Welcome to Gaia! ::

As the food disappeared more and more slowly, a few more musicians appeared on the stage, and they began to play a wider assortment of music: some a bit faster, some a bit slower, some calm, some more exciting.

Aethos was the first to take initiative, and he leaned over to murmur in Alassëa's ear. A light blush sprinkled her cheeks, but she nodded, and he took her hand and led her out onto the dance floor and began to dance with her. Soon, others were following them, among them the king and queen, and Halmir and Arthael.

Earendil asked Shiro to watch over Andarien (who had fallen asleep already), then rose to his feet and turned to Lin, holding one hand out to her.

"May I have the honour of this dance?" he asked her, his eyes sparkling.

Earendil took Lin's hand and swept her out onto the dance floor, holding her close as they moved to the music.

Across the room, Jess and Jasta's mother rose to her feet. She took Jeremiah's arm, but rather than the two of them moving out onto the dance floor like the other couples, they skirted around the edge of it, towards where the children were sitting. The tanner helped his wife into Earendil's vacated chair, then turned and held one hand out to his daughter.

"Shall we dance?" he asked her, his blue eyes twinkling.

Jasta grinned up at him. "I'd love to," she said in a mock princess voice. She giggled as her father tugged her to her feet.

"Take it easy with her, Jeremiah," Jacinthe called out to the two as they headed out onto the floor.

Jeremiah smiled at his wife. He knew.

Jacinthe smiled tiredly at the two, then turned her attention to the other children who were still sitting down.

"So how are you all enjoying the evening so far?" she asked them warmly. "I hope Jess and Jasta are behaving themselves."

"Mama!" Jess blushed hotly, embarrassed.

Jacinthe giggled softly. "I'm glad of that. Have you been to many banquets like this one, Miyuki? Jess tells me that you've been to many places, traveling with your parents."

Jess decided that he would get out of there before his mother could embarrass him too much further while he was still present. He held a hand out to River. "Dance with me?" he asked her, less shyly than he would have asked if he hadn't been so eager to get away from his mother.

River giggled. "Of course."

She took his hand and the two of them headed out on the dance floor with the others.

"Oh?" Jacinthe tilted her head curiously. "Where were you? How were they different?"

She was curious. She had traveled as a child, and she still had the itch from time to time. And since she couldn't really go anywhere, she liked to hear about different places.

Jacinthe nodded thoughtfully, then looked around at the others who were in the hall. "Are any of these people from those places?" she asked. "Some of them look like they aren't from the Four Lands."

She was thinking especially of Kelirahc, Amalirahc, Alena and Aethos - not that she knew any of their names.

Jacinthe blinked in surprise. "Caras Galadhon? You hadn't mentioned that place. Where is that? For that matter, where are any of these places?"

Stationary as she was, she was a traveler at heart, and had been since she had been a child.

Jacinthe smiled dreamily. "It sounds wonderful. I think it would be fun to travel like that. But we could not do so, Jeremiah has too many responsibilities here."

Her tone was wistful, though.

Suddenly, the door to the hall opened, and a lone figure stood in the doorway. Iorlas was the first to notice the woman standing there. Then again, most of the other people there would probably think it was her at first glance.

Ioreth had crashed the party. So to speak.

Jacinthe blinked at the woman in the doorway. "Wasn't she ... over there?" she asked, looking over at where Iorlas and Daeron had been sitting. The two were still sitting there, and Iorlas looked somewhat panicked. Jacinthe blinked and looked back at Ioreth, confused.