Welcome to Gaia! ::

Haradhel smiled. "Yes, they had talked about some of the plants from here as well," she agreed. "The naekeurtsl, at the very least, I believe ... though I don't know how well it would grow in your world. Still, I did give Elnara a few seeds for whenever she's up to attempting to grow them ..."

Elrohir nodded. "The two of them really seem to have an interest in plants," he commented. "Care to enlighten us?"



Timaeus nodded, grinning at Lin. "Well, I'm sure it will not be too difficult ... Ada speaks of Donovan often, and though I have not seen as much of him as I have of others of your family, I do feel as though I know him."

"Just keep in mind, young Timaeus, that everything you know of him, you have heard from your father," Elros warned him quietly. "And you of all people should know how your father tends to exaggerate."

Timaeus pshawed. "I know most people think he's crazy ... I think he's brilliant. I'm going to be just like him one day."

"A day not so far off," Elros murmured under his breath, lifting his eyes to see Aragost appearing from the trees.



Aliya giggled. "I'm sure bugging someone isn't the same as going out on a hunt," she laughed at Ryu. "Though what with the move, and having an entire grounds to take care of ... he must be busy with all of that, to be sure."

Rose beamed at Naida. "Then later, when Adanedhel and Adonijah take me back to the ranch, you'll have to come with and see it!" she said brightly. "Roydon and Arwen are there now, they went for dinner, but I'm sure that they would be happy to bring you back here for the night - if your mother will let you, that is."

Haradhel laughed. "A good elvish relationship, then!" she beamed. "So few people even know anymore that flowers have meanings, more than just 'I love you' or something of the like. Honestly."

"What's even more interesting," Elrohir added, raising one eyebrow, "would be to know how the flowers got their meaning."

"You should ask Adonai to check it out," Arwen suggested innocently. "With all of the research he does ... of course, he could just ask Aragost, I swear sometimes there's nothing that man doesn't know."



Timaeus grinned right back at Lin. "And from what I've heard," he winked at her, "neither have you. At any rate, Mother and Father will be waiting for me for dinner, I have to get inside ... I'll see you around!"

And with a wave, he was gone again.

Aragost was slowly making his way towards the group, his face hidden as usual in the depths of his hood, his cloak covering every part of his body so that it almost seemed as if he were gliding over the ground - but it was clear that he was heading directly towards them, or more specifically, towards Miyu and Toshiro (who still seemed to be attached to each other).



Aliya giggled. "No need to ask Ada," she said just as impishly, "all I have to do is ask Elrohir. I've seen Donovan teasing him, the man can be merciless when he wants to be. Of course, it doesn't help that Elrohir makes himself such a good target ..."

Rose smiled brightly at Feng. "And you?" she asked. "Will you come too? Or will you be staying here with Aliya and Amdir? I know you like to visit them ..."

To be fair there wasn't a lot that Adanedhel and Adonijah hadn't told her about their Gaian guests (though their points of view were quite different, to be fair).

Elrohir nodded thoughtfully at Kara's words. "It almost makes me wonder if there was contact between our worlds a long time ago, in our past," he murmured. "Long before Elnara stumbled there ... I mean, there are so many similarities, it hardly seems possible for it to be coincidence."



Elros smiled down at Lin, though it did not quite seem to reach his eyes. "Shall we continue?" he murmured to her. "We should be out there already."

It wasn't that he didn't like Timaeus, he just didn't like the fact that, like his father, Timaeus had no problem delaying others from getting to where they needed to be. They were supposed to be out in the forest already, not still standing by the barracks.


When Aragost reached the group, he reached out one hand to Miyu, inviting her to take it.

"Welcome," he said in his quiet voice. "Come ... I must eat my dinner ... you are welcome to join me if you like ..."



Aliya giggled. "Everyone loved bugging Pen ... it wasn't just Donovan," she assured him. "He really was a favourite to bug ... oh, and speaking of which ..."

Her eyes sparkled mischievously.

"We received a letter last week - or rather, Serenity and Beren did, but of course they shared the news with everyone - Lothiriel gave birth about three weeks ago to a baby girl. Amora. They say they'd like to bring her here to show everyone but their duties require them to stay where they are."

Upon hearing Feng's declaration that she would accompany them to the ranch, Adonijah flushed and quickly finished his food, muttering something about chores as he slipped away from the table.

Rose wasn't bothered in the least. "He just doesn't like people," she assured Feng before the mermaid could feel insulted. "It's actually kind of surprising he stayed in here this long to eat with us."

"But I'll be coming along," Adanedhel smiled warmly, his eyes bright as he looked down at Rose even though he was speaking to Feng. "Don't worry."

Elros nodded as he headed swiftly towards the trees.

"If you would like to go with him and see him and his family," he told Lin gently, "you may ... but I cannot postpone my duty, and I do not wish to lose you in these woods. Strange things have been happening of late ... I wish for you to remain safe."

He just didn't want her to be alone.



Aragost smiled within the shadows of his cowl and led the two children towards the barracks.

"And how are you doing, my young friends?" he asked them as he opened the door for them. "It has been a while since you have last visited for an extended period of time ..."



"The Eastland," Aliya grinned. "Not with Pen's family - they can't stand them, and the feeling's pretty mutual, at least where Lothiriel's concerned. But the people of the Eastland aren't fond of Pen's family either, so ..."

She coughed.

"There was some conflict ... and the result was that Pen and Lothiriel have been made king and queen ... patriarchal like the Westland, instead of matriarchal like the Southland ... from what I understand it was pretty unanimous ... they're staying at the inn that Shael's brother and sister run until their palace is complete, which should actually be any day now, from what I know."

She tried to recall if anyone had mentioned Shael's blood siblings to their Gaian friends yet ...


Adanedhel blushed a bit and looked at Feng, embarrassed to have been caught looking at Rose that way, but his smile was wide and his eyes were bright.

"As soon as dinner is over, then," he agreed.

Rose was looking at Adonijah's retreating form. "He just needs to get used to you being here for more than a few days at a time," she sighed, turning back to Feng. "He didn't speak to me until I'd been here for a few months already."

Elros frowned as they headed into the trees. "The dwarfs have begun to attempt to escape their exile," he murmured. "Creatures of old, once thought exterminated, have resurfaced ... times are changing, I fear, and not for the better."

His icy eyes were serious as he looked around them, and he gripped his weapons more tightly.



Aragost chuckled softly. "Life seems to be good to you," he murmured. "Why don't you tell me about your friend, Miyu? What is she like?"



Aliya just about laughed at the look on Ryu's face. "To be honest," she admitted with an impish grin, "I'm not exactly sure about the details ... something about Pen's father finally making it so blatantly obvious that he cared for nothing but his title that the people revolted, Pen defending whoever was being wronged, Lothiriel's bloodline came out ... I don't know. Ask Elrohir. Or Arwen. They've got all the details. This was years ago already, but I'm sure they would remember it clearly. The letter went to them, after all."


Rose giggled at Naida. "Maybe," she smiled, "but it would take a very long time ... I don't know if you will be staying here long enough for that to happen."

But Elros just shook his head. "If we are unfortunate enough to run into one," he said quietly, "I will tell you ... but until then, I will not name the being. I will not bring it upon us."

He had not personally seen the creature before, but he had heard about it from those who had seen it first hand, and he knew that it was to be feared.



Aragost nodded. "I see," he murmured. "And may I enquire ... how old is she?"

He opened the door to his barracks and led them inside, and after letting go of Miyu's hand he moved to the window to open it and let in some light and fresh air.



Aliya nodded brightly. "Please do," she agreed. "It's an interesting story, it's just been a very long time since I've had to tell it, so I've forgotten most of it. I believe either Elrohir or Arwen still has the letter, though."



Rose laughed at Naida. "He still likes the squirrels," she giggled. "And the cows and the chickens and the deer and the birds and the horses ... and just about every animal there is."

Elros nodded, his brow furrowed slightly.

"Thankfully it does not seem to have reached this area yet," he said softly. "However ... though there are those who do not agree with me, I believe that it is only a matter of time. We must be on our guards ... and be prepared for anything that may happen."



Aragost nodded to himself and motioned for the children to find themselves a place to sit down (since there was still just the bed and floor).

"I would assume that means she is young for her race," he murmured. "What race is she?"



Aliya nodded. "Well, I heard Feng say something about her and Naida going with Adanedhel to bring Rose back to the ranch tonight, why don't you go along and ask?" she suggested. "I'm sure they won't mind. Though I still don't know why you're so surprised at it, it does run in our blood ..."


Rose giggled and poked Naida playfully on the nose. "And Tao," she agreed cheerfully. "Though I don't know where she is half the time ... Adonijah says that she used to be around a lot more. I suppose she's off hunting and fattening herself up for the winter."

Elros looked down sharply at Lin, as if she had just had a sudden idea. "You might mention something to Sir Valdemar," he suggested. "He would know more than almost anyone else on the subject ... Queen Atalya will have to be informed ... King Pen already knows, it was he and Queen Lothiriel who discovered the creatures and brought us news ... and we will have to send someone to the Westland to let King Eregon and Queen Amalthea know ..."

He looked thoughtful, and he nodded slowly. "Yes ... if you have the chance, tell Sir Valdemar. He will know what to do."



"I see," Aragost murmured, understanding as the words unfolded in his mind almost like images. "But if you can be friends, then that is good. It is best to have friends of every race ... there are many here who forget that, if they have ever known that to begin with. But the elves are a proud race ... and I fear that I was no help in preventing this."

He smiled sheepishly and opened a cupboard, pulling out some wrapped packages of food, then turned back to the children. "Here," he murmured. "Eat. You must be hungry."



"I don't think it was chance that they were there at the right time," Aliya murmured. "Pen's father apparently always had people coming to him for help, and he never helped them. I think it was a matter of time before something like this happened. Pen and Lothiriel just happened to be there for a visit, is all ..."

"Unfortunately," Adanedhel murmured to Feng, "there aren't many children left. Even Arahad, the youngest person on the ranch, is nearly an adult ... Rhea's six years old, to be sure, but I get the feeling that Aunt Shael and Uncle Adonai are a little overprotective of her ... though I don't know how long that will last."

He chuckled softly. "You would know what I meant, if you saw her."