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Elros chuckled softly. "Since she was smaller than you are," he told her. It wouldn't make any sense for him to say how long it had been in years, because Lin wasn't even that old. It would only confuse the girl.

He turned back to Lin and smiled. "And how are you, Lin? It appears that you are doing well."

"Very well," Elros replied, the transition between languages as natural for him as it was for Lin. "Even in the time I have been here, I have seen such great changes that I cannot but rejoice. And to have been reunited with Alena ..."

He closed his eyes and smiled widely. "Life is good."

He opened his eyes once more and glanced at Earendil, the leaned down and murmured softly to Lin, "And I trust that you are keeping my advice close to your heart?" Referring of course to what he had asked her to promise about never letting go of the one she found to love.

Elros chuckled and stood up straight again. "Probably."

He looked around. "It seems that Aethos-sola has preceded us to the dining hall," he murmured. "We should follow."

Aerin nodded, but she smiled softly. "I didn't want to interrupt," she told him. "I know it has been a while since you saw Lin. But you are right, we should join Aethos. Come."

She motioned for the others to follow her, and led the way into the dining hall.

Aethos was sitting at the table, and had already begun eating without the others: though once the others appeared in the hall, the door at the back opened, and servants began to enter with their meals as well.

As they all sat down and began to eat, Earendil smiled at Lin. "You seem thoughtful," he murmured quietly so that only she would hear him. "I hope nothing is wrong ..."

Aerin and Caranthir were talking quietly together, as were Shea and Mikhail, but other than that it was quite quiet in the room.

Earendil chuckled softly. "Well, you've got me curious, I have to say," he grinned. "But if you're going to insist that it's nothing, then I suppose that I have no choice but to believe you."

He started eating, keeping an eye on Aethos and Aerin as he did so, trying to read what each thought of the other on their faces. Aerin was paying more attention to Caranthir, and Aethos seemed to be preoccupied with his thoughts as he ate his food.

Earendil glanced down at Lin. "Trying to get a feel for what they think of each other," he murmured softly. "Aerin has made her stance quite clear, but Aethos hasn't said anything about her. It's no wonder she doesn't know if he is for or against her. I'm wondering if perhaps we shouldn't try to find that out for her as well."

He switched over to the ancient tongue so that Lin would be the only one to understand what he was saying. "To be honest, after this afternoon I'm not sure if we should trust him, either. He's not a bad person, I think, but he's been so influenced by his father that I don't think he really knows how to think for himself. And until he comes with us back home, he won't know for himself that things really are good here."

"This is very true," Earendil agreed, taking a bite of his food. "I just hope that when he sees how the Southland is, he will understand a bit more what it is to be his own person and have respect for his subjects."

He paused thoughtfully and added, "And this is just a thought, but perhaps we should take him to see all of the lands. Eastland, Westland ... maybe even the Human Southland. I don't know if you're willing to do all that with Miyuki, but ... I think it would be good for him, because he would be able to see that it's not just our kingdom that is at peace, but all of the kingdoms. That I'm not just telling him he should be like me, or like my people."

Earendil smiled. "With the slavers all but wiped out, I'm sure it will be safe," he assured her. "The only other danger might be wild animals, but if Aethos were to bring a roc we wouldn't have to worry about that, either. And even if he didn't we could ride horses, or take other people along as well. I know there are others who are eager to go on journeys."

"Already planning your escape from here?" Alena's teasing voice came from behind them.

Earendil whipped his head around to see that the queen's advisor had entered the room from behind them, and he chuckled softly. "Aethos-sola is going to be coming with us back to our lands, to see how we live there," he told her. "We're hoping it will help him to realize that things here are now as they should be."