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Aeron was weary to his bone. The women lost, gone...and Indil in the hands of Tharonwe. He glowered deeply at the thought, and his fingers curled into a fist. He could see it in Ędegard's face too --~~ the shadow of vengeance.
He reached up and touched the lock of his sister's hair. He missed her. Still he missed her. He wondered if the feeling, that need would ever go away.
They travelled far, resting only when horses and men required it.
As had happened so many times before, Aeron found that his companions had faded away and that he was standing in a green meadow dotted with wildflowers.
"Gwyllion?"
His voice echoed beneath the cloudy sky, and a cold wind whispered in his ear. He began to walk, the dew from the meadow soaking his feet. He found her, looking to the west. Her face was pale. "Gwyllion," he said again.
"Aeron, the other women are close. I think they are."
"Bella and Leafa?"
"Yes, those were their names, weren't they? I have such troubles remembering some things now. But they're close, so close. They aren't in any danger, there are no shadows lurking."
"But how do you know?"
"He left them, left them alone, and took that little girl with him. The shadows are around her still, encircling her. I fear for her...I made her something, I wanted to make her something to keep her safe from him, but it's gone now, I don't know what happened to it."
"Where did they go, Gwyll?" Aeron asked.
"Towards her," she whispered.
And he woke, and told Raefindan of what he had dreamed.
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