Chathol-linn's post
The night was darkest just before dawn. The fire at the Hedge was behind her, and its smoke still pained her eyes and made it hard to see. Few lights showed in the houses of Bree.
Harald, please be at home, Willofain thought as she ran through the dark streets.
She passed the house of Dantha, the mayor’s sweetheart, and continued up the graveled street to the stone house that was the mayor’s. To her joy a light shone through the upstairs window that overlooked the street and the town.
“Mayor Harald!” she cried in her little girl voice.
The window opened outward. “Who calls?”
“It is Willofain! O Mayor, there is a fire down town. Please let me in!”
Let her in! Harald was downstairs in an instant and nearly carried the girl upstairs to the kitchen. “Give me you news!”
And she did. “The fire is headed for the Hedge! And the girls and boys from school are in the cave with the conies,” she finished.
“What next,” he groaned. “Stay here!” Harald stormed outside and ran down the hill, shouting for Telien all the while.
Willofain was never one to follow orders, but she stayed long enough to search the kitchen for some food. She found a slice of cheese, the end of a loaf of bread, and some cool cider. She wolfed these down like Huan Vu, and then took after the mayor, catching up to him at the sign of the Prancing Pony.
“Fire!” he was roaring into the night.
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Eldest, that’s what I am . . . I knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside.
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