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For a moment, as soon as the carriage came to a stop, Ashlynn sat absolutely still, closing her eyes and soaking in the energy of the living earth that surrounded Orava Village.

Compared to the Briar or even High Fen City, the feeling of lush, growing things was muted, but compared to the barren High Pass, it felt like stepping from a harsh desert into a vibrant oasis.

The trees that surrounded the village were all stunted with roots that dug their way inch by inch through the hard, semi-frozen earth.

Like the mighty cypress trees of the Briar, these tenacious pines clung to life in a world tried every year to tear them from the soil they’d claimed as their own and the strength they radiated called out to Ashlynn like a loyal butler, offering to help her up and out of the carriage if only she would lean on their gentle arms.

"Come, my lady," Heila said, standing up in the carriage and offering a hand to help Ashlynn stand. "It will feel even better once we’re able to walk among the trees."

"Give me a moment," Ashlynn said without opening her eyes. The messenger birds that Nyrielle sent from the High Pass ensured that there were fresh horses waiting for them at waystations by the time Ashlynn’s carriage reached them and they’d made the journey from the Frost Walker fortress to Orava Village swiftly, but the days spent in a bouncing carriage had done little to aid her recovery.

"By steadfast pines where few can thrive,

Where harshest winters leave few alive,

Let patient strength of mountain trees,

Flow through my flesh and bring me ease."

Ashlynn’s invocation was simple and she refused to draw too deeply on the younger trees that were close to the village, but despite her reluctance, the trees of the vale seemed almost eager to offer up a portion of their vast reserves of strength to the badly injured Mother of Trees.

Much like the night that Owain’s men had dumped her body in a shallow grave, each tree within a hundred paces of the carriage offered up a bit of their energy to ease her aches and strengthen her body.

A dark, rich, emerald energy gathered around Ashlynn, flowing across her bandaged hands and feet before sinking deeper into her flesh, washing away pain and aches like a cleansing summer rain.

A minute later, when she opened her eyes again, they lacked the pinched strain of pain that had haunted her gaze during much of the journey and her chest rose and fell smoothly, without the trembling ache that had accompanied every breath since bitter cold air invaded her lungs during her battle with the ancestors.

"Now we can go," Ashlynn said, offering a warm, relaxed smile to her lady-in-waiting.

"It sounds like they’ve gathered a few people to meet us," she added as she heard the sounds of boots crunching over the frost covered dirt road that connected the village to the ancient roadway that led over the mountains.

"Lady Ashlynn," a familiar voice called when Heila opened the door. "The Vale of Mists welcomes you home."

"Ollie," Heila said as she hopped out of the carriage, landing lightly and briefly savoring the moment her cloven hooves touched the soil of the Vale of Mists again.

Moisture gathered in the corners of her eyes, as if her body recognized the strain of being away from home more than her mind had, but she stubbornly blinked the joyful tears away and focused on practical matters.

"Lady Ashlynn could use a gentleman’s arm to guide her to a place where she can rest from the journey," Heila said, offering the young man a smile that was far warmer than he would have expected from the maid who had left the Vale of Mists with Ashlynn so many months ago.

"Come take care of Mother," she added with a teasing look.

"She’s been looking forward to seeing you again for some time now. "

"Me? Why would she be..." he started to say, surprised by the glittering, almost mischievous look in Heila’s eyes, as if she had some secret that she delighted in keeping from him.

"That is, of course," he quickly corrected himself, striding forward and holding out an arm to help Lady Ashlynn descend from the carriage.

The moment Ashlynn saw him, her breath caught in her chest and it took Heila clearing her throat for Ashlynn to realize she’d frozen like a startled deer as soon as she got a look at the former kitchen boy.

Only, ’boy’ was a descriptor that she could hardly apply to the young man who stood before her now. Gone was the gangly youth wearing an ill-fitted tunic stained with soot and grease from long hours spent working in the bowels of the Lothian Kitchens.

In his place stood an elegant young lord who carried himself with a clear sense of purpose and strength that went far beyond the physical might of his clearly defined muscles.

Tight breaches clung to his sculpted legs before vanishing into the turned down tops of polished cavalry boots that gave him the appearance of a knight on his day off.

The greas stained tunic had likewise given way to an elegant cream colored blouse with lace sleeves that peeked out from the cuffs of his fur-trimmed coat, worn loosely buttoned against the chill of the air in the mountain village.

Most striking, however, was the face that seemed to have transformed from boy to young man in a single summer.

Only the faintest traces of reddish stubble could be seen along his jaw and chin, but the last bit of boyish softness in his features had melted away, leaving behind a cool elegance that would have made any young lady’s heart flutter.

"I was worried," Ashlynn said as she took the hand he offered and leaned into the strength of his lean, muscular arms to descend from the carriage.

"I was afraid that life in the Vale of Mists, living among the Eldritch, would turn into a prison that tormented you. Instead, it seems like you’ve found the soil where you can grow and flourish. "

"I owe it to your kindness and generosity, my lady," Ollie said, helping her down from the carriage and trying not to stare at the bandages wrapped around the fingers of her hand as he felt how much she depended on his strength just to take a few steps down from the carriage.

"Let me take you to the longhouse we’ve prepared for your stay," he said, breaking with the etiquette he’d carefully studied and skipping introductions for the people who had followed him to welcome her home.

There would be time for those later. For now, all he wanted to do was help her to the place where she could rest.

"Georg," Ashlynn called, singling out one of the waiting figures beside the gate as they drew closer. "It’s rude of me, but I hope you won’t mind treating Heila and I to an oversized meal as soon as you can. The journey has been hard and I’ve missed your cooking."

"The stew is already simmering, my lady," the bearish cook said with a heart felt smile and a deep bow. "Welcome home."