A sort of contented revelry descended upon Adso’s Camp that evening, as House Bar-en-Acharn celebrated the success of their latest expedition. The Household had uncovered plots and schemes swirling beneath the eaves of the Wildwood, but dealing with those would wait another day; for Lady Seregrían and Cutch Crane had been reunited at last, after months of Cutch being presumed dead. Wounded and sick to the edge of death, Cutch was now healed and resting thanks to the power Seregrían revealed she had – even to herself, it would seem.
Laughter and snatches of song lasted through the day and into the evening, the company retiring one by one to rest before setting out in the morning for Falathlorn, returning to Torech Besruth. But the debate of where Cutch might convalesce further still went on unabated. Seregrían had risen and made a short walk away from the light and noise of the camp. Caladna, seeing a chance to speak to her in private, approached her as she stood gazing into the trees.
“Seregrían?” Caladna called, “I don’t wish to bother your thoughts, but I wanted to speak with you. Might I?”
“Of course, Caladna,” Seregrían replied without turning. “What troubles you?”
''He is resting at last, Elf-sister. But I want to know; what in Seven Stars did you do?”
“I did something I did not think possible for me. I rarely use any arts of healing, if ever. But it was something Cutch said, and it reminded me...”
“But he spoke so little, what was it?”
''’Moth and flame,' he said. It is from old tales, old even among the Elves, of what happens with love between the Two Kindreds. I debated in my heart over which was who, and what would happen if the moth got too close to the flame. But one night, I realized that my staff was the answer: the moth and the flame, joined.
“And that was when I allowed him to woo me, that was when I began falling for him. And all this was before I even knew of his heritage.”
“Falling? In his case, it seems as if he has been mercifully lifted.”
”As I have been, as well. Caladna, Cutch has done something I did not think possible.”
”What is that?”
“He reminded me of love - something I thought I had ruthlessly crushed out of my heart. And he did it without either of us being aware of his parentage. I love him for him, not his blood.” Caladna offered her hand as she listened, and Seregrian took it.
''Elf-sister, this has more to do with both of you as loving hearts than anything else. He has searched for so long for you, and he is changed for having found you.”
“As have I changed, in turn. Caladna, when I thought that he was... dead, I began to go back to that angry, bitter place I knew for long years.”
”Seems he was willing to be so to protect you ... silly Little Man.”
”And I did not wish to be there, in that place - I wished in all my heart that it might not be so. I found myself doing irresponsible and errant things, simply to feel what Cutch brought out in me. Nothing filled the void he left in me; even when Teahesto brought the news that he lived still, I thought it a lie. That is why I and the others are even here: I had to know.”
“And now that you know? What shall you do now?
“I want him near - always near. I shall not be parted from him, friend or foe will not stay my hand.”
“Of course you do, as does he - and we need to get him there, with you, for all our sakes. He needs to rest and recover before he makes that trip, though.”
”Trip? Yes... we shall return to Falathlorn, he and I - and I hope that you might come with us? Having you near would be a comfort for him.”
”Of course I will attend him when he goes, and I am sure Clay will attend us both. Let us let him rest nearby here first, though, so he can make the trip safely for all the urgency he will feel to get home.”
”Why wait? His wounds are healing, his fever abated - and the journey is not perilous by any means.”
”But he is still weak...his Elf blood is precious, but it’s too little, I think, to give him the stamina yet for the trip. Please, let him stay with me in Pemberth to regain his strength. It should only take a couple days.”
”And in a 'couple of days', he might be safe at The Lair, with no more delay. And what is that place, Pemberth, that you put forth instead of Falathlorn?”
”It’s a small village just a little south of Bree. My family has a cottage there, perfect for his needs. He can be safely in Pemberth in half a day and complete his necessary rest and recovery for the trip home.”
”And how might not Torech Besruth be perfect for his needs? He would have comfort, nearly limitless food and warmth - and Me.”
”We all want your home together to be his destination. I am as anxious for him to be with you there as you both are. But, I am sure he needs to rest first.”
”And is that not what awaits him with me?”
”Would you like to visit the village as well and attend him there? You can stay with him there, if you wish; until he is strong enough to travel home with you.”
Seregrian dug into her tunic and drew out the rings on their joined chain. “These shall be restored to their proper places, as soon as can be - as he shall be - and his proper place is at The Lair.”
“They are as beautiful as you and he as a couple,” Caladna said, “and his proper place is with you, wherever that might be. Come, be with him in Pemberth while he finishes his recovery. Your presence will surely speed it.”
“My presence may speed things, but the locale might as well. Cutch has been too long away from my side - and The Lair shall be his home. Shall he not recover there?”
”But the road itself is neither Pemberth or home. Pemberth is much closer, and we, or you, can tend him there while he readies for the trip home.”
“And how long might this take!? Did I not call him back to health? Shall I be denied?”
“I would think only a day or two, maybe less if you were with him. You have done a miraculous thing, but as much with your presence as your power.”
“...as has his presence done to me!”
”Then be with him in Pemberth! Give him all the chance he needs to be ready for the trip to Falathlorn. Wherever he is with you is home for him, for you are his home. Look, Clay and I will arrange for anything you need. And Captain Teahesto will as well. You know he would speak to you of this, and his wisdom would agree with me, I think!”
At the mention of the name, Seregrían smiled slightly. “Teahesto... he can out-stare a rock. If you bring him into the argument, then I am undone...”
Caladna smiled in turn, “Yes, he is an irresistable force. Can you not imagine his thoughts on this? Would he tell you different than what you have heard me suggest?”
Seregrían fell silent, sensing she would lose the debate in time. “Then I shall offer this. I shall return to Falathlorn with the rest of my Household. We shall make preparations for Cutch's return. If you calculate the ride back, the work done, then returning to Breeland - ten days, you might say?”
“I daresay, we will be meeting you along the way,” Caladna said. “'I believe he will be hale enough for the trip in half that time. Cutch will not be held back from you, as drawn as he is to you.”
“...as I am to him. Caladna... there is something else - and I speak to you now as women might.”
“As sisters might. What is it?”
”How familiar are you with the customs of my kin, with respect to… Marriage?”
“It is for life, and will only happen once, as I understand it?”
“Yes, true... but one thing... an Elven wedding is considered complete when the couple.... give themselves to each other. Until then, one is a maid. But afterwards... there might be children.”
“Of course there might be!”
“It is not unheard of for children to be brought as a result of the wedding night. And I... I know nothing of children! Never tended of cared for any. With all the lore I know and possess, I know not what to do!”
Caladna said, 'Well, we can arrange for you to get some experience in that, or are you more inclined to have nannies?”
“Nannies?”
“Women you trust to tend to the raising of your children...something like a very close aunt. Not unheard of amongst the richest of Men.”
”Oh! Nurse-maids! Those I have seen before among Elvenkind. Family or friends might assist a young mother in the tasks - and older, wiser women would pass on their lore to them.”
”Much the same thing, although feeding from the breast can awaken instincts you do not know you have.”
“Feeding... from the breast?”
”Elven mothers do not do this?”
”Yes, they do, of course... but I know nothing of the skill - well... only what I have read and been told.”
”The instinct usually comes to the mother as her body changes during pregnancy and after the birth. Much of what mothers are does not come from books, it comes from becoming mothers.”
”Clearly, I have much more to learn...”
“You are wise to think ahead of these things, Elf-sister. But I don’t understand the tone in your voice, is there something wrong? Something Cutch should know?”
Seregrían was now fully embarrassed. “Cutch told me something a while ago, something that happened when we first met. When he first saw me... he said he'd had a vision of me... 'round with his child', he said.”
Caladna barely suppressed a squeal, clapping her hand over a broad open smile. “And now that I know of his heritage, I can see he had a gift of foresight, then. If we prepare this Pemberth cottage, and we prepare The Lair, well, then we must give thought to... other preparations, as well…”
