Welcome to Gaia! ::

Aethos looked over at Lin, his brow furrowed slightly. "Oh?"

Earendil smiled. "I think she means how the weather is just nicer here in general than where we're from. In the Borderlands, the snow can get as deep as a house sometimes, and in the summer there are storms that can tear buildings apart and uproot trees. But we didn't see any of that when we were here."

Aethos blinked. "Are you sure Melkor isn't still around somewhere in your land?" he asked dubiously. "I mean, that sounds like his handiwork ..."

"I think they're more like this place," Earendil commented. "They're very mild in their weather. Snow in the winter, sun and gentle storms in the summer. Spring and autumn are pleasant as well, or so I'm told."

He smiled as they arrived at the gate of the city, though he was a little disappointed by how stiff and formal the guards remained when they saw that Aethos was with them.

The guards' eyes flickered towards Lin, but they made no move to acknowledge her wave. There was fear in their eyes, fear of Aethos. He had not taken an active part in the ruling of the country since Aerin had come, but their memories were fresh with the way he had treated his men: much the same as his father had done.

Earendil hurried to usher Aethos into the city, hoping that the prince wouldn't become discouraged and simply return to the castle before even seeing anything.

Aethos wasn't watching the guards though: he was looking at Lin, his expression confused. "Why did you wave to them?" he asked curiously.

"At the end of the day, sure," Aethos replied, "but while they're on duty, they're on duty. They're not supposed to be talking to anyone, interacting with anyone. It distracts them from doing their jobs. They're supposed to be watching people without bias or distraction."

Earendil couldn't help but stare at the prince. His greatgrandmother had never ever said anything like that, not even about the guards that were scattered throughout the palace. Even his father had more respect for people than that ... and that was saying something.

"But you're distracting them from doing their jobs properly," Aethos replied. "That is the point."

Earendil put one hand on the prince's shoulder and gripped it tightly. "Calm yourself, friend," he murmured. "We are spending an afternoon relaxing. Lin, was there somewhere in particular that you wanted to see? Or anyone you remember that you would like to see again?"

"Sounds like a plan," Earendil smiled. "I can't quite recall which they were exactly, so perhaps just visit them as we pass them?"

It made the most sense to him. The first would be that leather shop then, the tannery.

Aethos continued walking with them, though he was shaking his head incredulously. "Visiting shops randomly?" he questioned. "What is the point of that?"

Aethos shook his head incredulously. "I don't understand it," he murmured, "but if that is what you say ..."

And after all he had agreed to go with them, and he was a man of his word.

When the arrived at the tannery, Earendil held the door open for them, allowing the others to go in first, and only then did he follow after them.

"Good afternoon!" the shopkeeper greeted them from behind the counter. There was a brief pause as it registered just who his customers were today, and then he bowed his head respectfully. "Aethos-sola, welcome," he murmured.

Aethos didn't reply, but simply started looking around the shop, not entirely sure what he was supposed to be looking at.

Earendil sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. Aethos was going to be a difficult puzzle to solves, that was for sure. Then he smiled at the youth behind the counter. "Hello."

The youth blinked at Earendil, then tilted his head slightly. "I remember you," he murmured. "You were here those years ago ... weren't you?"

Earendil grinned. "Artemis, right? You've grown up quite well, I can see."

The youth appeared about fourteen or fifteen years old now, very nearly an adult, and he had indeed grown up quite handsomely. His hair, as fiery as was normal for his race, was cut somewhat short, and spiked out from his head in just about every possible direction. Gone were the freckles from his childhood, and his skin had been well tanned either from the sun or from his work - or both.