Found:
I took a little detour on the way to the rendezvous. I had to. Too much anger and pent up frustration. Better to let it out on those who wouldn't feel it than those who would. I felt a little bit better afterwards, enough that walking into a town full of hobbits was only mildly uncomfortable.
Ry and Millie were in a mushroom patch, and Scanie joined us later. I was, I think, perhaps a little less talkative than usual, but nothing too out of character to be noticed, I hope. I spoke to both of the girls seperatly at various points in the day, which is good. I really should make more of an effort to get to know them better.
Millie surprised me, proving to be far more observant - and poetic - than I had expected from her. It's always the quiet ones though, isn't it? She was also quite talkative with me. Perhaps she's becoming more relaxed with me now. We'll see.
Scanie was, of course, outspoken and exuberant. I expected nothing less. Although she elaborates her way through everything, sometimes to unbelievable degrees, she is also very open in her way. Her love for life and refusal to let anyone else dictate to her remind me an awful lot of who I used to be.
Atharann found us there talking. It seems he'd been looking for me, needing help with a quick translation. After Scanie left, he stayed, and we spent a goodly while talking. I voiced my frustrations over the other pair and what they had done. He helped me to see it from a different perspective.
I hate it when he's right. He's going to hold that over me until the end of days, I just know it! Smug bastard.
I still don't like what he suggests. I don't know if I could pull it off, especially with 'Dara being the way she is, but I can't deny the logic in it.
Meanwhile, Ry left me with a note. His letter formation has improved drastically, which is good. He's been practising. He's made it at least as far as N as well, which suggests a secondary teacher and, perhaps, one he is more happy to go to which, frankly, doesn't bode well for following Atharann's advice.
How can I teach someone who won't listen and doesn't want to learn from me?
I'm not entirely certain what he was trying to say with those four letters alone. Perhaps he sought to let me know that he'd been keeping up the hard work of learning, but I doubt it. He's picked those sounds for a reason. One possibility comes to mind, but even then.... why?
I'll have to speak with him alone as soon as the opportunity arises.
