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Even Amalthea shook her head in exasperation, though she was smiling resignedly.

Alassëa turned towards Aethos and murmured very softly, "What's so amusing?"

"Later," Aethos replied, just as quietly, though of course in a room full of elves, he was heard by everyone.

It just made Wren laugh aloud as she took her seat again. "I'm afraid I don't behave anything like I should," she grinned. "You would think that by this time, everyone would be used to me, but apparently not. They just won't give up."

"Someday you will need to take your place in court, or as a diplomat," her father said in a tone that showed that this was far from the first time he'd given the lecture. "You need to know how to behave properly!"

"Well, when the time comes, I'll do what I need to," Wren assured her father. "Until then, I'll be myself."

And that just made Wren laugh again.

"Don't worry about it too much, little one," she winked. "Someday your parents will explain it to you. Right now, I'd like some news from all of you! What brings you all here? And such a varied group of people!"

"I sincerely hope it will!" Wren beamed, positively delighted at the idea. "It's been too long since I've had a good story from anyone, let alone so many different people! You're going to be here for a while, right?"

Earendil had to laugh at how eager she sounded. "We were hoping for a few weeks, anyways," he assured her. "We don't want to be too long though, we want to see something of the Northland before summer is over."

"I would love to come with you!" Wren exclaimed excitedly.

"Wren!" her father said in a scolding voice.

Amalthea put one hand on her son's shoulder. "It's all right, Ander," she murmured softly, smiling resignedly at him. "You know what it's like in the Southland when there are visitors. I'm afraid we won't be able to keep things as proper as we ought while they're here - especially with Wren."

"Thank you, Grandmother," Wren beamed. "I've been trying to tell him that for years!"

Amalthea eyed her granddaughter. "Don't push your luck," she told her softly, but pointedly.

Before Wren could even open her mouth to answer, her father cut in, "We shall see. Wren has been putting off her duties long enough."

Wren didn't seem too bothered by his comment. She had a few weeks to convince him, after all - and she had a feeling she knew just how to do it.

Just wait, I'll convince him, she mouthed to Miyuki with a wink.

"It is the princess's duty to help her people," Wren recited, as if she were repeating a lecture. "Since the king and queen are busy with the running of the kingdom from within the palace, it's the princess's duty to spend time among the people on a more personal level, to observe and aid where needed."

"Public relations for royalty," Kaito quipped, earning a nudge from Shiro.

"You know your lessons so well," Ander said, though there was no pride in his voice. "Yet you always insist on running off."

"There's more than one city in the kingdom, Father," the rebellious princess sighed. "And more than one nation on the continent."

"I suppose so," Wren agreed with Miyuki. "Earendil?" She looked to him for confirmation.

Earendil nodded. "Basically. Of course, I had other duties as well - traning the Home Guard and making maps, among others ... but with so many of us at the palace, we all needed to find secondary occupations, as it were. But the situation here is different, isn't it?" he asked curiously, leaning forward in his seat. "I mean, if this were the Southland, you would have to prepare yourself for a future as queen, wouldn't you? But here, the crown is passed down through the male line, so your father then is the heir, not you."

"True," Wren agreed. "Nevertheless, Father insists that there be a princess among the people."

Wren just waved her hand. She didn't want to pursue it in front of her father. She would ask him when they were alone together. She knew what argument to present in order to get him to agree.

"At any rate, I would love to be your guide while you're here," she added with a warm smile. "For some of you at least. I know some of you don't need a guide, and you really are too large a group to all go together ... but still."

Wren looked thoughtful, more serious than she had looked since the group had first met her.

"There is ... one place," she murmured, so softly it was almost as if she were talking to herself. "I wonder ..."

After waiting a moment to see if she would finish her sentence, Earendil asked, "Wonder what?"

Wren smiled at him. "If I should tell you before taking you, or if I should just let you see it when we arrive," she winked. "And since you're so curious, I think I'll let you wait and see. How does that sound?"