As the caravan approached the refuge settlement of Duillond, Zandrianna looked up out of the wagon, awed by the sight of the rounded platforms seemingly floating on top of the hill.Surrounded by vibrant trees in shades of pink, it was a shining beacon of hope and tranquility. Crossing a bridge next to a waterfall, Zandrianna found herself giggling as the mist of the waters sprayed her, using her body to cover Althessia so she would remain dry. The baby seemed happy enough to have her mother near, gurgling and reaching for Zandrianna's hair to pull on it as it swayed near her face. With a smile, Zandrianna untangled her daughter's small hands from her tresses, and picked her up, cradling the child in her lap as the approached the entrance to the settlement.
The caravan stopped near the stables, and one of the men assisted Zandrianna in stepping down from the wagon. She smiled at him and nodded, offering him a coin for his help, but he brushed it aside politely. "Tis part of my duty, lady," he said, "And you were by far a most pleasant traveling companion. You and your daughter," he added, looking down with a bit of a grin at the child. "We'll see to your bags, they'll be taken to the Scholar's Enclave just over there." he pointed, before nodding to the pair and turning back to his work.
The caravan master approached Zandrianna as she was leaving to go look at the enclave, with a nod in greeting. "Remember, young woman, this caravan will depart from Duillond back to Bree in three days time. I can't be waiting on anyone, even if I wanted to, so you had best have your business finished and be ready to go by the time we depart if you don't want to find another way back." Zandrianna assured the man that she'd be ready to go at the appointed time and he nodded in satisfaction before walking away, barking orders at the men as he went.
The man with her bags passed her and, following him, she entered the enclave. Her eyes took in the small circular room, with its walls of books and desks for studying. Impressed by the intricate details and beauty, she wandered around for a moment, glancing down at various tomes or stopping to admire the masterfully carved paneling. At one point, she paused, looking up at a portrait of an elven maiden; struck by her beauty, she gazed on it as she wondered who it might have been.
"No one knows who she was," said a pleasant male voice behind her, just as she thought the question. "Just a hiril who came here for knowledge, or peace, or prehaps both."
Turning, Zandrianna faced the elf who had spoken and nodded with a smile. "Well met, sir." she said.
"Mae G'ovannen, Hiril." He replied, glancing down at the baby in her arms with a smile. "And to your lovely child as well. I am Edhelnir. I was told you were here to see me?"
She looked up at the seemingly young man, with his dark hair tied back in a simple ponytail, and nodded. "Yes, you are the supply contact her for the association, if the paperwork was correct?"
His eyes met hers and he nodded. "That is correct, though the last time I spoke with someone from the association it was a man by the name of Anadryt." He looked over the young mother and child curiously.
"I am Zandrianna, and this is my daughter Althessia." she said, introducing herself. "Anadryt is traveling to Rohan as we speak, and has left me to tend the association's business in his stead. Going over the paperwork, I thought I should make a visit to our contacts here, while I was in Ered Luin."
Edhelnir seemed satisfied with the explanation and waved towards the door. "Come," he said, "Let me show you around Duillond as we speak. I'm sure the walk would do you both well after your journey." He reached for the door, opening it for Zandrianna with a brief bow and, smiling she stepped out of the enclave to follow him.
For the next hour or so, Edhelnir showed Zandrianna around the town, pointing out various items of interest and explaining to her the status of goods the association tended to procure from them. "Of course," he added at once point, "I would show you the vineyards, except we are having troubles there recently and it is not safe. But we'll have them dealt with soon enough."
"What manner of troubles," Zandrianna asked, furrowing her brow.
He frowned, looking in the direction of the vineyards, before replying. "Goblins, Hiril. There have been a rash of them attacking the vineyards lately. But do not worry yourself about such things, as I said we will deal with them."
Sighing, she continued to follow him, seeing that he would give her no further information, but making a mental note to look into the situation once she returned to Bree, maybe even having a few of their guardsmen come out and see what they could do to assist. They paused, and he spoke to a few of the refuges, speaking in elvish so she could not understand what was said. One of them looked over and, upon seeing Althessia in her arms, the elf maiden's face lit up and she turned to her companions speaking excitedly.
Before Zandrianna could even blink in surprise, the elf had stood and approached her, looking down at Althessia in awe. The baby seemed to return the elf's gaze, her dark blue eyes intent on the pale haired maiden, which only seemed to make her happier. Her companions, by this point, had also joined her and seemed equally enthralled with the baby.
Turning to Edhelnir with a questioning glance, he smiled and spoke again. "You must forgive them Hiril Zandrianna, for elf children are quite rare indeed. So for them to see a child, especially one so young as yours, is a treat. And," he added, passing his hand over Althessia's head, "One with such red hair as well, as elves do not have such coloring."
The first elf maiden that had approached looked at Zandrianna, speaking in a clear, sweet voice. "May I hold her please," she asked, her eyes bright and hopeful as she waited for Zandrianna's reply.
"Go ahead," Edhelnir replied, seeing Zandrianna's hesitation. "She will be quite safe, in fact probably safer than the vaults of Celondim. The elves would never let anything happen to a child."
Assured by his words, Zandrianna gently handed her daughter over to the elf maiden who let out a small surprised sound and grinned from ear to ear as her companions gathered around the baby, all taking excitedly in elvish. They returned to the benches where they had been sitting, engrossed in the child's curls of dark red hair and her tiny features, continuing to talk over one another as the maiden cradled Althessia in her arms. "Come," Edhelnir said, taking the surprised Zandrianna by the elbow. "I'll take you to see some of the homes of our people while they tend your child."
Looking back at where here daughter was, she saw the elf maiden almost reluctantly give the baby over to one of her companions, but Edhelnir's hand on her arm led her away, and she turned to follow, lest she trip and fall.
They took a pair of the stables steeds down to where the houses were, and Edhelnir spent some time showing Zandrianna around the lovely homes, pointing out the waterfalls and foliage to her. She couldn't help but be enchanted by the beauty of their houses, or the lands, and she turned to tell him so. The pride in his eyes was evident, and he smiled at her in pleasure that she appreciated the beauty of the elven lands.
As they were on their way back, Zandrianna stopped by a merchant who had a display of fine rugs. Looking through them, she idly began talking to the merchant and mentioned that she too was a tailor. The merchant smiled, eager to share her knowledge with Zandrianna, and soon her head was swimming with instructions on how to make various styles of rug. Grateful for the information, Zandrianna thanked the merchant profusely, and following Edhelnir, returned to Duillond to seek out her daughter.
It took several minutes to find Althessia, a fact that made Zandrianna slightly uneasy as she knew her daughter was likely hungry at this point. It didn't take long though, before they found the baby, happily gurgling and surrounded by several elves who seemed to be intently tending the small babe. They had even found, or perhaps made, a small elven dress for her; the shimmering shade of blue seemed to mimic the deep blue of her eyes, bringing out her fair skin and curly red hair. Looking down at her baby, Zandrianna smiled lovingly and the elves looked between mother and child, nodding to themselves as they saw the evident bond between the two.
One of the elves picked up Althessia, handing her gently into her mother's arms and, with one last glance at the child, she and her companions went off to find supper for the evening.
Edhelnir nodding approvingly at the pair and turned, looking at the sky to see that it was slowly becoming dusk. "Come, Hiril Zandrianna, let us go find some supper for the two of you and I will show you where you will be sleeping for the night."
Feeling tired from the day's business and exploration, Zandrianna nodded in agreement with Edhelnir and followed. "That sounds like a lovely idea." she said, as they headed to the dining hall.
