Home, Sweet Home
Days passed, as days do. Each night, Sorowyn would bring Atolli to the hut in Dun Morogh. Bjorke kept watch over her, neither of them able to sleep. Atolli wailed for her mother, and Bjorke did her best to offer comfort. Edrick would wake at dawn – Bjorke envied his ability to sleep through the crying – and take Atolli down to the stream. He would sing her Althorin battle songs, letting Bjorke get a bit of rest.
Each morning, Sorowyn would arrive. Her nighttimes may have been filled with wild animal romps, but by day, she was the calm, serene elf they had always known.
A month passed. The hut was now a picture of domestic tranquility. New wood floors, new furs hung at the windows, the roof fixed, the troll head hanging squarely above the low table. A cradle sat in the corner, with a new blanket, hand stitched by Mabon.
Bjorke sat outside, enjoying the crisp air. Spring was coming, but here in the mountains, it was only noted by less snow, and the peacebloom pushing up here and there. She wove the thick stems of briarthorn into a circle. The sharp thorns had been removed, leaving smooth, hard stems. Periodically, she wove a hollow bead onto the circle. They moved and rattled as she worked. Edrick rode into sight, shouting hello. She lifted her head, smiling broadly. A deer carcass lay across the back of his horse. They would eat well tonight, and the skin would make a nice rug for Atolli.
A screech above them caught their attention. The large black bird swooped down, shifting into elf-form as she touched the ground. Sorowyn smiled at them both.
Bjorke looked at her, then at Edrick, puzzled. “Where is Atolli?”
“Ava has her. I wanted to tell you…. we are headed up to Winterspring for a time. We are keeping her with us.”
Disappointment fell across Bjorke’s face, and she pretended it was worry. “Are you sure that is wise, Soro?” Edrick put his hand on her shoulder gently.
“Oh, yes, I feel wonderful, and now that Ava has time to spend with us, I’m sure it will be fine.” Her eyes shone brightly, obviously pleased her family would be together at long last.
Bjorke nodded. The child did need to be with her mother. She knew that. “Here. I made this for her.” Bjorke handed over the circle to Sorowyn. She rattled it, and smiled.
“She’ll love it. Thank you, Bjorke.” She hugged the smaller woman tightly. “Thank you…. for everything.”
A flutter of feather and wing, and she was gone.
Bjorke looked up at Edrick. “Venison for dinner,” she said, and he heard the words she did not say.
“I’ll miss her, too, beloved.”
