at least happens to look in the small front pocket of his bag when he does leave*

*stands and walks over to the stove to fetch the kettle* That's a "yes" to the tea, then? *doesn't wait for your answer but pours a second cup and brings it over to you* I'm afraid I didn't offer Macalaurë any tea.

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 09/18/2007 19:58:58

How is it she knows everything??

*dumbly* But why...? *tries to finish the thought but can't seem to find the words*

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 09/18/2007 20:05:31

*sadly* Why did Macalaurë not merit tea? I've known my darling boy since he was in the womb, dear. Well enough to know that I can speak openly with him and he will not forget how much I love him.

*pats your hand* You and I have been through a great deal in a short period of time, have we not? But not nearly so much. And I confess I judged you the type of spirit who might bridle at such a direct suggestion that things could have happened differently. That's not my roundabout judgment to make, though. I'm sorry.

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 09/18/2007 20:09:41

Why did Macalaurë not merit tea?

*is slightly relieved to hear you misinterpret her question although of course she did immediately wonder—will you STOP that?!*

*doesn't meet your eyes* No. I meant...what made you think I was talking about Curufin?

the type of spirit who might bridle at such a direct suggestion

*pouts* *defensively* I'm not that defensive.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 09/18/2007 20:16:09

what made you think I was talking about Curufin?

*looks surprised* Your guilt mood is written in your face, dear. Anyone might see it who takes the time to look. Somehow I doubt anticipation would look anything like that. Drink the tea, dear.

*breaks a biscuit in half and takes a dainty bite* *chews in silence for a moment*

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 09/18/2007 20:18:07

*dutifully drinks her tea*

*shifts in her seat uncomfortably*

*can't take this* *abruptly* I wish you wouldn't do that.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 09/18/2007 20:19:21

*blinks*

*sets her cup down* Have I said something unkind?

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 09/18/2007 20:22:30

*testily* Of course not. That's just the thing, isn't it? Your disappointment says everything you don't. It's a thousand times worse and you must know it.

Call me a whore instead. I know what to say to that.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 09/18/2007 20:26:46

*pointedly* I very much doubt I could say anything that might change the way you feel about hurting Atarincë.

Call me a whore instead.

*looks hurt, somehow* *takes your hand in hers* Why would I say such a thing? I think you're a brave and beautiful girl, Finduilas. You must know that. I don't believe you intend to hurt anyone but yourself.

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 09/18/2007 20:31:39

*pulls her hand away* *uses the back of it to wipe away tears*

*quickly changing course* I may stay in Gondolin awhile. I may stay awhile and then go to Himlad. Not only because Maglor— I'd just like to see some of the places I haven't. Can you understand that?

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 09/18/2007 20:34:46

*softly* I do, of course I do. You think I don't understand?

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 09/18/2007 20:35:40

*looks you squarely in the eye for the first time* How could you?

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 09/18/2007 20:38:29

*gives a quick little shake of her head* Every situation is different, of course.

*wry smile* But speaking as a woman who once found herself madly, hopelessly in love with her brother-in-law, I think I may be able to relate to some of the things you're feeling.

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 09/18/2007 20:39:30

You—

I— You—.





What??

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 09/18/2007 20:44:22

*lightly* I was mistaken, of course. Fëanáro's the only one for me, always has been. But for the better part of a year—well into one of my pregnancies, if I remember correctly—I was convinced I'd married the wrong man. *looks almost wistful* I was such a foolish girl.

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 09/18/2007 20:45:57

I was such a foolish girl.

*actually smiles* Now that I can't believe.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 09/18/2007 21:02:24

*somewhat amused* At any rate, I was and am far from perfect. Nor do I expect perfection from you, or Macalaurë or Atarincë, or my other darlings, Eru save them. But I was not unfeeling. And for that short time in my youth, nothing I told myself could convince me I was wrong.

So if I say that logic and empathy do not often allay disappointment for my children's own missteps, I hope you will not mistake me, and that you will understand. And I think I'll coddle and indulge Atarincë a little, if he hasn't already gone 'll let me, and I think perhaps I'll send up some tea for Macalaurë after all.

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 09/18/2007 21:08:39

for my children

*can think of nothing she'd like better at this very moment than for you to see her as a daughter*

I'll try. I promise to—I promise I'll try.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 09/18/2007 21:10:45

*smiles radiantly* Thank you.

Now have a biscuit, sweetheart. You're far too thin.