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Earendil thought about it briefly. "About four years?" he guessed. "Something like that. Elrohir and Haradhel brought her down with Arahad on their way to visit Arwen and Roydon."

He chuckled. "It's kind of strange, having an Aldrich here that none of us are really related to. I mean, go back thirteen or fourteen or fifteen generations and we've got a common ancestor ... but that's about it."

Shiro laughed. "Well, we've always viewed her as a cousin anyways," he winked. "Just because."

"Oh, she's been enjoying herself," Earendil chuckled. "You'll see her at breakfast. But first, I'll take you to your rooms - we won't be able to leave until tomorrow, at the earliest. We have everything ready, but we do have to pack up."

Shiro looked around. "Looks like your study is already packed," he commented.

"Most of it," Earendil nodded. "What's left won't take long."

Earendil caught Senka and smiled warmly, stroking her happily in greeting. He had missed the possessive little kitty.

"Well, I have that bag that you gave me," he smiled at Lin, "so it wasn't as bad as I feared. And I did put it neatly into the bag, so it's easy to find things back again. I think without it, I would have needed as many bags as could fill this room."

He had no idea how Rhea had managed to pack all of her things into just two bags.

Earendil laughed. "Just wait until I pack all of my clothes and stuff, and then we'll see," he grinned. He stopped as they arrived at the rooms where they would all be staying. "And here you are. Same rooms as always for all of you. Rhea's in the room that Uncle Lore and Aunt Elnara usually use ... at least, that's where she sleeps. She goes out like I used to in the mornings."

Storm and Starr headed into the room that they would be sharing, as did Shiro, Ura and Kaito.

Earendil kept petting Senka. "Excited about this, Lin?" he asked, his eyes sparkling brightly in the growing light.

Earendil chuckled and opened the door for Lin, holding it so that she could go in first. "I know what you mean. We've been waiting for a long time ... so far it still just feels like another visit from you. But I'm sure it will sink in once we're actually on the ship."

"Only things you'll be using today," Earendil nodded. "I have to pack my things today, but other than that it will just be a matter of packing food for our trip south, and getting the horses ready so that we can leave right away in the morning."

He looked around as well. For all the times Lin had visited him here, he had never really spent any time in here ... after all, it wasn't prudent for a man to be in a girl's bedchamber, and Lin herself didn't do a lot in there when she visited.

"Let's wait for the others first," Earendil smiled, stepping out of Lin's room again. "That way we can all go down together. Not that I think they'll get lost or anything, but from the way Kaito said Storm and Starr have been acting lately, I want to especially make sure that they don't feel left out or rushed, or as if they're an inconvenience or anything like that."

And it wasn't just because they were family: as a prince, he had learned to value diplomacy and the value of making sure everyone's needs were seen to.