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Daeron chuckled. "You really want to know how the ranch grapevine works?" he grinned, moving aside so that they could come in. His room was average size, and had the usual furniture: bed, desk, chair, bookshelf. The bed was mussed up as if he had been laying in it recently, his shelf was full of books, and on his desk was a copy of one of the maps that their Uncle Gion had made of the Southland.

"Of course we do," Earendil replied with a laugh, sitting on the edge of the bed and setting Miyuki down on the floor. The baby had been behaving very well, and she deserved a break from being carried.

Daeron chuckled. "Well. You visited with Aragost, which alerted Elberon to your presence. While you were out of the ranch house for the afternoon, he went there and basically pestered Elrohir and Haradhel for information until they told him everything that he wanted to know. From there, he told everyone in his barracks, then everyone in our barracks, and then everyone in the third barracks. He probably even told the horses. That man talks just as much as he asks questions."

Earendil was impressed. "So without him, we might have been able to surprise you?" he grinned.

Daeron laughed again. "Not a chance. He spreads the news because people have asked him to. If it weren't him, it would be someone else - though he's probably the most accurate person to talk to about news."

"Sometimes he does," Daeron corrected Lin. "Especially if it's something to do with a man and a woman. He learned the hard way not to get involved in relationships, I think Shael just about took his head off that one time. Long before I was here, but the story is legendary."

Earendil felt his face flushing. Somehow, he had a sneaking suspicion that the stablehand knew the truth and had simply covered it up ...

Daeron grinned at Lin. "Have you ever seen Shael lose her temper?" he asked her. "It's definitely something you will never forget! And something you'll never want to see again!"

He laughed, glancing from his brother to Lin and back. He saw the look on Earendil's face, and understanding dawned as his laughter faded away. But from Lin's indifference, it was clear that she was unaware ...

He smiled. "But enough about me. How was your trip? Lots of stories to tell, I'm sure."

"I heard that there was someone who came with you who looked like Aerin," Daeron shrugged, "but that's about it. What about him?"

Earendil grinned. "He's Rhea's fiance."

Daeron beamed. "Good for her! That's good. I had always wondered if she would find someone, I mean, what with spending most of her time out here, and being so different from everyone else ..."

"When we were on Amon Darthir, the island that Aurin and Aerin are from, Aurin was our guide while I did my mapping," Earendil explained. "We did our mapping from the air there, Haldia has a roc spirit, which we flew on, and then Rhea flew on Skyel, Aurin's roc, with him. It didn't take us long, but once we finished they kept spending time together. The king wanted to send a message to Aerin, so he allowed Aurin to come back with us."

Brief, informative, and didn't raise the doubts that Caranthir had raised earlier that morning.

Daeron was pleased. "I'm sure Shael and Adonai will be happy for her ... though I'm sure she'll be telling them in the most shocking way possible." He laughed. It would be just like her to do something like that. He doubted she'd changed in her time away.

Daeron chuckled. "He usually does," he agreed. "I think the only couple he hasn't teased yet is Ahren and Shiara, and that's because Shiara's bad enough with people as it is."

"Ah," Earendil grinned, "I had wondered about that. She seemed a bit nervous when we met her, but she really seemed comfortable with Ahren."

Daeron nodded. "She was really in bad shape when Ahren brought her back," he murmured. "She was being kept deep underground, being used ... horribly." He grimaced and shook his head slowly. "It's a miracle she's recovered as much as she has."

Daeron glanced towards the window. "I should get ready for my shift. I'll catch you two later, all right?"

Earendil smiled and nodded, and looked out the window to see what time it was. "The morning is wearing on," he murmured thoughtfully. He was startled to see Rhea standing just outside the barracks, and he nudged Lin. "There's Rhea," he point out to her. "It looks like she's waiting for someone, come on, this could be our chance to talk to Aurin and Aerin together."

Daeron raised one eyebrow. "Something going on?"

Earendil grinned at his brother. "Just curiosity. Nothing new."

Earendil led Lin and Miyuki out of the barracks, and once they were outside, they headed back towards the other barracks.

"Seems almost like a military compound," he remarked to Lin as they walked. "Barracks, soldiers, and support."

Essentially, it really was a military camp, which was frightening to think about.

Ahead of them, Rhea was staring anxiously at the barracks.



Meanwhile, in the forest, Celeborn was still working on his rounds when he heard voices. He slipped through the trees towards them, and he smiled when he saw Donovan and Kara and Miyu and Toshiro. He hadn't spent much time with the children, but it always made him feel good to see them back again. Then again, he just loved children. The reason he was there in the first place.

"Welcome back," he greeted his bosses, stepping out from behind the trees. "You look wonderful. Time has been very kind to all of you."

He smiled warmly. Unlike Halmir (back in his stranger days), Celeborn's words rang true, filled with honesty and sincerity.