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Earendil smiled, relieved. "Good. But if you need, for either of you, I also have extra blankets."

He had been planning on taking very good care of Lin and her daughter, even without his niece's instruction to do so.

"Dinner's ready," Leyenda said, coming up behind them. "Come on, have something to eat so that you can rest. We're all going to sleep the night through, Skyel will remain on guard for us."

As the others gathered around the fire, Rhea made herself busy with making dinner for all of them. Leyenda bundled up Amalirahc and set him on the ground between herself and Kelirahc.

Kelirahc was looking around thoughtfully.

"It is so different here from the city," he commented. "It feels more like Amon Darthir ..."

Kelirahc nodded. "Yes. The trees are the same kind as on that island, and the ground. But the air smells different ... drier ..."

Earendil smiled. "We will be just about in the center of the continent when we arrive at the Borderlands," he explained, "about as far away from the ocean as it is possible to get."

"Though there are rivers," Rhea spoke up as she prepared the meal. "Rivers and mountains ... beauty as far as the eye can see ..." Her eyes grew warm as she thought about her home. She had not been there for eleven years, far longer than anyone else had been away from theirs at this point. It was clear that she was desirous to return there. "The most beautiful place in the world," she murmured to herself.

Aurin, who was watching her, fidgeted slightly.

Soon enough their food was ready, and Aurin helped Rhea dish it out and serve it to everyone. They made sure everyone had enough before sitting down together near the fire.

"You know," Rhea commented as she began to eat, "it's going to be strange, being home again ..."

Rhea shook her head. "There's always a lot to do at the ranch," she explained, "and I like to help Cindy and Father with their work ..."

She looked up at Aurin, then leaned against him. "I mean ... knowing that it's only going to be for a while, that I won't be staying there forever," she went on. She missed the startled look on Aurin's face, and continued, "I don't know if it's going to be easier or harder to convince Mama and Papa to let me go again, but I know one thing ... I cannot stay there forever."

Aurin said nothing, staring down at Rhea in amazement.

Rhea blinked at Lin, the surprise in her eyes quite obvious. "You can't guess?" she asked. She looked up at Aurin again, and her eyes grew warm. She set one hand on his knee gently. "I cannot be where Aurin is not. Where he goes, I will go, and that will be my home, no matter where it is."

Aurin was still staring at her as if he couldn't believe his ears. "Do you truly mean it?" he asked softly.

Rhea giggled at him. "You have been wondering how to ask me for the past year, my dear captain. I would not toy with you."

A smile crossed Aurin's face, and he set his plate of food aside and cupped her cheek in his hand, then leaned forward and kissed her warmly.

Earendil chuckled, watching the two. "Seems he finally learned how to relax in front of royalty," he grinned at Lin.

Earendil laughed and squirmed away from Lin's poke. "Well, good. Brave soul, that captain, but I think that was one thing he couldn't quite get himself to do. Ask Rhea."

Across the fire, Aurin picked up his plate again, sliding his other arm around Rhea and holding her close. "To be fair," he smiled at Earendil, his face slightly red now, "I could not properly ask her without first asking her father."

Kelirahc tilted his head slightly. "Why is that?" he asked.

Kelirahc shifted uncomfortably and looked over at Leyenda. "Is that why your parents were upset with me?" he asked her, remembering back to their first meeting.

Leyenda giggled. "Perhaps, a bit. I think it was just the fact that it was such a surprise, so sudden. We hadn't even known at that point that there was anyone on the island."

Aurin blinked at the two. "It sounds like there is a story to this," he commented.

Leyenda laughed, and they passed the evening retelling the story of how she and Kelirahc had met. Soon enough, everyone dropped off to sleep, reassured by the fact that Skyel was watching over them, and that they would be safe.