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"Not always," Amalirahc replied with a grin. "Sometimes they make stuff I don't like, but I have to eat it anyways. But that's usually for dinner, not breakfast."

Within seconds they were in the galley. Leyenda was taking a fresh loaf of bread out of the stone oven, and Arwen was preparing a porridge over the small stone fire. Amalirahc was always amazed that they could even have a fire on a wooden ship, but his grandfather had once explained to him how they made most of the galley out of stone rather than wood so that it wouldn't burn, and how they treated the lumber so that it was fire-resistant.

"Good morning, Amalirahc," Arwen smiled as he came into the galley. "I see you're as energetic as usual."

Amalirahc grinned. "Ada's still sleeping. But we're here for some breakfast!" He hopped up onto a stool by the table and held the one next to him steady for Miyuki to climb up. "We're hungry!"


Earendil smiled and walked with Lin towards the galley. "I think it's very good that they have each other growing up," he murmured. "It's not good to grow up alone. Whether you're a stage grower or otherwise."

Earendil chuckled. "For now. Though when she grows, she'll probably be closer to his height, if nothing else."

And Amalirahc was a bright child. He was elven, which meant that he learned things faster than a normal human child would; and being half dark elf, he learned things even faster. So when Miyuki grew again, there was a very good chance that Amalirahc would be at least close to her intellectual age.


Amalirahc nodded his agreement. "Very hungry," he echoed. "I've been helping Neko all morning already! Hard work means I need food!"

Leyenda laughed. "You're always hungry. Sit still and we'll bring you something."

"Bread, too?" he asked hopefully.

"Bread is for lunch," his mother replied. "It's too hot now anyways."

Amalirahc pouted as Arwen ladled out some porridge and brought it to them.

"I'm sure they will," Earendil murmured with a smile as they entered the galley. "Look at how different they are now, and if anything they're closer than they were before."

Amalirahc was very close to Lin's own height, despite being Miyuki's mental age. One might think that would leave them with differences, but the two children didn't seem to let it bother them.


Arwen smiled and Miyuki and pointed to the counter near the far wall. "She's having her own breakfast, so you don't need to feed her," she told the child. "But you can go ahead and start, we don't stand on ceremony here."

"Good," Amalirahc quipped, digging into his porridge. "Because if we had to wait for everyone we would never fit! The galley's too small!"

"Good morning, Lin!" Arwen and Leyenda chimed together. Leyenda grinned. "You look like you slept well. I take it the moving of the cargo didn't bother you?"

It wasn't exactly the quietest job, really, but then again it was a very sturdy ship, and quite soundproof really.

Leyenda chuckled softly. "Miyuki loves Earendil very much," she grinned, fully aware that Earendil was right there beside Lin. "I think he's more her father than you might be aware of."

Earendil's face flushed slightly, and he pulled out a stool for Lin to sit down. "She's just impressionable, that's all," he murmured.

"To be fair," Earendil pointed out, "she's known a lot of people that long. She just somehow picked up on ... something between us. She must have."

He had spoiled Aranxia just as much as Miyuki, and Aranxia had never considered him her father. Yet Miyuki, after being home for two weeks or so, had come back calling him ada. Was that his fault?

"If I may," Arwen spoke up as she tended the pot, "I think it may also have something to do with the fact that children, especially infants, are able to sense the emotions of those around them. And I don't mean to embarrass anyone, but Earendil, your feelings for Lin have been evident for decades."

His emotions were so strong that Miyuki would have easily been able to pick up on them.

Leyenda smiled at Miyuki. "We were just discussing how you knew your ada was your ada," she replied innocently. "Because when you were little you called him by his name."

Well, that was the basic gist of it anyways.