Welcome to Gaia! ::

It was springtime now in Gaia, though summer was fast approaching. The days were long and warm, sunny but with just enough of a breeze that they weren't too hot.

Of late, the days had been made even longer by the unexplained absence of Elnara's eldest son, Celebor, who had disappeared over a week previous and hadn't been heard from since.

Well, that wasn't strictly true. Elnara knew that her fiance, Lore, knew where he was and what he was doing - but no matter what she said to him, he wouldn't tell her. Finally, though, she had given up on waiting and, staying home from work that day, she had asked Lore to come and sit with her while she sent Idhril to the Seconds world where Celebor had disappeared, in order to look for him and bring him back.

At the moment she was pacing in the sunroom, her youngest son, Jair, watching her from the edge of the fountain, Lore sitting on the couch, and every once in a while she would still try asking him, as she did now: "What is so important that he's been gone for so long and without saying a word to me? And why can't you tell me what it is?"



Meanwhile, just a little ways up the street, Celebor was indeed on his way home. He was tall now, at least seven feet tall, his father's height, and he was shirtless and bootless - and covered in paint. On his chest were two handprints, one green and one yellow, and on his back was an intricate painting of two water dragons in a gentle embrace.

He wasn't alone, either: with him were Idhril, his sister, and Niyana, his mate, the reason for his absence and the paint on his body. Niyana was walking between the two Aldrich Winterses. Idhril had her hand clasped tightly in her own, and Celebor had one arm around her shoulders.

"Because I told Celebor, I would let him tell," Lore murmured.

In which to say, he really, really did wish Celebor had come home sooner, poor Elnara was certainly at her wits end. He held out an arm to her, at this rate she was going to exhaust herself.

"Come here," he softly told Elnara, "It won't help by wearing a hole in the floor, and you know if it was very serious or something awful I would give you some warning."

Elnara moved to sit next to Lore on the couch, but her eyes were agitated and she didn't seem to be able to focus on anything.

"I want him home, Lore," she said simply, wringing her hands together in her lap. "He's never disappeared like this before ... and I know he must be safe because you're obviously not worried about him, but ... I want him home."

Jair looked at Lore thoughtfully. "But it's kind of mean to make Mommy wait like this, she's so worried about him, it would be better if you would just say something. Maybe you could give her a clue or something, and she could guess!"

He was pleased with this idea, and he decided to pursue it.

"Yeah! Give Mommy a clue! Like ... is he here or is he in the Seconds world? Uncle Ryu took me there today and we found Aunt Feng and Naida but we didn't find Celebor anywhere ..."



Celebor put one arm around Niyana's shoulders and gave her a one-armed hug, then kissed her on the temple.

"You have no idea how proud I am of you," he murmured softly, his eyes shining. "Though I imagine that you do know how happy you make me."

As Idhril ran ahead of them and into the inn, he nodded thoughtfully at Niyana's words. "I've never really thought about it, I suppose," he admitted, "considering that I was born and raised there ... and having spent so much time in even bigger places ... but yes, it really is quite large ... but it has to be, considering how many people are in our family. Three generations, after all."

He smiled at her reassuringly. "But don't worry, most everyone will be at school right now, it might just be Mom and Jair there, and of course Idhril, and you know her already. You'll be fine. Just remember what you promised me ... be yourself. Don't try to change yourself just to impress the others. I'm the only one you need to impress, and you couldn't do it any better than by simply being yourself."

Meanwhile, Idhril had run ahead and was already bursting into the front door of the inn.

"Mama! Mama!" she shouted gleefully, not bothering to close the door behind her. "Papa! Mama! I found him! He's here! He's home! Come and see! And you'll never guess what, Mama! He grew!"

Lore relaxed at this, so Celebor did bring her, good then they wouldn't have to put this off any longer than need be. He put an arm around Elnar'as shoulder pulling her closer to lean on him. She needed to relax first though...

"See... he's fine... uhm... a bit changed, but he is fine Elnara..." Lore murmured in her ear.

Celebor squeezed Niyana's hand reassuringly and smiled warmly at her. "They'll be glad," he murmured softly, leading her into the sunroom.

The moment they entered the room, Elnara jumped to her feet, her eyes wide with a myriad of emotions. Shock, worry, anxiety, relief ... all of these and more flickered across her face as she ran forward and threw her arms around Celebor's neck.

"You're back!" she cried, hugging him tightly. "I was so worried about you!"

She released him and took a step back to examine him, her eyes misting over with pride and happiness.

"You've grown so handsome," she murmured, clasping her hands together and smiling. "So ... tall ..."

Celebor chuckled softly. "I'm sorry for worrying you, Mom ... I really did mean to come home earlier ... but time just sort of slipped away from us."

He blinked, then smiled again and reached for Niyana's hand once more. "And before we get any further ... Mom ... this is Niyana ... my mate."

Elnara blinked, then stared, looking from Celebor to Niyana and back.

"I know it's really sudden and everything," Celebor said hurriedly, "and I know I never mentioned her to you before ... but it just sort of ... happened ... but I know that she is the one I love, and that I belong now by her side ... forever."

In the silence that followed, Idhril giggled. "See? I told you it was exciting!" she squealed, clapping her hands together. "I got a new sister!

"Yeah!" Jair grinned. "New sister!"

He giggled. "I haven't even met all my first ones yet!"