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Earendil laughed. "That must have caused quite a stir, I'm sure. Uncle Elrohir lived at home then, and he wasn't as accepting then as he is now. And Father was even worse!"

He grinned. "Father has changed though. A great deal, even. Wouldn't you agree, Lin?"

He looked down at Lin and smiled widely.

Earendil had to smile. "Lin just said he has, don't you trust your own daughter?" he replied softly. "But yes, my father has changed. He used to hate anyone from your world. But now he doesn't mind you all. In fact, I think it might even be safe to say that he likes your visits. As long as they're not too often, I'm sure," he chuckled, "but he's gotten used to Lin. He even heartily approves of Leyenda's marriage, even though Kelirahc is so different from us."

That in itself was a huge step for the man.

"I agree with Lin," Earendil nodded, grinning. "You should visit. You know Ninako would love to see you, and especially the twins. And I'm not sure how much you remember of my sister, Tinuviel, but she also has two children of her own now."

He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I feel sort of bad. Aranxia, the younger girl, she was born shortly after we left on our trip, and we left again so quickly afterwards ... she's very sweet, but a little shy."

"You should pay a visit to Lothiriel and Estel, too," Earendil grinned. "I doubt you've seen them since before they were even engaged, and now they're grandparents! Four times over, from what I hear. That's where we're heading next, too."

He gestured towards Lin. Since after all she was one of the ones who would be going with.

"That would be amusing," Earendil had to admit, grinning. "Though I think we will be flying there. Have you seen the rocs yet? Probably not ..."

He looked ahead through the trees. "Skyel, Aurin's roc, will probably be in the valley, near Shael and Adonai's house, I think," he murmured. "He didn't bring her to the ranch, that I know of."

Earendil nodded. "Aurin's people, the Sky Elves, they are so named because the island where they live is native to rocs, which they have tamed and trained. So rather than eating the elves," he chuckled, "they are steeds for them. Like horses, except ... in the air."

Which was one way of putting it.

"As for the other roc," he added, realizing that he had explained only one, "you saw at Uncle Elrohir's house that Leyenda can now summon a dragon with the mark that's on her shoulder. She was given that by the man who married her and Kelirahc, and Kelirahc has the same mark, and can also summon a dragon, albeit a much larger one. Haldia has the same thing, except that instead of a dragon, she can summon a roc. They're spirits that live within them, or something like that. Anyways, we fly on Haldia's roc. It's not as big as Skyel, but just as fast and as strong, and a lot smoother."

Which was the part he liked the best.

Earendil grinned. "Really? That would have been a sight to see. She visited the Southland just the day before we left to come here, and she didn't have any trouble shapeshifting, even with the strangers that were with us."

He chuckled. "Or rather, strangers to her. Kelirahc and Leyenda and Haldia."

It just went to show how much she had also changed over the years, no longer fearing her ability but being proud of it, no matter what others thought.

"I wonder who would have done such a thing," Earendil mused. "I mean ... my uncle Riordan would be horrible enough, but ... well, he was just a child then, and he didn't even know about it. I'm not even sure if he does yet. But I don't know who else would be so horrible as to want to destroy a family just because of her gift."

He shook his head slowly. "I'm just glad that it's over, even if the family still isn't all together. Not that that could be expected, with them being the ages that they are."