I sat tall on my gray horse, trying not to think about where I was headed. My horse could tell I was nervous, and it was making her nervous too. I was waiting for the carriage to catch up, and as I looked over my shoulder, to watch it roll towards me, I couldn't help but think that I was going to ruin what should be a happy moment for Mel. Her brother was coming home. She hadn't seen him since she had left for home unexpectedly and he had accompanied me to court at Atharael. I knew she was going to be excited to see him. I knew she was going to be unhappy to see me. I did not like knowing that I was going to be unwelcome, because it just was not the way I was raised. If I knew someone didn't want me somewhere, then I didn't go unless it was unavoidable in some way. But my mother had been adamant that I leave the capital and try to rest, and Branaric would not hear of me not visiting Tlanth with him. Lady Nimiar had assured me that all would be well. What did she really know of any of this? She meant well, so did Bran. They all did. But I was scared to face her again, just to be once again rejected and have to realize that what I was feeling was...silly.