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Iorlas' wide green eyes were filled with wonder.

"It sounds amazing," she murmured. "That such different people can travel together ... or even be friends ... perhaps I will come with you to meet them, if I may. They sound like wonderful people to me."

She pushed herself to her feet and dusted off her skirt, muttering something about having to go back to town anyways, and something else about damage control, before turning back to Miyuki.

"Shall we go, then?" she asked, cheerfully now. "And while we're going, you can tell me more about your friends, if you'd like. I'm interested in hearing more about them."

Iorlas smiled and took Miyuki's hand as well, curling her slim fingers around the younger girl's hand, and started them back towards the town.

"I suppose I'd never thought about it before," she said thoughtfully. "It being safer to travel with many people, I mean. I suppose I just don't think about traveling much at all. Not that I don't travel ... just ... I don't put thought into it."

Iorlas smiled at Miyuki. "So you've sailed to other lands," she said warmly. "Tell me, what is that like? I've never sailed before. I've always been interested, but I've never had a chance."

Though it seemed as if the idea of other lands was not foreign to her, unlike most people.

They hadn't been very far into the woods, and even as slowly as they had been walking, they were already at the edge of the forest, and had reached the point where Earendil was waiting for them.

"Miyuki!" Earendil cried out, and ran towards them.

Even Andarien stopped crying and let out a joyful "Mi!"

Earendil hugged Miyuki with his free arm, and Andarien copied him, throwing both of his stubby little arms around his sister's head. "Mi," he burbled happily.

"Your mother went looking for you in the other direction," he replied, straightening up again. He looked at Iorlas. "Thanks for finding her," he said gratefully.

Iorlas blinked at him, and her brow furrowed ever so slightly. "It was she who found me," she replied softly.

Earendil chuckled at Miyuki. "So it seems," he smiled. "But we weren't sure which way you went, so she went looking that way, while Iorlas went the other way."

Iorlas blinked, and her already pale skin turned the slightest shade lighter.

"Perhaps we should go after her then, and tell her that Miyuki is back," she suggested, careful not to contradict what Earendil had said.

Earendil shook his head at Miyuki. "No, she went off the other way before Iorlas went after you," he replied. Before anyone else could say anything, he patted her on the head and added, "But come, we should go look for your mother. We'll talk about it later, all right?"

He was anxious to get back to Lin, and let her know that Miyuki was all right. He was glad that Andarien had calmed down.

"I'll come with you," Iorlas offered. "I know the area well, perhaps I can be of some help."

Of course, there was no telling how far away Lin had gone, and really all Iorlas could do to help was make sure that they didn't get lost at all.

"Forgive me," she said as they walked through the trees, "but I'm afraid I only know Miyuki's name ..."

"I am Earendil Aldrich," Earendil introduced himself. "My wife's name is Lin, and our son here is Andarien."

He was keeping his ears open for any sign of his wife, straining for any sort of sound.