Welcome to Gaia! ::

Rhea was about to say something else when she suddenly realized the same thing that Cindy had - probably because Cindy had, to be fair - that Lin was looking out for her niece, and helping her to find new friends. She closed her mouth again and simply smiled and nodded.

"I can do that," she said softly.

She still wished there were more that she could do ... but she would do what she could to help Miyu and the children both.

Rhea smiled faintly. "I'll be an adult next year," she said softly. "Chronologically, I'm older than you are ... perhaps not by much, but still. At this age, all of my cousins were allowed to wander on their own, do what they wished ... I've spent more of my life taking lessons with Nako than any of them ever did, and yet Mama doesn't like me to even wander the valley on my own."

She sighed.

"I know I should just be patient, and I understand that Mama's worried for my safety ... but ... I wish she would just ..."

Rhea smiled warmly at Cindy, then slipped her hand out of her friend's and threw her arms around her, hugging her tightly.

"Thank you," she murmured, smiling warmly. "That means a lot to me."

The years with Cindy had made the phoenix girl more than just a teacher to her: she was a good friend, the best friend that Rhea had, a confidante, someone in whom she could confide even when she couldn't talk to her parents.

She had never been more grateful.

Aragost had already been up for many hours, enjoying the day in his own fashion. He was sitting outside the barracks, against the eastern wall, his cowl once again low over his face, but with his face tilted towards the sun.

He could no longer see with his physical eyes the forest around him, or the activity that surrounded him, but with his mental eyes, his remaining four senses, he could see just as clearly as if he were not blind.

Aragost was immediately aware when Miyu came outside, as well as when she began to head in his direction, and he allowed himself a small smile. He had never had any expectations, going out to destroy the morgawr as he had, except of death ... to escape with only blindness - and only a physical blindness at that - had been a miracle, even a blessing ... because he could still see and interact with the people he loved.

As Miyu approached, he raised one hand in greeting, then began slowly to rise to his feet to greet her properly.

Aragost smiled warmly and waited for Miyu to join him so that he wouldn't accidentally head in the wrong direction. It happened on occasion.

"Good morning," he called back cheerfully. "You sound well today. Getting used to being here alone?"

Aragost just smiled. "Perhaps there are no more formal lessons," he said softly, "but that does not mean that there is nothing else to learn. After all, you do spend quite a bit of time in this world, but I am sure that there must be things about this world that you do not understand, and might be curious about."

He held out one blackened hand for her to take, not for her own comfort this time, since he knew she was comfortable there at the ranch, but for his own, and so that he could feel her nearness with more than just his mind.

"If you have questions," he murmured softly, "I would be happy to answer them."

Aragost smiled and closed his fingers around Miyu's smaller hand.

"Well," he said softly, "we have all the time you need."

He wouldn't rush her. After all, there was no rush - he had no duties to take care of, the day was just beginning ...