Garthalan: Mother of the Wood

Reunions

Adaya pov

"Come on Liya. We have to get back, please just trust me on this." She shied away again, I had been begging and pleading with her all night and the sun was rising now. Helena who was also a wood elf had waited patiently, watching for anyone else. She held the soldier I had knocked out as well.

"why did you do it?" The same question she had resorted many times over. I had told her everything I could but still she shied from my hand and refused to follow as well.

"I already told you. I have to keep you safe! You are my sister!" I was getting frustrated with running in circles with her but she was still not budging. I rose from my knees and walked a little ways away careful to stay code enough that I could protect her should anyone else come.

Now Helena was kneeling beside her, in my frustration I had tuned them out and watched the woods worried other would come. A hand came to my shoulder. "Let us go back to this fort of yours I am ready to find a real bed." It was Helena. I turned to look at her she was holding liyas hand in hers, liya was not happy but it seemed she was willing to go back now.

"thank you." I mouthed to Helena grateful that she had convinced liya to come. I picked up the still unconscious body holding across my shoulders as I would a deer that liya had shot but was too small to carry herself.

Garen pov

" She probably just took her sister for a hunt. She doesn't exactly communicate with people when she leaves." I knew Gretha was probably right but I just had this feeling in my gut, I had went to Adaya's house this morning and she was not there, I had searched the whole fort and now I stood on the wall trying to convince the commander to send a search party for her.

"sir! Three aproach!" A gaurd yelled to us, we looked out and sure enough three figures approached one was a child, but all I could make out were the shapes and sizes at this distance, it looked to be an overly large man along with a woman and their child. Probably another immagrant from the capitol.

"Send some men to greet them!" Gretha yelled back. Not thirty seconds later four guards rode out to meet them. The rest of us prepared defenses in case of a trap. The search party would have to wait.

I was by the gate apparently it's my job to greetings newcomers now. I was very frustrated so they I had not had a big plans to give a warm greeting. I was ready to go find the girl. That all left when the gates opened, the guards were escorting her, her sister, some lady and a man thrown on the back of one of the horses.

"adaya! Your back!" The words slipped in my relief, that she and her sister were in fact alright.

"Yes Garen I am back. And I brought you a new friend." she gestured to the man on the horse, he was unconscious. "So reattach your jaw and tell the man where to take him. I need to speak with Gretha."

Speaking with the commander was becoming a normal thing for her. I don't know why I'm feeling jealous, we are not more than friends. "He's on the wall." I think I showed a bit of bitterness when I said it, not good.

She brushed it off and sent Liya to me. "Watch her, she is course with me at the moment." After that she and the other woman walked off towards the wall. Well at least she trust me enough to leave her sister with me. There were few who got the privilege, at least I hope it is. I looked down at the child, she was not happy.

Adaya pov

" So why were you alone? Where's your caravans?" I asked Helena as we walked the steps.

"I was separated from them, me and all the hunters stayed behind to allow them escape. I was the only one who made it out alive, and have been watching the orders camps for days now. Killing any stragglers I could get to."

"I think I found your clan, they are here" I said with wide eyes. The only survivor that's a horrible thing to endure.

"What?! How? Where are they?" As if on cue Laila and Haren walked down the stairs stopping in their tracks at the sight of us.

"Helena! Your alive!" Laila practicly jumped on her in excitement. Ok theyre either lovers, doubtful, a very close clan, possibly but not that close, so that leaves family. Sisters most likely.

Haren did not move, he just stood gawking at her, marveling that she was alive. I stepped back giving them room to talk and hug and everything else. I became lost in a memory.

I was 10 a year before they were all gone. We were all walking along with our caravans. Father walked next to me and my brother, while mother drove the cart, swollen with my sister on the way. "you getting tired sis? I know you girls like to be lazy." Thor in teased, we hadn't walked but a few miles, my feet were getting soar, but had decided that I would walk beside the caravan from now on so I would not get tired so easily. I kicked him in the shin.

"You sure you don't need to ride in the wagon? I know how you boys like to make us do all the work." He held his shin falling behind a bit.

"well I might need to for a bit now. That hurt."

"she's ten Thor in your seventeen, I Hardley think a kick in the shin would hurt that bad." Father told him as he lifted me off the ground and into his shoulders, I squealed with joy, then turned and stuck my tongue out at my brother.

"yea well she's a tough and mean ten year old. I hope to God the next ones a boy. Who acts better than her." He emphasized the last part getting a chuckle out of my father, I could feel him shaking with it. I began to get bored and paid more attention to a squirrel that had been following me from the trees.

Well Thorin got half of his wish, liya does act far better than I had at her age. But now is not the time for theses thoughts I will not begin to cry in public, the day that happens will be the day a pixie actually does help someone rather than just making an attempt and utterly failing at it.

"Helena, we have to go, once you've talked with Gretha about this army you can tell them all about your ventures."

Laila looked surprised then turned to Helena. "Well if Adaya is trying to rush you it must be important. Come on he's up here." All three of them turned and ran up the steps. God I miss my family, and now Liya may never want to see me again either.