Welcome to Gaia! ::

Amora nodded in understanding. "It is always best to know exactly how things work," she smiled. "Don't worry about it. But perhaps now that Pengolodh has made a judgment about you, maybe we should ask him what his conclusion is?"

Her eyes sparkled brightly as she looked at Lin.

Amora smiled and turned to her brother, and looked at him expectantly.

Pengolodh clasped his hands together and looked up at Lin, almost shyly, but more thoughtfully.

"You're strong," he started quietly, "but not oppressive ... assertive, but not overbearing. Confident, and you prefer peace but are willing to fight if the occasion demands it. You have a strong sense of pride ..." He squinted a bit, almost as if trying to make something out, then continued, "but not for yourself. It's a good pride. Like how I'm proud of Ada. You like to help people ... even if it means you're going to get hurt."

Pengolodh blinked at Lin, taken somewhat by surprise. "Is that what the colours are called?" he asked her curiously. "I thought an aura was an air around someone ..."

"It suits," Amora smiled at her brother. "But you didn't answer her question."

Pengolodh cleared his throat. "It takes a while to get all of that," he murmured. "I can't see it all right away." He smiled shyly up at Lin. "But you are a good person. I am glad you came to visit us."

Pen and Amora exchanged a glance, then the boy leaned closer to Lin and murmured, "Is your grandfather the man who comes out of the sword?"

"He talks with us when Grandmother and Grandfather come to visit," Amora added happily. "He helped Pengolodh when the colours first began to appear ... Neko tried to, but Pengolodh was not very good with sign language at that time."

"I am now," Pengolodh added quickly. "See?" He raised his hands and signed, Mother taught me very well and now I am as proficient as she is, so I can talk with Grandfather very easily.

Pengolodh smiled. "I like your grandfather," he said brightly. "He likes to play with us. And he has good stories, too!"

Just then Estel entered the room with Lothiriel by his side. She was still pale, but she was dressed now, her hair pulled loosely back, and she was smiling.

"I see you found the dining hall all right," Estel chuckled. "Though I imagine Sir Elros had to take you the entire way."

He helped Lothiriel to her seat, then sat next to her.

Lothiriel smiled faintly at Lin. "The layout of the castle changes almost daily, depending on where they are building and what corridors have been cut off," she told her softly as a door in the far wall opened and servants began to bring in their meal. "After a week abed, I'm going to need a guide to get around as well."

"The children don't seem to have any troubles with it, though," Estel commented, glancing at the two.

Amora giggled. "That's because I See where they're going to be doing construction," she told her father, "and when."

Pengolodh grinned. "I'm not telling."

"Ah ... yes," Estel smiled ruefully. "The sun is different in the desert than anywhere else in the Four Lands. I would suggest trying to guess by the size of the sun, rather than its position, but there is a very strong danger of going blind by that method."

The food was placed before them, and then the servants retreated back to the door from whence they had come. Pengolodh started eating right away, and Estel nodded for Lin to do the same.

Once lunch was over, Lothiriel headed back to her chambers to check on the baby and Elia, both of which had been left in the care of a nurse, and Estel smiled warmly at Lin.

"So is there anything you would like to do?" he asked her brightly. "Any place you would like to go? Any questions you have for which you might like answers?"