[Elora]

Uien latched the gate and dusted her hands off on her skirt. The bridles jingled lightly as they hung over her shoulder. After the rain, the day had become bright. The colours of theworld seemed new again and vibrant. Uien drew a deep breath and watched the horses and ponies mill around their pasture, tails swishing as they inspected turf, water and the grain that sat in the hanging feed bins.

A dragonfly ephemerally drifted through the air, as if suspended by a transparent thread from the sky above. It landed on the sun struck waters of the trough, fluttering its wings. Uien smiled faintly, her mind distant. She spread her hands over the wooden posts of the fence, their weather worn grain smooth against her palm, and her smile faded.

Uien closed her eyes and bent her head until her brow rested also against the wood of the gate, lost in her thoughts. The morning breeze that had blown the rain away tossed in her hair and skirts. Only yesterday, last evening, she had spoken of the shadow she carried with her in this place. It had lifted for a moment, shining and precious, with the telling. Now that the one who had lifted it, and her with it literally in the Twilight, was gone it haunted the edges of her thoughts.

Who was she to be setting out and impelling others with her? She had been foolish enough to let her wandering feet carry her through blizzard to... Uien shuddered in the warm summer day and shook her head. If they knew how little she knew and how often her actions led her awry, they would rightly reconsider.

She was no warrior, no fierce soldier. She hated swords and all they represented. She was no Lady, able to negotiate a clever peace pact either. Falowik looked at her with eyes filled with hope, and she despaired of disappointing that. With a sigh, Uien turned from the fence and made for the well to wash her hands. It was busy inside and likely Aman would be grateful for some help with all these visitors.

It would give her something to occupy her hands, if not her mind, with. As Uien delved her hands into cool water she had pulled up in the well's bucket, she set her thoughts to Derufin and Aman. She could not leave without a word those who had taken her in, turning her back on their generous hearts and welcome.