Calia gave Meesei a reassuring smile. "All of you may come along. This is a wedding celebration, I am sure the excesses will not be too dear."

Now that they were close enough to the vineyard Calia turned around and requested Llarasa bring her in front of the others. "We shall meet you later tonight at the tavern then. Let us all have some time to reorganise and then enjoy what time we have left."

"Very well. Thank you, mother." Fendros stepped forward to hug his siblings and Calia. "We will see you tonight. Thank you again for coming." Fendros stepped back and put an arm behind Ahnasha's back, even if she was too large in her form to span his arm around. "It means a lot to us."

Various farewells were given over the space of several minutes between Fendros' family and his pack. Rhazii elicited a surprised smile from Calia upon referring to her as 'grandmother,' but otherwise nothing put so much as a chink in Calia's armour-plated poise.

The time soon came to head back to the campsite. It was about time that the children had a rest if they wished to join them for dinner. On the way back, Fendros kept casting smiles Ahnasha's way, but appeared less elated than he had been after the wedding. A few predictable things were on his mind.

[hr]
"Oh, okay," Harriet said, failing to hide disappointment. "Makes sense."

A couple of silent moments passed. "So, uh...any more tips? I don't have any drink around the house, so I don't really have an excuse to keep you 'round any longer than you want."