Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Who knows?" Earendil smiled. "There's no predicting when someone's going to visit the castle, or who it might be."

Suddenly, overhead, he heard the sound of heavy wingbeats, and he looked up and saw a roc approaching. His first thought was that Haldia and Celeb had finally caught up to them, but then he realized something: that there was only one person on the roc's back.

"Who ..."

"Definitely not," Earendil replied, watching as the roc drew closer. "But it's too small to be Skyel ..."

He chuckled at Miyuki's excited outburst. "Yes, we see, Miyuki," he grinned at her. "We're trying to guess who it might be. What do you think?"

But before Miyuki could answer, the pair came close enough that Earendil could recognize the man on the roc's back.

"Neko!" he cried gleefully. "It must be Nako, then!"

Earendil grinned at Miyuki. "They are my grandparents, your great-grandparents," he explained. "They have a very long and interesting past."

He waved as the flying pair headed towards an open area to land. For a few moments, they were hidden behind the house, but then the two of them, with Serenity back in her proper shape again, came around the house, hand in hand.

Earendil laughed and got carefully to his feet, making sure not to knock Lin over.

"Why don't you ask her?" he grinned, winking at Miyuki. "I'm sure she'd be happy to show you."

He knew that despite the world that she lived in, Serenity had no qualms about shapeshifting in front of people.

Serenity burst out laughing, soon followed by her husband.

"By the Valar, there is no doubt that you're Lin's girl," she laughed. "You must be Miyuki, then. I've heard quite a bit about you."

Her brown eyes shone warmly, and she knelt in front of Miyuki. "I'm Serenity," she introduced herself. "As for where did I come from ... well, you did indeed see me arrive." She winked. "I was the roc."

Serenity giggled again. "Spoken like a true Gaian," she grinned. "However, your questions don't quite apply. I have the ability to shapeshift, so I can be almost anything I desire."

"And trust me," her husband spoke up, smiling widely, "it comes in handy. Hello, Miyuki. I'm Beren."

Beren was impressed. "Indeed? That's interesting. I'd heard you could become a fox, but not an elf."

"That's something even we didn't know," Earendil spoke up, catching up with Miyuki at last after helping Lin off the ground as well. He had a surprised expression on his face. "When did this happen?"

Then, as an afterthought, he added, "Hello, Nako. Neko."

Earendil laughed. "Well, I suppose you can learn to swim," he grinned. "And maybe we can teach Andarien, too, eh? That would please River to no end, having you join her in the water."

"Oh, River's here too?" Serenity asked brightly. Then she noticed how Lin took Earendil's arm, and her smile faltered slightly, replaced with surprise. "Oh ... Earendil ..."

Earendil laughed at the look on her face. "Yes, Nako, we are married."

Serenity squealed and threw her arms around them both. "That's fantastic!" she exclaimed. "I'm so happy for you!"