Rune

As Rena and Talon left together, Amrunela tugged her best friend's arm, asking him to explore around with her a bit. She wanted to find out more about this place – she had cast several spells to detect magic and had gotten the idea that there was a lot of enchantments all over the place. She wanted to know more.

Jaek went with her quite willingly. Not that that was anything new – ever since they were children Jaekel had hated being separated from her and would thus do quite a few things just because she was. It had gotten better as they had gotten older – he often did things without her it was just that he still really enjoyed being around her.

As they wandered around, she glanced at him, noticing that he did look rather more well rested than he sometimes did, "Were your dreams better last night?"

"No. I actually had a lot more than usual." He smiled wanly, "But Rena gave me some tea that helped me sleep well despite it."

She patted his arm. Sometimes she worried about him. It was hard sometimes on him she knew that. It was a gift – his visions came in very useful at times. But in a way it was also a curse since it often meant he did not get enough sleep. But he never complained. Not even once in their eighteen years of life had a word of complaint ever left his lips about his condition.

She glanced around at the hallways they were walking in – noticing the paintings of various people but not really stopping to look at any of them. She stopped next to a door that was slightly open and decided to walk in.

It was a nursery – less ornate than the one back home. A wooden cradle sat in the middle of the floor, hand carved with patterns of flowers and vines. A small child's bed, more plain than the cradle was pushed against the wall, it had warm looking quilts on it. A toybox shaped like a chest was open, and overflowing with wooden toys. A fireplace with a low fire burning in it gave a very cheerful vibe to the room. On the mantel over the fireplace sat a picture. Amrunela did recognize that it was a picture of Zilanius when he had been still alive. He looked very happy in it.

"They must have been getting ready to have a child." She remarked.

"They did have a child." Jaekel murmured. "I saw a vision with them and their child in it."

She just nodded. Then left the nursery to go see if there was anything else to explore. She had no clue where to go though – there was something a bit mazelike and rumbling about the old house and she wondered if she would even be able to refind her room if she tried.

They came back to the two bedrooms they had been given and she chuckled, "I was just wondering if I would be able to find my place back here."

"Oh?" Jaekel smiled, "What a coincidence."

She tugged on his arm again. And he followed her, sliding his arm out of her grasp and holding her hand instead. She guessed it was more comfortable for him that way.

As they walking through the halls, which had many branch off hallways, they came to a comfortable sitting area that had a very nice view of the outside – strangely enough it was on the second story of the house and Amrunela could not remember going up any stairs. She frowned, wondering how she had not noticed such a thing.

There was in this room a small table – four could sit at it. There were some comfy chairs in a semicircle and across from the window a seat for two people. "I guess this was a room for gathering in for social time?" She hazarded.

"Probably." He walked in and plopped down in one of the comfortable looking chairs. "Hey, Rune, why don't we just talk a bit. It's been a while since we had some time just to ourselves."

She sat down near him. "It has, hasn't it." She regarded him, a happy feeling in her stomach. "What do you think is happening back home?"

"Oh, your much younger siblings are probably making trouble. Caldron probably has a nose in a book. Our fathers are probably busy but making time for their wives and your father for his kids despite it. And our mothers are probably worried about us, but trying their best to trust Xi'eli to keep us safe and bring us home."

She nodded. She knew her mother worried more than she let on. It made her feel both grateful and a little bit guilty. Guilty for worrying her mother, and grateful that her mother was letting her go without trying to stop her.