Welcome to Gaia! ::

Fleur blushed. "Well ... I'm learning. I'm not very good yet. I can do cups and glasses, but ... that's about my limit so far. Papa is teaching me, but Valenya is the only day of the week that he has time, he spends the rest of his time making things for the shop. So it's slow going."

"Come, Fleur," Wren smiled. "I've seen your work. It's not bad at all."

"Still, I'd like to do more," Fleur smiled. "But thank you for the thought."

She returned the glass unicorn carefully to the glass display shelf below the counter.

"Is there anything in particular you were looking for?" she asked with a smile, becoming a proper shop keeper at last.

"Miyuki especially likes to look at shiny things," Earendil added, teasing his daughter.

Fleur laughed. "Well, you certainly came to a good place for that. Lots of shiny things in here. Papa prefers to use clear glass rather than frosted glass, though once in a while he might do something with coloured glass. Um ..."

She looked around at the various displays (and there were a lot of them). "I ... don't think he has any coloured pieces out on display right now ..."

Fleur blinked at Miyuki. "Sen-sen?"

"Her pet," Earendil explained quickly. He didn't need to confuse the girl any more than she probably already was, what with seeing Lin and Miyuki. Besides, he had noticed in the previous shop that people who were different weren't exactly welcomed with open arms here.

Fleur smiled and gestured towards the shelves. "Look for yourself," she replied.

Indeed, all of the walls in the shop were filled with glass shelves, which were in turn covered with figures and figurines of all types and sizes. The largest was half Miyuki's height, the smallest as small as her thumb. Each one was detailed, no matter their size. Their subject ranged from elves to winged beings to animals and objects, as well as things of use: bowls, glasses, cups, goblets, plates, shelves that were for sale, book ends, silverware handles ...

It just didn't seem to end.

Wren noticed Miyuki's curiosity towards the winged beings, and she stepped closer to her and leaned down slightly.

"Have you seen anyone like them before?" she asked softly, hoping not to startle the girl.

Wren had to hesitate before she answered Miyuki's question. "Not ... quite," she said finally. "They can show themselves as winged elves, but that is not what they are. They are the Valar and the Maiar, the creators of this world, and the ones who watch over us. Sometimes they appear just the same as us, and sometimes they appear as something altogether different. Sometimes you can't see them at all, though they may show their presence somehow. They might make themselves known by making something happen, or you might just sense them."

She smiled. "They protect us, sometimes. Sometimes guide us. Sometimes something different. But they are there to help us, and they do care for us, no matter what some people may say."

"Seriously?" Wren's eyes sparkled brightly. "I'm jealous. Now I have to ask her to play for me!"

She laughed. She had never met anyone who had met the Valar before, let alone learned from them!