"Why must you go, Naunty?" asked Aemma's pouting niece.
Aemma sighed. Maybe it was to prove to Elessar that although they have joining forces with the Harad, the hated Corsairs of Umbar, they still needed food and trade to develop their country; maybe to show that although they caused the Kin-strife they were still human. And maybe to prove to the Gondorian court that they weren't savages. However, a six year old child of her brother would most likely not understand this.
"To talk to a King, far away, my love." said Aemma. "Now off you go, I have to go soon and I want to talk to your Father." Her niece scowled and ran off, hollering after her siblings.
Her brother, Wselfwulf, wandered towards her, smiling. His eyes met hers; they were exactly the same colour.
"So, you leave today?" He asked, plonking himself down on the wooden seat and drawing from his pocket a knife and a block of wood. He began to carve slowly a small shape of an oliphaunt.
Aemma nodded. She twisted her hands together, and opened her mouth then shut it promptly. She squeezed her eyes tightly together before taking a deep breath.
Wselfwulf looked up at her sharply.
"Aemma?" he asked simply.
She gazed at him, all her panicked frustration spilling over.
"Wselfwulf, how do you cope with not having Irminburga? Not having your soulmate? Your wife?"
He tensed, and sighed.
"Is this about Sufyan? Because, I don't really think it is the same. Sufyan is still alive." he answered her, ducking his head to the grass. "She went away and I won't see her again. But, since… Well, I just got on with looking after our children and I spoke to her grave when it hurt the most."
Aemma opened her mouth to ask a question when the youngest of Wselfwulf's childen came springing up.
"Pa, Mo found a bug on a log and it is really really big. She says come to mish it up!" the child requested urgently pulling on his Father's hand.
"I don't think that there will be much need of that! Let us go see though, shall we?" He gave Aemma a glance and kissed her on the cheek. "Stay safe."
Aemma nodded and walked away. She returned to her chamber and continued to pack, while still thinking about her brother's words.
A hand encircled her waist and she jumped. She turned and stared into a pair of sorrowful dark eyes.
"The escort has arrived. Are you ready?"
Aemma took a deep breath and steeled herself.
"Yes."