((The Elves in this episode will speak in their Avarin native tongue
and they will have their own names for entities and locations,
so here is the short explanation for the terms used:
Lakastra - The Vala Manwë
Ámmtara - The Withered Heath))
Rhovanion, A few miles south of the borders of Lothlórien,
Mid-Summer T.A. 3018
The Cloud-Child rouse up and although her eyes opened, she did not see. A few moments were required in which her mind set the pieces of her consciousness and her memory together to determine where she actually was. It startled her a little that she had fallen asleep.
Ælbdís sighed a prayer to Manwë as she felt the soft ground beneath her. The soft and cool breeze told her that it was still night and she still lay in the shelter of the rock ontop of a small hill.
Someone murmured quietly and moved under the mantle that served as blanket that was embellished with feathers of all colours and shape. Creowyn shifted on her position in her sleep, the warming mantle covered her only to a half anymore and Ælbdís noticed that the girl was freezing. Quickly the Elf adjusted the blanket, lay back down and pressed Creowyn against her.
It was curious, Ælbdís found. The midnight's cold, a fresh and damp coolness that came up the hills from the Anduin was not noticeable for herself such as that she would be freezing, but it was obviously a bother to Creowyn. Would the rohirric girl follow her new mother up into the North into the land of her kin, so Ælbdís would have to take precautions, for the winters were long and without any mercy in that land. About Edstan she did not worry. He was an experienced warrior and wanderer who knew about the guile of each and every land. Snow, wind and the falling ice-crystals that could stance holes into one's skin he would be able to withstand, but not so Creowyn, who was still shaking beneath the blanket.
Then something caused Ælbdís again to rouse up. It was a feeling of being watched for but a mere second. Her instincts warned her and she held her breath to concentrate on any movement or loud that came from her surrounding.
Creowyn's breath and the chafing of the cloth, the wind within the tree-tops that let the leaves rustle, somewhere broke a small branch and fell to the ground, wings spread instantly.
Unconsciously did Ælbdís bend over Creowyn and as her instinct was alarmed again that something stirred in the near, the Elf's fine hair on her neck rose up. With a grim look on her face did she sat up and drew the legs to her body to be able to jump at the being that stalked them, would it come into reach. The otherwise so delicate fingers of Ælbdís were now arched like the claws of a predatory animal and also the priestess' face had gotten animal-like outlines. Her blind eyes pulsated in brutal expectancy to throw herself upon the one who was threatening her and her god-daughter. A warning hiss emerged from her throat, the distinctive fangs displayed.
Would a man have seen the priestess now, never would he came to trust into her actual good being again, but would have held her for a terrible creature hunting for him.
»It is me, Ælbdís«, said someone suddenly in her mother-tongue and the Elf fell out from her terrifying stance, looking perplexed into the direction of where the voice had come from.
Quickly she stood up, bowed and placed a hand on her heart, while offering symbolic her left.
»What a sight, priestess, that thou still holdst as one of our oldest thy wild form from ancient times.« Tobaár took one, two steps forward and took Ælbdís' left hand reassuring, followed by the same gesture.
The tall and intimidating warrior wore his many-jointed armor that was made of leather, metal and wooden parts, his long, even as Ælbdís', white-blond hair he wore open and falling unto his back. In the moonshine however one could have seen that through the silvery gold, lines of black hair were roaming. Also his eyes seemed at first identical to that of the priestess, but on a closer look were they filled with a more golden shine, not unlike that of amber.
»I did not think that anyone would find us out here. So I predicted that a foe would close about us«, she defended her reaction, »Who would have known that thou seekst me out in the middle of the night and far in the wilderness, Tobaár?«
»Admittedly, my coming came unannounced«, the tall warrior replied and stole a look past Ælbdís upon the still sleeping Creowyn. The girl obviously had not noticed anything of what happened and did not even bother herself with the now talking Elves. She merely shifted on her position and turned her back to the two. »But no one in Caras Galadhon knew whence thou didst go. Only the guard on the gate could point me into the right direction and now I find thee in the companionship of yet another mortal.«
»She is of our kin now.«
On the priestess' words came for long no reply, the warrior remained quiet so that Ælbdís Gaomee turned back and adjusted the mantle over Creowyn once more.
»Speak plain, priestess! What dost thou mean?«, Tobaár demanded to know and his voice let the elven maiden startle. She knew the warrior from the old days and had seen him fight. There was non who ever had wished to bring Tobaár's anger upon him or herself.
Carefully Ælbdís turned around. »I have adopted this girl«, she began and was wary of any of the warrior's reactions. »As much as she is akin to the Horsemen so does she belong to us.«
»Thou hast always been led more by thy heart than by thought, priestess«, came Tobaár's reply, »Mark my words that there is no place for the mortal-kind in our land and our world. The war to be fought and the coming of the Dark Time will rob them of their courage as it has ever been such. Not this Edstan will be able to withstand and not ...«
»Estra«, named Ælbdís the name that she had given to Creowyn.
»Thou hast called her 'Estra'? But that was the name of ...«
»I know, whose name that was, Tobaár«, cut the priestess the warrior again off, what caused the tall Elf to narrow his eyes dangerously. »And it was my decision and so it shall only be to my regard, not to that of the warriors. It was fate determined by Lakastra. It is neither heretic what I did, nor will it insult the honor of thee or thy followers«, Ælbdís breathed out slowly, she never had chosen such hard words in such a harder tone towards the warrior. »I will go to Ámmtara as thou hast ordered and both Edstan and Estra will follow, Lord«, she hurried then to say more subservient and bowed.
»Thy ways will not find many approbations, priestess«, Tobaár warned her with a less imperious voice. »Be it thy way, then. But in Ámmtara thou wilt be made responsible for any actions of Edstan and«, he looked again towards the sleeping Creowyn, »of thy daughter Estra.«
Tobaár turned around after he bowed to the priestess. »And return to Caras Galadhon on the quickest way in the morning. That was the initial reason I came to search for thee. The travel shall no longer wait.« Without a word as answer did Ælbdís accept the order.
She waited until the foot-steps of the warrior had vanished in the far-off distance before she returned to Creowyn. The girl was not shaking anymore, the feathered mantle warmed her and as Ælbdís laid back down next to her, the rest of her 'savagery' fell off from her. The pulsating eyes turned back into the calm silver.
