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"Is that a fact?" Earendil grinned at Lin. "I don't know, I think you're just better at hiding it than she is."

He looked again at the musical egg in his hand. "At the very least, though, we should get away from the horses so that I can find out what this sounds like!"

He winked at Lin and Miyuki, then double checked his cloak to make sure it was covering him properly.

Earendil chuckled and held the egg close as he led the other two out of the arena, through the stable area, and outside again.

The sun was just a smidgen higher in the sky than it had been when Lin and the others had arrived, and the temperature was just a bit warmer. It was nearer the noon hour, as well, and Haradhel would probably be starting to get lunch ready for everyone.

"All right," Earendil grinned, letting go of Lin's hand and holding the egg up again. "So I turn this ... thing here?"

Earendil nodded and turned the knob slowly until he felt it resisting, and then he let it go and held the egg in his hand. He watched, fascinated, as the gears began to turn and a tinny tune began to play. It tinkled loudly in the open air, and a slow smile spread over Earendil's face as it played.

The tune played through once, twice, a third time, and then, halfway through the fourth time, it came to a stop.

Earendil looked at Lin and Miyuki. "That's a beautiful tune," he smiled warmly. "Thank you."

Earendil chuckled and put one hand on Miyuki's head.

"I do like that I can see inside," he grinned. "I've never seen anything like this ... I mean, there was that one on Caras Galadhon, but you couldn't see inside that one and I had wondered how it worked."

He peered into the glass egg again. "I'm still not sure I understand it, but at least I have some small bit of understanding now."

"It is," Earendil agreed. He leaned down and hugged her with his free arm. "Thank you very much for giving it to me."

He grinned up at Lin. "I should probably bring it inside, though, before we go visiting people. So that I don't end up breaking it."

He wasn't going to give her her surprise yet, though - that would wait until they were alone.

"If I might make a suggestion," Earendil grinned as they started towards the ranch house. "Considering that it's lunch time, perhaps we should start with Halmir and Arthael. I'm sure you'll want to talk to Arthael and see how she's doing, especially what with Luk's sudden appearance - and she's always got a good supply of food ready at any meal, even without notice."

He had learned a lot, clearly, since he had begun his stay here.

"Then it's settled," Earendil grinned. "Come on, I'll put this away, and then we'll go see them."

It only took them a few minutes to go to the house, put the egg in Earendil's room, and head back outside, and soon enough they were heading - not towards the barracks, but past them, where a row of houses had been constructed, just to one side of the field.

Earendil shrugged. "Before I arrived, but since the last time we were here," he replied. "But the barracks are more than half a century old, they're really starting to fall apart - no one even lives in them anymore, at least not the original barracks. I think once summer comes, they'll be tearing it down."

It didn't really mean anything to him, but he didn't have the memories there that Lin did, either.