Millenia woke up and blinked sleepily. Stretched and got up before looking into the mirror on the opposite wall.
"I can't go out looking like this!" she gasped, "What if Ryudo sees me like this?"
She picked up her beg and began pulling things out of it before she glanced out of the window. The light was shining through it in slender beams and a small smile spread across her face.
"I'll find him. I'll find him before Elena does." Millenia said.
She gave a small laugh. Now that she was rested she could sense her. Elena was close by, very close by.
"Good morning Roan!" said Tio, a grin spreading across her face at the sight of the young prince gazing up at her sleepily.
"Good morning Tio," he replied, yawning loudly, "What time is it?"
"Approximately ten o'clock in the morning," said Tio, "About time you were up!"
Roan groaned.
"You let me over sleep," he sighed, rubbing his eyes.
"You obviously needed to get some decent sleep." Said Tio, "And now you're rested we can concentrate on finding Ryudo properly."
"First things first," said Roan, "Breakfast! I'm starving!"
Elena was awake, but was stubbornly refusing to open her eyes. She wasn't ready to wake up yet, she wanted to sleep until the end of the earth, but she knew she couldn't. Her eyelids flickered and parted. She was instantly blinded by the shafts of light streaming through the open window.
"Time to get up," she muttered.
She got out of bed and smiled as she spotted a bird in a near by tree. She walked over to the window and leant on the sill, watching the bird. Suddenly the bird spotted something hovering over one of the houses in the village. It was a much larger bird. Elena thought that she recognised the long tail feathers and the plume on its head.
"It can't be…" she whispered.
"Anything's possible," said a familiar voice from the next window over.
Elena leant out and saw a red-headed girl doing the same out of her own window.
"Millenia!" laughed Elena, "What are you doing here?"
"At a guess," said Millenia, smiling, "The same thing as you."
"Skye," said Ryudo, prodding the sleeping bird in the stomach, "Time to wake up."
Skye pulled his head out from under his wing and gazed at Ryudo grumpily.
"Wake me up at eleven," muttered the bird.
"It is eleven stupid!" said Ryudo.
Skye sighed and stretched his wings out wide before zooming off the perch into the sky. He hovered over the house, looking over the village. He could see the early risers already training in the distance and then he looked around at the inn where he could see two people leaning out of the windows. They both seemed to be staring at him before they noticed each other and started talking. Two more people were already walking out of the inn doors and heading for the shop.
"Looks like clear skies," he called down to where Ryudo was standing with his hand over his eyes to shield them from the light.
"Good," said Ryudo.
Skye circled down and landed on Ryudo's shoulder.
"How about we go see the village chief today, huh?" asked Ryudo, "He might know about anyone else who might have arrived in the village."
"I suppose," said Skye, "It might be better to check the inn first."
Ryudo stared out across the familiar scene.
"Maybe later. Right now," said Ryudo, "I'm just happy to be home."
Roan and Tio set out at about eleven, still full from breakfast.
"We should stop in at the shop first," said Roan, "We don't want to run out of supplies on our journey."
"If we have to make a journey. Ryudo might just go home." Said Tio.
"True, but last time it was bordered up," said Roan, "He might not have been able to get in."
Tio glance to where Ryudo's home stood and saw a bird circling its way to the ground.
"Perhaps, but then again. Ryudo might have cleaned it up since he left us." She said.
"Do you want to check after we're done at the shop?" asked Roan, looking at Tio's concerned face.
Tio looked down at him and smile.
"That would be nice!"
"What do you mean, you want to find Ryudo before I do?" asked Elena angrily as she and Millenia walked down the stairs to the main part of the inn.
"You know perfectly well what I mean!" said Millenia, "You're always trying to take Ryudo from me!"
"Excuse me?" asked Elena angrily, "In case you hadn't noticed Ryudo chose me!"
"Well we'll just have to ask him when we find him!" said Millenia.
Elena was about to argue, but then thought better of it.
"It's good to see you Millenia," she said, "I actually missed you while you were gone."
Millenia stopped and stared at her.
"You did?" she asked, surprised.
"Well…" said Elena, "Of course. We're practically sisters after all! Or we might as well be."
Millenia smiled, then gave her a sideways look.
"Why did you sound so surprised when you said that you missed me?" she asked.
Elena groaned and ran a hand across her face.
"And don't start groaning again, I had to put up with enough of that on the boat over here!" Millenia laughed and linked arms with Elena, "Either way, we're going to find him. Together."
Ryudo shut the door to his old home silently behind him and set out towards the village chief's house.
"Remember to hold your tongue in there Skye. The village may have forgiven us, but remember that Melfice still murdered the chief's daughter. He still probably not going to welcome us willingly!" Ryudo said quietly as they approached the door and knocked.
The village chief walked over to the door and opened it. As he spotted Ryudo, a surprised look covered his face, but then a large grin took over.
"Ryudo!" he laughed and pulled him inside the house, "What a surprise! I didn't know you had returned to the village again."
"Yes," muttered Skye in Ryudo's ear, "He seems very miserable to see you!"
"Shut up Skye," Ryudo turned to the chief, "I got back yesterday. I heard that my friends might be dropping by here to look for me and so I came to meet them, but so far I haven't seen them anywhere. Do you know if they arrived yesterday?"
"Yesterday…" the chief started to think, "No one else has been to see me and only one ship crossed the Granacliffs yesterday."
"That must have been the one I crossed on." Said Ryudo.
"Do you know if they were on that ship?" asked the chief.
"I suppose it's possible," said Ryudo thoughtfully, "But I don't think it's likely. Maybe they're coming today."
"You could ask down at port if you wanted," said the chief.
Ryudo nodded and looked down at his feet.
"I was sure they would be here," he said.
"Now Ryudo," said the chief and Ryudo looked up, "Why don't you tell me what you've been up to these past few years?"
