Welcome to Gaia! ::

Kaito just grinned at Lin as he kept eating.

"There's always plenty to do," Kelirahc agreed as Earendil took a seat as well, pulling out the chair next to him for Lin. "Though I do have to warn you, this is the smallest Westland village, so it's not going to have as many shops to explore."

"We were actually hoping to see Haldia and Celeb first," Earendil replied, holding Andarien's hands so that he couldn't grab at the things on the table. "We would love to see them and the baby."

"I can take you there," Amalirahc beamed. "I was already there with Mama and Papa, it's not far!"

Earendil chuckled. He knew Miyuki would like that. Lin on the other hand had seemed a bit doubtful when Miyuki had suggested it earlier, and he didn't want to agree with the boy until he made sure it would be fine with Lin first.

"Lin?" he asked her with a smile. "What do you think?"

"Yes," Amalirahc cheered under his breath, grinning widely as he scrambled off his chair.

"Amalirahc," Kelirahc said sternly, arching one eyebrow at the boy.

Amalirahc froze, then slunk back into his chair. He knew what his father meant. He had only a few bites left on his plate, and they had paid for that food - there would be no wasting it. He picked it up and ate it as quickly as he could, then jumped up again.

"Done!" he said, reaching for Miyuki's hand. "Come on!"

"Just up the street," Amalirahc answered, though it wasn't very descriptive: just about everything was 'just up the street' in a village as small as this one - either that or 'on the next street over'. "You'll see it when we get there," he added.

"We better follow quickly," Earendil chuckled at Lin as the children ran off. "See all of you later."

"Later," came the reply from several amused people.

"Well we'll be there before I can even explain where it is," Amalirahc told Miyuki. "So it's faster to see!"

And indeed, he took her and her parents to the house that was only three houses down. It was a house much like the others, made of wood and with ivy and other plants growing on it, a lovely flowerbed and a cobblestone pathway leading to the door; but it was also a little bit bigger than most of the other houses.

"See?" Amalirahc grinned at Miyuki. "We're already here!"

"A lady named Elarinya," Amalirahc grinned at Miyuki, letting go of her wrist so that he could knock on the door. "You have to knock here, it's not like in the Borderlands," he explained as they waited for someone to answer the door.

Earendil was close behind the two, having taken his time and walked with Lin. "Can you tell us anything about Elarinya?" he asked Amalirahc curiously.

The boy thought for a moment. "She's a widow," he supplied finally.

"Specifically a woman whose husband has passed on," Earendil added. "A man whose wife dies is called a widower instead."

At that moment, the door opened, and a woman stood in the doorway. She was tall and slim, young in appearance, and her hair was a luxurious gold. Curious green eyes peered out at the group, a green that matched the dress she was wearing.

"Good afternoon," she said softly, her voice soft and gentle. "May I help you?"

"We want to see my aunt and uncle and little cousin!" Amalirahc spoke up brightly.

The woman kept looking at them curiously, but she opened the door wider.

"Come in," she invited them softly. "Please don't mind the mess ... I'm afraid I've been getting caught up in my work again."

Inside, a stairway split the house into two sections: to the left was a living area, and to the right an area that was clearly meant for her work. A table was covered with notes and books and quills and inkpots; vials and beakers and bottles, many of them filled with odd-coloured liquids, some of them over small unlit flames; small boxes and pouches of various plants, leaves, and powders; tools for measuring, cutting, mixing, and so on.