Welcome to Gaia! ::

Aranxia blushed and turned her back to Lin so that she could help. She nodded jerkily. "Mama says ... you were here before I was born, just a few days before," she murmured. "And she says Uncle Earendil really likes you."

She looked over her shoulder to see how Lin was doing with her dress. "But Mama says he really likes everyone from where you come from," she added, a bit more confidently now. "But she does too. She says that you always bring adventures."

Aranxia giggled at Miyuki and held her hands out to her. "Well, maybe it's because you're just so different," she suggested to Lin. "That's always fun ... even if it's sometimes a little bit scary," she admitted, blushing warmly. "Like ... like Kelirahc and Haldia and Amalirahc, they're ... well I was scared of them when they first came here, but now Haldia and I have lessons together. She's really nice."

Hard to talk to sometimes, but nice.

Aranxia shook her head, then bit her lip. "Well ... the one not Shiro, he was a little bit scary ..."

Then again, Ura was more demonic than Shiro was, and he didn't have the same gentle features as Shiro did. So in a way, it was understandable. But in addition to that, he had been very tired and so a little grumpy when they had returned.

Aranxia giggled and took hold of Miyuki's hands, trying to lift her to her feet carefully.

"Well, I talked to Mama about it, and she said that he isn't usually like that. But it was a long trip, and so all of you were tired," she added. "So I guess I can understand that. I get cranky when I'm tired, too."

Aranxia smiled up at Lin. "Thank you," she said shyly. "Mama would be upset if I got so dirty so early in the morning ..."

She giggled at Miyuki. "She is very cute. She looks like she likes standing like this."

She took a small step backwards, trying to urge Miyuki to take a step forward.

Aranxia stumbled forward as Miyuki fell to her knees. "Uh oh!" she exclaimed. "I hope she's not hurt!"

She knelt down and looked at Miyuki anxiously. "Is she all right?"

"Good," Aranxia sighed with relief.

Suddenly, from the entrance to the courtyard, a voice called out, "Aranxia! Are you out here?"

Aranxia scrambled to her feet, her face anxious. "That's Regan," she said worriedly. "I have to go. Are you having breakfast with us before you leave?"

She bit her lip anxiously, watching Lin and waiting impatiently for an answer.

"Aranxia!" the voice called again.

Aranxia giggled at Lin. "I'll see you inside then!" she grinned; and she waved and ran towards her sister's voice.

By the time Earendil arrived at the dining hall after his bath (he had been quite sweaty by the time he had returned from the mountain), pretty much everyone was already there. Leyenda and Amalirahc were still absent, but that was common. Amalirahc liked to sleep in in the mornings, it seemed, and Leyenda of course would never leave him alone.