"I think he would try to stay behind." She shook her head gently. "I don't know, dear. They are both so stubborn in their own ways. And there's this: e'en if we got him there, there's nothing to make Niabheara speak to him."

"Okay, I will stop feeling like I should do something about them then. It's just... it's all so stupid. I don't understand it. Why can't they just work it out?" Maalech's eyes were tearing up just a little, and he hugged her hard for a moment before letting go.

"If... she turns him away... he's going to leave us then anyway, isn't he?"

Morgana bent to kiss the top of Maalech's head--even though it wasn't very far to bend for her. "He's a grown man, sweets," she said. "He doesn't belong to us. If he wants to go, he'll go." She stroked the back of his head. "I want them to work it out, too."

"See, this is why it's hard making friends. They might go away." There was something very honest in the misery of Maalech's voice just then and there. The pain of someone that had got something he had never planned on, only to possibly lose it all over again.

"Might as well say there's no sense in washing your face if you'll just have to wash it again the next day." She scooped up the Acorn. "Or in having babies when they're just going to grow up. You know Marcello cares for you, don't you? He wouldn't just up and leave."

"I suppose..." Maalech admitted, a bit reluctantly. But a moment later he seemed to decide that enough was enough, and straightened his back. If it would happen it would happen, that was the way of things. "You're right." He gave Meg a grateful if slightly tight-lipped little smile, she was as always the hero in his world.

"Oh, I forgot!" The excitement was back now as he looked up at her and Acorn with a smile "When I tripped Marcello earlier? I managed to catch him. Almost. I'm getting a lot better at weaving things without using any strands. I mean I did drop him a moment later, but I held him for a little. I really did." He was almost bouncing again.

"See?" Morgana beamed at him. "I told you, you mustn't get angry when you don't get it quite right the first few times. And then it gets easier and easier. Once you've learned it, it's one of those things you ne'er quite forget how to do."

Morgana's ears twitched forward; Marcello had just called to them from outside. "Oh, who visits at this hour?" Not sounding particularly bothered, or even that much surprised, she started for the door.

"I like to get it right the first time" Maalech confessed, "I feel stupid when I don't." But he know it was more stupid to feel that way, you needed to practice. he needed to practice. What had seemed so simple a year ago was suddenly much harder now that he tried to do more complicated things. He covered his mouth to hide a giggle as he saw her ears perk up, he always thought the fact that they could move on their own accord was hilarious.

"Maybe someone who brings a letter?" He said hopefully, beating her to the door since he had no Acorn to carry. He flung it open, heedless of the cold, peeking out into the garden. "Marcello?"

Marcello turned at the sound of the door opening. "Meg?!" he called. "Asphodel is here to see you?" He gave the girl a rather triumphant look, and gathered up his rosemary more carefully in his hand.