Welcome to Gaia! ::

Lothiriel laughed, as youthful as she had ever been. "Yes, i can see that," she giggled. "Lin is the adventurous one of the family, isn't she? So much like her mother that way."

They passed through a room filled with shelves of books. The only wall space that wasn't covered by bookshelves was an area about four feet wide that had a desk in front of it instead.

Lothiriel looked around at Triton's exclamation. She smiled at him. "This is just until the library wing is finished," she explained. "No one could research anything if they had to sit here with people walking past them day in and day out."

The next room they passed through was still under construction, it seemed: though the walls and main structure were finished, the only light came through some windows high up on the walls, though there were chains dangling from the ceiling, apparently for chandeliers that were not yet installed. Other than that, the room was completely empty, including the floor which was nothing but smooth stone.

"Oh, send him!" Lothiriel beamed. "Honestly it's been so long since we've seen any of you, we do miss you all."

The next room they came to was far from finished at all. The ceiling was entirely absent, and only two of the walls were completely finished. The other two were about half done, and scaffolding had been erected next to them. Elves of both races were working hard, setting down mortar and placing the large stone blocks carefully.

As the group passed by, they bowed their heads respectfully to Lothiriel before returning to their work.

Lothiriel's brown eyes danced with excitement.

"And that of course is why you're here," she beamed. "To set up a portal to the Eastland, so that everyone can visit here without having to travel across the desert - and of course to save time, since despite the time difference between our two worlds, you still can't visit forever."

Up ahead, through a half completed doorway, Amora's excited chatter could be heard speaking in rapid elvish.

Lothiriel giggled girlishly. "Then she'll just have to come here to see him, now won't she?" she grinned, leading them to yet another unfinished room - this one at least six times the size of any they had been through yet. Pen (Estel) and Amora were there, the little girl in her father's arms and chattering away nonstop, and Elros himself was also there, standing next to the king and looking on with a faint smile on his face.

"Triton!" Estel beamed when he saw the neko approaching with his wife. "Long time no see! By the Valar, it's good to see you again! And you, sir, who might you be?"

Caranthir bowed deeply, still smiling warmly. "My name is Caranthir, Your Majesty," he said respectfully. "I am but a wanderer."

Amora giggled and wiggled down from her father's arms, though she pressed against him as she smiled up at Triton and Caranthir. Estel chuckled and put both hands on her shoulders.

"Come, both of you," he smiled widely. "Lothiriel told me a while ago already that you would be coming, and why, and she has ever so brilliantly found the perfect place for you to create your portal. We can go there now - unless of course you want to sit for a bit first? I'm not sure how long you've been walking ..."

Caranthir remained silent now. He of course was not as familiar with the king and queen as Triton was, but also he recognized that he was not the one with business there.

"Well, that sounds good," Estel smiled broadly. "Why don't we all head down there, then? Lothiriel?"

He turned to his wife, but she shook her head, smiling faintly. "I should check on Pengolodh," she excused herself, "but you go ahead. Perhaps I'll catch up with you later."

"I want to go with!" Amora spoke up excitedly reaching up and tugging on her father's hand. "Can I, Ada?" Her brown eyes sparkled brightly, pleading with her father to let her accompany them.

Estel grinned. "Why not. Come on, I don't think you'll have seen this place yet, Amora." He held out his hands to her, and she bounded into his arms, giggling.