When Thendel arose the next morning a delicious smell of toast and hot chocolate permeated the room. Sitting up in bed she saw Everard hungrily tearing into the food. Besides the toast Gwaihir had given them a large bowl of fruit along with a beaker of juice. It appeared much too big until Throin woke up and drank the entire beaker in one gulp that would have done a man of Beorn proud.

Belching loudly he blushed but when Thendel and Ev laughed he started into the food. Looking around at her surroundings Thendel was surprised to realise how much she had come to miss sleeping in a proper bed and not a hastily thrown together one. The window between her bed and Ev's was thrown right open and the white curtains billowed as the street noises drifted in. She could hear the laughter of children and the loud cries of the merchants as people went about their business. It was in direct contrast to the greeting they had received the night before.

As they ate a louder voice drifted upwards and the sound of someone knocking rapidly upon a door. From inside the house Gwaihir's voice rang out and then the sound of hurried footsteps. Thendel halted mid-bite as the two elves, the Ranger and old Fowler bustled into the room. Whipping their sheets off, Rŷnfuin and Collach ushered Everard and Throin from the room. Old Fowler stayed long enough to deliver the exciting news.

"Today moi dear, yer gonna meet yer family. An' lo's more asides. Git ready now, 'er ladyship 'ere is t'elp yer but yer must be ready quick loike."

When he had closed to door behind him Gwaihir turned to the girl her face a wreath of smiles. Pointing to a nearby table the Ranger informed her that she was to change into them. A simple brown skirt and a white blouse was lain out and on the ground beneath were Thendel's one boots, well polished and clean once more. She looked for her staff and sword and when she turned to Gwaihir questioningly the Ranger shrugged.

"I was told you would not need them today. We are going sailing my dear, upon your family boat." Gwaihir paused in her dialogue briefly as she stripped the blankets completely from the beds and bustled them into the arms of a waiting maid.

"Many of your family no longer grace the streets of this village as they could not bear the mental torture anymore. Many of those citizens in the 'upper-class' feel it is their duty and Eru-given right to abuse them now that they have fallen into ruin. You have met three of those that still remain here; the other two are your Grandmother and your aunt. It is your Grandmother's locket that you have worn all these years."

With a smile Gwaihir pushed Thendel lightly out the door and onto the landing where the others waited. Without realising it they were all soon out on the road and moving quickly through the crowds. Past the old inn they had visited the night before and into a more rundown area of town. Buildings that were barely all there held each other up as they leant heavily away from the ocean breeze. As they walked Gwaihir softly explained how she had spent a great deal of money improving this area and that it had been much worse before.

"There is little one person alone can do Thendel, I'm afraid it is mostly in vain but I do so enjoy seeing their smiles.

Old man Fowler coughed as she said this and tried to hide a grin.

"She doesn' taike enough credit fer wot she does dis gel, she be a' angel in most peoples oies 'ere. Dinnae lissen to 'er when she be saying 'er kin'ness is in vain."

Pushing the old man roughly Gwaihir could only blush as he continued to praise her to the skies, now more so because he could see it made her uncomfortable. Merry laughter followed them as they headed for the river and the wharf where the boat awaited them.

----

An old lady stood upon the forecastle of the boat, held up by a young woman, when they arrived. Her wrinkled face was bright and even the glasses perched upon the end of her nose seemed to be excited they flashed so brightly. Chattering loudly to herself she hurried them aboard the ship and bellowed an order down to the small crew on the deck.

"Git yer backs into m'dears, tis be a good day fer all 'o us an we want ter take full 'vantage of it."

As she continued shouting orders at the crew it became obvious to the friends that she knew what she was doing besides her frail appearance. The men seemed cowed underneath her intense gaze and they soon reached the open ocean. A gasp behind her made Thendel jump. Rŷnfuin and Collach stood staring at the ocean their eyes shining brightly.

"Adar? Collach? What is wrong?" She asked worriedly.

"Are you seasick?" Everard asked from where he sat chatting brightly with the young girl from the bar, "Mama says getting seasick is a horrible thing. Come to think of it I don't know how she'd know that, do you?" This part he directed at the girl and his attention was swayed once more.

As the pair began discussing the gruesome subject of being seasick the two elves sat Thendel down to explain.

"The sea calls elves my dear, on the other side is Valinor; the home of the Valar and our kin. When one sets their eyes upon its white crested waves they become enamoured and long forever after to travel across it. A cruel thing indeed for we had intended on staying with you for the rest of your journey."

Their words sunk in and Thendel sprung back from them in horror, shaking furiously. Her eyes grew wide as their gaze remained calm and with a sob she hurtled down the ladder to the deck.

"Now look what ye did to the gel, eh? Trust an elf to upset her." Throin grunted.

"An elf? I will have you know sir that she merely took our words the wrong way." Collach retorted hotly.

Shaking his head at their blindness Throin followed the girl with his eyes as she slipped into the hold.

"She's a mortal, elf. Or had you not noticed that? Are your pretty eyes that blind? If you go it will be like her losing her parents all over again. It will break her."

Without another word he followed Thendel, leaving Ev and the girl still chatting obliviously and the two elves staring at each other in mute horror.

----

"Thendel? Thendel m'gel its me Throin." Standing at the bottom of the ladder the dwarf listened. Tell tale sobs came from behind a wooden crate and he softly walked towards them.

"Thendel?" He whispered as he knelt beside her.

"They're going Throin! Leaving me all alone again! Why? Why does everyone I love leave me? Why do they have to die?"

"Elves dinnae die in Valinor Thend." The dwarf tried to reason with her as he patted her back awkwardly.

"But it 'feels' like that." She said stubbornly as she folded her arms across her chest and sank down further. Setting her chin she glared at him.

"You'll leave me too won't you?"

"I, I…"

"I knew it your just like the rest of them. You'll find someone else to love, someone of your own kind. And you'll just leave me. Well I don't want that!" Pausing for breath she said hotly. "Because I'm leaving you, and everyone else. That'll show you all."

Leaving Throin to stare after her dumbly, Thendel scurried up the ladder and a few minutes later he heard a splash. Shouts rang out on the surface and shaking his head as though to clear it Throin dashed up the ladder as well.

Blinking at the bright sunlight he ran towards the side where Gwaihir and the others stood staring at the small shape swimming frantically in the water. Already she had put a large distance between herself and them. Everard was squatting on the deck, peering through the rails and crying as he tried to call her back. He kept choking on his words however and it wasn't long before his words become a long string of hiccups.

Rŷnfuin and Collach were still standing where they were before. Shocked and not understanding the human girl's actions. Throin noticed that they at least had the sense to be worried for her; tears streaked both their faces as they watched.

As Gwaihir shouted orders to take the old lady below deck and try to revive her, she had fainted dead away as soon as she learnt what had happened, and to turn the ship around to go after her Throin released the ropes on the small boat attached to the ship's side.

Thendel's aunt, Isaebel, nodded to the dwarf as he disappeared over the edge and bustled Gwaihir in after him. A thick arm snaked over the side and grabbed Everard by the ankles. Shrieking loudly he clasped the young girl's hand and the pair slid over the edge.

"She can't come!" Throin growled.

Everard tried to protest loudly as Throin began to push her back on board. The girl dug her heels in and just as he had her against the ships bow she pushed hard with her feet, the pair falling into the bottom of the boat. With a whoop of joy Ev grabbed the oars and began rowing furiously. As Gwaihir helped the girl and dwarf untangle themselves Ev put as much distance between the boat and themselves as possible.

"I'm coming sir, whether you like it or not." The girl said as she picked herself up and dusted off her apron.

"Good on you, Cassie. You tell 'im." Everard laughed as he passed the oars to Gwaihir. Moving over to where Cassie was reorganising the boat's supplies he started poking through its contents. "Now, are we going fishing for a 'Thendel' or aren't we?" He shrieked again as Cassie rapped his knuckles sharply; dropping the mushroom like a hotcake.