It had been a strange evening. Brulk had come to the tower and she had not been expecting him. Comments are often made to her that because she could read runes that she should somehow know all, see the future, know the past. It simply wasn't true, it never worked that way. If the runes didn't want to speak or reveal anything, she knew nothing. It wasn't like Lyfrid had a better chance of getting an answer than anyone else who asked questions, either. All she could do was listen for the stones to speak to her.
After her encounter and reading with Brulk, Lyfrid said her farewells for the evening to the strange collection of acquaintances atop the old lookout at Amon Raith. Little did they know it was a final farewell and it was highly unlikely they'd see the Seer after that night. They had come to accept as one of them, another of the refugees who gathered atop the old stone structure.
Mounting her horse, Lyfrid rode back to Trestlebridge alone with her thoughts and recollections of earlier in the evening. Be courageous, for you work against this foulness every day. Will you fight alone or with others against this, a common foe? Is there much worse than lack of change? the runes had her tell Brulk. A few paces from stable hand, those thoughts made her chuckle, "How funny, it never fails. When I tell someone what the runes have said, they decide on the meaning themselves. Doesn't matter at all what I say, doesn't matter what the runes say, they decide what it means for themselves, eventually."
Lyfrid arrived at the cottage to find Balisan asleep but he must have heard her enter because he opened is eyes and sat upright on his makeshift bed on the floor. "Well now, don't you look bright-eyed" Lyfrid mocked the Man. She didn't mistreat him, other than feeding him mirth and keeping him captive. In fact, Lyfrid felt she took excellent care of Balisan. She bathed him, washed his clothing, shaved his face, cut and combed his hair, fed him, told him stories, and sang to him. In his drugged state, the Knight thought he was in the company of an angel. Balisan looked in perfect health, except for his saucer sized pupils.
Heaven was about to throw the Man back to Earth, however. The Order had not paid the ransom and she had no way now to collect it even if they wanted to. Barraden had gone east to find his mysterious arm-wrestler and she was left with a decision about what to do with Balisan. Though many from her past had called her a witch, blamed her for calamities and deaths, she had not part in any of those things. Her motivation in keeping Balisan of the Order of the Seven was profit, not revenge, though the idea pleased her they were suffering not knowing what happened to their komtur.
"Well handsome Sir Knight, what am I to do with you now?" she said to Balisan as she handed him a platter of roasted slices of boar and root vegetables and a goblet of Mirth spiced wine. "Shall I let you out of here and let you fall into the river and drown? What to do, what to do," she said to the saucer eyed captive as she paced back and forth across the small dirt floor of the cabin. "Oh I know exactly what I will do!" Lyfrid announced with a clap of her hands! She walked over to Balisan and kissed him on the top of his head, took the empty platter and goblet, watched the man sink back into the bed asleep with eyes opened, "Good night sleep well, our time has ended, if you cannot tell, tomorrow you travel from heaven to hell! Lyfrid laughed merrily, "That would make a great epitaph don't you think?"
Lyfrid blew out the candles, covered herself in her cloak and hood and left the cabin in a hurry.
