Eduwiges of Faldham hurried through the glistening courtyards up on the Sages Tier of Minas Tirith. Intent on her mission, the beauty of the fountains and courtyards passed her by as she approached the steps to the Houses of Lore. Eduwiges smelled of sweat and horses. Oenone had not let her down. The horse of the Riddermark lived up to her breeding and the travel time to the city was short.
Eduwiges was worried over Nethrida’s concerns about Addie being involved in some kind of necromancy. Honestly, she had a hard time believing Addie could do such a thing. She was so prim and proper. Everything had its place with the pretty blond scholar and master of magic. She did not even drink! Eduwiges thought her friend was only grieving over the loss of Hawke. She smiled, still happy that Hawke had been saved by the cavern dwelling Avorrim Elves. The reunion at Tol-Lochu had been joyous and after Neth voicing her concerns of Addie, Eduwiges, perhaps rashly, decided the best way to repair Addie’s damaged soul was to get her to the island as quickly as possible to see the living, breathing Hawke.
Having had time to consider, Eduwiges was unsure how to approach Addie about the whole thing. Neth warned her not to be honest about Hawke, but to lure her to the island where she could be confronted. However, Addie was their comrade and had shared battles and confrontations with Eduwiges. She may not have been a shield maiden but she had shared every danger Eduwiges had and been bloodied right along with her. Even almost dying at the Kheledul Docks.
Eduwiges was still wondering what she was going to say to her friend, who she was desperately worried about getting back to the island. Wearily, she climbed the marbled steps of the Houses of Lore and opened the heavy, intricately designed, double doors. The cool air of the library blew in her face as she entered.
Meanwhile, Addiela turned her head to listen as she heard the door and the heavy footsteps of Eduwiges entering the building. While she waited for whoever it was to appear, she rolled up the scroll she was studying and calmly tucked it away into the satchel by her side. She folded her hands in her lap and waited patiently.
Eduwiges approached the thin, pale woman behind the desk close to the double doors of the Lorehouse. The librarian’s lips pursed as if she had been enjoying the tartness of lemons. Eduwiges asked if someone matching Addie’s description was in the library. The woman vaguely gestured toward the stairs which led to the reading level of the lorehouse without saying a word. She would probably bludgeon someone to death with her stamp if any of her sacred books were at risk. Eduwiges thanked her and made for the stairs. As she climbed the magnificently engineered staircase Eduwiges decided to tell Addie the truth. Lie to a friend and comrade?
By this point Addie had identified the stranger approaching was not a stranger, but Eduwiges. She reached over and slid a tome of history in front of her and looked up. Eduwiges smiled grimly at the lone woman in black sitting at the table. Addiela’s hollow gaze looked at Edu and she offered back her own grim sort of smile. ‘Hello Eduwiges. What brings you here?’
Eduwiges shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably, unsure how to say what must be said. ‘Ahh, well, I have just come from Tol-Lochu. I need you to come back with me. Something has happened.’ She crossed her arms and looked Addie in the eye.
Addiela quirked an eye in curiosity, but didn’t seem as though she wished to be pulled away from her coven of books. ‘And what is so important that it demands that my attention be taken away from these studies?’ she asked.
Eduwiges looked down at the ground and back up, ‘Are you aware of the Avorrim?’
Addiela tilted her head to the side; she seemed to be both intrigued by the question and slightly unsure of why Eduwiges would be asking of such. ‘The elvish contingent of the Last Great Alliance?’
Eduwiges replied, ‘Aye, the ones who have taken refuge in the caverns by the sea.’ Addiela raised her brows at the answer.
‘I wasn’t aware that any had taken refuge here. How did you come to learn this information?’ Addiela asked. Eduwiges put her hands on her hips and shifted her weapon’s belt and decided she might as well make this like ripping off a bandage. It would hurt less if she yanked it off.
Eduwiges said, ‘I do not know all of their history. They are a group of elves and,’ she took a deep breath. ‘They, pulled Hawke from the sea where he fell… he was, is, alive.’ Addiela was silent for many heartbeats. Her mind thought on this new revelation and her countenance remained stoic.. After a time, she finally nodded her head once.‘I see… And how do you know of this?’ she asked. Eduwiges smiled wearlily and said,
‘Xan brought him back to the house. He is there now. The cave elves nursed him back to health.’ she shrugged, a gesture of not knowing. ‘Somehow Xan could sense something’ she raised her voice excitedly.’‘ and went searching and by Bema she found him!’
Addiela’s eyes narrowed and the corners of her lips turned downward in a deep frown. ‘How long has this been?’ she asked, ‘And she just now was able to sense him?’
She seemed to lose herself in thought once more, her hollow eyes appeared to look past Eduwiges. ‘Yes.’ she said, 'There are many questions to be asked and answered of this.’
Her eyes flicked back to Eduwiges and went through her as if to pierce her soul. ‘He seems to be himself?’ She asked.Her eyes flitted around strangely and once again focused on Eduwiges who shrugged and responded,
‘I know nothing of the details. I have spoken with him and I have hugged him. He has shrunk a bit and seems fragile. His memory is a bit scattered, but it is Hawke, our friend is alive! I jumped on Oenone an hour after he arrived to come and bring you home to see him.’
Addiela frowned, she did not seem to be fully convinced. She had always been a ‘seeing is believing’ type of woman. However her countenance softened a bit and she seemed ready to follow.
‘Quite a curious thing indeed.’ she said, almost to herself. Her hand discreetly slid down to the satchel on her right to make sure that it was secured and no scrolls were showing. Being confident of that, she motioned with her hand to the entrance of the library, where the thin guardian of the books still held her post. ‘Shall we then?’
Eduwiges smiled, ‘I will have to have them loan me a mount from the stables.I tired Oenone out getting here so quickly, but that should be no problem. Let's go!’ she cried impatiently.
.Addiela nodded and turned to follow as Eduwiges began to make for the door. She stopped and called out.
‘Lily can bear us both if your steed is unable.’ Eduwiges halted and remembered Lily, the beautiful giant white horse of Addie’s that they rescued from the clutches of the evil Thunar. ‘Can she?’ Eduwiges asked. ‘That would be excellent, Oenone can follow behind and I will not have to make a trip back to pick her up. Thank you Addie.’ She continued making her way toward the door of the Houses of Lore. Edu could think of worse things than riding behind her on the road back to Tol-Lochu.
Addiela nodded once in confirmation, but did not say another word for now as she followed. Eduwiges pushed the doors open for the two of them. The warm air of Minas Tirith swirled around them as they exited into the sunlight.
‘
