Ecowyn

"I see. We will have to let Alastor know you are both here and that you were not kidnapped. Jerrondill, please send a message immediately. Understand that Alastor might wish to come himself and see that she is here of her volition."

"I understand," Rhys nodded, then pulled a chair out for me. "We have not eaten since we arrived and she is hungry, she needs her strength."

"Yes, of course. Ecowyn... the Enchantress you chose is not of our coven. You will have to choose another, or if you wish, I could teach you since you are here with us. Does that suit you?"

"You seem nice enough. Are you an old sourpuss in disguise?"

The woman laughed, a full belly laugh. "It's a bit refreshing sometimes to have a halfling come to us with no knowledge of the rules and how to treat their teachers. No, Ecowyn, I do not have a sour disposition at all, but I'm afraid I will have to insist on following at least some of the rules while you are here. Any of the full Enchantresses are Mistress. Any of the apprentices are sisters. Those like you, the halflings here to learn control, you may call each other by name, but we will all refer to you as Child Ecowyn. A bit formal, I know, but it keeps things orderly and everyone in their place."

"You all say I am strong. Why can I not be an Enchantress if I am stronger than some of the Enchantresses?"

"That is not how it works, I'm afraid. There is a trial to become an Enchantress and it will involve the five elements. As you only have a single, very specific gift, you could not pass it no matter how strong you are. Say a man wished to be a soldier in the king's army. He was especially good with a bow, a marksman even. And yet, he could not wield a sword, or a halberd, or pass any of the verbal tests about laws and who should be where, and he couldn't wear his armor or even more very quickly or efficiently. Do you think he should be allowed into the elite guard simply because he was a good shot with the bow?"

"I suppose not, but I feel as if it is different."

"You are exceptional, Ecowyn, and you will be a huge asset. In many ways, you will be treated as an Enchantress because of the value and strength of your gift. Your own suite, your own servant, other freedoms that aren't allowed most halflings."

"Why should I be different from them? Why do they not get the same treatment?"

"Everything among us is based on both strength and where our power is the strongest. Mistress Corwine is exceptional with healing, so she wears the black."

"I thought black was assassin."

"Yes, very good. A venator takes, an enchantress gives. You see? Yellow is the same among both, Brown as well. Both deal in nature and earth. You would be brown as well. White are the dedicated and search out the Striggae and Vamphyr to destroy. So you see? There are parallels among us, but not quite exactly the same. Halflings ARE assigned a color and they live among their own groups for the most part. You will live in the earth wing, just below the coven, but you will have your own room and a suite."

"She will be in my room," Rhys reminded the woman.

"Why are there no halflings here? Eating?" I asked quickly.

"Many are working and the others eat in the common room, where the wings converge for the halflings. As you are also Rhys's companion, you will be allowed to this table, of course. And though you are considered brown, you will be wearing white, for him."

"And if I prefer brown?"

"That is up to him, of course."

"Little One, you may wear any color you wish," Rhys told me softly.

"Papa's favorite color was blue. May I wear blue?"

"Of course. Blue tomorrow, purple the next day, orange the day after. Pink, green, any color you wish."

"That's not really how things are done..." the woman faltered.

"She wears what I tell her to wear," Rhys told the woman. "And I have commanded that she wear whatever color she feels like wearing. There's no rule that says she MUST wear my color, simply that I dictate color and cut."

"Very well, but I do home you keep in mind that the others might feel resentful of it. She won't be able to..." the woman cut off as Alastor stormed in, Followed by Gwideon, Fastion and Gerard.

"Rhys!" Alastor raged. "What have you done?"

"Nothing she did not tell me I could do," Rhys answered calmly.

"You severed another mans bond to his companion!" Gwideon cried.

"As was done to me."

"Ecowyn!" Gwideon breathed. "Are you hurt? Come, I will get you home."

"No," Rhys stood. "Alastor, come closer, feel her mind. Have I compelled her? At all? She is here of her own volition, aren't you Little One?"

"I am," I told Alastor, unable to look at Gwideon. "I promised him a day to prove himself."

"It's been three," Alastor growled.

"So it has. She was asleep, passed out. Resting. I thought it fair that I at least had until morning with her. Ecowyn, may I have until morning?"

"Yes," I agreed softly, looking down at my plate.

"Wyn?" Gwideon called softly.

I went tense all over, hating how torn I was. I wanted so badly to go to Gwideon, but I had promised Rhys a day.

A day I knew would not make a difference, it was only out of obligation.

Standing, I turned to Alastor. "May I speak to you a moment? About retrieving my animals and other things?"

"Of course, child," he sighed.

Leading me out to the hall, he stopped when we were away from the doorway. I looked up at him. "I do not wish to hurt him, but I have no intention of staying here. I feel I owe him, but... I could never love him. Should... I leave now while he thinks I am going to stay so there is no fuss made? Or wait and see if he reacts well enough to allow me to leave?"

"I think you should come now. I will open the portal and send you through, then retrieve the others so there is nothing he can do. Come quickly."

I followed him to the portal room and ran through when he opened it, feeling horrible for what I was doing to Rhys. I knew though, I knew if I told him I wanted to go that he wouldn't let me. He would be nice and polite and sweet right up until I did something wrong or tried to leave, then he wouldn't allow it. I should never have said yes to spending an hour with him, or to give him the day.

Turning, I paced in the portal room, waiting for it to open up.

When it did, Gwideon was the first through and he hurried to me. Going to his knees, he held me at arms length to look me over. "Did he hurt you? Are you well?"

"Only tired," I answered him with a soft smile.

He made a noise, then yanked me to him and hugged me against him. I let out a deep sigh and closed my eyes, hugging him back.

"The way here is blocked to him," Alastor spoke up. "But that does not mean he won't go to another place and come here from there. I think, and I'm sorry for this Gwideon, but I think we will have to move you both to Miovia, to the far south where her instructor is from. It will be the safest place and Rhys will assume she is here. They will need someone there to help with the new Venator anyway."

"Gerard and I would like to go with them," Fastion told Alastor quickly. "Help him there. It seems sensible to bring a few new Venator here to learn from you anyway."

"Very well, you are right. If you both wish to go, you are granted a transfer. I must say, I may miss Jenny more than I miss you," Alastor chuckled.

Gwideon finally pulled back, taking my face in his hands and looking me over. I knew he'd heard none of what was being said at all. I held his wrists and blushed, smiling at him. To Alastor, I spoke up. "May I take Bob and Ray with me?" I asked him.

"That bear has been at the gate demanding entrance as well," Fastion told me.

"And two of the wolves keep circling and trying to find a way in too," Gerard told me.

I grinned and looked at Alastor pleadingly.

"Of course they may go, though I will have to send a warning ahead of you. All of you, get your things together and I will make arrangements."

I froze and looked at Gwideon. "Can we go to the village? Before we leave?"

"Of course, my Wyn. We'll do it first thing. Alastor, can you remove the bind he has on her?"

"Yes, since it it close to time for her to lay down. It will weaken her for a time."

"Gwideon will take care of me," I told Alastor quickly, looking back up at Gwideon.

He was still holding my face, staring down at me in wonder. "Wyn?" he asked softly.

"Yes?"

"May I bond you? Once the connection to Rhys is severed?"

"I didn't know I'd have a choice," I half laughed, blushing again.

"Oh, you don't," he grinned. "I was only being polite."

I giggled and hugged his neck again, but he turned my face up to his and kissed me instead. His hands were gentle, but his mouth was hungry and passionate and all consuming. His need and adoration shone through.

"You two are sickening," Fastion snorted.

"They're adorable," Gerard admonished him. "You know, you could kiss ME like that once and a while."

"I kiss you all the time!"

"Not like that! Not like your world begins and ends with me."

"No one but Gwideon could fall so deeply. The rest of us are NORMAL," Fastian teased.

Gwideon still didn't hear them, and I only vaguely did in the back of my mind as I gave myself over to Gwideon. I finally pulled back and looked up at him, out of breath.

"I am going to sever the bond now," Alastor chuckled. "I would say be ready to catch her, but I doubt there's any danger of you letting her go any time soon."

Gwideon only nodded as we stared at each other.

I felt it this time, when the bond was pulled from me. I knew what it was now, having felt it not too long ago. As it left me, exhaustion took its place and Gwideon lifted me, standing to hold me. I felt it when he bonded me, the feeling so different. The cold, hard rocks were gone, replaced with warm, soft earth. It felt so much more right and I sighed happily as my head fell to his shoulder.

I thought I'd only blinked for a moment, laid my head down and closed my eyes for a single second. When I opened them again, seconds later, I was in the fall bedroom in the bed. The daylight was bright coming in the windows and I yawned sleepily as I sat up.

"Hello Wyn," Gwideon grinned. "I have you a drink and some food here, Jenny's been by twice to see you with trays of food she's been switching out for when you woke. Feel like sitting up and coming to eat, or do you need a bit of help?"

"I can do it," I told him quickly, getting up shakily.

"I knew you could. Knew you'd want to."

"Did you change me?" I asked, a little fearfully as I looked down at the dark brown gown.

"Cera did," he smiled.

"Oh," I breathed in relief.

"I did watch, though," he teased, his eyes sparkling.

I only laughed, knowing he was joking. It took me moments to devour what was on the tray and as soon as I was done, I sat back, happily full.

"So... how up to it do you think you are for a ride?"

"To where?"

"Your village."

"Now! I'm up to it now!"

"Good. Fas and Ger are on standby to go with us and help. It's already been done in the town, all of it burned to the ground. There was nothing left to save," he told me sadly.

I was happy to get up and get dressed, even letting him help me. The ride out there was too slow in my mind, but Henrietta, Bob, Ray and two of the older wolves all came with us.

"And who are they?" Gerard asked, giving me a wry smile.

I looked at the two wolves, trying to decide on names.

"That one is Frost," Gwideon spoke up, "because he's all gray save for the tops of his fur around his face that's all white, like frost. And that old guy there is Sylvan because he blends so well with the woods, as though he is a part of them."

I gave Gwideon a pleased smile. "You're much better at names than I am! Perhaps I'll let you name them all from now on."

"I think you should too," he chuckled. "Sorry you got stuck with Bob," he told the bobcat.

I managed a laugh, but then the village came into view and my face and heart fell.

The smell was bad enough that I couldn't get close, but there was a black and bloody mess everywhere. Chunks of decaying flesh covered with flies and other insects. The houses were all destroyed, doors ripped off and windows smashed in. Things were everywhere. A pot in the middle of the pathway, a wood axe buried into a wall, clothes everywhere, so soiled you could hardly tell they were clothes.

"Take her out of this," Fastion told Gwideon. "We'll take care of it, burn it all and see these folk off to the next life. Take her back."

I shook my head in disbelief as I looked around, but I let Gwideon turn my horse around. After a moment, he sidled in close and pulled me off my horse to sit with him on his. He held me tight against him, hugging me and resting his head on mine. "They will see them off well."

"There... was little Enoch's little wooden horse in the..."

"Shhh, My love, I know. I saw. It's all right, just remember that YOU avenged them all. You, Wyn. NOTHING that did that or helped do that to that village is left alive. Your efforts saw to that. Come now, let's get back so we can get ready to go in the morning. Are you excited to see Miovia? I'm told it's very cold there. We'll have to see Cera tonight for warm clothes to bring with."

He talked to me the entire way back, but I hardly heard him. Even when he tucked me into bed, my mind was far away, my heart broken. His arms around me, his head next to mine on the pillow, made me come back to myself. Looking up at him, I looked over his face in the dim light. "Do you think he suffered?"

"No. No, I don't think any of them did. As horrible as they are, the Vamphyr don't toy with their food, they kill quickly. The Striggae probably had them all spelled and they weren't even aware of what was happening. They weren't afraid, they felt nothing. Have no fears, My Love."

"You called me that earlier too," I whispered.

"So I did," he agreed. "I am sure I know my own mind," he smiled knowingly. "You don't have to feel pressured because I feel free in saying it, know that. You're more reserved with your affections and I never have been, I know this as well. Don't think you might be hurting me but not saying it back or if you take your time. Time is something we have a lot of."

"Gwideon?"

"Mmm?"

"Rhys... Rhys said Bonilla killed herself. Because of you and how you treated her. Eliphas agreed with him."

Gwideon sighed sadly. "I suppose, in a way, she did. I loved her... I loved her with all my heart, but I also knew her. I knew how quickly she grew bored and how she liked to play her games and stir trouble. A new Venator came to train, he was a yellow, before Gerard and Fas were assigned here. He was handsome and flamboyant with a huge personality. He gave Bonilla a great deal of attention. I knew what was happening, yet I did nothing. I pretended not to know. I refused to go to her bed, but I knew and allowed it so I wouldn't upset the way things were. When the day came that I accidentally caught them, she thought I was finding out for the first time. She didn't know I'd known for some time. I closed the door without a word and went down to the library, but she followed me, begging forgiveness. As it turned out, he was tiring of her and no longer treating her as he was. She came to me begging for forgiveness and making a huge scene. I told her I didn't care, it was fine. To go back to bed. I acted as though nothing at all had happened. She kept coming to me and pleading with me to forgive her and I told her I had, but she didn't believe me. She thought I was repressing my emotions and acting cold to her because I wouldn't yell or have it out with her. The honest truth was... I simply didn't love her as I had before. She had toyed with me so much, flaunted her indiscretions, treated me so badly... That seemed to be the end to my feelings for her. It didn't upset me because I didn't care. I told her to let it go, that things were fine, but she went into this hysterical fit about how awful she was and how she didn't deserve my forgiveness. I thought it was her being dramatic, she always liked to be over emotional and get attention. When I found her... I knew she had done it. She had done it to herself. Part of me wondered if maybe she hadn't meant to. If maybe she was just trying to hurt herself a bit for the attention, but it went wrong. I was sad... incredibly sad, but mostly I was jaded. Forever is a long time with the wrong person and I was afraid of the wrong person happening all over again. So, in a way, I guess she did kill herself because of me. What Rhys didn't tell you was that he was here then, him and Eliphas both. They both kept telling her how worthless she was and called her horrible names for cheating on me. I told them to stop, that it was none of their business, but they said they were defending me. The day before it happened, Rhys had told her that I'd be better off if she were just dead. Said I was so heartbroken and lost that I was no longer effective at my job. When I found out... when I found out, that was the day Rhys and I stopped being close. We were still brothers, but I never really liked him again after that."

"I'm sorry that happened to you, and to her."

"You came back with me, agreed to bond me, after they both told you I killed her? Made her kill herself?"

"I knew they were lying."

"Such a trusting heart, so sure and loyal. I think that's what draws me to you... we are kindred spirits."

I looked back down at his chest, then snuggled in close to him as tears leaked out of my eyes. Stroking my back, he only held me close until I fell asleep.

The next morning seemed rushed and busy with everyone hurrying around, packing and getting things ready, saying goodbyes. Jenny seemed to be having the most trouble, hugging everyone over and over again and going over her bags again and again.

"Jen!" Gerard called with a laugh. "We aren't going where we can never come back! It's a portal jump away. It's time."

Yallasine seemed the most reluctant to leave and I knew why. Moving close to her, I smiled up at her. "I cannot go into the coven, not without it breaking my bond to Gwideon. I will have to stay at the fortress. Gwideon and I do not share a room, and I'm sure the room next to mine will likely be open as well. You could train me well away from the coven and those in it, couldn't you?"

Her face brightened. "Yes! Yes, I believe that is best all around."

Fastion glowered down at Henrietta who had nudged him aside to nose Gerards pockets. "Must ALL of them come?" he demanded.

Gerard chuckled and pulled something wrapped in paper from his pocket. "She wants this," he told Fastion, unwrapping a puff pastry drizzled in honey.

Henrietta made a whuffing noise of impatience and Gerard grinned as he gave it to her.

"I made that for you!" Jenny huffed.

"I already had 6! Anyway, there WILL be a kitchen in Miovia," he teased. "Are we all ready then?"

"Wyn and I should go first," Gwideon called, leading me to the portal room as the animals all followed close behind. Like they knew we were about to leave here and they didn't want to be left here without me. "So no one gets anxious about the animals all coming in and she is there to keep them calm."

Gwideon led me into Miovia and into its bright white marble walls. There were only women there to meet us, no men. Every one of them looked to me and the animals surrounding me.

"Ecowyn Cobblen, you have been summoned to the Coven immediately to be initiated into the ranks as a halfling apprentice."

"No," I shrugged.

"You are not allowed to say no," the woman in silver replied, lifting her chin.

"Just the same, no," I told her again.

"If you will not come willingly, you WILL be forced."

"You cannot require a bound halfling to enter your coven," Gwideon scowled, stepping between them and I.