Welcome to Gaia! ::

Lothiriel laughed. "Goodness, I had forgotten about that! Yes, perhaps it was mean of me, but it was all in good fun." Her eyes gleamed. "It has been a long time since I've had the opportunity to startle him like that."

Not that she should anymore, given their positions, but it was rather tempting.

"But you'll have to meet the rest of the family as well," she added. "Fortunately, today Pengolodh and Alinda are visiting today, so the whole family is here." She chuckled softly. "And I understand you've already met Elia and Saria."

Lothiriel laughed. "Saria is very cute," she agreed, "and full of mischief. Gifted with words, I must say. She will try to convince you of anything if it works to her advantage. Sometimes she even succeeds."

"What did she do this time?" came an amused male voice from the doorway. It was Estel, who had clearly finished his meeting and had come to join them.

Lothiriel smiled and rose from her seat. "Estel," she murmured, "this is Daemon, Kara's father, who was in my father's sword; and his friend, Long, Donovan's father."

Estel smiled broadly and nodded his head to them. "Pleased to meet you," he said warmly.

Lothiriel took her husband's hand as he came close enough and turned back to the others. "And Daemon, Long, this is my husband, King Estel."

"Likewise," Estel smiled warmly. "I have to say, I've seen a lot in my lifetime, but nothing has ever surprised me as much as hearing a voice in my head when I took that sword. Not before then, and not since."

"I wouldn't be so quick to say that," Lothiriel mused. "I think you were as shocked when we first came to this city, back before we were married."

Estel blinked. "Shocked?" he repeated, clearly confused. "Shocked when?"

Lothiriel tilted her head. "When I told off your parents."

There was a brief silence as the king tried to remember what Lothiriel was talking about, but then his expression changed from confusion to understanding. "Ah ... yes, yes that was shock ... but it was good shock!"

Estel chuckled, not at all embarrassed by Daemon's smirk and comment. "Imagine you had been in my place, never having heard a voice from an inanimate object before, and never knowing it was possible," he grinned. "It was indeed quite a shock. Do not forget, sir, that the magic of your world is quite different from that of ours."

Lothiriel laughed and rose from her seat. "But come," she said warmly, turning her gaze to their guests again. "The family will soon be gathering for lunch. You can meet them all there. As I said, Pengolodh and his family are visiting today, so it truly will be everyone."

"Well, there's a chance Reyn won't make it," Estel pointed out to his wife.

The queen pursed her lips thoughtfully. "True ..." She turned back to Long and Daemon. "Reyn, our only great-grandchild, is but a few weeks old, so he may be down for a nap," she explained. "And of course, that also means that it is possible that Kiara may not be joining us, either."

"I'm sure you will, if you visit again," Lothiriel assured him. "Egleriad and Kiara live here in the palace, so unless something comes up they would very likely be here."

Of course, she was well aware that sometimes things happened, and there was no way to know when (if) Daemon would be back again, but the odds were in favour of them being here when and if he returned.

As they left the room, Elia was approaching them from the same direction she'd left Long and Daemon earlier.

"Oh, good, you are coming," the princess smiled at her parents and their guests. "Father, I already told the kitchen staff that we have guests for lunch, and places have been set for Long and Daemon."

Estel smiled his approval. "And the others are on their way?" he asked.

Elia nodded. "Elwin and Lalwen may be a bit late, though, they've just come in from Lalwen's training and they both need to wash up." She beamed at Long and Daemon. "Everyone is really looking forward to seeing both of you," she told them warmly. "We've all heard stories of Mother's childhood."

"Of course there are stories!" Elia exclaimed, her eyes sparkling brightly. "Daemon was Mother's best friend when she was growing up, of course she told us about him!"

"Though I do have one question, first, actually," Lothiriel recalled suddenly, turning to Daemon. "Was is you who finally convinced Father to let me go traveling on my own? I know both he and Mother were against it for a long time ..."

Lothiriel's eyes sparkled brightly, and she reached out and hugged Daemon impulsively.

"Thank you for that," she murmured sincerely. "If you hadn't convinced them, I might not be where I am today."

"Yes, thanks," Elia added with a grin very much like her mother's. "I think we're all glad that we're here."

They approached a door, but before anyone could reach for it, one of the guards next to it opened it for them so that the five of them could enter. It was a narrow corridor, poorly lit, and they had to walk single file through it. It wasn't long, though, and once they were through the door at the other end, they found themselves in the dining hall.

"Come," Lothiriel invited Daemon and Long, gesturing them towards seats of honour next to hers and Estel's.

As of yet, there was no one else in the hall, and Elia made her way to her own seat across from her parents' places.

As it was simply the family dining hall, it was not nearly as big and as lavish as the banquet hall, though it was still fairly large. Behind the king's place a large tapestry hung on the wall, a bright crimson tapestry with a golden griffin on it.

The double door on the far side of the hall led to the main corridor - apparently the group had taken a back entrance into the hall - and the doors were wide open so that the corridor outside it was visible. It was clear that more people were coming: Saria's excited chatter could be heard long before she and her parents entered the room.

"See?" the little dark-haired girl beamed up at her parents. "Nako's friends!"

The man chuckled and picked Saria up. "Yes, so we see," he grinned at her. "But next time you stay out of the tunnels and let your ada-thel find them on her own."

The woman who entered with them smiled at Long and Daemon, though she hung back a bit and remained quiet.

Lothiriel took it upon herself to introduce everyone. She first introduced Long and Daemon, then added, "And this is our eldest son, Prince Pengolodh, and his wife, Alinda. And you've already met Saria."

Saria waved at the two humans. "Hi!" she chirped.