Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Ah, I see," Arthael nodded, smiling again. "Well, that's good. I actually didn't see much of him last time he was here, he was gone by the time we returned from our trip. Still, it will be interesting to see how much he's changed."

"Trust me," Ulrich remarked confidently, "it's a lot."

"What about your twins?" Halmir put in. "The mer twins? Will they be coming again?"

"You harass Feng again and I'll kill you," Arthael deadpanned without looking at Halmir.



Elros chuckled softly. "It sounds like you have quite a bit of fun with the prince, don't you?" he asked her. "Do you receive lessons from him as well when you're down there? Or just from Sir Valdemar?"

"Ah," Halmir murmured, his disappointment obvious. "That's too bad."

"No," Arthael replied, "it's for the best. The last thing we need is you causing more trouble again." She smiled at Donovan. "Don't mind him, you know how he gets."




Elros was impressed. "You really are trying to learn everything, aren't you?" he grinned. "You truly are an amazing child, Lin. But tell me - just what are you planning to do with everything that you learn? I can't imagine that our languages would help you at all in your own world, would they?"

Arthael nodded. "Yes, I think ... sometimes she gets a little forgotten by us here, since she doesn't make it here as often as I know she would like. When the ranch first started up, she was here every single day ... now ... we're lucky to see her once every two weeks or so. And no one from here ever goes over there, except for Aragost."




Elros nodded thoughtfully. "So you're going to travel around our world, then?" he murmured softly. "Do you have any place in particular in mind? Or just ... anywhere and everywhere?"

"Probably," Arthael agreed. "I know everyone here would like that."

"I think that by summer, when the twins are a bit bigger and the weather's better, she'll be able to go more places," Ulrich offered with a smile. "Though I know she and Amdir were talking about visiting Amdir's parents this summer, so perhaps they'll be heading west instead of just visiting here."



Elros smiled at Lin, and the light in his eyes showed that he had an idea, and one that he thought was either amusing or just plain good.

"Why not take him here?" he suggested. "It would be interesting for all of us. After all, Lord Elrohir is his uncle, I know he would like to see him again, and we do get a lot of snow in the winter. In addition, it's one of the safest places to be during the winter - you won't have to worry about animals, or starving, or freezing - and it would be like an entirely new experience for you as well, since you would be coming across country, rather than through the portal."

"I guess that's one of the things that I question about having a baby," Arthael murmured. "Will I still be able to do things afterwards? I know not like I do now, but ..."

Ulrich smiled reassuringly. "You won't care, when the time comes," he grinned. "And trust me when I say, you won't mind when Halmir helps you out all the time, too."



Elros looked interested at that little mention. "Daeron?" he questioned. "Prince Daeron? The elder brother?"

He tapped his fingers thoughtfully on the tabletop. "I've heard about him."

"At any rate," Ulrich smiled, rising to his feet, "we should continue. More people to see, after all. Thank you for the drink, Arthael, and I'll see you later."

He nodded his head to Halmir, then Arthael, then headed back for the door. "Donovan, coming?"



Elros chuckled. "Indeed, that is a long time," he agreed. "Considering that Ahren is already nine years old, and I know that he is not the eldest of the Aldrich grandchildren in this world."

Ulrich closed the door behind them and started down the hall again.

"So, Elros or Aragost?" he asked Donovan. "They're both equally close, right across the hall from each other on the second floor. The other day shifters are all out on shift, so."



Elros was surprised by that bit of news. "He was taken by the slavers when he was young?" he asked incredulously. "I had no idea that any of the royal family had been taken ..."

Ulrich nodded. "Have you spoken with him at all since the first time you met him?" he asked curiously. "Has Lin ... said anything about him?"

Which was his way of finding out whether or not Donovan knew who the man was.



Elros nodded thoughtfully. "I see," he murmured. "I'm glad he got away. I imagine then that this may be what inspired your father to start the ranch, to go after the slavers so aggressively?"