The following day, Aellyn and Conrad were allowed to ease more gently into their morning. They ate an early but fairly leisurely breakfast in her sitting room before they set about their final preparations for their departure later that morning. With a quick kiss, Conrad left her to return to his own quarters where he would gather his own belongings for the journey. Meanwhile, she and Ada would finish packing her things.
Aellyn intended to travel light, taking only a couple sturdy but comfortable linen shirts and pants, her training leathers, and a fur-lined cloak to ward off the cold, and folding it all neatly into a worn leather travel pack. She suspected she would not want to be overburdened on the journey, and anything else she might require she could always pick up once they reached Nemathyr. Ada, on the other hand, insisted she pack at least one proper gown, for her first meeting with her grandparents. The maid was adamant that she make an effort to present herself well. They were royalty, and she refused to allow Aellyn to appear before them like some country beggar. She was representing Andrinport and the Mistwind family, after all. Conceding the point with an exasperated sigh, Aellyn allowed the maid to pack a separate trunk that would contain whatever finery she deemed acceptable for an audience with elvish royalty.
When that was done, a pair of footmen were summoned to haul the trunk out to the yard where it would be loaded onto one of the wagons, and Aellyn shouldered her own pack and brought it down to the stables where she set it on a small hook on the wall near her mare’s saddle so it wouldn’t be forgotten when they were finally ready to depart. That done, she headed back for the house, where she intended to pay a last visit to her parents and her uncle before setting off.
When she entered her parents’ chambers, she found them seated comfortably by the fire in the sitting room, chatting quietly with Aldun and Annika who sat opposite them. Evelien had a small blanket draped carefully over her lap and Ilbryen sat comfortably at her side, one arm draped casually across the back of the couch behind her. They looked like they’d been doing it every day for years, and it gladdened Aellyn’s heart to see it. She was relieved to have her parents together finally, knowing that her mother had longed for such a union all her life, though she’d never openly said so. Aellyn made her way into the room, stepping carefully around the low table that sat between the couches and came to kneel at her mother’s feet, placing her hands gently on her mother’s knees as she settled herself.
“Nearly time to be on your way?” Evelien asked quietly, regarding her daughter with an expression that was a mix of pride and sadness. Suppressed tears glittered in the old woman’s dark eyes that brought a sharp sting to her own, and Aellyn had to swallow hard to dislodge the sudden lump that formed in her throat. Aellyn would miss her mother terribly while she was gone, and she knew her mother must feel the same, though she would never say so.
“Yes,” Aellyn replied, her voice a bit hoarse. Evelien lifted a hand from her lap to gently stroke her daughter’s smooth black hair, tucking a strand that had come loose from the thick braid behind her ear. She favored Aellyn with a sad smile. Aellyn leaned forward, resting her head against her mother’s thigh and closed her eyes, savoring her mother’s warmth and nearness. She struggled to hold back tears.
“Don’t worry, my dear,” Evelien said quietly as she continued to softly stroke Aellyn’s hair. “Your father is here to keep me company now, and you’ll have Rom and Conrad with you.” Aellyn could only nod silently, afraid to trust her own voice in that moment. “You’ll get to meet the rest of your family, and I’m sure you’ll have a grand adventure to tell me all about when you return.” Her mother’s words were soft and comforting, and Aellyn suddenly wished for all the world that she didn’t have to leave her mother’s side. She wanted to stay right where she was, forever, basking in the warmth her mother had always seemed to radiate with such natural ease. Aellyn inhaled deeply, trying to calm the tempest of emotions that roiled within her, and the delicate, flowery scent of her mother’s favorite perfume flooded her senses, immediately calming and reassuring her as it had always done.
She lifted her head then, gazing up into her mother’s kind eyes. Evelien reached down, pulling gently at the thin silver chain Aellyn always kept tucked under her shirt, and freed the crescent moon charm that hung from it, cradling it carefully in her hand.
“Your father and I are always with you,” Evelien said, indicating the charm, before she tucked it carefully back into Aellyn’s shirt. Overcome, tears spilled down Aellyn’s porcelain cheeks then, and she leaned forward to embrace her mother around the waist in a gentle hug. Evelien wrapped her arms around Aellyn’s shoulders then, holding her close and patting her back gently in reassurance. Ilbryen’s arm came down from the back of the couch then to rest carefully around Evelien’s shoulders, and he placed his other hand gently on Aellyn’s back, hugging them both.
“Beilar and Enleth will ensure you have a smooth journey to Nemathyr,” Ilbryen said softly, his voice deep and husky with suppressed emotion. “And your grandparents will be thrilled to meet you,” he assured her. Aellyn lifted her head to meet his eyes then, giving him a grateful, if watery, smile. She sat back on her heels and attempted to compose herself. When she’d wiped away her tears, she stood and leaned in to press a firm, lingering kiss to her mother’s cheek.
Straightening, she said simply, “I love you, mother.”
“I love you, too, my darling girl,” her mother replied, trying to seem placid but falling short, the tears shining in her eyes giving her away. They held each others’ gaze for a moment, a wealth of unspoken love passing between them, before Aellyn finally took a deep breath and turned to regard her uncle.
“You’ll be back before you know it,” Aldun assured her, his expression sympathetic. She stepped around the table and gave him a quick hug.
“Thank you, Uncle,” she whispered into his shoulder. He gave her a reassuring squeeze before he released her. She stepped to the side then and pressed a quick kiss to Annika’s cheek, grasping the woman’s shoulders firmly as she did. “And thank you for everything,” she said simply. Annika could only give her a watery smile and a quick nod in return, tears streaming silently down her face. Aellyn rounded the other side of the table then, coming to stand before her father, who had also gotten to his feet.
He held his arms open to her then, and she stepped in close, his arms enfolding her. As his warmth surrounded her, Aellyn inhaled deeply, taking in the warm, woodsy scent of him. It comforted her, just as her mother’s perfume had, and she drew strength from his embrace. He held her thus for a long moment, and time seemed to stand still. She felt the warmth of him wash over her, calming her fears and kindling an inner fire she hadn’t even known she possessed. When she finally stepped back from him, her tears had dried and her face was set with a determined expression. Their eyes met, and she saw pride and confidence in her father’s eyes that were so like her own.
“Have a safe journey,” was all he said. She nodded to him and stepped back. She gave a quick bow to the rest of her family, then turned on her heel, and left.
When she reached the yard, Aellyn found attendants bustling back and forth loading wagons and saddling horses with quiet efficiency. Conrad stood chatting with a giant bear of a man as he leaned casually against the side of one of the wagons. The man he spoke to was tall and barrel-chested, his limbs thick and sturdy. His gray hair was cropped short and unkempt, and his stern face was tanned and weathered. The leathers he wore were worn and faded, with a few mended tears scattered here and there, and he had a rather impressive greatsword strapped to his back, the simple pommel visible over one shoulder.
“About time you showed up,” the man called as she approached.
“Nice to see you, too, Rom,” she replied, favoring him with a sarcastic grin.
“So you do remember me!” he chided her, pinning her with a stern glare that was softened by the gleam of amusement she found in his eyes.
“I know, I know,” she sighed. “It’s been a busy few days.”
“So I’ve gathered,” he said with wry amusement, glancing around at the commotion surrounding them and folding his arms across his chest. “No matter,” he said, a twinkle in his eye. “There’ll be plenty of time to put you both through your paces on the road.” His grin was predatory. Aellyn and Conrad exchanged wry looks but said nothing. “When’s that fancy uncle of yours gonna be ready to get on the road?” Rom asked.
“I’m not sure,” she admitted, “but soon, I would think.”
“Our things have already been loaded onto the wagons,” Conrad informed her. “All that’s left is to saddle the horses, and we can be on our way.” She nodded, then turned and surveyed the yard around her, looking for any familiar faces. She found Dacyne and Daelar approaching from the house, Daelar in his customary robes, but Dacyne was decked out in chain and plate armor that gleamed in the morning sunlight. A bastard sword was sheathed at her hip, and Aellyn could see the outer edges of a shield strapped to the back of the pack slung over her shoulder. They each nodded to her as they neared, but rather than come over to greet them properly, the pair moved off to see to their horses.
“Friendly,” was Rom’s gruff commentary. Conrad grunted in agreement.
“Well, if they’re here, I’m sure my aunt and uncle can’t be far behind,” Aellyn replied lamely.
Her words proved true a moment later, as Beilar and his wife and Enleth and her husband all finally appeared in the yard. They conferred with a couple footmen for a moment, then Arasatra, Enleth and Kelven made their way over to the brightly enameled carriage with plush velvet cushions and climbed gracefully aboard, Kelven guiding the two women up the stairs carefully and then hopping up after them. Beilar, on the other hand, approached Aellyn.
“We’ll be setting off momentarily,” he called to her with a wave as he came near. He nodded politely to Rom and Conrad. “Your horses have been saddled and are waiting for you,” he waved to a pair of footmen, who led the three animals forward by the reins. “The journey to Nemathyr should take the better part of one turn of the moon,” Beilar explained, “provided we’re able to keep to a good pace. We’ll try to cover as much ground as we can today to get a good start, so we won’t set camp until late tonight. I hope you all slept well.”
“We’ll manage,” was all Aellyn said. Beilar gave a nod of acknowledgment.
“Then let’s be off,” he said, and turned to join the others in the carriage.
“I just need to grab my pack from the stable,” Aellyn said to Rom and Conrad, and she hurried off to retrieve it as the two men made for their horses. When she returned, they were already mounted; Conrad atop his sleek gray stallion and Rom astride a great black warhorse that stamped impatiently.
Aellyn approached her mare, her pack strapped securely to her back. She paused as she was about to mount up, the reins in her hand and her hands braced on the saddle to hoist herself up. She gazed up at the manor house she’d spent her entire life in, wondering if her family stood at the windows to see her off. She drank in the sight of the great house as if she was seeing it for the last time, and she felt a nervous flutter in her stomach. Remembering the look on her father’s face before she’d left them, Aellyn felt the pit in her stomach ease and she steeled herself, bracing one foot in the stirrup and swinging gracefully into the saddle.
With a nod and a confident smile to her companions, she wheeled her horse and set off. The two men exchanged grins and turned their own mounts to follow her. The rest of the caravan got under way as well, and soon the company had cleared the inner gatehouse and began weaving their way down the carefully manicured road that would lead them through the Mistwind grounds to the city below and beyond.
The caravan made its way out of the main gate of the Mistwind estate and into the Flower District with Aellyn, Conrad and Rom leading the way. Behind them were a small unit of elven guards in chainmail and green livery, followed by Dacyne and Daelar on horseback, whispering back and forth to each other. The carriage with Aellyn’s family, pulled by a pair of matched black horses followed behind, with another unit of guards, the wagons loaded with their supplies pulled by pairs of dappled grays and covered with an oilskin tarp to ward off the weather, and finally a last unit of guards bringing up the rear.
Their large group turned more than a few heads as they moved through the streets. Rom’s impressive warhorse earned more than one nervous glance, though Aellyn suspected it was the combination of horse and rider that was cause for concern. Servants and shop owners goggled at the small army of guards, clearly wondering what kind of visitor warranted such a show of force, while the few nobles that found themselves witness were more interested in eyeing the unfamiliar crest emblazoned on the doors of the ornate carriage as it passed.
“Not exactly inconspicuous, are we?” Conrad asked in a low voice.
“No,” was Aellyn’s wry reply.
The morning was sunny and the skies were clear, though there was still a slight nip to the air that made them thankful for the cloaks they wore draped loosely over their shoulders. Birds were chirping in the brightly flowered branches of the trees that lined the main thoroughfare of the Flower District, and the smell of freshly baked breads and pastries wafted through shop windows on the gentle breeze that fluttered their hair as they passed, the loud clopping of their horses’ hooves on the cobblestones echoing around them. As they neared the edges of the District, coming up to the busy intersection that would lead them further into the city, they were approached by a City Watch patrol.
“Quite a racket you lot are making,” a member of the patrol hailed them as he came near, and they brought the caravan to a slow stop. He strode up alongside Aellyn’s horse, giving her mare a gentle pat on the nose, while the rest of the patrol kept a respectful distance. The man was about Aellyn’s height, and had a stocky build. His shoulders and chest were broad under the chain and leather armor he wore, his white City Watch tabard, embroidered with the crest of Andrinport, draped over his wide belly. His long, sandy colored hair was tied back out of his face, and his bright blue eyes regarded her calmly.
“Apologies…” Aellyn trailed off.
“Captain Nosse,” the watchman supplied.
“Apologies, Captain Nosse,” Aellyn nodded to him. “We’re on our way out of the city and have a long journey ahead.”
“A group this size is bound to cause a bit of commotion,” Nosse replied, leaning back to survey the rest of the caravan. “Which way you headed?”
“The north gate,” Aellyn replied. He nodded thoughtfully. He gave a quick wave, motioning one of the patrolmen forward. They exchanged quick whispers, and the man hurried off.
“We’ll provide an escort to the gate,” Nosse explained. “We can clear the streets ahead of you. Keep townsfolk safe, get you on your way.”
“Ah,” Aellyn said with a nod. “Yes, we probably should’ve notified the Watch ahead of time,” she acknowledged. “I hadn’t thought of it.”
“No bother,” Nosse dismissed with a wave. “You’d have been grand, just makes things easier for everyone this way.”
“You have our thanks,” Aellyn gave a respectful nod.
“Should just be a few minutes, we’ll have a few lads down here to clear a path. I’ll send a couple of mine along as well.” He stepped back then and went back to his unit to confer with them. Aellyn turned in her saddle to address one of the guards mounted behind her.
“Could you let everyone know about the delay?” She asked. The guard gave a quick nod, turned her horse, and trotted down the line, stopping here and there to pass along the news. Aellyn straightened in her saddle once more, settling in to wait with a small, impatient sigh.
“Not exactly how you imagined the start of your big adventure, eh?” Rom called over to her. His expression was sarcastic. She rolled her eyes at him.
“You could have sent word to them,” she accused. He barked a laugh.
“Aye, I could have,” he agreed. “But I’m not in charge, am I?”
“Is this how the entire trip is going to go?” Aellyn shot back, suddenly irritated. “You, knowing there are things we should do but refusing to do them unless you’re specifically told, leaving me to find out the hard way? All because you’re not calling the shots?”
“Do you really think me so petty, girl?” Rom replied, his brows lowering and his tone turning indignant. Her eyes narrowed. They glared at each other, both refusing to back down. Their standoff was interrupted when Captain Nosse returned.
“Should be all set now,” Nosse said when he stepped up to stand by her stirrup. He gestured towards a pair of mounted watchmen that waited at the intersection leading into the city.
“Thank you, Captain,” Aellyn replied.
“At your service, Lady Mistwind,” he said with a shallow bow. Aellyn’s brows rose in surprise. “Aye, I know ye,” Nosse confirmed, a twinkle in his eye. He shot a quick glance toward Conrad. “I’ll send a couple o’ mine along behind. Have a safe journey.” He smiled at her, then stepped back, giving them room to pass. Aellyn gave him a long, skeptical look. He said nothing more, just smiled innocently up at her. She harrumphed and urged her mount forward. The mounted watchmen likewise turned their mounts and led the way toward the city’s northern gate, clearing a path as the caravan fell in behind them and they were once more underway.
They reached the gate without further incident. Townsfolk had stopped to watch them pass, lining the streets and waiting impatiently to return to their business, unimpressed by the display of elven grandeur that interrupted their day. The guards at the gatehouse, warned of their approach ahead of time by the Watch, let them pass quietly through without comment, and Aellyn felt exhilarated to finally be outside the walls of the city. She watched the merchant carts and various travelers pass by on their way into the city with curiosity as she rode along the wide dirt road heading north, the others trailing behind her.
It would be a full day’s ride to the nearest town, Aellyn knew, and she was sure they wouldn’t make it there before dark, given that they’d gotten a bit of a late start. Thinking suddenly of her relatives in the carriage, it occurred to her that it may be worthwhile to ride ahead and secure rooms for them. If rooms weren’t available and they’d need to make camp somewhere, it would be better to find that out before night fell. Aellyn slowed her mare.
“We should ride ahead to Baredenn,” she said as Conrad and Rom came up alongside her. “Make sure they have rooms available.”
“Aye,” Rom agreed. She called over her shoulder to the guards that rode behind them, letting them know her plans, then kicked her mare into a gallop. Conrad and Rom shared a quick glance, then spurred their own mounts on, following her.
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