Welcome to Gaia! ::

Earendil blinked at Lin. "You have such things in your world?" he asked her, amazed once again. His face flushed slightly. "I mean ... I know that you have much that we do not, but ..."

Favian laughed. "Yes, well. Humans have many weaknesses compared to elves, and when they become immortal but do not have elven abilities, they find ways to overcome such things. I daresay almost all of our advances are due to the half-bloods of our nation."

Earendil looked at the items on the table appreciatively. Who knew? Perhaps if the humans of the Southland lived longer than a few short decades, perhaps they would come up with inventions to overcome their inabilities as well.

Favian laughed at their open interest in the mechanical workings before them.

"Yes, yes, we do indeed have mechanical items," he grinned. "But we must continue if you are going to look at everything before you must go!"

He urged them towards the next table, which was full of glassware. The glassware was different from the other places they had visited, though: in the glass, as if it had been formed together, silver clouds accented and offset various details in the works. There were figurines, dishes, ornaments - and in one corner, mirrors of various sizes and shapes, some with frames, some without.

The next table held weapons, and here was the first place that Earendil was not impressed.

Favian laughed at the look on Earendil's face. "You have found our weakness!" he grinned. "I fully admit it! Our weapons are not much good. But we are a peace-seeking people, and since the days of he-who-remains-nameless there has not been strife. These weapons ... they are for play. The bows for hunting. But that is all the usage they will see, unless to protect against the animals of the forest."

"Representational," Favian answered, drawing his sword and holding it out for inspection. "It is very shiny, yes? And light in the hand, symbolic of power. But symbolic alone. It would not surprise me if it snapped the moment it was struck by a real sword."

Earendil looked at the sword, running his finger along the blade. Smooth as it looked, there were lumps of air in the metal, and that, he suspected, was what made it weak.

"Are they all like this?" he asked, looking up at Favian.

The senator smiled as he resheathed his sword. "Unfortunately, yes. If anything were to happen, we would have to rely on bows and fishing spears to save us."

"It is the diversity that gives us peace," Favian said solemnly as he led them away from the business area and started back towards the docks. "When there are two or three groups, one will always strive to dominate. When there is no majority, no one tries to force it. Everyone is more equal."

Very soon, they were back at the ship, and standing on the dock, waiting for them, was Luk, a bag packed at his feet, his hand on the pommel of his sheathed sword.

Earendil smiled. "So you are coming with us," he said warmly. "Welcome."

Luk smiled back, and his smile was almost shy, like a little boy who had just made a new friend or two. "Thank you," he murmured.

Earendil chuckled and poked Miyuki's cheek. "What isn't fun to you?" he grinned.

Haldia giggled and looked out towards the ship. There was a longboat in the process of being lowered to the water, but it would be a while before it would arrive, and then there was the trip back to the ship ...

No sense in waiting, was there? She would save them the trouble. She touched two fingers to her mark, summoning her roc, and she was amused when both Luk and Favian jumped a bit when Rhiel appeared.

"You're the one with the roc?" Favian looked at her with undisguised admiration.

Haldia laughed at him. "Perhaps on our next visit, when we are not in a rush, you will have an opportunity to ride on her," she smiled. "But for now, we really must be going."

Earendil helped Lin and Miyuki climb up, then held a hand down for Luk.

Favian grinned at Haldia. "I will hold you to that," he promised; and then he stepped back and allowed her to mount the bird as well. Celeb followed after her, giving the man a thoughtful look as he passed by, but then they were all up on the roc and ready to go.

It was a short trip back to the ship, and then another week back to Amon Darthir.