[VanimaEdhel]

Morluinien sighed and picked the pink flower, crushing it. She threw the bent, broken, crushed blossom into the black waters of the little stream. She growled to herself.

"Bran!" Morluinien called.

"Yes, mistress?" Bran said, ambling between the trees.

"Something has been this way!"

"Are you sure, m'lady?"

"Ach! Faireg (Little human)! Can you not see it? Or feel it, even?"

Morluinien made a slight gesture, and Bran fell to his knees groaning.

"I-I'm sorry m'lady!" Bran managed to say. Morluinien relaxed and Bran struggled to his feet.

"See that it does not happen again. And do not question me again, either." Morluinien said, coldly.

With that, she turned and made for her house at a brisk walk. Bran scrambled and followed her. The big man ducked under brambles and soon had utterly lost Morluinien. He looked around desperately for his mistress.

"M'lady! M'lady! Do not leave me!" Bran called, turning around in fear. He could remember a time when he did not feel this urge to be near her...when he did not fear her leaving him and he did not even care. When had that changed? It had to be that night. He remembered nothing of it, but...it must have been that night that she had bound him to that metal chair.

"M'lady!" Bran called again, in desperation.

"I am here, stupid ogre," Morluinien said. She wondered why she had chosen such a stupid Easterling to enchant. Bran's eyes lit up like a puppy's and he scrambled to catch up.

They reached the cabin and entered. Morluinien made immediately for her room and locked the door behind her.

"Now, who has been on my land?" Morluinien muttered to herself. She opened the clasp of the necklace she wore and held it in her hand.

"Morluinien, my child," a cold voice said.

"Mother," Morluinien said, just as coldly, falling into her mother's speech pattern, "What creature hath made itself known to my lands?"

"A few mere children, Morluinien," the familiar voice said, "'Tis nothing that thou shouldst trouble thyself with. And 'tis not thy land, my daughter. 'Tis mine. And it will always remain such."

"Yes, Mother," Morluinien said, bowing her head, feeling scorn for her mother. Her mother was dead, the land should not be hers. It was Morluinien's now, by right. Morluinien continued, "But, any creature on my...our lands art a threat. What if they give this position away to others? What then shall we do?"

"Others know, Morluinien," Duraglariel responded, "For that is why I am dead."

"Yes, I suppose so," Morluinien said, "I thank you, Mother. May the Lord rise again and fill your body with strength with which you may return to me."

"And may that strenth also find its way into you," Duraglariel responded.

Morluinien clasped the necklace once again around her neck and stood. She unlocked the door and exited her room. Bran was sitting at the table.

"What do you think you are doing?" Morluiniel asked.

Bran quickly stood up, "Not a thing, Morlui-"

Before he could finish the name, Morluinien had strode over and slapped him hard.

"What were you about to call me?" Morluinien asked.

"Mor-mor-my lady!" Bran corrected himself.

"When did I say you were able to refer to me by my true name?" Morluiniel demanded.

"Never, m'lady, but...I thought...thought that it would show my devotion that I would call you by yo-"

Morluiniel slapped him again.

"Do not call me that! Only your other mistress may call me that!"

"You mean your moth-?"

Bran ducked the slap, and, in some distant instinct, grabbed Morluiniel's arm, easily subduing her physical strength.

"Do not do that agan!" Bran said strongly, immediately regretting the gesture. Rage filled Morluiniel's eyes -- so fair they seemed to Bran -- and she took in a quick breath. The next instant, Bran was on the floor, crying in pain.

"Do not disobey me!" Morluiniel shouted, Bran still doubled over in pain...

**********

An hour later, there were three children in Morluiniel's cottage. Each was knocked out and blindfolded. Bran finished tying up the last one.

"M-m-m'lady?" Bran asked, meekly.

"Yes?"

"May I ask you something?"

"Careful, Bran..." Morluiniel warned.

"It is just...why did we have to take them? They are just children, after all."

Bran could not explain this strange feeling he felt...he thought it was sympathy for the children, but he could not be sure.

"Because they were trying to destroy us Bran. Do you understand that?" Morluiniel said.

"Oh..." Bran let it drop, but was not so sure...