Welcome to Gaia! ::

When they got back to the castle, it was fully dark outside.

"Would you like some dinner before you return to your ship?" Alena asked them when they arrived at the door. "If not, Aurin can return you to your ship."

Arwen smiled softly. "I'm afraid they will be expecting us back on the ship," she said apologetically. "I am sure they will have dinner already prepared for us."

Earendil shifted uneasily as Lin looked up at him. While he wished he could, he really didn't like the idea of making himself sick again.

Leyenda stepped forward and put one hand on his shoulder. "Why don't we have a drink of malek before we leave?" she suggested. "That way you won't have to worry as much about your stomach."

Earendil nodded, relieved. "Thanks, then I will go back with Aurin," he smiled. "I suppose you want to go back on your own with Kelirahc?"

Leyenda grinned mischievously. "Maybe. But we'll come in with you first."

Leyenda just grinned at Lin. "Aye. Now come on, let's go. I'm sure they're anxious for us to get back."

She tucked her arm in Kelirahc's and followed Alena into the castle.

Earendil smiled and put one hand on Lin's head. "Come on, the sooner we go in the sooner we go back to the ship." He wasn't eager to go on the roc again, but he was going to have to face it sooner or later.

They were nearly to the dining room when the king appeared, followed by three servants. Alena immediately dropped to one knee, bowing deeply and reverently do him.

"Your Majesty," she said respectfully.

The king smiled and motioned for her to rise. "Lady Alena." He smiled at the rest of the group. "Welcome back. I hope that you enjoyed our fair city."

"You have a wonderful city, Your Majesty," Earendil said warmly. "You can be proud of your people."

The king smiled warmly. "Thank you very much. And please, for as long as you are on our island, remember that you are welcome to anything of which you have need, and anywhere that you have need. Come, join me for a meal."

Earendil chuckled softly. "Lady Alena has already been kind enough to give us an invitation, but we are going to have to make it for another time. We really must return to the ship for tonight."

"We are only stopping for a bit of malek in hopes of preventing the flight sickness," Leyenda added.

The king nodded. "Understandable. It is quite common at the beginning."

He motioned for them to follow him and headed into the dining room. He spoke to the servants who were following him, and one of them bowed to him and headed off towards a smaller door in one side of the room.

"That's not what gets me," Earendil quipped as the servant reappeared with a pitcher and several goblets on a tray. "It's the constant up and down. It's different than Haldia's roc, entirely different. I'm not sure if you've had the opportunity to accompany her yet."

He took a goblet full of malek and turned back to Lin. "I'm hoping that if I don't get used to this eventually, she would be willing to fly me around so that I won't have to always use this stuff." He took a long drink of it. "It's good, but if we run out while we're out in the middle of nowhere ..."

He tilted the goblet upwards and drank again, finishing it off.