[Introduction]: Their ordeal in the forests of Farann Province on Kevlan's home planet of Estenar over, Bernadette Marshall and Kevlan Sharr recover from their exhaustion at the Sharr family homestead, a doting Aunt Tammany and Aunt Shilda remaining firm in their insistence that the two Singers' rest to regain their strength. Little Fanna remains glued to Kevlan and Bernadette's sides, usually with her favorite puppies in tow. Kevlan can sing again. The Lady saw fit to bestow his voice upon him once more, or so the Sharr aunts contentedly affirm. Orynn and Turk and Kevlan's brothers simply exchange shy glances when the topic is brought up, and regard Kevlan - and Fanna - with a new kind of reverence. But regardless of what agency restored Kevlan's ability to sing, whether it be divine intervention or the simple healing of his own confidence, Kevlan can sing once more, and he proves this repeatedly by singing heartily whenever it's requested of him by his little, starlit niece Fanna... and even when it's not requested of him. Lullabyes, songs for the puppies, songs about the stars... Kevlan spends days singing them all for Fanna. More than once, Bernadette joins in, and the two Singers' voices roll richly through the Sharr house - inspiring yet another kind of reverence from the family, for never had Kevlan's voice sounded so full and bright. Fanna, too, sings, surprisingly on-key for a four-year-old, a piping descant to Kevlan's powerful baritone, Bernadette's ethereal soprano. As if moved by the sudden surge of music in the house, one by one, the rest of the family takes turns joining in with Kevlan - all save Orynn's older brother Turk, who simply glowers a little less, and mutters gruffly about being unable to carry a tune with a handle. But it doesn't take long before Danyel and Morten's voices start rising up in harmony during their daily work. And even Orynn sings, an occasional rumbling bass that at first surprises Kevlan and then makes him beam. It is the encouragement of his family that makes Kevlan, at last, shyly bring out his gitar after dinner one night. But once he does, and once he starts coaxing out chords from its strings, his brothers join in: Danyel on another, equally battered gitar, Morten on a strange little mouth instrument called a "monica" by Orynn. And Tammany produces a third gitar. In short order, the house is filled with song - less precise, less trained than the music of the Singers of Ballybran, for the voices and instruments are not always in tune. But not once does Kevlan wince at a sour note; if anything, he shifts his own voice a little so that it might better blend in with his family's music. After two or three weeks, both Singers have recovered from the lingering effects of the flowers' scent and are entirely clear-headed and in possession of their memories once again. And none too soon, for Bernadette begins to show unmistakable signs that she must return to Ballybran. Recognizing the same listlessness that began to plague his love before as the first sign of crystal withdrawal, Kevlan quietly draws his father aside for a private talk. What the young Singer shares with his father remains between the two, but immediately afterward, Orynn briskly stirs the house with an announcement that "'Shigh time we gave our younguns a proper weddin' party!" As their time on Estenar starts to dwindle, the Sharrs kick into high gear, preparing for the shindig of all shindigs: Bernadette and Kevlan's wedding. The farm house buzzes with activity as all the Sharr women perfect their arrangements for the upcoming wedding. Tammany and Shilda toil in the kitchen, deliberating over the menu to be offered to their guests, while Varna, with Fanna's help, works on the wedding cake. Or at least, what help a four-year-old child can give. Starlit though the child might be, Fanna nevertheless winds up with frosting in her hair and smeared across her cheeks. But at her mother's aghast exclamation, the little girl simply pipes, "Gotta make sure it tastes good f'r Unca Kevlan!" Clothes are another matter to deal with, as Varna also hauls her husband off to make sure his own wedding attire still fits him, over Morten's protests of "Lady Bright, woman, Ah ain't th' one gittin' hitched heah!" Orynn and Turk somewhat more readily pitch in with inspections of old but still usable finery of their own; Danyel disappears one morning and comes back, three hours later, grinning over a pair of packages and promising not to look better at Kevlan's wedding than Kevlan himself, but "Ah _will_ turn a few heads offa you, l'il brothah!" Kevlan just gives a bashful, crooked grin, and creeps off to peek into the baggage he brought from Ballybran to make sure certain clothes - made for his trip to Hesperia, but nevertheless fine enough for a wedding - have survived the trip. And on one day.... ----------------- Orynn, responding the chime on the house's terminal, indicating an incoming transmission, calls out to Bernadette. "You got a message heah, lassie." Bernadette and Kevlan are lounging in the house's large living room, before a crackling fire, while Varna and Shildie go over a list of everyone invited to the wedding - half of Bremany, it seems - and Morten somewhat clumsily tries to fix a ripped seam on a fine dress tunic. Fanna curls sleepily with three puppies in front of the warm flames. Bernadette glances between Kevlan, who gazes curiously at her in return, and Orynn, whose own grizzled eyebrows are raised, and pads to the terminal's screen and keyboard, a look of quiet apprehension on her face. She skims the message briefly, her face falling slightly, before she deletes the text and turns to the men (Danyel and Morten have also joined the cluster of Sharr men gathered) and offers a weak smile. "My folks aren't coming." She gives a humorless chuckle, adding "Not that I really expected 'em to," with a shrug. She drops her gaze to her fingers, laced tightly in front of her. "Aww, honey... " Kevlan's expression turns earnestly tender, and he wraps an arm about Bernadette, gently. Bernadette leans resignedly against Kevlan, her gaze still lowered. Danyel frowns, and Morten, not quite knowing what to say, hangs his head slightly in sympathy. But Orynn snorts, and reaches over to pat Bernadette's shoulder. "Their own fault, iffin they wanna be standoffish," he rumbles. "Cain't say you didn't do th' raht thing, an' ask 'em heah." Bernadette raises her head and smiles half-heartedly at Orynn, declaring bravely "It's probably better this way...Father and I aren't on the best of terms as it is." She smiles around at the family, looking up at Kevlan last with another smile, before stepping out of his loose embrace and drifting quietly away into the kitchen to see if there's anything she can help with. Kevlan looks worriedly after his sweetheart, uncertain whether to follow her or not, whether he should provide comfort... In the kitchen, Tammany looks up from the table, where she is sorting through a pile of printouts, and Shildie glances over from the cupboard she's just closing. The two aunts smile, and Tammany drawls at the young woman, "C'n we git you somethin', honey?" Bernadette, her eyes sad, her movements a bit sluggish, smiles and shakes her head. "No, thank you, Tammany. I was wonderin' if I could help y'all with anything?" She stands just inside the doorway between the kitchen and the dining room, looking a bit lost.