Welcome to Gaia! ::

Earendil smiled and held one hand out to her, inviting her to come with him. It made his heart soar that she was so eager to learn about his ways, even though she was not an elf, and the Valar were not her creators.

"Come," he said softly, his eyes bright and warm. "You will need dark clothes."

Earendil chuckled softly. He had noticed that a long time ago. He didn't mind; it suited her.

"Come," he said when she'd gotten her clothes ready. "Haradhel is making sure everyone has warm water to wash in, but I'm not sure how many people would be finished by now."

If all else failed, they could easily bring a basin to their room; it wasn't a bath, really, and a full bath wasn't necessary for the ritual.

"Not particularly," Earendil replied as they headed towards the bath room. "Arahad and Elrohir were there, but I don't think Shiro and Kaito will be doing the ritual, and I'm not sure if it's a part of Aethos's culture ... I don't know if Elros and Alena will be doing it ... so that just leaves Haradhel. And it's not a full bath, so privacy isn't a big issue, really."

When they reached the room with the baths, Haradhel was just leaving, dressed, like Earendil, in very dark clothes. She paused when she saw the two of them heading for the baths.

"Would you like me to fill a tub?" she asked them. "I had thought everyone was finished, but it's no trouble to refill one."

"Please," Earendil smiled. "Lin would like to learn about our customs."

Haradhel smiled back at him, then at Lin. "That's wonderful to hear," she murmured, turning and heading back into the bath room. "Come right in, it will only take a second."

Haradhel held her hands over one of the tubs, and in an instant it was filled with water that was steaming ever so slightly.

"Just let me know when you're finished and I'll clear it up for you as well," she smiled at the two; and then she left the room and closed the door, leaving them alone.

Earendil smiled at Lin. "You can be in the tub or beside," he told her. "It depends on how much you want to wash. Myself, I took the opportunity to take a full bath, but you don't have to. It's not part of it."

Earendil nodded and brought up a stool so that she could kneel on it rather than bending over the edge of the tub.

"I'll hold your clothes for you," he offered, holding his hands out to take the clothes from her.

Earendil sat on the floor in the half-lotus position, legs crossed comfortably. "Close your eyes," he directed her softly. "Relax. Think about the past year ... things you've done, places you've gone, people you've met and known ... events that have taken place ... it's a bit like meditation, except you're remembering instead of emptying your mind."

He stopped talking then, giving Lin quiet to think and remember.