A Summer Eve's Visit

Camaryl glanced quickly over her shoulder, back toward the darkness from whence she came. Good no-one followed the thought came almost unbidden, as if she had feared being followed or caught. Camaryl crouched before the door deftly picking the simple lock and quietly slipping inside.



After exploring the humble home, she climbed the small ladder to the loft, smiling in relief at the sight of both sleeping children, and placed a silver coin in the shoe of each; satisfied she returned to the sitting room.



Standing before the fireplace, Camaryl listened to the fire crackled and snap, enjoying the warmth. When a small, discarded item caught her attention. Dumbfounded, Camaryl looked at the now-familiar marking on her wrist and picked up the necklace.



Uncomfortably she ran her thumb over the small pendant,

I... Don't understand. It's the same. Just like the embroidered symbol on all those tattered pennants throughout that old elven temple of the moon goddess. What is it doing here of all places?



"You know...there is nothing here worth taking." A decidedly masculine voice startled Camaryl out of her thoughts. Making no attempt at escape, she looked over her shoulder, meeting Roland's blue eyes and smiled disarmingly. "I'm sorry I had not intended to wake you."

He pushed off from the door frame he had been leaning against and continued in a hushed voice. "I should be calling the constable for an uninvited guest." Lips curved in a faint but answering smile, he gestured to the chair behind her.



Putting the necklace back, Camaryl took the proffered seat watching the tall, dark-haired human as he approached the fireplace and pocket the jewelry she had returned moments before.



"Tea?" He didn't wait for a response. Using a discarded cloth, he reached into the fireplace removing a hot kettle, pored himself and her a cup before taking a seat across from her; accepting the cup, she quietly enjoyed the herbal drink as he studied her.



Tilting his head to the side, he finally asked, "I don't mean to sound ungrateful," he gestured to the loft, "but why are you here?"

Gazing into the caramel liquid. "I wanted to check on your children..." she quickly glanced up at him then away. "and you. They went through a very trying ordeal, and I..." she let the sentence, die-off not sure how to finish. What do I tell him? I wanted to make sure they were still alive and that my wish was not temporary.



Roland started pacing. "You wanted to check on them? You come in the middle of the night when everyone is sleeping. To...check on us?" As quickly as he started pacing he stopped. "I should be offended, angry even." Abruptly he turned to face her closing the small distance between them eyes fierce, his voice ruff with gratitude. "I'm not, my children have been returned to me. Because of your friends, because of you, they are alive and home."



Grabbing her wrist, he held her hand palm up, placing the necklace within. "This belonged to my wife, it has been in her family for generations."



"I...I can't take this." She pushed the necklace back at him as if she had been bitten.



Shaking his head Roland closed her fingers over the small item, "Please. Take it as a small token of my thanks."



Camaryl looked down at her hand, cradling the pendant, making a decision she donned the necklace, then placing a kiss on his cheek Camaryl slipped the platinum piece she had intended to put on the mantle; into his pocket.



A roguish grin lit his face as she stepped away, "If you folk ever come back this way, you are welcome to stay."



"I will tell them you offered." With a parting wink, Camaryl took her to leave.



She looked askance at the sky as she left, I was supposed to be in and out of that place. I had not meant to stay the whole night, quickly making her way back to the inn, so much for no one knowing I had been gone.



Camaryl pulled open the door spotting Demiclease and Telivi breaking their fast, she smiles and quickly joins the two.