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Before Leyenda could react, Kaito smiled and held up one hand. "I'll watch from the dock," he said. "I'll be fine, really. Perhaps another time."

Leyenda nodded. "All right then. I'll ask Papa about it."

As they reached the downstairs, Roydon's voice could be heard from the kitchen, where everyone else was now gathered. There was easy laughter, and it sounded very happy in there. Leyenda ran into the room and pounced on her father's back. "Papa!" she giggled, wrapping her arms and legs around him and hanging off his back.

Roydon chuckled and reached around to support her. "That's my girl," he grinned. He turned around. "And Lin. It's good to see you again. And you must be Kaito."

Kaito smiled. "Hello."

"It's not a boat, it's a ship!" Leyenda protested; but Roydon just laughed. "I think I spent too much time teaching her about ships," he chuckled. "I forgot to teach her about manners, and I've kept her from Arwen, so Arwen couldn't teach her either."

Arwen laughed. "Aye, as much time as she spends with you it's a miracle she can read and write at all!"

"Hey!" Leyenda pouted. "I can read and write just fine! And do measurements and everything!"

"For the sake of the ships," Arwen teased.

"I'd love to," Earendil grinned.

"I think we'll watch with Kaito," Aranel said with a nod. "I don't like the idea of Regan being out in the water ... and I don't think Tinuviel knows how to swim either."

Tinuviel shook her head. "We've never had the opportunity to learn."

"I'll come out on the boat as well then," Roydon nodded, "just in case. But it's nearly lunch time, we should eat first. Fishing can take quite a while, and-"

"But we're going to spearfish, not use a line!" Leyenda interrupted her father, flicking his ear playfully. "That's a lot faster!"

"As long as you don't scare the fish away," he replied, arching one eyebrow at her.

Leyenda giggled at Senka and let go of her father with one hand so that she could pet the cat again. "Hold up just a bit longer, and then for supper you'll have all the fish you can eat," she promised. "Okay?"

"Well if you all want lunch first, then I need the kitchen," Arwen smiled. "Shoo, all of you, I'll call you when lunch is ready. Roydon, if Brian's father shows up, send him in to me."

Roydon looked a little confused, but he nodded. "Yes, dear. Come on, everyone, let's go out and take a look at Leyenda's boat while we're waiting."

"And yes," Leyenda stuck her tongue out at Lin, letting go of her father and landing lightly on the floor again, "it's a boat, not a ship. Lots smaller, and a lot more simple." Holding Senka close, she started towards the door.

"Can I keep her?" Leyenda asked eagerly, whirling around to face Lin and leading the way backwards.

"Leyenda," Roydon said in a warning tone, giving her a look.

The girl giggled and snuggled Senka. "I know, Papa," she grinned. "I couldn't resist." She started skipping ahead down the docks, towards a set of stairs that led down to a pier that was just above the water level. There was a small boat moored to the pier - about fifteen feet long, five feet wide. There were three benches for sitting on, and at the bow and stern, and in the middle, were built-in crates.

"Careful getting on," she warned the others. "If you've never been on a boat before you'll find it's a little unsteady."

Earendil was the first to venture out onto the boat, and he yelped a bit and held his arms out for balance. "Makes me glad I trained so much with Haradhel on that arena," he laughed as he sat down in the middle of the boat.

"Definitely an awkward feeling," Earendil agreed, moving over a little to give Lin more space.

"Now whatever you do," Leyenda warned the two of them as she followed them into the boat, "don't stand up. That's what makes boats tip." She sat at the bow while Roydon climbed into the stern.

"Castoff," Roydon nodded at his daughter, and with a grin, Leyenda untied the rope from the pier and pushed them away from it. The boat rocked a little, but Roydon took two oars from the bottom of the boat and put them into their oarlocks, and then began to row. Instead of going downriver, where the larger ships were, he headed up the river, against the current, so that they wouldn't be in the way.

"Just up the river," Roydon replied, "not far. Just far enough to be out of the way of the ships that are coming in and out. We won't even be out of sight of the house."

"A little deeper, Papa," Leyenda said, peering over the edge of the boat. "I can see them just ahead ..." She turned to look at Lin and Earendil. "Can you pass me a spear out of the box behind you?"