This was not the homecoming Jorvanultumn had hoped for. In fact, his worst fears had come true.


    diare stood across the room by the toppled stool he had knocked over in his anger. Neither of them had spoken for at least a minute now. Davorultumn had only frowned the whole time. It was time to break the silence and say something.


    elispt, Jorvanultumn. There are no words for that.”


    Diare, the world is on the brink of war. There are more important things than my elispt right now. It can be put on hold—”


    Diare, I will finish the elispt. You know I am a responsible person.”


    Davorultumn strode across the room, his wings still shaking. He placed his palms on the high-table directly across from Jorvanultumn and looked Jorvanultumn directly in the eyes. “I thought you were responsible, but I should have paid more attention. You spent half your childhood complaining that our elispt was unfairly difficult.” He had switched to the formal.


    Jorvanultumn stared back. Should he switch to formal too? His diare had done it to emphasise his anger, and switching as well might convey more anger, causing Davorultumn to become even angrier. Not switching, however, might convey rebellion and disrespect, also causing him more anger. Jorvanultumn decided to switch. “It is unfairly difficult, Diare.”


    Davorultumn slammed his palms down on the table. “You see? You are ridiculously stubborn! You cling to that belief and now you are throwing it back in my face!”


    “No other family has an elispt nearly as involved or difficult.”


    elispt, Diare. I will not be remaining here long.”


    Lammdir Griholbovroh.”


    diare. “It was simple ignorance. Sinit?a does not know our ways. Besides, the treatment of Itra is unfair. You have said it yourself many times.”


    Lamdritta to his face.”


    Diare, you have travelled human lands. You know it is their custom to use shortened names in most circumstances.”


    Diare, please.”


    diare, but finding someone to help Felit?a was more important. Now, he just needed to convince Mikranasta of that.


    “We could hardly not.” Mikranasta separated from him and picked up a cup from the low-table, then a branch of the hpakrik growing from centre. She squeezed one of the large, round leaves over the cup. “Give him time. He is your diare. He will forgive you.”


    “Hedromornasta, that’s not necessary.” Mikranasta finished squeezing the juice from the hpakrik and turned to face her siare. “You are not Jorvanultumn’s diare.”


    “So? Jorvanultumn is eli?spt now. He is a disgrace to Davorultumn, to all of Chithishtheny.”


    Hedromornasta bowed his head. “I’m sorry, Diare. I let my anger get the better of me.”


    Diare.” Hedromornasta stood up and left, scowling at Jorvanultumn along the way.


    Jorvanultumn took the cup from her and raised it to his lips. “I could never do that. You would never let me.” He sipped the hpaks. It was cold and sweet. His diare grew the best hpakrik, and it had been so long since he had last tasted it.


    “And you?” Jorvanultumn asked. “Do you forgive me?”


    She approached him and touched her forehead to his again. “You may not be my siare, but you are my child. I will always forgive you.” She returned to the stool she had been sitting on. “That said, you know I can’t do what you want me to.”Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    He sat on the stool Hedromornasta had been using and sipped at his hpaks.


    While he spoke, Mikranasta squeezed herself a cup of hpaks. The two of them went through several cups each as he talked.


    She smiled at him, holding back more laughter. “Oh, Jorvanultumn. Such adventures you’ve had. I look forward to hearing more of them. And I believe you’re doing a good thing. More precisely, I believe you believe you’re doing a good thing. But I cannot go with you to see this woman.”


    Mikranasta stood up and placed her now-empty cup on the low-table. “It looks like the hpakrik is dry for now.” She knelt beside the low-table and opened one of the drawers beneath it. She pulled out some paper, pens, and ink. “I can write down some meditative techniques your friend might find helpful. They are non-magical, so I am not defying holy strictures. She may find them helpful in overcoming her block. Most blocks are self-imposed. It’s an instinctive, subconscious process brought on by a fear of one’s own powers. Meditation can be a very effective method of overcoming them, but it does tend to need very specialised techniques.” She dipped one of the pens in ink, and began to write. “Go to the hpakrik in the other room and squeeze me some more hpaks, please. This may take awhile.”


    hpaks from the smaller hpakrik in the high-table there. He also took the opportunity to right the stool Davorultumn had knocked over. When he returned to Mikranasta, his heart nearly jumped out of his chest and he almost dropped the cup.


    elispt. No, he had done more than hope. He had convinced himself that everything would be fine, and had ignored the consequences if they were not. The worst part was, this meant he had brought shame to Fevionawishtensen for no reason and no gain. Mikranasta’s promised meditative techniques were unlikely to prove beneficial, and despite her words, he was certain she knew that. She was making a hollow gesture to try to appease him.


    Hgirh uniform lay… Jorvanultumn was fairly certain it was a couple ledges down. They would find it later. Her sword, on the other hand, lay in reach of her hand. Always prepared, she was.


    Why? she signed.


    Why sorry?


    elispt. I broke it.”


    Tell me.


    elispt in the hope he could convince Mikranasta to return to Arnor with him.


    “I didn’t adequately consider the consequences. I expected resistance, but convinced myself my diare would accept a temporary break in my elispt. And I’m sorry for bringing my shame upon you for something that will likely fail. I’m so sorry.”


    Better, she signed.


    Good. She wrapped her wing around him again and kissed him. After a moment of holding him close, she let go and stood up. You are too stubborn to give up. So why?


    You spoke to Davorultumn. Once. You spoke to Mikranasta. Once.


    Talk to them again. Yes, they are stubborn. You are more stubborn.


    diare.”


    You broke your elispt. You have offended him already. But you had a good reason, so stand up for yourself. Make it worth it.


    The only shame you bring on me is from your stubborn refusal to be stubborn. Convince Mikranasta to go with you. Prove what you are doing is right. I will stand by you proudly, and if anyone dares speak ill of you, I will make them regret it.