Elandowyn journeys back to Glen Moss

[Dragon Claire]

Elandowyn heads back to Glen Moss and approaches the border guards.
"I am Novice Elandowyn of Tralda. I have come to speak with the Elder of the Halsbolg tribe on a personal matter. May I be permitted to enter the forest and guidance to her tribes steading?"

[Leah]

The Guardians consider her suspiciously for a moment and then a runner approaches up from behind them, whispering in one of their ears.

"Permission granted, but please allow Guildir here to escort you."

The runner nods and the guardians step aside. "The walk to the Halsbolg order lands is less than an hour away, Elandowyn." Guildir says, and they start walking. When they approach the lands, Guildir escorts her to the nearest sentry and leaves.

"The Elder is this way," the Sentry says, and takes her to a small hut. "Knock then enter," he says, and walks away.

[Dragon Claire]

Elandowyn thanks both Guldir and the Sentry as they leave her and turns to face the Elders door. She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes and whispers "Praise be to Tralda" then knocks softly on the door. She waits a few moments incase there is a response and then quietly enters the building closing the door behind her.

[Leah]

Inside is a simple hut with a few chairs and a very primitive bed.

The Elder sits on one of the chairs, her eyes closed in meditation. "Come in, please," she says after a few seconds. She motions to the chair next to her.

"You are Elandowyn?" She asks, keeping her eyes closed. "What do you wish to talk about?"

[Dragon Claire]

"I am Elder, thank you for seeing me" she almost gingerly walks across to the offered seat, feeling her true age for once among her own kind, and sets herself down.

"I have come to speak with you on a personal matter regarding my past and heritage. I understand the timing of this may not be the best, however, this is an opportunity I cannot afford to ignore. I have lost myself and I need to find the person I am and soon. What better way than to start than from the beginning I have spent the last 72 years wondering and searching for clues as to where I came from and what became of my parents. It was fortuitous that our paths crossed that day, dark though it was. I was turned away from the forest when I came looking for help 20 years ago and if the tale is as sad as you said it was perhaps it is was right and I was too young. But I am older now"

She pauses for a moment to think and hold her emotions in check.
"We have a common enemy who I shall not rest until I see them defeated. I am broken and need to be made whole. I do not have the strength to fight until this is so. Please help me."

[Leah]

"My dear," The Elder said, sitting beside her and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Your parents fled, yes?"

"The reason they fled was not a happy one. The Clan We Do Not Name were a corruption - one that spread death where ever they went. Before we could get to the heart of them, your family were touched - against their will, I will add. In their rage the clans decided that the only way to ensure that the corruption was completely annihilated was to destroy everything touched by it. Despite the fact that your parents were trying to fight the corruption, unfortunately the clan leaders decided that they were also corrupted. Your parents ran, more in fear of allowing harm to come to you than themselves, but as you saw - they were caught.

"I'm not sure how you survived, really. I think that it was something to do with a present your father and mother gave you as a child. It was a very special hat, one far too big for your small head, but one that had some sort of saving grace when they came for you. You don't still have it, do you?

"Unfortunately, I've heard tales that your parents aren't quite at rest. I don't know if they told you they'd been laid to rest or where, but we do know that the old tower where you lived hasn't been quite calm since."

The Elder sits back. "I'm sorry not to be able to bring you good news. But I think I'm happy to vouch for the fact that you are pure and free of any corruption inflicted on your family. You should be able to pass through the borders now easily."

[Dragon Claire]

Elandowyn sits and listens in silence, tears rolling down her cheeks. She remains motionless and unblinking, her lips silently trying to find and form the words she has running through her mind. Eventually she manages to speak in what is a hoarse croak.

"They...they told me the tracks led away from the forest but...but they never said...I was barely walking then. I remember there was noises and my mother telling me to hold her hand tight and my father telling us to be swift and silent as needed to stay hidden from danger. I remember the dark. It clouded everything just the three of us and the road. I remember falling down and my mother scream my name. Then the next I knew my parents were lying still and bloody on the ground. And I held my mothers hand and I stayed silent until. The McCrae's...the humans...found me in the red dawn...they were trying to save me..."

"My hat?" She absent mindedly feels for the hat usually slung across her back only to find she has forgotten it again. "I have a hat yes. A blue one with a point and wide round brim. It has a gold buckled band on top and woven band of many colours beneath. Is that the one you speak of? I found it in a store room one day. The McCrae's said the hat was riddiculous and would never sell and if I liked it so much it was mine. I'd always thought it was kind of lucky for me."

"What kind of corruption was it that affected the tribe. If it can be caught against ones will how is it best avoided? You say my parents are not at rest, in what way are the lingering on. Where have they been seen. They tried to save me and are my kin. I must save them and see them at peace."

There is moment of creeping dread as she remembers the description of her home and that one other had spoken of her parents before. One she had hoped was lying.

"Where was my tribes tower? It isn't the one that lies to the far south of the forest is it?"