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"You kept me company, even though I know it's not the most interesting job around," Earendil replied, putting one hand on Lin's shoulder and squeezing it slightly. "That in itself is a great help. I could not have done it without your support."

He stood there like that a half a moment longer, then turned and headed into his room, closing the door gently behind him.

For the next year, Earendil and Lin split their time between the ship, the castle, and the city. Earendil adjusted and perfected his maps, and he and Lin both helped out Shiro whenever they could. There was a lot of copying to be done, and even at the end of the year, they were only about half done.

One day, late in the summer, while Lin and Earendil were in the city, they were startled to hear someone running through the streets, shouting their names.

"Lin! Earendil!" Haldia's voice came, loud and clear above the others. "Hurry! Where are you? Come quick!"

The black-skinned elf drew many stares as she ran through the streets, and Earendil blinked and stared at her as she came closer.

"I wonder what's happened," he commented to Lin.

Haldia turned towards Lin's voice, and as soon as she spotted them she ran even faster. "Come on, quick!" she shouted, touching her mark and summoning her roc in the middle of the city, sending people running in fright. "Come on, hurry! Climb on!"

She climbed up onto the roc's back and held her hands down to Earendil and Lin to help them up.

Earendil made a stirrup with his hands to help Lin up. "What's going on?" he asked, raising one eyebrow curiously.

"It's Leyenda," Haldia replied, her golden eyes sparkling brightly with excitement. "She's given birth!"

Earendil followed Lin quickly, grinning widely. With a leap, they were in the air and on their way.

It didn't take them long to return to the ship and when they arrived, Earendil helped Lin down. Celeb was there to greet them, his face filled with excitement.

"Earendil! Lin!" he squealed. "I'm an uncle! I'm an uncle!"

Earendil laughed. "Congratulations, Celeb! Is it all right if we go see?"

He grinned and nodded. "But you have to be quiet," he warned them. "Leyenda's really tired now and if you make too much noise the baby'll scream a lot!"

Earendil went with Lin, grinning widely as they went.

Inside Leyenda's room, all was quiet. Everything had already been cleaned up, and the window was wide open to let the room air out. She was lying on her bed with her head in Kelirahc's lap, holding the sleeping infant in her arms.

The baby's head was all that was showing, a grayish brown with tufts of white hair.

Earendil's eyes grew warm, and he smiled softly at Kelirahc and Leyenda. "Boy or girl?" he asked softly.

Kelirahc smiled back, and his smile was proud. "A boy," he beamed.

Leyenda smiled at the two, her face pale. "We don't know yet," she murmured, her exhaustion clear in her voice. "We are taking suggestions, though I would like it to be something about dragons, like Kelirahc's name ... in the tradition of his people."

She smiled up at Kelirahc, and he brushed her hair away from her face. "I am honoured," he murmured softly back at her, "but it is not necessary."

Earendil looked thoughtful. "Well ... irahc is the Ancient word for dragon, yes?"

Kelirahc nodded.

Earendil started rolling it around on his tongue. "Cal ... Calirahc ... though that's perhaps a bit too much like Kelirahc ..."

"Noble dragon," Kelirahc smiled. "It is a nice name, though. But yes, perhaps a bit too close to mine ... I can see much confusion arising in that situation."

Earendil tilted his head slightly. "Why don't you name him after his grandfather?" he suggested, a smile playing about the corners of his mouth. "Amalirahc."

Kelirahc blinked at Earendil. "Amal..."

Leyenda's eyes shone brightly, and she looked up at Kelirahc. "I think it would be fitting," she whispered happily. "And so your father will live on."

Kelirahc smiled widely and leaned down to kiss Leyenda lightly on the forehead. "I think it will do nicely," he murmured quietly. He looked up at Earendil again. "Thank you," he said softly. "That was indeed very thoughtful of you."