Welcome to Gaia! ::

Six days at sea was not a long time, not compared to the half year it took for the ship to go from the Four Lands to Amon Darthir. To some people it wasn't long enough: not enough time for lessons, training, or studying. To others it was still too long a time to wait to see Caras Galadhon, the city referred to by some as the Promised Land.

But as the sixth day dawned, the city appeared on the horizon. At first it was little more than a shimmering haze, but soon it became clear that the sun was shining on the silver-lined white marble buildings and causing them to sparkle.

Luk was at the bow of the ship, standing tall and proud, his eyes fixed on his home as they drew ever closer. Arthael stood next to him, and Halmir behind her, and though she was also eager to see the new city, her expression was also anxious, and her hand was tightly clasped in her husband's. Around them was the rest of their family: Timaeus and Alyse, Jasmine and Brooke, and nearby, looking more excited than the rest, River, chattering away to Jess.

The rest of the ship's passengers were also on deck, anxiously looking forward to their next stop. Andarien was no exception.

"Mi, look!" he exclaimed excitedly, tugging on her sleeve and pointing at the shimmering city. "It's so shiny!"

Andarien looked up at Miyuki. He knew that she had been there once before, and he was so impressed by the city that he had a new admiration for his sister.

"How long a while?" he asked softly, smiling widely. "How long are we going to be there, Mi?"

As they approached the port city, it became apparent that something had changed since their last visit: there was a long pier jutting out into the water, which meant that they could walk off the ship to the land, rather than having to take several longboat trips back and forth to unload people and cargo.

There was a large crowd on the shore, and several people on the end of the pier to help guide the ship to anchor.

Earendil was behind his family, and he smiled warmly when he saw how things had changed. It certainly would make things easier for them.

"We'll leave our things on the ship until we know where we're going to be staying," he told Miyuki and the others. "Take a money bag, if you'd like, but that's about it for now."

As the ship slowed, then stopped, Luk and Arthael were the first to the gangplank. Halmir and the rest of their family followed, and then Earendil nudged his own family forward. He didn't want to miss this.

They headed down the gangplank and the men on the pier greeted the group warmly. Luk led them all towards the crowd of people on the bank.

"Mi, I didn't know there were so many different kinds of elves!" Andarien exclaimed in an urgent whisper. "They all look so different!"

There was white skin, brown skin, tanned skin, bluish skin; blond hair, brown hair, red hair, white hair, black hair, blue hair; long pointed ears, short pointed ears, round ears; and any type in any variation.

Andarien nodded, his eyes wide as he took in the sight ahead of them.

Several people stood at the forefront of the massive crowd who had gathered to greet the travelers, and many of them, the Aldrich family had met before.

"Senator Accalon," Luk greeted a golden haired man with short pointed ears. "Good to see you're doing well." Then, to a man who was so white he seemed almost ghostly, "Senator Accalon. Wonderful to see you." To a man with skin and hair like Arthael's, but with brown eyes, "Senator Favian! You're looking well!" To a dark elf: "Senator Kairi. Good to be back, good to be back." To a man who looked much as Luk himself did: "Senator Lucien! How's the wife? Excellent!" To a man with streaked gold and black hair: "Senator Milo! I see your arm is better. Glad to see it." To a man with brown hair and skin and a serious expression: "Senator Khenan, it has been a while. How are your grandchildren?"

There was one more man for Luk to greet personally, a man with fiery red hair, with a black-haired woman on one side of him, and a tall man with dark red hair on the other. "Senator Cantor, wonderful to see you again," Luk beamed. "Lara, Corazin."

Then he paused and looked at Cantor quizzically. "Where is ..."

The red-haired senator chuckled and shrugged. "It's impossible to know where she spends her days," he replied simply. He put one hand on Luk's shoulder and turned him towards the rest of the traveling group. "Come now! It seems you've brought a good many more people than you left with! Introduce us all!"

Luk chuckled and, as he knew he would be expected, began with the one person who would mean the most to the people of the city. He put one arm around Arthael's shoulder and led her forward. "My half sister, Arthael," he said proudly; and for quite possibly the first time in anyone's memory, Arthael seemed a bit embarrassed and unsure of how to act.

A soft murmur rippled through the crowd, and the white senator spoke in a soft, wispy voice, "She is the very image of her father ... but she has your mother's eyes."

The other senators nodded in agreement.

From there, Luk introduced the rest of his family: Halmir, his nephew Timaeus, and Timaeus' family. Then he introduced the rest. Some of the senators nodded when Earendil, Lin and Miyuki were introduced, remembering them from the last time they had been there, and they were quite eager to meet the rest.

Once introductions had been completed (including most of the passengers from the ship), Luk led the way through the excited crowd towards the northern end of the city, where his house was located. His idea was to have as much of his family, at least, live there with him while they were there, and from there the others would be able to find places to stay.

"Ada, Nana, can we go see Luk's house, too?" Andarien asked his parents eagerly. "I want to see where he lives!"

"We're going to look for lodgings right away as well," Wren announced, referring to herself and Lancaeriel. "We'll see you all later."

"We'll come along," Iorlas said quickly at a nod from Daeron. "Aranxia?"

Aranxia looked from her aunt and uncle to the others, and then nodded. "I'll come with you," she decided.

The groups split up and went on their separate ways, some of them heading north, and others into the city.