Welcome to Gaia! ::

Estel smiled and rubbed Elia's back as he led Lin out of the library and down the hall.

"If we're lucky," he grinned, "we can catch Lothiriel while she's awake. She gave birth just a few days ago, so she's still resting quite a bit of the time. Oh - and by the way, I'm curious ... where was Elia? No one knew where she was for the past hour."

Estel frowned gently. "She shouldn't have been able to get there," he murmured, looking at his younger daughter thoughtfully. "The door is supposed to be sealed ... well. At least she didn't end up through the portal."

He had no idea what would have happened then, but he was glad he didn't have to find out.

Estel shrugged one shoulder, the one that Elia wasn't laying on. "There are so many people here, what with the construction going on ..."

He grew silent for a moment, thoughtful, and he puffed out his cheeks with a sigh. "We'll have to put a guard down there. Two maybe, because solitude is ... aye."

He opened a door for them and motioned to a set of stairs inside. "This way. The towers will be done in probably a few years, but for now ... it's the long way up. Perhaps not the safest in case of an attack, but I don't think we need to worry about that. At least not yet."

"Very well," Estel smiled. "The children are all eager learners, construction is continuing on schedule and without any accidents. I feel that the city at least is running much more smoothly now ... compared to when I was a child, at least. Reports from the rest of the country show that things are about the same, which makes sense as my father didn't have much influence in those areas."

He paused and opened yet another door for Lin, this one leading to a hallway lined with guards. "To the right."

Estel had to think about that for a moment. "Not for a few years," he murmured. "Serenity and Beren are our main source of communication with them, and they come here often enough. They were actually hoping to come for a visit soon - though we never have any definite dates for their arrivals."

He led her almost down to the end of the hallway, until they reached a door. There, he raised one finger to his lips and smiled at Lin, then opened the door and poked his head inside. After a moment, he turned and smiled at Lin, opening the door wide. "Go on," he smiled warmly.

Lothiriel was propped up in bed, laying against a large number of pillows, with the blanket pulled up only to her waist. She was wearing a white silk nightdress, and her raven curls pooled about her pale face. In her arms, she was cradling a tiny infant, red-faced and with a shock of thick black hair.

"Lin," she said warmly, her eyes bright with excitement. "Welcome. We have been expecting you." She held out one arm for a hug.

"Far too long," Lothiriel agreed, hugging Lin tightly for a moment before releasing her. "I am glad to finally see you again."

She smiled warmly at her for a moment, remembering times past, but at Lin's question, her smile widened and she looked down at the infant. "Boy," she whispered happily. "Celebrindor."

"It means silver king," Estel smiled proudly, carefully easing himself down to sit on the other end of the bed. "Lothiriel and I have always chosen names for our children that have meaning."

"But you didn't even have a father until a short time before you came along, as I understand it," Lothiriel smiled softly. "So it stands to reason that your mother would have named most of you."

She looked from Lin to the infant and back again. "Would you like to hold him?" she asked softly, her eyes sparkling brightly.