Welcome to Gaia! ::

Haldia was visibly relieved. "That's good," she murmured. "I have to admit, the lack of trees worried me for a moment."

Within moments, they were on the ground, and as soon as everyone was off Rhiel's back, Haldia unsummoned her, and she vanished into the air. Very quickly they were joined by everyone else.

"Ready?" Earendil asked everyone.

Very soon, they were off once more, this time heading up the mountain towards the city.

As they walked through the city, the drew stares from just about everyone they passed. And it wasn't the friendly, welcoming stares of the people of Namonuito: it was the blank and amazed stares of people who were almost afraid of the newcomers.

The Gaians of course were recognized, as was Earendil - especially Earendil - but the others of course had never been there before, and Aurin, Haldia, Kelirahc, and Amalirahc, and the fact that Leyenda was the one who was carrying Amalirahc through the city streets.

But one person did not bother to stay away from them, or even just stare at them. On the contrary, he came up to them, holding a bucket between his arms, as he had no hands to hold it properly.

"Spare some coin?" he asked in Elven, looking earnestly at Lin.

Earendil put his arm between them and shook his head. "Lin, ignore him," he said firmly.

Shiro looked at Earendil in amazement.

"Earendil, I would never have thought you would be so cold-hearted!" he exclaimed. "The man obviously can't earn any money through working, what's wrong with giving him a bit of money so that he can eat?"

Earendil looked at Shiro coolly. "If it were anyone else," he replied simply, "I would help them out. But that man, if you want to call him that, will never receive anything from me, or in my presence."

Shiro blinked at Lin. "Related?" he asked Lin, still in Japanese. "Who is he?"

He hadn't heard the story, though he was aware that Riordon had sired three illegitimate sons. Of course, he had no idea that this was one of them.

Shiro's eyes grew wide with understanding, and he fell silent. Well, that was news indeed ... and bad news, at that. He could see now why Earendil refused to help him. To be a thief was one thing, but to believe that one could get away with it simply because he had royal blood ...

No, that was no longer the case. Riordan had been disowned, and hence his blood was no longer royal.

It made Shiro sad.

When they finally arrived at the palace, the guards at the gate welcomed the group warmly, though surprise was clear in their eyes when they saw Haldia, Kelirahc, Amalirahc, and Aurin. They let the group inside without hesitation.

"We should find Ninako first," Earendil murmured as they started down the hall. "Get rooms for everyone, get everyone unpacked ..."

"I think it would be good to find Ninako first," Starr agreed.

"And then eat," Storm added, one hand on his stomach.

Starr nodded her own agreement. "And then a nap."

"I'm all for that," Kaito said, raising one hand and grinning.

Amalirahc was tired of being carried by this time, and he pointed at the floor and looked up at Leyenda, who was still carrying him. Of course, she was also tired by this time, and, figuring that it would be safe inside, she put him on the floor like he wanted.

The little boy grinned and started toddling off down the hall, four fingers in his mouth, waddling strangely. To be fair, it was just about the first walking he was doing off ship, and it was very different.

Leyenda laughed too. "It looks funny, watching him walk like this. But I'm sure he'll grow out of it. Mother told me that I used to walk like that too, off and on."

She started after her son, and the rest of them followed after her.

Earendil chuckled as he walked. "I have to say," he grinned at Lin, "it does feel good to be home agai-"

He was cut off as Amalirahc suddenly started crying. Looking at him, it wasn't hard to figure out why.

The boy was sitting in the middle of the floor, crying and hiding his eyes from a tall stranger who had appeared from a doorway and was now glaring at the boy as if he were an alien.

"Ada," Earendil sighed under his breath.

But before anyone else could react, Leyenda was running forward to snatch her son away from the stranger - she after all didn't know who he was, and from the look on his face, his intentions were far from good. As she clutched her son to her chest, her fingers brushed against the mark on her shoulder, and the spirit within her, responding to her fear, shimmered into existence: a fiery red dragon, the same body type as Kelirahc's, but far smaller; too small to ride, but large enough to be intimidating. It circled around her and Amalirahc, and it was hard to tell who was more shocked by it: Leyenda or Ruel.

"Stop, both of you!" Earendil called out, finally catching up with the situation. "Father, stop terrifying them! Leyenda, you are in no danger."

Ruel blinked at Earendil. "Leyenda?" he repeated. "Arwen's girl?"

Leyenda was staring at Ruel. "You're Earendil's father?" she asked incredulously. The dragon was still circling her and Amalirahc, and Kelirahc stepped forward and put one hand on Leyenda's shoulder to calm her down. The dragon moved to the floor and curled around Leyenda's feet, until Leyenda touched her mark again and the dragon disappeared.

Earendil smiled at Lin, knowing exactly what she was talking about. It was indeed troublesome, but to be honest he had sort of expected something like this from his father.

Not so from Leyenda, though. He was glad that she had finally managed to summon her own dragon, but he wished it hadn't been because of his father.

"Father, this is Leyenda, Arwen and Roydon's daughter," he introduced her. "Her husband, Kelirahc, a Night Elf from the island of Nauros. Over there, the other Night Elf, that's Haldia," he pointed. "She's also from Nauros. The one with orange hair is Captain Aurin Striate, a Sky Elf from the island of Amon Darthir, Captain of a band of Wing Riders under the command of King Aerennel."

He looked over the group to make sure he hadn't forgotten anyone, then added, "And Amalirahc, Leyenda and Kelirahc's son." Then he turned to the others and said, "This is my father, Ruel Aldrich." Then he repeated it in the Ancient Tongue for Haldia, and in Common Elvish for Aurin.