You walked out of the room and closed the door behind you. On the way up the ladder, you saw a certain elf.

"Hey ____." She greeted you.

"Hey Zoey." You said, delighted with her because of the fact that you didn't have very many friends.

"So, I was wondering something..." Zoey said, starting a conversation.

"What is it?" you asked, ready to present an answer.

"...Are you and Garroth a thing?" She asked subtly, embarrassed.

"Uh," you stuttered, "Why do you ask?"

"I just saw you hanging out around him a lot... And the thought just made me wonder."

"Oh." You replied, pretending like you forgot to give her an answer. "So, is there anything else on your mind?" You asked her, trying to change the subject as quickly as possible.

"I'm supposed to watch Lord Aphmau's boys in a few minutes, and I noticed that they seem to like you," Zoey trailed off.

"Are you asking me to help? I'd love to!" You said instantly, then realized you'd have to wait until longer to talk to Garroth. Maybe it was a good thing.

"Thank you!"

***

"Auntie ____, when we gonna get off the food?" Levin asked you with a toothy smile.

"Um... The what now?" You asked with a perplexed look.

"This." He said, pointing to the floor.

"Um... The boat?"

"No, no! The food. It sail on water and goes up and down." Levin tried to explain.

"Oh, yes, the food. " You agreed, assuming he was just talking about the boat. "Why do you call it food?"

" 'Cuz Auntie Zoey says 'Open you mouth' then she puts the spoon in dare, says 'here comes the butt!' " Levin told you, running around the room.

You turned around to see Zoey laughing. She looked at you. "I never put any butts in his mouth."

You laughed. "Yeah, I figured that."

You turned your attention back to Levin the chatterbox.

Malachi was talking to him. "We're on a boat. You can't eat it!"

Levin looked up at him, putting his tongue back in his mouth. "Auntie Zoey lie to Levin? Levin eat lotsa butt at home. Is Levin gonna get hurt?"

"No, Levin. Aunt Zoey was just pretending. It's like when we pretend to be guards and dress up." Malachi reassured Levin.

You smiled and turned to Zoey.

"They're so cute." You said at the same time as Zoey.

"Did we just say the same thing?" You said as Zoey said it too.

"Woah, how'd you do that?" Zoey and you said simultaneously.

"Stop it!" You both said laughing.

When you had stopped laughing, you tried to talk again, but Levin's small voice in the background cracked you up. "Is Auntie Zoey and Auntie ____ fighting?"

"No." You told Levin, but so did Zoey.

"Did we just become best friends?" You asked jokingly, ending the streak of you and Zoey saying the exact same thing.

"I guess so. Mortal customs are much different then elf customs." Zoey replied with a serious tone.

"No, that's not what I meant." You reacted quickly.

Zoey burst out laughing. "I know what you meant! I've lived around humans for 900 years! I was joking."

"... So does that mean I have two best friends now? Zoey and Garroth?" You tried to downplay your relationship to Garroth so that you wouldn't have to crush her dreams.

Zoey nodded her head. "Zoey and Garroth." She repeated.

"Yeah, what about it?" You asked.

"I like the sound of it. Zoey and Garroth." She said again.

"So does that mean...?" You asked, already knowing what she was going to say next.

She lowered her voice. "Yes, it means that I have a crush."

You blinked a few times. That wasn't going to work out very well for her.

You didn't want to get in the way of anyone else. You were too nice for that. And anyway, you had just made a friend. Were you going to destroy that friendship this quickly?

"Y-you do?" You asked, trying not to let your thoughts show.

"You're surprised?" She asked.

"Kind of..." you said.

"We're best friends now, so I can trust you with this information, right?" she asked you.

"Right," you confirmed. And she could.

***

Zoey was able to handle the boys by herself, so she let you go after you watched them with her for the whole day. If she had known that you wanted to talk to Garroth, she might not have let you off the hook that easily.

Garroth was exactly where Lord Aphmau had said he would be, although he probably hadn't been there all day. He was in the makeshift stables, petting Blanco and watching all of the other horses.

You stepped towards him, ready to give him a hand with the horses, but a wave came setting you off balance, and Garroth gave you a hand instead. He reacted fast enough so that you wouldn't fall, and he let go of your hand when you were back on balance.

Your face flushed red, but Garroth didn't look phased.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine now." You reassured him, turning your face away from his.

"These waves could make you sea sick. Speaking of sea sick, don't try to talk to Katelyn unless you plan on getting her a bucket."

"Duly noted." You said, playing with your horse's bridle, but not being able to unfasten it.

***

There it was.

You looked over the railing on the long side of the boat, getting splashed in the face by a wave crashing onto the boat's side. You wiped your eyes, too excited to get frustrated, and squinted at the trees in the horizon.

Land Ho.