Ethel

“I saw Duncadda earlier,” said Ethel, as she lunged forward with the loaned practice sword. “He is making some large holes in the Hall's roof!”

I twirled my ashen staff defensively in front of me, focusing on my footing and knowing well there was more fight in my legs than in the weapon. 

It was early evening. I had prepared myself to go down to the Hall and maybe have something from the kitchens. Not that I was hungry really, but I wanted to see if anyone was around. I wanted to know if there was word of the hunt Ethel had ridden on. 

Music

I had been dreaming. It was one of those dreams where I felt warm and safe, where I had been smiling rather a lot. It was a dream about a blanket and laying as close to the edge as I could, looking outwards. It ended with me being wrapped up in the middle and unable..unwilling to escape because I was laughing so much.  

The pain comes

No longer do I fight it

No longer do I seek to hide

The pain comes

We had all made our way to the small village of Middlemead, not too far from our farm - the home that we all missed. The grey ominous clouds in the distance were like a blanket of discomfort upon all of our minds, even though we knew it was safe now: or as safe as one could make it, during the circumstances.

Two nights ago it was. Two nights ago when we heard Ealfin snorting and kicking at the stable wall. 

Ethel knew much of the cruelty of men and beasts, after seeing her father coming home bleeding and with broken bones over the years, and she had on more occasions than one helped the healers take care of both him and other people, including the elf named Seregrian at one point - now a Forever-Friend to her, by ancient elven ritual. But never had she known such evil in her home, on her own doorstep, in her very own room.

“Eda? Eda, if it be possible I would speak with you, woman to woman."

It was a chilly night, the stars clearly visible with no hint of a cloud in sight. The gibbous moon shone down upon me with distant curiosity. ‘What was I doing, seeking to speak with the dead?’