Welcome to Gaia! ::

"I'm not that small, Papa!" Idhril protested, looking way up at him from where she stood at his feet. "I'm bigger than Storm and Starr!"

Elnara laughed. "Well you're much smaller than anyone here," she reminded her daughter. "So to them, you are indeed very small."

The swinging doors opened again, and a woman entered the room. She was about Elnara's height, and shared many of her physical features, but she had coppery streaks through her long, black hair, something that no other Southland elf had (although, to be fair, she wasn't exactly a Southlander to begin with). She had a kind face, and though it was obvious that she wasn't exactly young (having lines of care around the corners of her eyes and mouth) she had a youthful energy that gave her a spring in her steps. She was dressed simply in a pale blouse and colourful skirt and, like many of those who lived in the city, was barefoot.

"Elnara!" she exclaimed, spotting her. "Welcome back!" And she ran out and threw her arms around Elnara, hugging her tightly.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Lore smiled with a nod.

He could see the resemblence, at least in physical features. Lore noted that her hair seemed to be sun kissed like the way some humans with black hair liked to highlight theirs.

Elnara flushed. "I know," she replied defensively, "but it never crossed my mind ... besides, it wouldn't have been any better for me. I wouldn't have had any contact with anyone at all, and I would never have found Mother again."

She stepped closer to Lore and took his hand. "Besides that, I wouldn't have met Lore," she finished softly, smiling.

For that, she was willing to go through all the hell she had been through again.

Soronúmë smiled at the movement and nodded. "Yes ... I can respect that. And I suppose I shouldn't expect to be told, when you didn't even tell your own mother." She laughed.

"Come," she invited, beckoning for them to follow her. "Come join us for lunch. We're just getting ready for the business lunch hour. Rigel will be so happy to see the both of you!"

And her dark eyes sparkled as she led them behind the counter and through the swinging doors.

Lore followed closely taking a look around, seeing a lot of differences and yet a few similiaies between this inn and the one that Elnara called home. He hadn't realized so much time had passed already, lunch hour already?

Elnara followed closely, looking around for anyone she might recognize ... but there was no one, except for Starr, who was heading back out the other way, towards the front room.

"Just anyone I might recognize," Elnara replied softly, smiling at Lore. "So far no luck ... just Starr. To be fair, it's not like I was here often, I only remember coming here two or three times when I was growing up, and then once I lived at the castle I only visited once before I ran away ..."