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Earendil was still gaping at Lin. Was this her answer, then? That she did indeed return his affection? That he could be - perhaps already was - Miyuki's father, in an odd sort of way?

Aranxia, who was right behind Lin, giggled. "Oohhhh, so this is what people were talking about ..."

Earendil cleared his throat. "Um ... Shea ... Mikhail ... could I have my study, please? I'll find you again later."

The brothers eyed each other and nodded. "We'll find you after lunch," said Mikhail as they left. He grabbed Aranxia by the shoulder and tugged her along with them, and Shea followed after them.

"Hey Miyuki," Kaito grinned, "let's go see some other people!" He took her by the hand and picked up Senka at the same time, and tugged her towards the door.

Kaito kept a firm grip on Miyuki's hand so that she couldn't run ahead of him, though he did pick up his own pace so that she wouldn't get too impatient with him.

"You don't even know which way to go," he reminded her. "Stay with me."

Once everyone was gone, Earendil rose to his feet again and looked at Lin. His face was warm, and his heart was beating wildly in his chest. He opened his mouth to speak, but his voice failed him. Instead, he took a deep breath and licked his lips slowly. He wanted to say something, but he didn't know what to say, how to begin ...

Earendil stared at her a bit more, and then a slow smile spread over his face, stretching wider until he thought his cheeks would split. He felt a joy he had never dared to hope for, and it took all his strength to keep from just sweeping her into his arms right then and there.

"Well," he murmured, finally finding his voice back again, "that makes two of us."

He chuckled softly, his eyes radiating his love. "Though I suppose that it might be best to talk to some people and give some explanations, before they start assuming things like my uncles did."


Kaito chuckled. "I don't think so. If I tell you where, you're just going to run off again. Just stick with me and we'll be there soon enough."

It wasn't far at all, but he didn't want to risk losing Miyuki in the castle.

"That is true," Earendil chuckled again. He shook his head incredulously. "I honestly didn't even hear her say that ... I just heard a voice and looked to see who it was, I hadn't realized what she had called me ..."

He tilted his head slightly as he looked at Lin. "So I am her ada ... and you are her mummi. We are ... parents ..."

But where to go from there? What now? What next? He didn't dare to hope that Lin would be prepared to settle down already, but how would they proceed from this point now?


Kaito stuck his tongue out at Miyuki. Pouts were lost on him. "You don't want to get lost here anyways," he told her. "Not everyone here is nice to people like us."

He saw Sir Valdemar's door up ahead, but he said nothing of it to Miyuki. He didn't need her barging in on him, especially if he was busy.

Earendil nodded slowly. "Which ... may be my cue to bring up a letter I received upon my return from the Borderlands," he murmured, a shadow crossing his face briefly. He cleared his throat awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck. "I ... um ... I know I had promised to go to the plantation with you to see your grandfather," he murmured, "and ... I truly hope we can still go, but ..."

He moved to the other side of his desk and opened the middle drawer and pulled out a sheet of paper. "I ... have been asked to return to Amon Darthir with my uncles for ... for a time."

He held the letter out to Lin. "Here."


Kaito pursed his lips. Was he the right person to explain this to her? Or was it better left to someone else? He knew he didn't have much tact, and he didn't want to have to be the one to tell Lin he was scaring her daughter.

"Ask your mom later," he said finally as they arrived at Sir Valdemar's door. He peered inside curiously. The historian was standing at his window, gazing outside, his back to the door.

"As the only member of the Aldrich family who knows Amon Darthir and has no royal obligations here," Earendil explained, summing up the letter, "I have been asked to help Aerin out for a while. The gnome problem is almost entirely taken care of, her father is out of the picture ... Shea and Mikhail have been requested to come to help with the city - Shea is an architect, so they would like him to help with the design, and Mikhail is good not only at architecture, but also directing the building process."

He paused and looked towards the window, then looked back at Lin. "On the other hand," he said slowly, "we've been waiting such a long time already ... taking some time out to go to the plantation first shouldn't be a problem, I'm sure."



Sir Valdemar turned around, hearing Miyuki's voice, and he smiled gently at her.

Kaito chuckled. "That is Sir Valdemar, the person your mother wanted you to visit," he grinned. He turned to Sir Valdemar. "This is Miyuki, Lin's daughter."

Sir Valemar bowed his head. "It has been a while, Miyuki," he said warmly. "Welcome back."

Earendil nodded and held his hand out for the letter again. "If ... you're certain," he murmured. "But they say it is safe ... as safe as can be expected, anyways. I know you probably haven't prepared for a long visit, but ... would you like to come along?"

He looked at her, hope reflecting in his eyes. He was expecting her to refuse (politely), but then again, he had expected that before and been surprised ...


Sir Valdemar smiled warmly at Miyuki. "You were but three days old when I last saw you," he nodded. "And ... were here only one day." He chuckled. "Your mother and Prince Earendil were in something of a hurry to go to the Borderlands."

Earendil smiled softly. "Then we shall try another time to visit your grandfather?" he asked hopefully. "I had been looking forward to it, to be honest ... though it will be nice to see Rhea and the others again and see what has changed in two years."


Sir Valdemar chuckled. "Yes, they do get snow in the winter. Did you like it there?"

He had no idea how old she had been when they had been there - for all he knew, she could have stayed an infant, or grown to her current stage while they were there.