Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Lin!" Haldia exclaimed, whirling around at the sound of her voice. She hopped out of her chair and hugged Lin tightly. "Welcome back!"

She blinked, noticing the baby suddenly, and stared at the infant, eyes wide. "Where did ... Lin, you were not gone long enough to have a baby, were you? Who is she?"

She was utterly astonished - but then, she had never seen nor heard of the strange adoptions of the Gaians.

Haldia giggled and stroked the baby's hair softly. "What is her name?" she asked, her golden eyes sparkling brightly.

Sir Valdemar stood up so that he could see as well, smiling at Lin. "I had always wondered when you would be carrying on the tradition in your family," he smiled.

Sir Valdemar laughed at Lin. "With you, every time you return there is going to be something unexpected. It ceases to be a surprise after a while."

Haldia cast Sir Valdemar a curious look, then turned back to Lin and straightened up again. "Sir Valdemar likes to speak the common tongue around me," she murmured to Lin with a faint smile. "I am getting better at understanding it, though it is still more difficult for me to speak it. But it is coming, slowly."

Her smile grew wider. "But now you are back, does this mean then that we are going to be leaving soon to take Rhea to her home?"

Haldia beamed at Lin. "I'm glad. Please don't think me ungrateful," she added, turning to Earendil, "but I am afraid I still have trouble being in such a building as this ... I cannot feel comfortable. I need to be outside again ..."

Earendil smiled and put one hand gently on Haldia's shoulder. "It's all right, I understand," he assured her. "We will go find the others, and prepare to leave the day after tomorrow."

He grinned at Sir Valdemar. "If you can bear to give her up so soon," he added with a chuckle.

Sir Valdemar smiled back and bowed his head. "Of all the people involved in this, I am of the least importance. I will manage, I'm sure."

"I will come with you!" Haldia grinned, moving to join Earendil and Lin.

"Haldia," Sir Valdemar called before she could take two steps.

She looked back at the historian, who shook his head at her. She smiled sheepishly and turned back to the others. "After my lesson," she conceded, sitting down again.

Earendil chuckled softly. "See you later, Haldia."

Earendil had to think about that.

"Well ... Leyenda and Kelirahc have been taking Amalirahc here and there," he said thoughtfully, "so there's really no telli- no, usually Amalirahc still naps after lunch, they may be in their quarters."

He chuckled. "Bedchamber. I'm still so used to being on a ship. It's something to get used to, being back home again."

He thought again. "Rhea and Captain Striate go flying every day, so they could be just about anywhere in the Southland. They promised not to head north without anyone else, even just to see. Though I'm sure they won't have gone far. And if Shiro and his family aren't here and aren't coming, then that's all of us."

He led Lin to the stair tower again and led her upwards. "Going to be a small party now."

"Well, I'm sure you'll tell him all about it when you get home," Earendil murmured reassuringly, patting Lin's shoulder gently. When they reached the fourth floor, he held the door open for her, allowing her to lead the way through.