Welcome to Gaia! ::

Ulani shook her head. "My Aunt Arwen tried using magic, but the injury was ... not physical ..."

She smiled at Lore. "There were times when I was impatient with Aliya," she admitted. "She was always the most difficult of my children. Terexin ... you didn't know him, but he was the next worst, he actually ran away from us for a while ... though, looking back on it, I suppose I don't blame him. Still, Aliya has always been the most ..."

She trailed off thoughtfully, then shook her head. "No, Terexin was the most reckless," she decided. "Aliya at least has not tried to live in the Human part of the Southland. I don't know how, but Terexin ended up in the major city, Berkner, and ..."

Of course, that had actually ended up being a fortunate turn of events. She laughed.

"Okay, so only Cowan and Adonai were sane," she grinned. "Ruwen wasn't bad, but she had her moments, Terexin was terribly rebellious, Aliya was just reckless."

She paused again, then turned back to Lore. "I'm not sure if you knew about my eldest three children," she commented as if she had surprised herself.

Elnara blushed and coughed awkwardly.

"Sorry," she smiled sheepishly up at Lore. "I should have told you ..."

But it had never occurred to her to tell him.

"That's okay," Lore patted her hand, "After all it never came up and so there was no reason before to mention it."

Besides it would have never occured to him to ask at any rate.

"I see now though, and now you have grandchildren... and it's just going to get bigger," he smiled at Ulani.

Well as long as they didn't move away that is, one never knew but he was sure the two would never be lonely, Aliya and Adonai with their spouses for sure were here to stay.

Ulani smiled at the both of them.

"I do miss them," she replied quietly, "every day. Cowan and Terexin are dead, Ruwen is alive and well, but I miss her just as much as the others. She is the one that I know I may never see again, nor hear word of ... as strange as it sounds."

She paused.

"On the other hand," she added, her smile growing brighter again, "with Aliya and Adonai, as well as their families ... it's growing easier. And I do always have Ulrich. Without him I would be lost."

She giggled at Lore's comment. "And I can't see the family getting bigger any time soon," she winked at him. "Not for a few more years anyways, when Adanedhel grows up."

Ulani seemed intent on keeping Lore and Elnara there for as long as she possibly could, but after dinner, when the sun began to set, Elnara apologized for the two of them and said that it was getting very late, and they should be getting back to their house, as they still had much work to do before settling down for the night. Ulani still insisted on giving them a parcel of food (cookies, by the smell of it) before sending them off, and as it turned out, it was very nearly dark by the time Lore and Elnara finally left the house.

Once they were outside, Elnara giggled softly and reached for Lore's hand, the package from Ulani safely beneath her other arm.

"She didn't seem to want to let us go," she smiled as they walked at a leisurely pace. "Do you think she'll be like that the whole year?"

Elnara giggled. "Well, at least she'll give me time to get used to the new kitchen before you're subjected to one of my meals from it," she teased him. "I've gotten so used to Gaia and electricity ... it will be a change, going back to an open flame ..."

She blushed softly and looked away. "Though I'm sure it won't be hard, considering how long I lived like that."

Elnara laughed and leaned into his embrace, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I suppose that's one thing about Gaia," she giggled. "You can eat out ... here, if you can't cook, you starve ... everyone can cook, to one degree or another. The only cooking I ever did for anyone else was at the cafe. Mostly only for the children ... though occasionally for you."

As they reached the house, Elnara paused momentarily to admire it once more before reaching for the door handle to let them inside.