[shieldmaiden]

When Thenamir left Baranthôl could breath normally again. If Thenamir had come a second earlier he would have caught her with a female hair brush and a dress in her hands. That insane hag, Aspida, was getting her into danger of unveiling her disguise all the time. Haleth didn’t really know what to do with the dress, she couldn’t remember the last time she wore any kind of feminine clothes and she probably won’t be wearing it in a long time.

She put herself together and went looking for Ulfwine. She hadn't seen him since their arrival, but then, she spent the whole day with Aspida in the kitchen.

She checked every tent but she had found only Gurthden, Kalohern and other three riders sound asleep and snoring like bears. She entered the cottage and went to the main room where she found Dwarin sleeping in a chair. The only person awake was Aspida, who was cleaning up the kitchen (with no visible results, the walls and the floor were covered with soot and grease and there was no hope that they would ever gain their true colour again, there was also that stench of rotting herbs that were hung around the ceiling to make an atmosphere of mystique).

“Where can I find Ulfwine, ma’am?” Haleth asked.
“I’ve sent that brat to get me some water, he’s probably still at the well, I provided him with many a jug, ” Aspida grinned.

Ulfwine was bent over the well and was getting the third bucket of water when Haleth arrived. He hadn’t noticed her and when she said “Ho there”, he dropped the bucket on the floor and spilled water over himself.

“Baranthôl, man, you frightened me, I haven’t heard you comming.” said Ulfwine trying to shake down the water from his clothes.
“Thenamir wants us to go trekking with him, he thinks that we might find some clues and since you know the land well you could be of great help.” said Haleth
“Yes, I’ll go with you but I have to deliver this to Aspida first, she’ll kill me if I don’t bring it on time.” Ulfwine filled the third and the fourth bucket.
Haleth helped him to bring the water back to the cottage.