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Lin went back and forth counting each spoon one by one. Leaving a small space in where she was going to put the knife when she was done. Slowly counting aloud, though there were only going to be six of each.

So once she was done with the spoons, for the fun of it, she started counting the knives in Chinese instead.

Aliya stared. "And ... spending time with me, more than he already does, is going to keep him from overworking himself," she remarked doubtfully. "I ... don't think so."

She was really starting to wonder why Feng was making such a big deal of it.


Ulani winced. "Don't mention that around the ranch, all right?" she requested in a soft tone. "There ... are some people there who are slightly sadistic ... they would get far too much pleasure out of teasing Amdir. As things are, they generally leave him alone, but if the matter is pressed ..."

She let the idea hang.

Lin giggled at that as she set down the last knife proudly as she watched the two. She was sure her parents did that, only in their room instead of in the kitchen.. unless there were those times her parents kicked her brother and sister out of the kitchen to make a meal...

"Good morning!"

Aliya thought about Feng's comment seriously, then shrugged. "Besides our age, I don't know of anything," she said honestly. "I mean, I may look like a Westlander, but my blood's as diluted as ... well, diluted. I'm not more like a Westlander or a Southlander, I'm both and neither, so in that way I'm different from everyone. Obviously the people here like horses, why else would they work on a ranch? And I mean what else is there to have in common?"


Ulani nodded. "That's good," she murmured. "Amdir needs a break from being spoken to about it."

Lin giggled as she straightened her hair back out, she peered at him as she sat on the counter thoughtfully.

"Well..... Daddy says I have to practice my lessons while he's gone. So.. I have to do that, I can get Ryu to help me.. and Triton to help me... but... I need help with my other lesson, and then Triton is suppose to help me practice my physical lessons and then Cindy said I could water the Fluffy Cat, and then when I'm done all that...."

She thought about it and thought about it.

"I'm going to fine Elros."

Aliya shrugged. "Sure, we're friends," she agreed. "Why else would he have offered to walk me home?"

But she honestly didn't see anything different about their relationship than her relationship with anyone else. After all, he wasn't the only one who offered to walk her home sometimes.

He was just the only one whose offers she accepted from time to time.



Ulani chuckled at Ryu's analogy. "I'm actually amazed she's been keeping at it for this long. Most people would have given up long ago ... though admittedly, Feng doesn't know Aliya as well as most people."

Well... it wasn't so much Lin would be stupid to do so, it was more likely she wanted to do everything herself. Which she did, but she understood what Elrohir meant by that.

"That's okay, it's the problem with being short, like going up stairs. I'm still trying to go up those stairs too.. I haven't managed it yet, but I will!"