Welcome to Gaia! ::

Atalya nodded. "From my understanding, you spent quite a bit of time with him when you were little," she added. "That he was one of your mentors."

Of course, all of this was hearsay from Earendil, but with how much Lin had always talked to him and how much she had told him, she was quite sure that her information was correct.

Earendil chuckled again. "Your grandfather is going to spoil you if he isn't careful," he teased Miyuki.

Atalya smiled. "And I am certain that he would be quite happy to have you visit," she murmured. "I know we like it when you come, and we get to see you quite a bit more often than he does. So that would just make your visit all the more special for him."

Earendil laughed and hugged Miyuki again. He didn't bother explaining what he meant, she would learn someday. And really it was cute, the way she took it.

"Don't you worry about it," he grinned. "You just keep being the sweet little girl that you always have been."

Earendil chuckled at Miyuki, hugging her again. "Sweet like Mummi," he agreed, smiling widely. He glanced up at Lin, his eyes shining with the love he felt, then smiled back down at Miyuki once more.

Atalya watched the exchange and smiled to herself, hiding it behind her hand.

Earendil chuckled, his eyes growing softer. "Well, we'll see what she does in the morning," he grinned at her. "If she can even find my room, let alone open the door."

The doors at the palace were far heavier than the doors at the ranch house, after all. He was certain most of the doors would weigh far more than even Miyuki herself. Solid wood, some of them overlaid with metal ... who knew?

Atalya smiled at Miyuki. "It means that you never ever give up, even if you really can't do something," she explained. "Even if you're wrong about something, you don't change your mind; if there is something you cannot do, you don't stop trying. That is what stubborn means."

Earendil was tempted to add a comment about his father, but as that would be rude and disrespectful, he refrained himself from doing so.

Earendil chuckled. "I would say yes," he said. "But it's not really her fault, from what I'm told, that's just a cat's nature."

He patted Miyuki on the head. "At any rate," he added, "I need to pack my bag if we're going to be leaving soon. And Shea and Mikhail will also need to know that we're leaving. Would the two of you like to come with me for that?"

He was certain they would, but he wanted to hear it anyways - that, and he didn't want to take anything for granted.

Earendil grinned. "They're quite brilliant, both of them," he winked at Lin. "We can just let them figure things out on their own."

Worked well enough for him. Besides that, it was fun.

"Now, now," Atalya chided them, though she was clearly amused, "be nice."

"And I shall see you at dinner," the queen smiled at them. "I'm afraid work has caught up with me again. It's strange, how often that seems to happen."

She winked at them to show that she was joking, and then added, "Until later."

"Until dinner," Earendil smiled, taking Miyuki's hand.