"I pray ye'll be our eyes...and watch us where we go...and help us to be wise...in times when we don't knooooow....Let this be our prayer...when we lose our way..."
My new lute was delivered. I had to meet them at the stockade, but I have it now. I missed my strings. Didn't realize how much I missed them. I need to stop damaging my lute out of fits of righteous fury. First, that elf being bullied by some Bree-land, narrow-minded, moron. Then when I found out Pipsqueek was taken. I may need to control my temper. Maybe.
It feels nice to play for someone again. The puppies seem to enjoy it. Song especially. My kind of gal. She is so cute! They all are! Wagging their little tails, almost in time. Look at them sitting there. I am the puppy piper! I lead command hounds through my music! I command you all to be happy and adorable! It worked!! I love these hounds. Speaking of loving hounds, here comes my love walking up the path with Hundr. Look how handsome Heriwulf is walking up with a sack over his shoulder. Well, this is my special day!! Here comes Scarlett Jay! My two favourite beauties and puppies!!! I love this day.
Heriwulf spoke with Byrge the dwarf about using hounds to help people. Seems Maddoct's dog Beetle (so cute!) was able to detect a seizure before it happened. Byrge will be by in a fortnight to talk to us about using hounds to help people like that. Heriwulf is amazing. He already trained one hound to help a blind girl get about. He is amazing. How did I get so lucky to find someone with a mind like his in that body?
Scarlett Jay says Fang helps Tree-Walker with her problems. Problems I should really talk to her about. Sounds like Alder, my brother. He has issues with noises, smells, bright lights, people touching him...well anything touching him. He sounds a lot like what Tree-Walker is going through. Maybe learning more from her, I can help them both? Specially when I see how Fang helps her. Maybe Alder needs a hound too?
Look at Heriwulf talk about his hounds. He looks so handsome. I am so proud of him. Look how clever he is. How wonderful! He has a gift with hounds and with that clever mind of his I am sure he will help people with illnesses with his hounds. He is so clever. Please, My Lady, please keep him safe tomorrow.
"Lead us to a place...guide us with yer grace...to a place where we'll..be...safe...."
She blushes! I made her blush!! This is such a good day! Beautiful, red-haired woman. Seems Heriwulf finds her beautiful too. Man has good taste. He chose me, so I knew that. How fun we have similar tastes in women. I wonder if the barber in Barliman's can dye hair. Would take a lot of dye, but I could go red...maybe. What would Heriwulf do then? He may not let me out of our room. So need to ask the barber...
HA! Heriwulf says he tricked me into coming. HA! I came willingly. Very willingly. That's the trick he says. Making them believe it was their idea! HA! Silly man. Love him so much. Why not joke about that? It was funny. No one would believe he would lure someone with ill intent. Who would believe that of Heriwulf?? Surely no one that actually knows him. Wait...WHAT?!!
THEY SOLD MY TREE-WALKER AS A BRIDE WITHOUT TELLING HER!!! I will end them all!! I cannot begin to say how wrong that is!! You do not sell women! You do not give them as a bride without their consent!!! AND certainly NOT my Tree-Walker!! That is my friend!!! I will end them all!!! Why is Heriwulf holding me back??! Let me at them! I will cross the Misty Mountains and show them DAMAGED! I will damage them! How DARE they!!??!! Let me go! Look at Scarlett Jay's smile! She knows! Let me go!
Control your temper Leo. We talked about this not long ago. Reign that in. Remeber the lutes that gave their lives!! Let it not be in vain!! Ok...fine. I'll calm down. If only so Heriwulf wont have to throw me over his shoulder like that sack and drag me out of here. If I ever meet them....Damaged. Who could think Tree-Walker is damaged? She is strong and smart and brave and gentle and the most wonderful person! Damaged! Ok, calm down.
Wow. I did not know Heriwulf could speek with such...force...such...conviction. Wow. There are...no words. Look at him. Wow. Just...Wow. Dibs. Mine. Eternal dibs! Wait...oh... my... Valar..! I knew I loved him,but...eternal dibs? Do I...do I want to marry Heriwulf? Actually marry?! I mean...he's...I am not ready to think about this now. After the battle, if I survive with this stupid foot, I will think about it then. Maybe this is just worries over the outcome of the battle and this silly notion of marrying anyone will pass?? But this isnt anyone. This is Heriwulf. He is better than everyone of them. Nope..not talking about it. Not now. After the battle. After...
He is talking to me. About what? Oh, my itchy cast. Did I speak to River-Wader? Nope. I got a long stick to itch my foot. Made a salve too, but that is for the patients tomorrow. They will need it more than I do. Ha! Heriwulf offered the salve he uses on the hounds that smells of fish. HA! Not a chance handsome. Oh! Look at that wolfish grin! Slay me now. Stupid supersticion about not making love before a battle!!! I would drop him right here and now with that grin. Let everyone watch. I don't care. Just give me Heriwulf one last time and I will die...well kicking and screaming, but knowing I had my love one last time. Stupid supersticion. Now he is off to sleep. Leaving me with Scarlett Jay the tempting beauty. That grin!!! Heriwulf, you sly dog.
Scarlett Jay is dancing to my music! She misses singing and dancing in the Vales. Oh! She might stay!!! Wow. I got more excited about that than I thought I would be. Interesting. At least she enjoys my music. At least someone does. I miss playing for people. Making them smile. Seeing them dance to my music. I miss that so much. What kind of bard am I if I dont play music for people? I play, therefore I am!
Talking about Tree-Walker now and Ljota. How cute are those two together!? Scarlett Jay thinks the same thing. I don't find it surprising she found love. Alder has a wife and two children. He hates having anyone touch him, except Mum. Seeing as he has two children, he must not mind his wife touching him so much. I am happy they both found love. Seems she is happier naked. HA! Go Tree-Walker! I wonder if she walks around her camp naked? Is that why she doesn't live in the Lodge? That and the noise maybe. I really need to ask Vandallan about the Felegoth Silk. See what I can barter for it and make her a new outfit. I will see if Ljota can help with her measurements of her bottom half. I only have the ones from her top half when I made the gambeson. Her love might know.
"I pray we'll find yer light....and hold it in our hearts...when stars go out each night....Let this be our prayer...when shadows fill our day..."
Time to head inside out of the cold and feed Scarlett Jay. She looks too thin and I don't know about the food the people from the Vales are cooking. Who knows if it is nutritious or just the typical Woodmen fare of fish and meat? I wish they would let me cook for them all. That way I would KNOW they were all eating properly. At least I can feed Scarlett Jay.
Time to make apple pie. Give them something nice to eat before the battle. I think I have enough preserved apples to make 5 or 6 pies. I will make four tonight. That should be enough for everyone to have at least one slice. How considerate is she?! Aww! Doesn't want to drink any ale or cider that someone else might want. Sweetheart! You can have my share. She wants to help make the pies! She can taste test. Otherwise, I will bump elbow while rolling dough and I can't stand that. She is so helpful. I hope she stays.
She thinks I am cute! Aww! Right back at you! Told her as much too. Told her Heriwulf would have some strong competition if I wasn't madly in love with him already. She blushed again! Aww and smiled!
"Course, I have a habit of eagerly approaching red heads and faired haired folks, like ye and Hound-Friend. About dropped my lute when I saw Tree-Walker and Hound-Friend standing together. Then I came here. Thought I died and was being rewarded for good behavior." Yep. I said that.
She is fun to talk to. Easy to be around. Like having a best friend or a sister. I wonder what that would be like? Having a sister? I have seven older brothers. I can fight with the best of them in spite of my size, but I always dreamed of having a sister. If I marry Heriwulf I will get Home-Wright as a sister. STOP THAT! We will talk about this after the battle. Quit thinking like that! Stop saying the "M" word!!!!!!!!!
Talk about something else. Joining the clan. Ok. That will work. Interesting insights from Scarlett Jay. Explains the odd looks the Woodmen give me. They never saw someone so small that was fully grown. HA! No wonder Ljota thinks I am part Hobbit!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! She says Tree-Walker might say yes. I hope she does. I like her. Be nice to know she liked me too. Enough to let me join her clan. That felt nice hearing that. Love her. Love them all. Please let them all be ok tomorrow. PLEASE!
Pies are made and ready to cook. Scarlett Jay likes my top crusts. I like making them look pretty. One is a tree with apples, another a basket weave with flowers, another looks like roses scattered on top and the last has falling leaves. So pretty! They will look all lovely and golden brown when they are done. Sleep well Scarlett Jay. I have pies to bake. I doubt I will sleep tonight. Will still cuddle with Heriwulf in bed, but sleep won't come easy.
"Need to find a place....Guide us with your grace.....Give us faith so we'll be safe."
