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Aerin smiled and motioned for them to rise. "Please. The days of my father's rule are over."

"Thank the Valar," Alena muttered under her breath. She rose from her seat and bowed to the others. "Forgive me for my dishonesty on your last visit. I did not dare to tell you the truth of things, though I tried."

Alena smiled and sat down again, and Aerin motioned for the others to sit as well.

"Please join us," she invited them. "I'm sure you must be hungry. I'm told you walked up from the beach. That's quite a walk, you must need some rest as well."

"Thank you," Shea spoke up. "I know I could use a rest."

"And some food, I'm sure," Mikhail added with a chuckle, taking a seat as well.

Earendil sat so that Miyuki was between him and Lin, and while they waited for food to be brought to them, he looked over at Caranthir.

"You're strangely quiet today," he couldn't help but comment, remembering back to the excitable and chatty man he had met those years before.

Caranthir smiled gently. "You have been welcomed, what have I to add? I could say that I most sincerely welcome you, but my wife has already done even that."

Earendil blinked, and a slow grin spread over his face. "Wife?" he repeated, looking at Aerin. He chuckled and looked down at Lin. "Seems you were right about that as well."

Aerin laughed softly, and Caranthir grinned. "Well, I suppose we must have been about as easy to read as the two of you," he quipped. "So we're even now, yes?"

Earendil chuckled and ruffled Miyuki's hair affectionately. "I'd say so." He turned to Miyuki and explained, "Before they came here, they lived on the ranch as well. They weren't married then, and your mummi said that when we came here, she guessed that they would be."

"At any rate," Earendil commented, "Aerin, we're all curious - how did things go when you arrived here? I mean, obviously things are much better than they were before, we walked through the city and it's so clear that the people are much happier now."

It was too much to hope that it had gone peacefully, he knew, but obviously it had gone well eventually.

Aerin's face tinged a slight shade of red, and she suddenly became fixated on the food in front of her. She cleared her throat once, twice, and a third time, before she finally replied, "Let's just say ... the people were glad of the change, and supported me right from the start, and I was unable to trust my father as a free man, and I am still uncertain at times about my brother."

Earendil frowned gently as food was brought in for him and the others. That didn't sound as if it had gone well at all. "No one was hurt, I hope?" he said as he began to eat.

Aerin shook her head. "Thankfully, no. For a while I was afraid I might have to do something to my father, but while there were some of the people who favoured his execution, the majority agreed that it was enough to simply lock him up."

"Thus far," Alena agreed quietly, "though I must admit, I have my doubts about Aethos-sol. He was not present when Her Majesty ascended the throne, and he was quite shocked to find his father dethroned so suddenly. He claims to see that the people are much better off now than they were, but he was so under his father's eye and tutelage before that I do not know if he is just watching his back, as his father would have done."

Earendil nodded. "Threats from within. The only way a good monarchy can be brought down."