Two weeks later Serali and Kethro landed in a gully not far from Land's End. They shifted to human form and walked the last mile to the village through the cool twilight, hand in hand. The town was quiet and still. A few lights showed where some townsman was up late, but most of the windows were dark. The Land's End Inn however was bright with light.

Serali pointed it out to Kethro. "That's where I spent most of my time growing up. My parents and at least one of my brothers and sisters will be in there."

"Brothers and sisters? How many do you have?"

"Two of each."

Kethro blinked at her. "That many?"

Serali chuckled. "Humans have more children than dragons do, or they can anyway. I always liked being part of a large family, though it also has its down points. Especially since Ohlito and Dentol, my brothers, both loved to tease me. How many siblings do you have?"

"I was part of a clutch of three. But my brother died when he was very young, so only my sister remains."

"I'm sorry."

"It's all right. I hardly knew him, we couldn't have been more than three or four years old when he died. But we are nearly to your home now."

They had indeed arrived at the inn. Taking a deep breath, Serali stepped forward and opened the door. The room was not very crowded, only a half-dozen townsmen were seated at the various tables. Serali's sister Terla was threading her way between several tables with a tray of mugs balanced expertly. She looked up and nearly dropped the tray.

"Serali!"

"Terla! You've grown!"

She laughed. "But I'll never top you, sister." They hugged warmly.

Then Marilla and Falio came out from the kitchen at the back of the room and rushed to join their daughters. Carita, who was almost as tall as Terla now, hurried out from the back room after them. Serali was enveloped in a storm of questions and chatter as her family tried to inform her about everything that had happened while she was away. Serali laughed and chattered right back, asking about her neighbors. She looked like a golden eagle in a flock of chickens, the way she towered over her family.

Kethro stayed back at the door, almost overwhelmed by this enthusiastic display. At last as the chatter died down Marilla noticed him standing there. She looked from him to Serali and then turned to her.

"So Serali, who is this handsome young man that you've brought with you?"

Immediately the family's attention centered on Kethro. He hunted around for something to say. His human was decent, but not that good, and he was so nervous that he couldn't think of any words. Serali saved him by stepping in and introducing him.

"Mama, Papa, this is Kethro. He and I are engaged."

"Why that's wonderful!" Serali's mother fairly beamed. She had almost given up hope that her odd daughter would marry. At twenty-three she was starting to be a little old to still be single. "Where do you mean to have the wedding?"

"Here, of course! As if I would ever be married anywhere else." Serali had a brief moment of regret for Galen. If she had somehow been able to marry him her family would have had to come to Barona for the wedding. But that could never have happened.

Her father broke in. "Where has been settled, but I would like to know when!"

"As soon as possible," was Serali's quick reply. She smiled at Kethro. "I don't want to put it off a moment more than I have to."

Kethro grinned back at her. He was beginning to understand why she had insisted on marrying the human way. It was more for her family's sake than her own. If she wanted a swift wedding the dragon's ritual of mating could have been done the very day he first told her his love. But this family of hers! He hardly spoke to his parents any more. As if to make up for the coddling of their long childhood, dragons generally had little to do with family once they were grown, or at least that was the way it went among mountain dragons. But Serali's family were obviously very close, even though she had been adult in human terms for quite a few years. It was worth the wait if it would make them happy. Though he agreed that he didn't want to wait any more than he had to!