It would have been faster to take the tram. It probably would have been more practical too. In fact, her father had insisted upon it and her mother had worried that she might be late if she went by boat. But neither of her parents were coming to see her off so Georgia had taken the boat. She liked to trail her fingers in the water and watch as the ripples flowed from her fingertips like streamers. She also liked the smell of the surrounding ocean and she even liked that it was a slower method of transportation for she had come to dread going back to Uru and it seemed that each time she did she grew more and more homesick.

As the boat sailed on toward Jungle Island, Georgia forgot her ripple streamers and looked to the person who was seeing her off and had always seen her off since the day she first left for Uru. Lorelei Louvel was a beautiful woman with snow white hair and pale skin. Georgia loved to talk with her for she seemed to be one of the only people who could listen to her ramble without getting bored. And she didn't seem to mind it when Georgia would lose focus or have her attention captured by some other interest. Yes, Lorelei Louvel may possibly have been Georgia's only friend on Riven, and that was why Georgia hated leaving so much.

How long they had been in the boat, Georgia did not know, all she knew was that it felt like an eternity and yet the little boat docked on Jungle Island far too soon. Georgia looked at the dense growth of the jungle with fascination and horror. Fascination because there were so many unexplored wonders just waiting to be seen by her eyes and horror because it held the portal that would take her back to Uru.

It was not the job that Georgia disliked, but the place itself. Uru was a cold and unfeeling city full of greed and hate, the guards scared her and the people made her wary. The poor of Uru cried out to her in broken voices and it was all she could do not to give them the very clothes off her back, just so that she might give them something.

A bird calling startled Georgia back to reality and she sent a silent prayer to Gehn to keep Lorelei happy and safe while she was gone.

"Lorelei" she said as she stepped off the boat. "Lorelei Louvel" Georgia said her whole name just to say it. She loved the way it rolled of her tongue and the way it left and echo hanging in the air. Sometimes Georgia would say the beautiful name without desiring the attention of the beautiful person. Often when Lorelei would talk with her husband or be busying herself with some other wifely duty Georgia would be sitting at her table and she would say it out of the blue just to hear it spoken. Very often Georgia would whisper the name to comfort herself on cold nights in her servant quarters in Uru and more than once her employer had inquired who Lorelei was when Georgia found her self speaking it aloud during work.
"Lorelei" she said again. "Lorelei Louvel" she liked that name very much. She liked it almost as much as she liked the woman and saying made parting easier.

Lorelei watched the girl with a smile, but some sadness in her eyes. She hated that the girl worked in Uru, she wished she could have done something about it but it was up to her parents to make the decision and Noel would not get involved. Lorelei did not like to harbor hate, Noel called her too gentle for it, but she wasn’t gentle enough to not hate Uru. It was them she knew that had stolen from Riven and that in turn had gotten J’nanin blamed for it, which is how she ended up here to begin with. However she no longer hated the decision, she was happy with Noel and they had a child on the way, but still she held a grudge towards Uru. It was not a place for such a sweet girl like Georgia and hated when she had to return to the Age.

When the boat reached the island Lorelei let Georgia get out first before stepping onto land after her, smiling brightly when she said her name. Yes, such a cheery child should not live in such a dreary place “Do you keep such spirit in Uru?” She asked her warmly, hoping that she did and did not feel oppressed in such a place “I do hope that your employers continue to treat you well. You know if anything happens you can come to me. I would not allow you to be harmed. Neither would Noel” If anyone did wrong against Georgia, Lorelei would be livid. She may not be able to fight herself but she would make Noel do it if it had to come to that. The Rivenese were her people now, and no one messed with the people of her village.

Lorelei's voice startled Georgia, soft though it was. Once again she had responded to her name, as she should, without Georgia realizing she was going to. Georgia smiled softly at her, touched and flattered that she was so concerned for her well being.

"I will be alright," she said in response, "Gehn is watching over me and then, so are you..." she looked down a moment, a little ashamed as she spoke her next words. "The thought of you taking care of me is a little more comforting than Gehn. Oh, not that I do not believe in him, I do, and well... he is my God but it is just... I can see you and I cannot see him..." she trailed off and shook her head. Once again she had said more than she meant and Lorelei was still patient with her. Yes, she would miss Riven terribly when she left but Uru wasn't all bad, her employers were good to her for the most part and she had a place to sleep and just enough food to eat at least. She reached out for Lorelei's hand for comfort and started walking toward the portal.

As respect to her new home, Lorelei participated in the beliefs of Gehn. She prayed to him when she and Noel went to the temple, and thanked him for blessings as it was appropriate to do. However she did not truly believe in him deep down, for J’nanin did not believe in a God, only the essence of the ocean. She smiled and shook her head, touching the girl’s hair to ease her “I know your faith is strong for Gehn, but I understand what you feel. Nanites believe in the ocean, it is something we can see and feel, it is a comfort. There is nothing wrong for needing comfort other than from Gehn”

She took her hand and squeezed it as they walked to the portal “Perhaps when you return again the baby will be born” She had several more months to go, but she knew Georgia did not get to visit too often. She chuckled “If it was up to Noel he’d be born the first month. He is so impatient” Though she thought it was sweet he was so excited for the child, she just hoped it was a boy like everyone expected her to have.

Georgia knew of the Nanites belief in the essence of the ocean, and she never tired of hearing Lorelei talk of it. She sometimes wished that she had been born on J'nanin and thus raised to believe in the ocean as a deity of sorts but she always felt ashamed after this thought crossed her mind. It was true she believed wholeheartedly in Gehn but she wondered at His ways and how He ruled His island. She knew that the real Gehn had been a cruel and ruthless leader and she understood why the Moity people has severed themselves from him. The Gehn that she believed in was not the human Gehn of the horrible past but a kinder god and deity that merely bore the same name. Georgia often thought that perhaps the essence of the ocean was the same thing as her Gehn and Gehn the same as the essence of the ocean for the Nanites. This was an odd thought she had for she was not sure whether she should be ashamed of it or not. It did not seem like something to be ashamed of but her parents and her people had frowned upon less before.

Georgia brightened a little at the mention of Lorelei's baby. She was quite looking forward to the child's birth herself and she, like Lorelei's husband was impatient for it to arrive. Infants were among the most fascinating wonders in Georgia's mind. She marveled at how small they were and how big their eyes seemed to be.

"I hope that he is strong and healthy when he is born" Georgia said then added "and should he be a she, I am sure she will be as beautiful as you" she squeezed Lorelei's hand as Lorelei had done to her just moments ago and hoped that her words would bring her comfort. Everyone hoped that the child would be a boy, but Georgia just hoped that it would have come by the time she was able to visit again. She trained her thoughts on the coming child for comfort as she looked ahead of her. They were approaching the portal.

She chuckled “I am sure it will be strong” She ran a hand over her stomach as she spoke. Noel was a beast, she had no doubt the child would have his strength, but she worried often whether it would fit in well in Riven. Would it look like her or Noel? Would it adapt to Riven’s harsher ways or would her child be more delicate like she was? She wouldn’t mind a gentle child, but it would be rather a disgrace in the villager’s eyes for their leader to have a child that was not powerful and dangerous like its father. She put an arm around her to give her a hug as they walked, touched by her compliment “You are too sweet”

“I must admit I am rather afraid” She laughed a bit softly. She had seen women give birth before and knew it was hardly anything to look forward too. She also knew women could die in childbirth, especially in Riven where the medicine was not advanced. Noel and others did not think of these things, but she did as the months passed. “But I am sure it will be perfectly fine” She looked forward knowing the portal was approaching before back to her “Remember Georgia, if you need to get away from Uru for any reason, just come home. This will always be home for you”

Georgia wrapped her arms around Lorelei to return the hug. She walked slower now to maximize on the precious moments she had left in Riven. Lorelei spoke and Georgia listened to the sweet sound of her voice, storing it in her memory to take it out again if she should get lonely. The fear in her friend's voice worried her. Medicine had never been what it should be in Riven, Georgia had almost caused her own mother's death when she was born and she had known of many women who had died in childbirth. She sent a silent prayer up to Gehn to keep Lorelei safe until her return.

The portal was right in front of them now. Lorelei spoke again and Georgia turned to her and managed a soft smile.

"Only so long as you are here... I wish you and your family well, may Gehn and the ocean's essence take care of you all." And with a last quick hug Georgia turned to the portal.

She stopped as the portal came into view, looking to Georgia and took both her hands to hold them tight to try and give her some strength. She knew how hard it was to be away from home, she missed J’nanin so much no matter how much she had come to love Riven and its people, but nothing could ever truly replace where you grew up and where your family was. At least Lorelei had a husband here to care for her and she had made some friends, but she worried if Georgia had anyone to turn to in Uru. Being away from home was bad enough, but if you had no comfort to ease you and make you smile then it was even harder, she had felt that way her first few months in Riven.

She returned the hug, feeling a pang of sadness and guilt to have to watch her go. She just wished she could do more for her “Take care of yourself. Come back and visit as soon as you can” She told her, giving her a smile even though she felt like frowning.