Welcome to Gaia! ::

Saria's eyes widened slightly in understanding, and she nodded. "Oh, I see. Well, Long, were you in a sword too and sleeping for a long long time? Do you know my Nineko, too?"

She didn't specify which great-grandfather, since of course she had only one. She was so young she wasn't even aware that there were usually more, and of course no one would have told her the story of the king's parents quite yet.

That was a topic no one brought up if they didn't have to.

Saria blinked, suddenly very confused.

"So you didn't come from a world at all?" she asked hesitantly.

The rest of the family laughed at her.

"Of course he came from a world, Saria," Egleriad grinned at his young cousin. "I'm sure he just means that he hasn't traveled away from his home world before. Isn't that right, sir?" He chuckled softly and smiled at Long.

Saria nodded, her lips curling into a pout. "Me neither," she said.

Pengolodh chuckled and put one hand on his daughter's head. "And don't plan on it," he grinned at her. "Besides, you get to enjoy their company now, so it's not as if you're losing out completely."

Saria stared at Long, then looked up at her father. "Papa, do I know his son's family?" she asked him in a loud whisper.

Pengolodh's eyes sparkled with amusement. "No, we missed their last visit," he told her gently. "But I'm sure you'll meet some of them eventually."

Lothiriel smiled gently at Long and Daemon.

"Actually," she corrected them gently, "I believe Pengolodh and Saria are referring the visit we had four years ago from Earendil and Lin and their group. Triton has been here once, and Iris, Naida and Jair came once, but aside from them no one from your world has visited us here."

"I think the last time we saw them was your Aunt Elnara's wedding, was it not?" Estel asked his wife, looking at her thoughtfully.

She nodded. "That sounds about right."

"I'll say," Estel chuckled. "That was still a few years before Lothiriel and I married, and now we're great-grandparents!"

"I wonder what it would be like to have the whole family in one place like that again," Lothiriel mused with a smile as she finished off her meal. "That would be quite chaotic, I think. Can you imagine how many of us there would be? Especially if we truly did have every Aldrich that we know of present!"

It would easily be a gathering of at least one hundred people.

"A long time, indeed," Estel chuckled, "especially as Earendil and Lin and Daeron and Iorlas have gone off to another continent entirely. And of course Rhea now lives in Amon Darthir ... yes, it would indeed take a long time to gather everyone together."

Then he smiled and pushed his chair back and rose to his feet. "Unfortunately, on that note, it is time for us to get back to work. Daemon, Long, it was wonderful to see the both of you, and I do hope that you will visit us again."

The rest of the family also rose to their feet, though only Lothiriel had also finished eating, and the rest of them stood out of respect to Estel's position.

"Don't feel obligated to leave," Lothiriel smiled warmly at their guests. "As Estel said, we do have to go back to work, but you are welcome to stay as long as you like."

"Would you like a guide?" Pengolodh offered to the two Gaians as Estel and Lothiriel left the dining hall. "Alinda and I live in the city, so we're heading back there anyways."

"But if you aren't finished eating, don't feel rushed," his wife added quickly, smiling warmly at the two. "Saria isn't finished yet, either, so we'll be waiting on her."