Helca has one image of her early childhood burned into her mind: running through an open field, with lightning streaks and pouring rain, her brother half-dragging behind. Seven years old and four, they arrive at a house with a lantern glowing beside the door. She cannot remember the words that were said when a small woman opened the door. Only that they were taken in, set beside a roaring fire and given custard and tea. The warmth of the house seeped into the children, and it became their home.

They started anew in the house of Mindreth, as if their old life never existed. Mindreth encouraged this, for she knew the true story, as did some others in town. One day, Ellbrand had fallen ill, and lay near death for awhile. He recovered, but then his mother fell sick, followed quickly by his father. In front of their children, they suffered and died, leaving them in terror with no family to help. Helca fled from the memory by running away with her brother. Ellbrand fled the memory by never entirely growing up. In Mindreth’s household, he found all sorts of animals, and in their gentleness he buried his thoughts. Even at thirty, he still focuses on animals like a child. Helca always remembered the feelings of fear and loss. There is a sadness behind her eyes even now, though she’s had a warm upbringing since. She allowed Ellbrand to forget the pain, wishing she could as well. She will not risk breaking him further.

Mindreth was a widow with barely enough land to survive, so Helca and Ellbrand were soon put to work. With Ellbrand’s health forever weakened, he stayed in the house, helping Mindreth with cooking and the instruments she made for sale. Helca went to the fields, tending the sheep and the garden.

In the past year, Ellbrand was struck with a sudden desire to prove his own independence. He found work with a traveling band of tradesmen and journeyed west. Months later, Helca received word Ellbrand had fallen badly ill and was left behind in Bree. Never having left Rohan before, Helca followed after him, unsure if she was going to nurse him back to health or bury him in Bree. Fortunately, Ellbrand was still alive, and for a long while she stayed in Bree with him, though no healer could make him well. Helca befriended Raedgard there, a guardsman for travelers, and he invited her to bring Ellbrand on a journey he was protecting, to see the Hidden Valley. There the elves, unlike the healers of Bree, were able to treat Ellbrand’s illness. In a few weeks, he not only returned to his previous health, but surpassed it, fully healthy for the first time in his life. He’s become comfortable in Bree now, making friends and branching out unlike his life in Rohan. Helca became closer to Raedgard during the trip, and afterwards the two fell in love. Now she has decided to release her love of Rohan, not because she aims to settle in Bree, but because her love often travels. So her home will be beside him, wherever that happens to be.