Welcome to Gaia! ::

Ura blinked at Lin. "New people at Haven?" he asked. "And you're curious about them and haven't asked any questions?"

Kaito nodded thoughtfully. "I've noticed that you're not asking as many questions as usual as of late," he commented, sounding a little puzzled. "Something happen? Someone bite your head off?"

Kaito looked at Ura. "I didn't think any of the questions lacked tact," he commented. "Did you?"

Ura shook his head. "If you want to know the answer to something, you'll never learn it unless you ask the question," he pointed out - one of Shiro's favourite sayings. "Really, why is it rude to ask questions?"

Ura frowned. "I don't understand," he said quietly. "If she's the only elf like that, then wouldn't it be natural that people would question it? And if she doesn't want to answer, I'm sure she just wouldn't. That doesn't mean you can't ask. Honestly, Lin, I'm sure people are asking themselves what's happened to you. You used to ask so many questions ... but sometimes it's as if you're a different person. What happened to the curious kid we used to play with?"

From the look on Kaito's face, it seemed as though that was a question that he had also been wanting to ask Lin for a while as well.

"Earendil's got to be at least sixty years old by now," he said softly. "But he still asks questions just like you used to. And even if this woman's agenda is personal and secret, by asking about her appearance you're not really asking for her to reveal any secrets, are you? And same for the other guy. Caranthir, right? If he doesn't want to answer you, he won't - but that doesn't mean you can't ask."

"At least, that's what Ulani always says," Ura conceded.

Kaito winced, but Ura just shrugged. "Whatever you say." He didn't want to get into an argument.

Kaito chuckled at Senka's comment. "I guess once you start speaking a language with someone in a full conversation, it's just natural that you would keep using it. I've done that a time or two."

He glanced back over at Earendil and Shiro. "Though I'm wondering now if someone should say something," he murmured. "At this rate, they'll be at it all day until Shiro's making as many maps as Earendil."

The two nekos exchanged glances, and Ura turned back to Lin and shrugged. "Few hours," he guessed. "We haven't really been paying attention. You were off with Sir Valdemar, and Shiro and Earendil are still as into their talk as they were at the beginning ... and you know Shiro won't stop with his questions until he knows everything he wants to know ..."

Kaito nodded. "So we really have no idea," he agreed. "It could be near lunch, but it might not be. Can't trust our stomachs, obviously the time we arrived and the time we're used to aren't the same yet. Though I'll admit, I'm hungry," he grinned.

Ura rolled his eyes at Senka and muttered, "Kitten," under his breath, then headed over to Shiro and Earendil and tapped both of them on the shoulders. "Don't suppose you can tell us if it's lunch time yet," he grinned at them cattily.

Shiro blinked and turned to Earendil, smiling ruefully. "Yes ... the time difference and all, I'm hungry too," he admitted. "I hadn't realized it until now. Is it time for lunch?"

The prince chuckled. "Aye, it's time," he agreed. "I always lose track of the time when I get into something. Come on then, and then this afternoon we can prepare for our trip and hopefully by tomorrow morning be ready to leave."

Lunch passed quickly. The afternoon was spent preparing for the journey, and even Earendil was too busy to spend any time in his study, besides gathering the necessary maps that they would be taking with them. Regan was put to bed early, and Tinuviel and Aranel retired early as well, though Earendil spent a bit longer talking with Lin and Sir Valdemar about the route. Even the three nekos went to bed early - but with the difference in time between the two worlds, that was to be expected.

Early in the morning, before the sun was even up, those who were going on the trip were already awake, had eaten breakfast, and led out to the stables where they would receive the horses that they would ride on their trip.

"Have you been on a long horseback ride before?" Earendil asked Lin as they all tied on their packs into the saddlebags and prepared to mount.

Earendil nodded and moved to give Lin a leg up onto her horse, seeing as the horse had been bred for size, and she was so small. "I hope you're ready for some blisters," he smiled ruefully. "Unless you grew callouses that haven't yet gone away. Second day will be the worst, but by the time we leave Uncle Gion's, you should be fine for more travel. Just letting you know so that you don't feel as if you're the only one. Shiro and Kaito and Ura I'm sure will be going through much the same thing."