Fireflower

Starmere lake called to her.  Emmawynn was not sure why, but she needed to visit.  Almost as soon as she arrived in Bree she felt the tug.  She nudged the tug aside for long enough to visit old friends, but before two days had passed, she found herself riding Firesong out of town.

There was one other place she had to go first.  An old strong oak tree not too far from Hengstacer farms.  There were only a few places where the “Fireflowers” grew in Breelands, but she found one of them and picked one of the flowers on her way to the tree.  When she got there she dismounted and stood quietly in front of the tree for some time before she finally spoke. 

“I ran away from you. I ran for a long time after I left you. I saw things so much worse than I ever could have imagined.  You claimed me for my passion and my strength, and along the way those were constantly challenged, and at times they were almost lost. But now, I am no longer an innocent girl fighting against the reality of the world, I am a woman fighting to protect those who need it.  In some ways the same as you did for me. I have found my passion and my strength again, and I want to thank you for protecting me, for giving me the option to live. I think you would be proud of who I have become.”

She gently places the flower at the base of the tree trunk.  Then she stands in silence for a very long time before placing one hand over her heart in farewell.