Welcome to Gaia! ::

Earendil nodded and returned the goblet to the tray, and he noted with curiosity and a bit of surprise that he wasn't the only one who had taken some. It seemed that Arwen, Roydon and Leyenda had also taken some of the malek.

For Arwen and Roydon, it made sense to Earendil, they would be going on the roc again and he didn't know how they had reacted the first time. But Leyenda was going to be going with Kelirahc, wasn't she?

Leyenda caught Earendil's questioning stare, and she blushed slightly. "What?"

He shook his head. "Nothing." He turned to the king and bowed again. "Yet again, Your Majesty, we must thank you for all of your hospitality. I look forward to getting to know more about your people and your home."

The others bowed as well, even Celeb, who didn't really understand the point of it.

Leyenda blinked at Lin. "Planning?" she repeated as they left the dining room again. "Nothing, why do you ask?"

Once in the hall, it was time for them to split up into two groups. Mostly everyone would be going with Aurin and Skyel, but Leyenda and Kelirahc were going to go together on his dragon.

"Can I come?" Celeb asked eagerly, tugging on Kelirahc's sleeve.

Kelirahc smiled and shook his head gently, placing one hand on the boy's shoulder. "Just me and Leyenda this time," he murmured. "Another time."

Celeb pouted. "No fair!"

Celeb sighed dramatically and turned his back on his sister and brother in law as they waved and headed off down the hall in the opposite direction. "Well, Mama always says that people who are married need some alone time sometimes," he murmured. "And ... well, I guess I do do a lot of stuff with them ..."

Earendil smiled and ruffled Celeb's hair gently. "And don't forget," he murmured, "when we get back, Haldia will want to know all about what we did today."

Celeb nodded, then blinked and looked up at Earendil. "Are you going to give her her present tonight?" he asked anxiously.

Earendil chuckled. "I was going to. Unless you have a reason for me to wait?"

Celeb nodded up at Lin. "I want to give her the candy I bought for us to share!" he said proudly. "Because if Kelirahc didn't know what it was, then she wouldn't know what it is, and I want her to know just like we do!"

He opened the small pouch that he had brought back from the city with him. "Mama wouldn't let me get a lot," he said softly, "but I'm not going to eat a single piece without Haldia."

Before Celeb could reply, Earendil interrupted.

"I'll let the two of them have the evening," he murmured. "There's something I want to talk to Haldia about when I give her the necklace, so I can wait until morning."

Celeb grinned up at him. "Thanks!" he beamed, not really caring what that talk might be about.

Earendil smiled widely, his eyes relaxing into the smile. "I think that sounds like a good evening," he agreed quite happily. "Let us just hope that the the malek does what it's supposed to and keeps me from feeling sick, otherwise it won't be so good of an evening."

He chuckled softly, a little apprehensively. Hewasn't sure if he was ready to fly again, not on a roc anyways, but he was going to try it.

When they arrived at the rookery, Aurin put his fingers to his lips and whistled a few notes, and Skyel appeared from nowhere, flapping her way up to the enormous perch so that everyone could climb onto her back.

"You're certain there are enough harnesses for all of us?" Arwen asked as she sat down carefully.

Aurin smiled and began to strap her in. "Skyel can carry well over ten people at once, and the harnesses are designed to hold as many as she can," he explained. "Do not worry. We will be fine."

Earendil settled in next to Lin and started tying himself in. When Senka stuck her head out, he grinned and reached over to stroke her head softly. "Best do as Lin says," he smiled. "You know you won't like it if you fluff up again."

Aurin made especially sure that Celeb was tied in snugly before he finished up with the others, and then he himself sat at the back of Skyel's head. He whistled softly to her, and she spread her wings and left the perch, slowly making her way to the exit of the enormous cave.