Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Nako-tol it is," Eldrin chuckled. "Now that that's settled, what can I do for you? It's been quite a long walk up here, are you hungry?"

"Nana-tol always has some sort of treats," Earendil winked at Miyuki. "What do you say we go see his house?"

Eldrin grinned. "Indeed I do," he affirmed, heading off towards the training facility. "My house is carved right out of the rock of the mountain. No need to even build it! And I'm never lonely, look at all the people I have to keep me company!"

He gestured towards the trainees just as they disappeared from sight.

"My sister, your grandmother, she keeps telling me I need a wife and a family," he went on. "But I've no time for that."

Earendil nodded. "So it's been at least seventy five years since then," he grinned. "Time does have a way of flying, doesn't it?"

Eldrin chuckled as he led them through the facility and to his house, the same modest stone house that it had been since Lin had known him. Two simple rooms, one with a table and chair, the other with a bed and dresser. But outside of the house (or cottage, really) there was a storage area, and it was here that he headed for his promised treats.

"The passage of time really doesn't matter," he commented as he brought out a small wooden box. "My life is fulfilling enough."

"Indeed," Eldrin smiled. "Come, let's go in. The hottest part of the day is over, but it's still quite warm outside. Inside is much better."

The stone walls reflected most of the heat away, despite the glass-less windows.

He led them over to his house and inside. "I'm sorry I don't have much furniture for you to sit on," he apologized, "but it's so rare that I have company."

In the end, they spent the afternoon there, and when they were back in the palace for dinner, Earendil introduced his parents to Miyuki as her nako and neko - it made more sense than using the English, which she might confuse with her Gaian grandparents.

The rest of the week was less busy than the first day, and they got a bit of visiting in, and on the last day of the week a messenger arrived at the palace with a message for Lin: her custom design from Aranhil was complete.

Aranhil was once again behind the counter (he had been gone all week, his father in his place), and he smiled widely when he saw Lin and Miyuki entering the shop.

"I'm glad to see that my messenger made it through," he greeted them, his tone relieved. "It's hard to know whether or not someone will be let into the castle. Welcome."

"The danger," Aranhil replied simply, smiling at Miyuki. "There are people who do not like the Queen, despite the good that she is doing, and there may be people who wish to hurt or even kill her - or others of the royal family. That is why also inside the castle, there are many guards. In case someone does get in, they will hopefully be caught before anything bad happens."