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Aranxia was impressed. "I know that Ninako was once blind, but she said it was difficult, that she always ran into things."

She took another look at Alassëa. "I wonder if that bird might have anything to do with it ... it's a falcon, isn't it?"

River nodded. "There are several out in the Borderlands, though this one is the first that I've seen that's actually befriended someone. They're not that easy to tame. My uncle uses all kinds of tools to train his falcons, but he always has to be careful because they might still hurt him. Alassëa uses nothing, but that bird acts as if it's acting according to her thoughts."

"Neither have I," River added. "Though I guess there's a lot about her that we probably will never know. I mean, what with her being so long by herself and all that ..."

If she hadn't even remembered her father's name until she'd been told, who knew what else she may have forgotten?

Aranxia was staring at the two girls in disbelief. "Where did you find her?"

Aranxia couldn't help the shiver that ran through her. "How terrible," she said sadly. "And she is a grown woman now ... she must have been there for a long time."

"Forty years or so, I think was the conclusion," River spoke up. Quickly, she added, "And don't ask how she could have kept her falcon for that long, because we don't know. She said it's the only one she's ever had, and she's had it for as long as she can remember."

Aranxia rubbed her temples lightly with the tips of her fingers. "I don't understand even how she could have survived that long, with or without a falcon."

"She has the gift of healing," River volunteered. "She studied with a healer until she was kidnapped, and she also has it as a gift."

"Ah, that helps to explain it," Aranxia smiled with a soft sigh. She looked around again. "And who are they?" she asked, nodding at Leilani, Aric and Remiel. "I think they're the only others that I've not seen before."

Aranxia blinked at Miyuki. "But who is Ulrich?" she asked.

"Ulrich is my great-grandfather," River answered for Miyuki. "My great-grandmother, his wife, is Ulani Aldrich. The last queen, Queen Regan, was my ninako's cousin."

"Oh!" Aranxia exclaimed with a bright smile. "Then you're an Aldrich, too!"

River laughed. "Yes. Just very distantly related."

The three girls continued to chat together until it was announced that their rooms were ready for them to rest and freshen up before dinner. They were brought to the rooms they would be staying in so that they could do just that.

Earendil and Lin were brought to Earendil's bedchamber, which they would be sharing from now on, and Andarien and Miyuki were each given their own bedchambers directly across the hall from Earendil and Lin.

"Nana, I don't want to sleep by myself," Andarien said anxiously, looking around at the massive room which was to be his. "It's too big ..."

Andarien's eyes lit up. "Yeah?" he asked brightly. He looked down the hallway in both directions, then looked back up at Lin. "Which one is hers again?" he asked, anxious again.

He was too young to remember the Westland palace, and even the Eastland palace was a distant memory for him. Castles were big and complicated, that was all there was to it. He knew Miyuki's room was right beside his, but was it the one to the left or the right?

Andarien blinked at Lin. "That's why I have to know which room is hers," he replied. "So that I can ask her."

He paused. "Or isn't she in her room?" he asked, more softly now. "Is she gone with River somewhere?"

He had thought she'd come up to wash as well, but ... well, he could be wrong.

Andarien brightened. "Thank you!" he beamed, running to the door of Miyuki's room. He tried to open it, but the door was too heavy for him, and he banged his fist against it instead.

"Mi!" he called through the thick wood. "Mi! I have a question for you!"

He put one ear to the door and listened to see if she was coming to answer the door.

When Miyuki opened the door, Andarien smiled sweetly up at her.

"Mi," he said slowly, clasping his hands together behind his back, "my room is really big and I don't want to stay in there by myself ... can I sleep in your room while we're here? Please?"

He looked up at her, giving her puppy eyes, since the magic level in the castle was low enough that he didn't have to wear the massive goggles.