ISENGRIM

Saovine 1264
Dorian
Temeria

No one helps Scoia'tael just because it's the right thing to do. Right? So who was this woman? Why did she do it? Who, in their right mind, jumps into the fire? They were all talking about it – aenyell'hael... Baptism of fire... But she is the only one he knew, who actually did it and made it out.

That night, she was sitting in the small inn The Leafs and Grass in a small town which was alike many others. It was dusk and the houses were grey, which made it look quite depressing altogether. Red and green roofs of houses looked like holly and it was the only nice thing, that could be said about this place. But this particular town had its advantages: a brothel for one, a substantial population of Aen Seidhe and it was situated on the road form Wizima to Gors Velen. Isengrim was thinking for a long while whether his informant had been right.

Is it her?

He wanted to observe and, if possible, interrogate this woman. His small unit, not even a commando (yet) met Coinneach Da Réo near Egremont a month ago. Then and there, he heard a story of a young woman, who comes and goes as she pleases, but most importantly: the last time – came just in time with a group of her men to save a commando. After an undoubtedly heroic – even if strange – act of mercy, instead of answering questions about their motives and reasons, she managed to fuck into oblivion Coinneach (not that he objected to that) and disappeared after few days. No one knew how and why they came. No one knew what they planed to do next. They disappeared into thin air. If he didn't know better, he would think:

Ghosts.

It took Isengrim and his four men a month to track them down. Mostly due to the fact, that instead of five men, there were now seven travelling with her – in the very moment all of them busy in the brothel. She changed her haircut and clothing to simple leather trousers and a warm fur coat. Two details, which gave her away at the town gate, were a horse – the blood-bay mare (according to Coinneach called Mearas) and two swords crossed at her back, though it was not so unusual to carry weapons this way. Still, Isengrim was almost sure as he saw her.

It is her. This is a woman carrying weapons with ease. Her face is partially hidden behind a heavy scarf, hood and coat. She may be hiding from the cold but it's also quite convenient for a person, who doesn't want to be recognised. It is her.

In the inn, she took hood, scarf and coat off. Now, she was in casual but elegant and not cheap clothing, most recognisable of them was an elven ornamented jacket in midnight blue and silver. At her neck was glittering a lapis-lazuli necklace. Her dark auburn, straight hair and pale complexion were adding to the graceful look. He could not make the colour of her eyes from the distance and in the dim light of candles, but he would bet his life, that they were green.
She was sitting casually eating and drinking wine, but it was obvious, that she is a traveller, who doesn't belong here. All the time she was carefully scanning the inn and its guests. One of the dh'oine at the bar caught her eyes and she looked down quickly. But a moment later, she was looking with a cocky smile at a blond Seidhe, who was sitting two tables from her.

So she is on the hunt. It may be a good occasion.

Isengrim went back to the stables, where his men were waiting. He looked at Leanan and a wide grin crept on his face:
"Newbie, this is your lucky day" – he said – "the girl, Fen as she called herself, is at the inn looking for an occasion to spend a good night. She prefers blond" – he grinned again.
Leanan's expression went from terrified to interested.
"And you want me to... do what?" – the young Seidhe asked with a smirk.
"Fuck some answers out of her. But remember" – Isengrim paused – "you are going to get some answers not to please yourself. Is it understood?" – Isengrim asked seriously, looking carefully at the boy. He joined them three months ago: his clothes were still in order and his golden hair was as beautiful as they should be. He was a good bait.

Isengrim decided to wait outside the inn while Leanan went inside.

Blathe 1246
the Blue Mountains

He was observing his mother was weaving. The late spring was slowly coming to the mountains as well, but much later than in the valley below. He was watching her closely, tentatively as she started to cough.
"You are still sick, mother" – he said in a worried voice.
"It's nothing, Is, my dear son" – she answered avoiding his gaze.
Her slender fingers were furrowed, her figure thin, too thin. Her complexion was ashen and unhealthy. Her once reach chestnut hair was now mate and rare. He started to think about all the nights he didn't sleep – watching her breath, hearing her coughs, wondering whether she would wake up in the morning. She was alone and he was the only one she had, the only one who cared enough to nurture her in the winter when she became sick. As if reading his mind, she said in a small voice:
"You can leave now. Go to her. She might one day become your future, while I'm no more than your past".
"And who will hunt for you, mother?" – he replied irritated.
"I don't need meat every day, dear" – she said in a stronger voice than he thought she could muster today.
"But you do" – he replied, ending the discussion.
The arras, she was working on now, was exquisite even for her handwork. It was an image of a valley encircled by high mountains covered in the snow. In the valley trees and flowers were blooming in white. His mother stopped her work and looked at him with fondness and sorrow in her eyes. She loved him enough to want him to go, but was still grateful for his presence. A small smile was gracing her lips, a smile, which even reached her eyes for the first time in months.
He knew, that Neilina could wait. Not that they shared a stable relationship – far from it truly – with him constantly on the road and her whimsical nature. But, they enjoyed each other's company from time to time for years now.

His care and devotion granted his mother a few more years to live but she passed away, either way: during a pouring rain at night in Savoine, while he was still away from home. This was particularly hard year for many Aen Seidhe settlements and families, so when he learned on his way to the Blue Mountains, that the community near Vergen needed help, he decided to stay there and help as he could. The settlement was right in the middle of his way from the outskirts of Gulet, where Neilina lived and his mother's house, and the winter was still young.
When he came back, all that he found was her statute and grave on which neighbours had already planted ivy. The settlement he grew up in has never felt like home again. He came too late.

After two hours of waiting outside the inn, not long after midnight, shouting from the other side of the building woke him up from his own thoughts. He ran there to find a small barrel on fire and Leanan, still naked, looking down with terrified expression from the window. To the window's frame was fastened a white linen bed-sheet. People were running around in a commotion to put out the fire and she was no where to be found. Isengrim instantly realised what had happened.

She jumped again... And this time she set the fire herself. Fuck!

They took the horses and galloped back into the forest. Isengrim was raging internally but was more interested in answers, so he kept his face and voice under control.
"What happened?"
"Well..." – Leanan looked horrified and his voice was shaking slightly but he continued. – "The moment I entered the inn she looked at me and smiled. When I got to the bar, she sat next to me and ordered a bottle of wine, two glasses and a room. Leaving her seat, she brushed past me and asked quietly, if I wanted to join her in a few minutes. When I got to the room, she had already been sitting in the bathtub and asked me to lock the door. I joined her and started to converse casually, but she quickly hmm…" – a blush and a pause – "occupied her mouth and hmm..." – another pause – "hands otherwise. Soon, we got to the bed. I tried to talk to her and she conversed with me effortlessly. But to tell the truth, she didn't say anything interesting. They are supposedly going to Cidaris, but due to the fact, that after I asked: what for? She straddled me and hmm... Well, let's say that she changed the subject, I doubt if anything she said was true."
"I don't need to hear more" – Isengrim interrupted– "just tell me: how did she run away?"
"She told me to get another bath together, cause she was hmm... sticky" – much more blush was now visible on his face. – "But she wanted to finish her glass of wine first. So I went to the bath and waited for her. Then, I heard screams outside. And the rest you know..."
"How did she call herself?" – Isengrim continued.
"Fen. The same as with Coinneach Da Réo" – the younger Seidhe replied.
Isengrim sighed in resignation.

How? The second grown and experienced Seidhe fell for the same behaviour the first did (even older and much more experienced). And she is a bloede dh'oine! This is the only established truth about her.

Well, not the only one:
"Is she really...?" – he heard Gael asking Leanan in a low, barely audible whisper.
"Her breasts... and bottom... I mean..." – Leanan started in a husky voice but stopped when he realised, that Isengrim was looking at him with a stern, almost angry expression.