Welcome to Gaia! ::

Earendil chuckled softly. "So it would seem," he agreed.

The children (and their Pokemon) arrived in just a moment. Andarien was panting from running, even though it had been a short distance, and he had to pause to catch his breath before he could say anything more.

"They're back," he said again, grinning at his parents. "They didn't tell us anything about how it went yet but they said they'll talk to us later. Cael went off with Lancaeriel and Mari went off to do some more work, even though she's been working all the time she was gone, I think."

"There's no telling what Kyrie may be up to," Earendil murmured. "Well, I suppose we'll see them all at dinner if nowhere else."

Though part of him wondered if Kyrie might have gone up to their room to look for him and see how he was doing. Maybe he was just thinking of himself, though. He didn't know.

"Busy times for everyone, I suppose," Earendil smiled, a bit wistfully. While he understood that he had needed to recuperate after his ordeal, he did wish he'd had a bit more to do while waiting for all those weeks.

At dinner time, as promised, everyone was present, and those who had stayed behind were able to ask about how things had gone around the country.

"Your letters did say that things went well," Wren commented to Mari as the meal was served, "but you never gave any details."

Mari was of course seated at the head of the table, and Chesnet and Mathias were to her left, and Maravel to her right. The others were sitting in no particular order around the table, though families were sitting together.

Mari smiled at Wren. "Well, to save from spending hours telling about each city individually," she began, "allow me to summarize. We met with two different types of receptions in the cities ... either the magistrates were people who did the bare minimum of what General Durnen ordered so that they could stay in charge but still help the people, in which case we were welcomed warmly and there was no trouble at all ... or the magistrate succumbed to the temptations of power and became like the General, in some cases worse, and we would have to have Cael lead the way in so that we could approach in peace and take care of the men in charge without suspicion."

Her eyes were warm as she looked around at everyone. "For the first time since my family's deaths, I believe the country is truly united," she said warmly. "I do not think it will be too long before we are as strong a nation as we once were."

Mari let out a soft laugh. "Well, you do enjoy the difficult questions, don't you?" she grinned at Lin. "Well, the first thing is to make sure the people are being properly taken care of. They've been half-starved all these years, though the farms have been producing well enough. So the first thing then is to make sure everyone is properly fed. For a while, it may mean handing out food in the cities, but hopefully within a year or two, the market will be doing well enough that the people can feed themselves. But trades have also slowed - tailors, metallurgists, smithies, tanners ... so few people can afford to buy anything that the people can't afford to make anything. The economy is almost dead. So taxes will have to change. We're still discussing the details," she added, nodding at Maravel, "and while we can't stop them altogether, we're probably going to lower them to one or two percent for a while, at least until things are good enough that the people can afford a bit more. Once things balance out, we'll see where we go from there."

She took a moment to have some food, and then she went on, "Through all of it, though, I have to reestablish a bond of trust between the people and the government. Yes most do trust me, but they still fear my station. So many were killed by the General ... so few remember what it was like before his rule. There is a fear of those in charge."

She trailed off slowly.

Kyrie, who was sitting on the far side of Wren, spoke up. "She also has plans to introduce an apprentice program so that people can learn crafts," she said warmly. "So much skill has been lost simply because they were out of use ... it will be good to see people moving forward again, making something of themselves."

Mari smiled warmly. "Thank you, Lin," she murmured. "I also am looking forward to seeing what my people can do, given the opportunity. I do hope that before you leave our continent, that you will return here and see how things have changed. You - all of you - are welcome here any time."

Earendil smiled and bowed his head respectfully. "Thank you, your Majesty," he said warmly. "It's good to know that we will be given a rather warmer welcome than the first time."

The others chuckled softly.

"You are also welcome to remain as long as you wish," Mari added.

Mari nodded. "Then I hope that you will at least stay the week and permit met to make sure you are fully supplied, and that I may give you a feast in thanks for all you've done for me and for my people," she said sincerely. "Every citizen of this kingdom is indebted to all of you."

Kyrie glanced at Lin. "Do you need to send a letter telling them to expect us back?" she asked her.

"Maybe if you have some time we can show you what we did while you were gone," Andarien offered to Mari. He paused, then added, "Though ... I have something for you, too ... since you were kind enough to let me use your forges all this time."

Surprise briefly etched Mari's face, but it was gone quickly, and she smiled warmly at Andarien. "Thank you. I would like that very much."