Ayron came awake the next morning to a sharp rap on his door accompanied by a loud giggle. He staggered over to open the door, wiping the sleep from his eyes. As he did, his niece held out a big mug of hot tea with the promise of more to come. While he changed and washed up, Elwyn went and brought the rest of the breakfast tray back to his room.
“My goodness, weren’t you the slug-a-bed this morning uncle. I bet you and Kierra stayed up late last night gossiping, didn’t you,” she said laughing. “I think this is the first time that I have woken before you since we started our travels together. I have to admit that, even though I have a lot on my mind, I feel great this morning.”
“Yes, you do seem awfully chipper,” said Ayron attempting, without success, to look grumpy. “Last night you certainly appeared down in the dumps. What’s changed?”
“I have just come to the conclusion that I am wasting too much of my time and energy worrying about things that I can’t change or don’t know. For today at least, I plan to focus on the things I do know and deal with those issues first.”
Elwyn then told Ayron that she planned to spend some time preparing to meet the stranger who, in a few days time, would want to take on the role of her father.
“I know that my father will probably recognize likenesses to my mother in me. I hope he understands that it will be very difficult for me to relate to those things, since the only knowledge I have of my mother comes from her diary. I have no desire to hurt my father in any way, so I hope that he can find a way to give me the time I need to adjust to the situation and our relationship.
I also plan to spend some time thinking about what I can share with my father that will help him to understand the truth of what happened, just how much my mother loved him, and to help him to walk through the grieving process, hopefully for one last time.”
Then sighing deeply, she went on to tell him that she also had to process her feelings about life-bonding with a drakenhawk.
“For many days now, I’ve been hearing and seeing thoughts and images that are not my own, without the opportunity to figure out how I feel about it. I know that a lot of it was for my benefit and protection, but it has still been a very intrusive experience for me. I’m a person who has learned over the seasons to keep to myself as much as possible. I do know in my head that bonding with a drakenhawk is the right thing to do. I just have to figure a way to get that feeling to my heart.”
As they ate breakfast, Ayron shared with Elwyn that Kierra wanted them to be ready in case they were needed to answer questions during the time Lady Silvenna was meeting with Azavon. He told her that Kierra would let them know when the meeting began. He also told her that he was going shopping in the village for a while and asked that she stay in her room while he was gone.
“While I am not anxious to draw attention to either one of us, we have spent far too many days in these outfits and I really don’t want you meeting your father looking as if you’ve been through a war; even though to some extent you have. He will be worried enough when Lady Silvenna tells him the trials you have experienced just trying to get to Findara, and I would prefer you don’t look the part,” said Ayron with a twinkle in his eye. “Besides,” he said grinning broadly. “It isn’t every day I get to shop for a young woman.”
“OK now uncle, just slow down. Don’t get carried away, and don’t come back here with a dress and expect me to wear it. It won’t happen!”
“Now Elwyn, you know that I’ll take your feelings into account. I won’t try to turn you into a frilly frumpy female. But, you could do with a little more color and tailoring. Everything you own is brown, and your clothes fit you like a burlap sacks.”
“Ok, ok, there is no need to continue insulting my appearance or my clothing, especially since I made almost all of it. Just make sure that I can still fight and shoot my bow in whatever you bring me, since we’re still not positive that we are safe from attack.”
“Just trust me to look after your best interests, little one,” said Ayron walking toward the door with a huge grin on his face.
“Sure, sure, I’ve heard that before,” said Elwyn as she stepped across the hall to her room. “That’s what Clayre always says before she puts me in something that makes me look absolutely horrid.”
As Ayron walked away, she shouted after him, “By the way, Toruk sent Raski, Morn and Filn back to Findara to scout the area around the meadow where we will be meeting my father. The others will be serving as our escort for the rest of the trip; along with Keroc, of course.”
While Ayron went shopping, Elwyn grappled with her feelings about life-bonding. She was both honored and puzzled that Kierra would want her to life-bond with a drakenhawk. She felt honored because female drakenhawks had not served as companions since Lady Silvenna’s day. Her companion was the last female drakenhawk to choose to life-bond. At the same time she felt puzzled about the same subject. No female drakenhawk had chosen to life-bond with a companion for several hundred seasons; so why now. And who did Kierra have in mind for her to life-bond with. It couldn’t be Kierra herself, who she already knew and was comfortable with. She was the leader of the drakenhawks and dedicated to the survival of her race. Elwyn was not surprised that Kierra had never chosen to life-bond with a companion. She must have her talons full just trying to deal with drakenhawk related issues. Even though both Kierra and Ayron both tried to convince her that the reason for the bonding was to protect her, Elwyn had a sneaking suspicion that it wasn’t the only reason. She had recently come to realize that companions didn’t always share all the information they knew with their counterparts.
While she was grappling with the issue of life-bonding, she was hit with another revelation. The companions must have known all along that her mother hadn’t committed suicide. They must also have known of her existence. Kierra mentioned that she could interact with Gemma. She also knew that the morden could contact each other over long distances. Elwyn believed the reason that the morden in Findara were never willing to choose a head mare was because they had chosen Gemma and were waiting for her to return home to them. Given all of this, Elwyn had to believe that some of the companions knew all along of her existence and, for some reason, chose not to share the news with anyone else. Elwyn didn’t think it would be wise for her to share this information with anyone else right now, but at some point in time, she would ask both Kierra and Gemma to explain all of this to her.
Elwyn then spent a while thinking about meeting her father for the first time. Apparently he looked very much like Ayron, so at least his appearance wouldn’t be shocking to her. Again and again, she found herself getting swept up in worrying about what she didn’t know and imagining possibilities. She came to the conclusion that the best thing that she could do for them both was to be perfectly honest with him about her fears and apprehensions. If he was the man that Ayron painted him to be, he would understand and work with her in building their relationship slowly and naturally.
“After all,” she thought to herself. “He was patient enough to wait for several seasons to marry my mother in order to give her the chance to get to know his people and to arrange a beautiful wedding for her.”
Elwyn’s head was beginning to hurt from all the thinking. Just as she lay down on her bed, planning to take a short nap, there was a sharp rap at her door accompanied by a muted screech that she would recognize anywhere. Ayron entered; his arms full of packages.
“You must have spent a fortune. Did you buy out the store?”
Ayron laughed and said, somewhat sheepishly, “Well these packages are all for you, I had mine sent over to my rooms already. I had difficulty deciding what to get and thought it would be better for you to have more than one outfit to wear.”
“I brought three outfits with me. I can repair them when we get to Findara and they will be perfectly serviceable, Ayron.”
“Well, why don’t you at least look at what I bought for you and then make up your mind? Besides, I’ve been thinking about burning all
of your other clothing,” he said with a grimace. “I’m not sure that we will ever be able to get the blood stains and smells from the assassins out of them, no matter how many times they are washed. My clothing is in much the same condition, I’m afraid.”
Elwyn picked up a small package from the pile that Ayron placed on her bed and began to unwrap it. She blushed as she discovered that it contained several pairs of undergarments. Ayron, noticing her discomfort, assured her that the shopkeeper’s wife selected the more personal items for her.
“There are many elves living in Sylreth, so when I told her your age, height, and build, she seemed to know what you would need. Hopefully she got it right.”
Elwyn opened one of four rather large packages next. Her mouth dropped open as she held up the most beautiful pair of brushed leather leggings she’d ever seen. The leggings were a beautiful rich forest green and were softer than any animal skin or fabric she’d ever touched. Another of the large packages held a matching tunic in the same color and made of the same soft leather. The tunic came to her knee, but was split on the sides to allow her to ride easily. The neckline of the tunic was trimmed with gems of different colors, shapes, and sizes. Elwyn had never seen anything quite so beautiful before. She started to speak but Ayron shushed her and pointed to the last three packages that still lay unopened on her bed.
As she opened the next package, her eyes widened in amazement at what she saw. The package held another tunic similar to the first, except that it was pure white in color and was encrusted with deep purple amethysts at the neckline and along the edges of the sleeves. It was by far the most beautiful tunic she’d ever seen, even more beautiful than the green one. She was speechless and found herself working hard to hold back the tears that threatened to escape her large violet eyes. She quickly opened the next two packages to give herself some time to gather her thoughts. The first held a pair of white leggings that matched her tunic, and the second held a beautiful pair of soft leather boots.
“Uncle, you shouldn’t have bought me such expensive things,” Elwyn said softly as she turned to face him. “I’ll bet this clothing cost a fortune.”
“And you, my young niece, have got to stop thinking of yourself as a poor village maiden and start thinking of yourself as royalty. At the very least you are a princess twice over. I know that you have been asked to make a lot of changes in your life in a very short time, but I am not sure that things are going to settle down for a time yet. If you think about it, changing the color and texture of your clothing is one of the smaller ones. And please, stop worrying about the money. I have far more of it than I am capable of spending in my lifetime.”
“I will try uncle,” she said still stroking her new tunic. “These things are truly beautiful; far more beautiful than anything I have ever seen.”
“Ah, I almost forgot, Ayron said smiling broadly. “I also bought you a new cloak. It is forest green and I am having them embroider our family crest upon it. The tailor will send it over to your room later this afternoon.”
“Thank you uncle, I can hardly wait to see it,” Elwyn said trying hard to appear casual yet grateful.
“Another thing Elwyn, I am having bath water sent up for you later this evening. When we leave tomorrow, there is no reason to hide your hair or your eye color. By tomorrow the need for secrecy will have passed and you should happily embrace that which embodies both aspects of your duel heritage.”
That said, Ayron retired to his own room, leaving Elwyn to enjoy looking at her new wardrobe and allowing her to spend some private time doing as she wished. He could tell by her reactions that she liked her new clothes. He hoped that she would soon get to the place where she felt that she deserved them. Ayron still felt a bit tired, so he ordered a lunch be sent to each of them and as soon as his was eaten, he dropped off into a deep sleep.
Ayron came awake to the sound of Keroc squawking and hopping from leg to leg on his table. As he shook the fog from his head, he felt a presence in his mind and realized that Kierra must have been trying to reach him. She seemed extremely tense as she let him know that she needed his help. Ayron asked her if they should include Elwyn, but Kierra suggested that they wait until later. Realizing that something was wrong, Ayron cleared his mind and focused on what Kierra was trying to convey.
Apparently, Azavon refused to believe Lady Silvenna when she tried to tell him what had happened over the past few weeks. He definitely didn’t believe that he had a daughter and told her that nothing she could say would convince him otherwise. Lady Silvenna was extremely distressed because she wanted to make sure that Azavon didn’t mention her discussion with him to anyone else. She said that he left her after about ten minutes and went to visit Rhianna’s gravesite. He wasn’t even willing to stay and hear about the danger his daughter was in. Kierra was as upset as Lady Silvenna and had absolutely no idea what to do.
Ayron thought for a few moments and came up with an idea. He asked Kierra to contact Torjon and see if he would be willing present an image to Azavon that he received from Keroc. While he waited for her to contact him with the answer, Ayron went across the hall to Elwyn’s room. She had bathed and her beautiful reddish gold hair cascaded down her back in loose ringlets. He asked her to put on one of her new outfits. When she asked why, he said that Keroc wanted to send an image of her to Torjon so that Azavon could see an image of his daughter. Elwyn agreed, but asked if Torjon would send Keroc an image of her father in return. Keroc bobbed his head in agreement.
After about an hour, Kierra contacted them both to let them know that Torjon had reluctantly agreed to cooperate with them. Torjon has been Azavon’s companion through all of the seasons of sorrow and grief, and had also been kept in the dark by Kierra until Lady Silvenna tried to tell Azavon of Elwyn’s existence. Needless to say, he was shaken up as well. Ayron and Elwyn stood side by side while Keroc took in their images. After a few moments, Elwyn felt a burst of light in her mind which slowly settled into the image of a man standing in a wooded glen next to a gravesite. Elwyn gasped when she took in the image of the man who had fathered her. He resembled Ayron in coloring, but was handsome to the point of almost being beautiful. Keroc quickly warned her never to say that to any man.
During the next few hours, Ayron and Elwyn waited impatiently for Kierra to contact them again. They eventually ordered and ate dinner. They chatted about their travel plans over the next few days. After some time passed, Kierra touched both their minds, gently greeting them and asking permission to show them an image. Ayron and Elwyn both responded immediately with a yes, curious to know what Kierra had seen. They both saw an image of Azavon bowing before Lady Silvenna. Kierra then let them know that, after seeing the image of Elwyn from Torjon, Azavon rushed back to Lady Silvenna begging her forgiveness and wanting to know more.
Kierra informed them that when Azavon saw Elwyn, he said that it was like looking at his wife with elven features. This shocked Elwyn who never realized she resembled her mother so much. Rhys never mentioned it and neither had Ayron. Whenever Elwyn looked in a mirror, the only things that stood out to her were the features that made her so different from the rest of the villagers in Tarlon. It was obvious that since elven features were normal to Azavon, her human features were the ones that stood out.
Kierra let them know that Azavon agreed with the need for secrecy; especially since it would help to ensure Elwyn’s safety. She did add that Azavon was in shock over a great many things; the fact that his wife hadn’t committed suicide, the fact that she had their baby and named her after his father as they’d planned, the fact that he was surrounded by people who may have betrayed him, and the fact that he had a daughter and heir. These were just of few of the things that began to occur to him as Lady Silvenna spoke. Azavon was heartsick that Elwyn had to endure so much violence and hardship while trying to make her way to Findara. He was adamant, insisting that they do everything possible and more to keep her safe from harm. He was also so incredibly grateful to Ayron for enduring suc
h hardship in trying to unite him with his daughter.
Kierra also said that it was everything that Lady Silvenna could do to keep him from traveling to Sylreth immediately to see his daughter. She added that he finally agreed, but only because their meeting in the meadow might expose one or more of the traitors that was responsible for the death of his wife, and the assassination attempts on his daughter, Rhys and his brother. Kierra added that Azavon was looking like a new man; one with hope and enthusiasm about the future. She told them she felt as if Azavon looked and acted more like a whole man, who was anticipating the future and not a man broken down by grief with nothing to live for. Kierra asked them about their plans so that she could inform Lady Silvenna who would then let Azavon know when to expect them. Ayron let her know that he and Elwyn needed to talk and would let her know as soon as they decided. With a gentle farewell, Kierra retreated from their minds.
Ayron suggested to Elwyn that they each sleep on the matter and then get together over breakfast to make their decision about when to leave Sylreth and travel to Findara. Elwyn agreed and they made plans to meet early the next morning in the dining room for breakfast. Ayron also told her not to try to hide who she was any longer. Now that Azavon knew of her existence, he saw little reason to hide her from the rest of the population of Silvendil. Ayron then left her, giving her a quick hug and a pat on the cheek. Keroc entered her mind, sending her images of his mother and feelings of love, trust, and strength from them both. She wished them both a good evening as she closed her door.
Alone at last, Elwyn put on the pretty nightshift that Ayron bought her and climbed into her large comfortable bed. She lay there reflecting on what she had just experienced. Her father seemed like an incredibly humble and kind man who still loved his dead wife very much. It occurred to her that marriage must also be a kind of life-bond and that her mother and father must have shared that kind of relationship. It also occurred to her that if she were to life-bond with a drakenhawk, she would still be able to stay in touch with the incredible drakenhawks that she’d met and fought side by side with during her journey to Findara.
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