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But before Aranxia skittered away, she skipped over to Lin and motioned for her to bend over as well. She cupped her hands around Lin's ears and whispered, "Make sure Uncle Earendil takes good care of himself, okay? And you too!"

Then she took a step back and beamed up at Lin, looking every bit as impish as her mother had used to be.

Aranxia hid behind her mother and peeked out ever so slightly, giggling softly. She waved back at Lin before she scampered back into the castle.

Tinuviel laughed softly. "Well, have a safe trip, all of you," she smiled at everyone. "Rhea, Captain Striate, it was wonderful to have the both of you here. You are welcome back any time you like."

"And do not forget, Captain," Atalya added, "the invitation stands for any of your people."

Aurin bowed deeply just as Skyel appeared above them. "Your Majesty is too kind," he said respectfully. "I will relay your message to my liege."

Rhea climbed up on Skyel's back and strapped herself in. "Ready when you are," she grinned at Aurin.

On cue, Haldia and Kelirahc summoned their spirits, and the others began to climb onto their steeds as well.

Earendil didn't relish the idea of Senka's claws sinking into him every time the roc dipped or something, and he opened his bag and held it in front of her.

"Go on, take a nap or something," he murmured. "You won't notice a thing. I'll make sure to wake you when we land. We're going to be going very quickly today."

Once they were all settled and everyone was ready, they were off again. This time, Haldia, guided by Earendil, led the way.

"So Lin," Earendil asked her, leaning forward so that they could converse as the wind whipped past their ears, "what did Aranxia say to you before we left?"

Earendil smiled, his cheeks warming slightly, and he was glad that Lin couldn't see him at that moment.

"The same," he replied. "Make sure I take care of myself, and you."

He had only known his niece for a quarter year, but he couldn't help but wonder, even in that short time, if she had somehow inherited more of the Seer's blood than the rest of the family, as Lothiriel had.

"She's usually quite shy even after she gets to know you a bit," Earendil chuckled back at her. He touched his cheek where she had kissed him goodbye. "She's really sweet though. I feel a bit bad that we left last time just a few days before she was born, but she doesn't seem to mind too much. She understands that we couldn't have known when she would be coming."

She certainly was quite knowledgeable for a six-year-old, that was certain.

Earendil smiled. "She is very different from the rest of us, I think," he replied. "She is ... more of a thinker, and less of a doer. If that makes any sense. She isn't very adventurous, though if she sees something worth studying, she will make the effort to do so. She is afraid of people when she first meets them, but once she warms up to them she's usually pretty good with them."

He chuckled softly. "Did you see how she stayed hidden when Grandmother and Grandfather came the other day?"

Earendil laughed. "Was that in the courtyard?" he asked with a grin. "If you were between her and the exit, she probably felt trapped."

Though he had heard that she had already begun her physical training as well, so if that had been the case Lin would probably have felt something a bit sooner.