Welcome to Gaia! ::

Serenity blushed. "Everyone? Immediate family at least ... Mama and Papa ... siblings ... grandparents ... but that would be enough for me. And of course your family."

She smiled softly and added, "And ... I would really like to meet them ... before then ..."

Serenity giggled. "Something like that. But we'll have to limit it to grandparents or something, because I'm not sure how many generations I could go back on Mama's side ... elves being immortal and all."

She had heard something about some more of her mother's ascendants being found again, and honestly the line had to be drawn somewhere.

"Sounds good to me," Serenity agreed. "Much better than the hundreds of people I know attend some weddings ... fortunately for us, most of my family can't even make it because they won't leave this world. I don't blame them."

Not to mention, half of them wouldn't be able to leave their positions. Imagine three countries losing their rulers for who knew how long.

Serenity nodded, smiling widely. "Then it's settled," she agreed. "Twenty each."

She giggled. "And then there's the task of telling m- our parents. Obviously yours will have to be told ..."

She squeezed his hand warmly. "And next weekend, we're going to meet them. Maybe Ian and Gaunt could stay with Skye for the weekend."

All was quiet in the valley. A small flock of birds had settled in the yard to feed, but as the group of humans approached they took flight, filling the air with powerful wingbeats.

Serenity smiled at the sight. "Well, let's go get Ulrich and see what he's got for us, shall we?"

Ian cheered as they headed for the house. "Yeah! And I can get my bow and Prince can get his present, too!" He hugged Prince's shoulder tightly, giggling with excitement.

Serenity led them all to the house, opening the door and motioning for them all to go inside, without bothering to knock first.

"We're back!" she called into the house through the open door.

Ulrich appeared suddenly from the kitchen doorway, grinning broadly. "Welcome back!" he greeted them all warmly. "Come on into the kitchen. Adonijah's joined us for the morning."

Serenity's brows rose in surprise. Her cousin was the shyest person she knew ... and that was saying something, considering how shy she herself was.

Serenity led the others into the kitchen, where a tall white-blond haired man was sitting at the table. He looked very much like the horse-trainer they hadn't quite met the day before, and Serenity took it upon herself to introduce him to Gaunt and the boys.

"Gaunt," she said softly, "my cousin, Adonijah, Amdir's youngest son. Adonijah, my fiance, Gaunt, my son, Ian, and Gaunt's son, Prince."

The man smiled faintly and nodded a greeting, though he remained tight-lipped. His discomfort was subtle, but it was there nonetheless.

Ulrich chuckled softly as he moved towards the chest in the corner of the room. "Don't take it personally," he assured the others, "he's like this with his own family. He's actually a lot better than he was when he was young."

The pale-haired man flushed faintly and lowered his eyes.