Welcome to Gaia! ::

Earendil stood to one side as Atalya, recognizing the need for her to be closer to the height of her guests, knelt to get closer.

"Hello," she smiled warmly down at the two. "I'm glad to see you again Nina, though I'm afraid I have to wonder why you're here ... unescorted." She raised one eyebrow curiously at the kirin, then moved her gaze to Lin. To her she said nothing - yet. She took the opportunity to study her more closely.

If not for her size, she mused ...

"I had meant by Kara or one of the elder of your siblings," Atalya murmured down at Lin. "I suspect that Kara wouldn't have let you two come here on your own ..."

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, though they were also amused.

"Does she know that you're here?" she asked bluntly.

Atalya closed her eyes and let her breath out slowly, silently. What was it with the Winters family and coming without letting anyone know? Serenity had done the same thing - admittedly, she hadn't meant to. And choosing Nina for her escort ... wasn't the brightest idea ever.

"Your mother is going to be worried about you," she told the child seriously, her voice gentle but firm. "I really think it would be a good idea if you went back ..."

The problem was, of course, that she didn't know where the portal was, exactly. Only Earendil did - and possibly Tinuviel. The girl was as obsessed with the labyrinth as her brother had been, though admittedly ... she had less chance than anyone of getting lost down there.

Atalya knew she should send Lin back, but she was after all a grandmother and great grandmother, and she was far from immune to cuteness. Quite the opposite, in fact.

"Do you know long your daddy is going to be gone?" she asked softly. "If you go back home, he'll be back far more quickly ..."

But she could feel her resolve starting to crumble even as she looked down at the child.

Atalya had two choices. She could give in now and say she wanted to, or she could give in later and have people know that a tiny child had preempted her word as Queen. The choice wasn't hard to make.

"Then I'll have to prepare a room for you," she conceded. "A ... small room, likely."

Since the child herself was so small. But would she even be comfortable in a room on her own? Even the small rooms were large, and the child so tiny ...

Atalya smiled and straightened, and Earendil grinned at her. "Thanks, Ninako," he chuckled. "But I guess we know where she gets her debating skills from."

He reached down with one hand and patted Lin on the head. "Happy now?"

Earendil chuckled again. "Sure," he replied as Atalya returned to her study and closed the door behind herself. "Which game did you way you wanted to play again?"

He led them down the hall once more.