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Rhea giggled at that. "There you go, Whisper, if you come with me you could have all the fish you wanted."

Whisper sighed at Senka. "Giving my mistress ideas," she murmured, laying her head on her paws and laying down. "Well, I don't have any real authority anyways, so it will be up to your parents, after all."

Rhea smiled. "There is that," she said happily. "I'm sure I'll be able to convince them."

"I'll ask them tonight," Rhea nodded. "But they're going to want to know your schedule ... I'm sure they would never let me pass through your world to get there, though it would be faster and easier, so I would have to have someone travel with me to the Southland ... perhaps we could convince Elrohir and Haradhel to go visit Arwen and Roydon before they leave."

But the details could be worked out later, first of all would have to be getting permission.

Rhea nodded. "Then I will speak to my parents tonight," she decided. "I'll see what they say."

Though she was indeed an adult, and had been for a while, and she was quite capable of making her own decisions ... but she didn't want to go without her parents blessings, nevertheless.

Rhea smiled back at Lin and took a long drink from her mug of cider. "Mm. I wonder what it's like to be on a ship," she murmured. "Or what a ship is like at all."

But her musings would have to wait - though not for long. It took almost a week of convincing before Shael and Adonai gave Rhea the permission she so sought after. Rhea was delighted, needless to say, and even Whisper had decided (reluctantly) that she would go along.

Weeks passed, and winter slowly faded away into stirring, and though the day of the New Year came and went, it passed with no more than the regular celebrations. It was also that day that Kaito tagged along with Lin and Rhea when they went outside to train.

He watched them for a while, and when it seemed that they had almost finished their training, he stepped forward.

"So Lin," he said, his wings spread out to collect the warmth of the sun, "it's been a month ... and a long one at that. You think we're about ready to head home soon?"

Kaito nodded. "Good. Then we can get our stuff together and head home to prepare ... Rhea, we'll be a few days back home at least, maybe a week or so, and then we'll be in the Southland. If you're there first, tell them we won't be long; and if we make it first, we'll be sure to wait for you. How does that sound?"

"Perfect," Rhea smiled. "Elrohir and Haradhel have agreed to accompany me down there after Ahren and Shiara return from the Westland. They left last week, so it should only be a few more weeks. Then a month, perhaps a month and a half of travel, and I'll be there."

"See you there," Rhea grinned, looking like an excited child once more.

Kaito waved and turned back towards Ulani and Ulrich's house so that he and Lin could pack their things together.