Ecowyn

Everyone took off and Rhys quickly went to the map room and sat down with me in his lap. I realized as he looked me over worriedly that I was panting and a little terrified. Henry was nudging me with his nose, making a rumbling noise that sounded pleading.

I let my head fall to Rhys's chest, trembling now as I reached over to scratch Henry behind the ear. "Henry is a Henrietta," I told Rhys softly.

He snorted again. "Good to know. Ecow..."

"Four Striggae coming from the woods in pursuit!" I cried out, then saw the image chase the words. Four women all in black, seemingly flying out of the woods after the men on horseback. "They will not reach them before they reach us," I finished, wilting as I started panting again.

"Usiah! Usiah, get Alastor, now! Henrietta, stay with her, I need to go out with my brothers!"

I was too tired to argue as Rhys set me in the chair and took off. Henrietta acted as if she had understood Rhys and took up a position in the doorway where no one could get in.

I was asleep when Alastor woke me up, Henrietta right there with him, her face in mine like she wasn't going to let him bother me too much. Overprotective Mama.

"Ecowyn? Ecowyn, where is Rhys? What happened?"

"Striggae. Four of them following the men."

"Was it a trap?"

"I haven't heard from anyone else," I sighed sleepily.

"The rest of us are here! Closeby. Do you have the strength to allow more communication with them?"

"I don't know if I will wake up if... The Striggae are all dead. The men come," I spoke, then saw the image of the five riders coming to the Fortress. They had all run out to meet the striggae and kill them rather than get to safety! I was angry for a moment before I passed out.

I was jostled seconds later and opened my eyes enough to see Rhys picking me up to hold me in his lap as he sat down with me. I heard strange voices and Henrietta was hovering close, making worried and grumpy noises at Rhys. The bobcat was up on the back of the large chair, looking over Rhys's shoulder down at me. I smiled at him, then went right back to sleep.

It seemed like seconds later, I sat up with a gasp. "Group of humans! On foot coming from large light and noise! Many humans male and female!" As the words left my mouth, I got the image in my head. A large group of people huddled together and trying to hurry, coming from the town. "The town," I mumbled. "They're all coming. There's one white and one silver with them, the rest are servants and..." I yawned, then fell back to sleep.

When I woke again it was to arguing.

"...can't keep this up much longer! We have to wake her long enough to tell her to sever her link so we can keep a watch and save her from using herself to death!" Gwydion was yelling.

"She's strong!" Rhys countered, "and she sleeps between bouts of using her link!"

"She needs to eat too, a way to get energy into her! She can't run on nothing!" Alastor spoke up. "You need to get her to eat something!"

"I'm fine," I whispered to Rhys. "I'll eat now. Ask Jenny if I can have more toast with butter and jam and milk..."

"Gerard!" Rhys snapped.

"I heard her, I'm on my way," Gerard answered.

"Ecowyn? Did you see something? Is that why you woke up?" Rhys asked.

"No, all of you yelling woke me up. I don't see anything, they... use me to speak, then I see a brief image. I think it's the seeing through them that makes me so tired. And I'm so tired..."

"You can go back to sleep as soon as you eat," Rhys promised. "My strong, beautiful little halfling. Do you see how amazing you are doing? Animals are out there flocking to the Fortress, leading people in. They are helping us, Ecowyn! Our horses! They are taking off and leaving, then coming back with brothers! Halflings and servants! We have a full dozen horses out right now!"

"That is what I feel..." I whispered. "I feel it all flowing out of me and I don't know what it is, or where it's going. I don't know how to stop it. I don't want to stop it, not right now... but I want to know how to stop it."

"The Enchantresses are on their way," Alastor spoke up, moving close.

The bobcat made a low yowling noise like a threat.

"He won't let anyone near you but me," Rhys told me, a shining and amused pride in his eyes.

"Will they be able to tell me how to control this?" I asked Alastor softly.

"They will, though it usually takes a long time. Stress, emotion and need forced your gift to be pulled from you. You called to them without knowing what you were doing and they pushed that small opening open wide, forcing their way in as well. They will be here soon and they'll be able to teach you how to close yourself off right away," Alastor told me gently.

"Hopefully before it kills you," Gwideon snarled. "I still say we put her in the cell so she can really rest! Before she is drained dry!"

"She's strong," Rhys told him again. "I can feel it in her. She's small and weak as a human, but as a halfling, she's powerful. I've met Enchantress's with less power shining in them than she has in her right now."

"Her shine is bright, but maybe that just means she will burn out more quickly!" Gwideon argued. "Please, brother, think of her! Don't let her use herself up because you're so focused on using her gift!"

"Shut up Gwideon! I'd never put her in danger!"

"We all know you would! To get what you want? To save as many as you could, you would sacrifice her and think it an even trade," Gwideon yelled.

"Enough!" Alastor growled. "Ecowyn, how do you feel? Do you feel like you could go on a bit longer, or do you want to sleep in a nulling cell until you are recovered?"

"I can go on," I told him softly, rubbing Rhys's arm. "He'd never let me go past my limit and risk losing me. He thinks I'm too pretty to lose."

Alastor chuckled and Rhys turned red. "It's not JUST that," he hissed.

"He says as he plays with my curls he loves so much," I smiled as I closed my eyes and leaned against him.

He snatched his fingers out of my curls and I giggled sleepily.

"You're more to me than just your looks!"

"Annoying?"

"Hush," he whispered.

"Oh, yes. Annoying. Talk too much."

"I liked sleeping close to you as well," he grumped irritably.

"Oh, that's nice to know. You like my size, you did say that. My looks, my size, my hair, my body. I'm guessing you also like using me as you did. Exploring? Isn't that what you called it?"

"Ecowyn! Stop!" Rhys hissed, his cheeks red.

"She's sleep drunk," Eliphas huffed. "She needs more rest."

"After she eats, you need to let her sleep!" Gwideon demanded.

"All of you mind yourselves!" Rhys snapped. "And move so he can bring her food over. Sit up a bit, Little One, and eat," he told me gently, helping me sit up.

He was so solicitous helping me eat that I almost felt like he did like me for more than my looks. I realized then what it was. I was an asset to the Fortress in a big way. I was valuable and strong as far as my ability. I was strong and I was his. He was proud of owning me, a powerful tool.

That realization made me sad as I finished eating, then finished my milk.

I tried to lay my head down, but I no longer felt comfortable on him, or safe. He didn't have my best interest at heart at all, he had his own. He WOULD use me up without a second thought and that made my heart ache.

"May I curl up on the chair on my own? I feel cramped like this," I lied.

"Are you sure? I can move you?" he offered quickly. "Hold you the other way and stretch out a bit and..."

"No, thank you, I just want to curl up on the chair. Have someone stay close in case something wakes me, everyone else should start getting some rest. You have brothers here now who can help, right? Go get some rest."

"I will bring you with me then, you can sleep in our bed."

"I'd rather be down here, close in case it's urgent. I'll be fine, just keep someone in here to warn the others."

"Ecowyn..."

"It's fine, please?"

He huffed angrily, glaring at Alastor, but stood and put me on the chair a little roughly. "I'll stand first watch," he growled.

"You've been up a long time," I told him. "You should sleep," I yawned. Now that Rhys was gone, the bobcat moved down and laid next to me, curled up with his head on my hip. He started purring loud enough that everyone looked at him in surprise and I giggled. "You realize I can't sleep with you doing that on me, right?" I asked him teasingly.

He lifted his head and blinked at me, then sighed as he laid his head back down. He didn't start purring this time.

"He understood you?" Alastor asked quickly.

"It was less understanding my words and more my intentions and want. They can't understand our words anymore than I can understand their growls and snarls or whatever. It's about what we feel and see. Like earlier when I said the place with lights and noise. That's how they see the city." I yawned again and turned away from all of them. Cuddling the bobcat close, I fell back to sleep.

I didn't know what time it was when I woke, but Alastor was at the doorway speaking softly to a tall, regal woman in silver.

"... should be given to our care regardless! She is not a typical halfling, she's as powerful as any full enchantress! More powerful than some. It is unprecedented for her to have her power yanked out so hard that it punched such a huge hole into her wall. She needs guidance! Training."

"You'll not talk Rhys around, he is determined to have her. Rhys is not the sort to let something go, not ever. He will fight and he won't stop fighting, losing is not in his nature."

"Then you will step in! Intervene! Tell him he must give her up!"

"You don't understand... Rhys has never once taken a companion, his focus has only ever been on his cause. This girl made him look twice and twice again... you could SEE the way it twisted him to not understand how he felt for her. To be so at odds with himself over it. Now that he has decided to keep her, there will be no talking him around, no matter who says it. He cares for her... and he tries to explain it away in terms he knows and understand, but it's only because he's never had those feelings before and doesn't know how to express them. He had genuine worry when we found she had slipped out. I told him it was too dangerous to go after her and he ignored me utterly. His brother joined him, tracked her and they brought her back. AFTER I had forbidden it. I should have set him down for it, but with everything happening and her bringing all of these creatures back with her... it isn't the right time. He is so volatile right now anyway over not understanding why he cares for her more than he cares for the rules and his brothers now. It is something new to him and he doesn't like it or understand it, yet it's there. I told him this morning that I would take her from him and send her away if he didn't change how he was treating her... he told me later when I mentioned it that he'd kill me if I tried. He threatened me, Cansanita. He said he'd change even if it took a year and I would just have to have patience because he wouldn't let her go."

"Then he will just have to come with her. She needs training."

"He is Venatoradiantes. You know he will not, him more than anyone. He is the most dedicated Radiantes I have ever met, it is his only drive. Until this girl. He won't leave his brothers and he will not allow her to be taken. She will have to be trained here. It doesn't matter anyway, she is not why you are all here. We will not speak of her again until the summit and I swore to Rhys I would allow none in to see her until he was with her."

"Then send for him! I wish to see her now!"

"She needs her rest!"

"I'm awake," I told Alastor softly.

He turned quickly and came in, kneeling next to my chair. The bobcat growled, then stood and screamed, that was the only word that came to mind, when the woman came close. The woman paused, looking at the cat wide eyed, then stepped back when Henrietta got up and growled as well, going up on her hind legs as she warned the woman back.

"They sense she means me harm," I told Alastor.

"I told you that you could not come in here without Rhys!" Alastor spat, standing and turning to the woman. "You would make me break my word over your curiosity and stupid stubborn pride?!? I will call a hearing at the summit! Tell them of your demands and missteps here tonight!"

"You will do no such thing!" the woman hissed. "I have every right to see her and lay hands on her! She will be MY charge when I bring her up to the summit that she should be removed and taken into MY care! My gift is the closest to hers and no one will be able to teach her as I will!"

"Usiah! Wake Rhys please, and then the others. Quickly please!"

The bear backed the woman out of the room, then stood blocking the door, snorting and huffing at her. When Henrietta stopped and sat down in the door, I assumed the woman had left.

"She can't really make me leave, can she? Jenny said the enchantresses are all nice, but she didn't seem very nice."

"There are always the odd ones out. Venator are all serious and cold, yet you have met Gwideon. His good nature is an anomaly, just as her bad nature is. As for what she can do, I'm not sure. This is unprecedented that they would demand a halfling that has been claimed. It will be wading into uncharted waters. I do know that Rhys will cut down any who think to take you from him. Fastion claims it's because he was so driven and single minded that he was more animal than man, that's why he connected with you. You tamed him with your gift. It isn't so of course. Every man has that one right person in their life who comes along, the one who will turn his head no matter how set against it they are. You are his one person. For anyone else, he wouldn't have even stopped, even if you had really been a child like he thought at first glance in the dark. If he hadn't..."

"Ecowyn?" Rhys called from the other side of Henrietta.

"Step around her, she won't bother you!" I called. "She'll let you pass, but not that woman who was here."

"Incotanitargenti Cansanita," Alastor told Rhys as Rhys pushed past Henrietta and hurried to me.

"Little One? How do you feel? Do you need more rest? What's wrong? Did you have a vision? You still need sleep! Are you hungry? Do you need a blanket? Something to drink? Usiah! Get her some water! And a blanket!"

I managed to smile at him and pat his hand that was holding mine. The bobcat stretched and sniffed at Rhys's hand, then yawned and stood, turning a circle and laying back down. He went back to purring with his head on my ribs. I giggled again, the vibration sort of tickling. "I need nothing, Rhys," I told him softly. "I woke on my own. I'm a bit sore and weak, but not as tired as I was."

"Do you need the privy? Do you wish to wash up? Do you want more food? Feronwyd! Bring her some soup, please! Do you hurt anywhere? Do you need some tea for your aches? Oh! We have a healer here at the moment, do you need healing?"

I giggled again. "Are you going to let me answer a question or just keep asking more and more questions?"

"Sorry. Do you need healing?"

"No, I ache but it isn't that bad. I'm not really hungry, but I do need a drink and I probably need to eat even if I don't feel like it. I do want to wash up before I eat, though. I smell like... animals. No offence Bob. His name is Bob, by the way. Like, Bobcat? Bob."

He gave me a rueful twist of his mouth that I guessed was supposed to be a smile. "It's nighttime now, Little One. DId you know that wolves have a tremendous hate for Vamphyrs? We didn't know until tonight. The trackers have all talked about all of the wolves and how many packs there must be here. They warn of the Striggae with howls, but they go after every single Vamphyr like it's personal. I've never seen such a thing."

"It must be why they gather in Mjennic as they do," Alastor spoke up. "No wolves there."

Usiah stepped around Henrietta like he'd been doing it for decades, like he didn't even notice he was there as he squeezed around her. Handing Rhys a tray, it had a crock of water, a bowl of soup and a chunk of bread, along with a lemon tart. He also had a blanket draped over his arm that he laid over me as soon as Rhys took the tray.

"She wishes to wash up first," Rhys told him, pulling the blanket back and setting the tray on the edge of the map table.

"Thank you," I told Usiah and he gave me a nod and a tight smile as he moved back.

Rhys had to help me stand, but I waved him off when he went to pick me up. Bob and Henrietta both came with me and when I went into the main hall, a crow cawed from the chandelier. I looked up and it took flight swooping down on us. Rhys flung an arm up over me like he was blocking me from an attack and the Raven landed on his arm, flapping its wings for balance. When Rhys moved his arm out wide, the raven adjusted its footing and flapped some more, then cawed again at Rhys.

"That's Ray," I told Rhys.

"Ray like Raven?" he asked, smirking as he walked me with his free arm. "Does he imagine I am going to just carry him around?"

"I believe he does. There isn't much room for him to fly, so he has to be carried to be with me. I don't have any sleeves on my dress and he's too heavy for me to hold aloft like that. That means you, since you are with me."

"And if I just lower my arm?"

"He'll flap and caw until you raise it back up. Peck at you a bit."

He sighed as if put upon, but I could see the pride in his eyes. The animals all trusted him and he liked that. "No animals in our bedroom," he told me.

"I don't think they'll be staying past this emergency. Once I feel safe again."

"Good. The bear makes everyone nervous."

"Not Usiah, not anymore."

"Nothing phases him for long. He was a bit discombobulated for a moment, but then it was just another obstacle for him to get around. Here you are. Do you need my help? I can..."

"I have it from here," I smiled tightly.

As soon as he stepped out and closed the door, I heard the raven start cawing loudly and flapping his wings irritably. I only smiled.

When I came out, he finally settled down, but his feathers were all ruffled like he was offended. Henrietta and Bob were both just waiting patiently. Rhys looked irritated as he looked down at me, his arm held out far away and his head leaning away. "For you, I will not wring this thing's neck," he growled. "But tell him I won't be his mule."

I laughed and took Rhys's other arm and he seemed mollified by that as he walked me back to the map room. When we got there, a man in brown was speaking to Alastor and he eyed me curiously as Rhys led me to the chair and covered my lap. Ray hopped up and flapped over to the map and landed on the highest hill on it, looking around the room imperiously.

"That's Ray," I told Alastor.

Rhys set the tray on my lap and I ate as I listened to the man in brown. "As I was saying, the wolves are doing a superb job of killing the Vamphyrs, we keep finding more and more bodies. We think some of the others are helping them, we found antler marks in some of them, and some have deep scratches like large cat marks," he told Alastor, eyed Bob warily.

"This is Bob," I told him, petting Bob.

The man nodded, then turned back to Alastor. "The Striggae they leave to us, howling and circling them, staying out of sight, but leading us right to them. They are actually very clever creatures! Also, three times now a fox has come to me and one time I followed him right to a group of three Striggae who were casting some sort of location spell in a copse of trees near the forest edge. The others were single ones hiding and watching, easily dispatched. I could get used to this hunting with animals, they make it very easy on us."