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14th of Frostfall, 427 3E
Today was not only rather tiring, but gave me more reason to believe that there is something shady going on here on Lokken Island. In fact as of today it's obvious that we can't simply go about our business caring for the forest and keep out of whatever occurred here before we arrived.
Since Neldor and I have gotten to know the island and its forests, we decided to go on our daily patrols separately this morning. After heading out from our home by Silverwood Lake, Neldor and Garland followed the roads and trails clockwise around the island while Gloria and I went counter clockwise. Since this meant we would be heading to the southwestern portion of Lokken early in the day we were able to stop by Laurenna's cabin.
I asked her if she had seen the white wolf out and about again since Snorri seemed certain that the animal would recover from the poisoned arrows. Following a shake of her head, Laurenna answered, "No, he hasn't been around, but it's good to hear that he'll eventually recover his strength. I've been so worried about the wolf, and so desperate because I felt I couldn't leave this place. Aeronwen, you really are a true friend. If there is ever anything I can do for you, I will be happy to do so. Until then, the only thing I can give you is my friendship."
Touched by her sincerity, I replied, "That is not a small thing and I thank you for it."
Laurenna briefly looked toward the castle, then appeared apologetic as she continued, "Aeronwen, there is another thing that's worrying me. It's concerning my mother, Sigrid."
To that I said, "I thought you were unable to have any contact with her."
She explained, "I can't but we have a secret signal. She signals with her candle. I use my lantern. Early this morning she sent me the signal for 'danger'. Since then, I haven't seen her in the window. I'm not allowed to enter the castle so I have no idea what is going on. Maybe my friend Kielreen, the barmaid, would know. Could you please go and talk to her? Perhaps she knows what happened."
Pulling myself up on Gloria's back, I said, "I'll be back, whether Kielreen has any answers for you or not. Hopefully I can get some information that will give you some peace of mind."
Leaving Laurenna to her constant watch for any sign of her mother, I rode to the castle and then made my way into the reception hall. This was the first time I had entered the castle since Neldor and I came to Lokken and I was again struck by the realization that I prefer the outdoors and have no desire to live within a fancy sprawling palace again.
Kielreen, who was of course working at the reception hall's small bar, appeared surprised to see me. Putting some tankards away, she said, "Hello, Aeronwen. What brings you here?"
Hoping that Ragnar wasn't around, I explained softly, "I am here on Laurenna's behalf. She believes something might be wrong with Sigrid and asked me to come and see what I could find out."
Kielreen appeared puzzled as she replied, "No, I don't have any news about her, but I will of course investigate immediately. Come back later and I will hopefully have something to tell you." She paused a moment, then asked, "You're from Vvardenfell, aren't you?"
Trying not to sound or appear wary, I answered, "Yes I am. Why do you ask?"
She glanced around before she lowered her voice and explained, "I have heard strange rumors concerning a man from Vvardenfell in the castle prison. Apparently, this man witnessed a murder on the island. Strangely, he has been kept prisoner ever since reporting what he saw to the guards. I don't know if this has any connection to the death of Wulfgar the White but I certainly think it would be a good idea for you to check this out as soon as possible."
Admittedly I had misgiving about getting involved with this, for it's a safe bet that Ragnar wouldn't appreciate his new rangers poking around in matters that took place before we arrived. However, as the island's rangers we need to be informed about anything that has taken place in the forests. For this reason I agreed to go to the Lokken prison and quietly conduct an investigation.
As I was walking past the row of cells I half expected to find Erandre and RiData locked inside one of them, but instead of hearing Erandre yelling "we didn't do it", I heard a shrill voice with a Wayrest accent pleading, "You have to let me out! My assistant is probably all the way across Tamriel by now with my amulet! I NEED that amulet!"
Somewhat amused, I saw Louis Beauchamp pacing around inside one of the cells. Now and then he peered out through the bars and yet again lamented not being able to obtain the amulet that would make him "irresistible to women". Approaching one of the guards, I asked, "So the balloon man is still here?"
The guard chuckled and explained, "Just until tomorrow morning. At that point we're putting him on a ship that's bound for Vvardenfell. Louis will then be transported to a cheery little town called Ald'ruhn. I hope he gets lots of dust and ash in his underclothes."
On resuming my search, I discovered that there was a prisoner, a gray haired male Nord, in a cell that was tucked away by itself in the very back of the prison. As soon as he noticed me, the Nord reached through the bars and said pleadingly, "Ranger! Please listen to me! I'm not scum! I'm not a thief! What happened to me could happen to anyone who is unfortunate enough to hunt in these forests! Please, let me tell you my story."
Stepping closer to the cell's bars yet careful to remain out of reach, I replied, "All right. I'll hear you out."
He stammered, "Thank you. I am Erik from Dagon Fell. I left for Solstheim more than a year ago, looking for a place where my wife Hellena and I could open a clothing shop. She's a seamstress. She's talented but the competition is a bit hard at home. Then, I heard that the Lokken clothier might be interested in selling her shop, and that's why I came to this place. Which was a mistake..."
When he paused, I drew a bit closer to the door and said, "Go on."
Again raising his eyes to mine, Erik continued, "On the day of my arrival, the clothier wasn't at home. So, I went for a walk. Somehow I happened to leave the village and found myself lost in the forest. After a short while, I saw two men and I decided to talk to them. But as I got closer, one of them suddenly drew his sword and killed the other one! I left the place immediately, and ran until I reached the village. I hurried up to the castle and talked to a guard but..."
"They didn't believe you?"
Erik exclaimed, "The guard didn't listen to me at all! Instead he dragged me down here and threw me into a cell. I shouted that I was innocent, but he didn't seem to believe me. Many months have passed since then, but so far no-one has even bothered to give me a fair trial! I have heard that the old chieftain has passed away, and that there's a new cruel one ruling this place. Obviously he doesn't care if there's an innocent man kept in his prison."
Not wanting to speak against Ragnar and take the chance of being overheard, I inquired, "Is there anything else you can tell me?"
Squeezing the prison bars with his fist, Erik continued, "As time passed, I began to fear that I would never get out of this place. What truly torments me is the thought of my wife back in Dagon Fell not having a clue about what happened to me. She might even think I'm dead. Last month I convinced the prison guard to forward a letter to her. But I haven't heard anything from her since then. Maybe he didn't send the letter to Hellena. Or maybe she isn't in Dagon Fel at all."
After looking around, I told him, "She is in fact not in Dagon Fel. I have met Hellena here in Lokken. She is staying at the inn."
Tears and glimmer of hope appeared in Erik's light blue eyes. After making what sounded like a soft sob, he responded, "Hellena is here? In Lokken? How is she? How did she find her way here? Does she know what has happened to me? Oh, I should have realized that after being married to this wonderful woman for so many years that she would do everything possible to find me."
With a small smile, I said, "Yes, she wants very much to find you and made it clear that she is not leaving without answers."
Barely able to contain himself, he begged, "Please, go and talk to Hellena. She is as clever as she is lovely. I'm sure she can come up with a suggestion to get me out of here."
This I readily agreed to. After leaving the castle, I rode to the Pondering Pony and found Hellena seated by the fireplace and staring wistfully out the window. When I approached and told her that I had some news about her husband the woman practically jumped out of her chair.
She listened to me as I told her of my conversation with Erik. When I finished, she said, "From what I have heard about Ragnar Fire Hair, it's not a surprise that he has not bothered to give my husband a fair trial. We'll need to find another way to rescue Erik. I think I have an idea."
Feeling a kinship with the innocent man whom had been unjustly imprisoned, I asked, "What is it? I'll help if I can."
Hellena explained, "There is a woman named Fiona Klang who runs the Lokken bakery. I have met her a couple of times and she's a charming lady. I know that her brother works as a prison guard. If I could only talk to her...Aeronwen, would you please be so kind and escort me to her? I know the bakery is not far from here, but now that I know where my husband is I'm a little fearful of walking around the village alone."
I could understand her fear. The individuals who want to keep Erik quiet would likely want to do the same with Hellena. With a brief nod, I answered, "Yes, I'll accompany you to the bakery."
Beaming at me, she responded gratefully, "Thank you so much, Aeronwen. You know, from the first moment I saw you, I realized that you were a righteous and honorable person."
The Lokken bakery, which is filled with the mouth-watering scents of cakes, pies, tarts, cookies, cobbler, and other baked goods, is in fact quite close to the castle, which made me feel wary as we walked at a casual pace through the village. Luckily we reached our destination without drawing any unwanted attention.
Within the bakery, Hellena introduced me to Fiona Klang and then told her what we had learned about Erik's situation. Afterward, Fiona shook her head and commented, "That's terrible. He can't just sit there in that cell without a fair trial for a lifetime."
Hellena asked in a whisper, "Is there anything that can be done?"
Following a brief hesitation, Fiona explained, "My brother Fridolf works as a prison guard and he is a friendly soul. He is generally know by his surname, Von Schlepp. He might not look friendly, but beneath the surface he has a heart of gold. I will write a letter to him and if you, Aeronwen, could take it to him, I am sure he will do his best to help you. I think Hellena should wait here with me until you come back."
As Fiona began writing the letter to her brother, I agreed, "Yes. If Hellena is seen at the prison that might draw attention that we don't want or need."
A few minutes later, Fiona handed a folded sheet of paper to me and said, "Here. Take this note to me brother. I am certain that he will help you."
It was almost noon when I returned to the castle prison. Von Schleep, who was on duty guarding the prison's central cells, accepted the letter from his sister than I held out to him. Unfolding the paper, he muttered, "Wonder what Fiona is up to now..."
After reading the letter, he looked toward Erik's cell, then turned to me and said softly, "This actually confirms my thoughts. I have been wondering about Erik, but I didn't know what to think. Look, I think I could help you but...you must promise me that you will never mention to anyone that I have participated in this. If Ragnar ever finds that out I will be in so much trouble."
Without hesitation I replied, "I promise. Indeed we would both be in trouble, but we can't leave an innocent man here to rot."
Von Schlepp then said calmly, "All right, I trust you. If my sister consider you a friend, you are also a friend of mine. Now, there is a way to smuggle Erik out of here. If he is wearing a guard uniform, same as Ragnar's guards are wearing, with a full helmet, then he should be able to slip out unnoticed. The smith, Herr Schmidt, is not to be trusted. But his wife Frideborg has helped us once before, when Fiona's husband and Fjorgrin got into trouble. Go and talk to her. Give Fiona's letter to her. Then she will help. During lunch time when Herr is out Frideborg is usually inside the blacksmith's shop tidying up. "
The blacksmith's shop is luckily right next door to the prison, so I didn't have to go very far at all. After tying Gloria's reins to the hitching post, I went into the shop and discovered a somewhat plump Nord woman with light blonde hair sweeping the floors.
Frideborg, looked at me warily as I approached and asked for a moment of her time. She listened to my reason for being there and then read Fiona's letter. There was still some uncertainty in her eyes when she looked at me a few minutes later and said, "I know Fiona and I trust her judgment. I do have the armor you need right here. I'll put it in a burlap sack to make it easier to carry and you can borrow it for a while. Just make sure you return it to me once this Erik is safe. My husband is not an evil man, but he is afraid to oppose the authorities, and he wouldn't like me helping you."
While the sack filled with armor was fortunately not too heavy for me to carry, it was awkward and caused me to move at a slower pace. When I at last reached the prison, Von Schlepp said, "Ah, you're back. And I see Frideborg has given you the armor that looks like the set Ragnar's guards use. Good. The full helmet with make it possible for Erik to slip out unnoticed. At least this trick worked when Fiona's husband Vollmar and Fjorngrin were imprisoned. They got drunk in the Main Hall and were singing a song about Ragnar that...oh, well...let's not talk about that."
As amusing as I am sure that tale was, Erik was frantic to get out of his cell and be reunited with his wife. As I waited in the corridor, he got into the suit of armor. Then, with his face almost completely hidden by the helm, he stepped out of the cell and whispered, "Let's hurry, please. I can't wait to see Hellena again."
Hellena was waiting outside the bakery when we arrived (to be honest, I would have preferred for her to stay indoors where she would not be seen). The moment she saw Erik, Hellena flug her arms around her husband and sobbed, "Erik! Oh, Erik!" Drawing back slightly, she looked into his eyes and whispered, "It's you! I finally found you!"
After giving them a moment, I said awkwardly, "I really should return that armor before anyone notices that it is missing."
Hellena released her husband, then said to me, "How can I ever thank you for this, Aeronwen? I am so grateful that you were here. For a year I believed I had lost my husband forever. Thanks to you we are now together again and will be taking the first ship back to Dagon Fel."
It was nearly after lunch by the time I had returned the armor. I had just untied Gloria and was about to head for the ranger's station when I remembered to once again check in with Kielreen. That turned out to be a wasted visit however, for Kielreen didn't have anything new to report regarding Sigrid.
Following the afternoon patrol (and found nothing amiss or out of the ordinary), I rode back to Laurenna's cabin. As she came to stand at my horse's shoulder and looked up at me anxiously, I told her, "Kielreen isn't aware of anything that is wrong with your mother. I'm sorry. I know that answer does not quiet your fears."
Laurenna, looking fearful and frustrated, replied, "It doesn't, but you did what you could. Thank you, Aeronwen."
I assured her, "I'll stop by here again tomorrow."
Neldor managed to get home this afternoon before I did. As we sat down for dinner, he told me about the events of his day; that a wealthy Imperial noble who knew nothing about hunting had overused a container of reindeer "cow in heat" scent and had drawn the attention of an rutting bull. The hapless Imperial had scampered up a tree and had been trapped there as the reindeer bull paced around on the ground. Lucky for the Imperial, "Ranger Neldor" had shown up and was able to drive the bull off.
Following Neldor's account it was my turn to talk about my day. We both agreed that while Neldor's day had been far more amusing, mine had likely opened a can of worms. I hope this doesn't sound selfish, but I really hope nothing happens that would result in us having to leave Lokken. We're both safe and happy here. I would like our lives to stay that way.
*~*~*
Today was not only rather tiring, but gave me more reason to believe that there is something shady going on here on Lokken Island. In fact as of today it's obvious that we can't simply go about our business caring for the forest and keep out of whatever occurred here before we arrived.
Since Neldor and I have gotten to know the island and its forests, we decided to go on our daily patrols separately this morning. After heading out from our home by Silverwood Lake, Neldor and Garland followed the roads and trails clockwise around the island while Gloria and I went counter clockwise. Since this meant we would be heading to the southwestern portion of Lokken early in the day we were able to stop by Laurenna's cabin.
I asked her if she had seen the white wolf out and about again since Snorri seemed certain that the animal would recover from the poisoned arrows. Following a shake of her head, Laurenna answered, "No, he hasn't been around, but it's good to hear that he'll eventually recover his strength. I've been so worried about the wolf, and so desperate because I felt I couldn't leave this place. Aeronwen, you really are a true friend. If there is ever anything I can do for you, I will be happy to do so. Until then, the only thing I can give you is my friendship."
Touched by her sincerity, I replied, "That is not a small thing and I thank you for it."
Laurenna briefly looked toward the castle, then appeared apologetic as she continued, "Aeronwen, there is another thing that's worrying me. It's concerning my mother, Sigrid."
To that I said, "I thought you were unable to have any contact with her."
She explained, "I can't but we have a secret signal. She signals with her candle. I use my lantern. Early this morning she sent me the signal for 'danger'. Since then, I haven't seen her in the window. I'm not allowed to enter the castle so I have no idea what is going on. Maybe my friend Kielreen, the barmaid, would know. Could you please go and talk to her? Perhaps she knows what happened."
Pulling myself up on Gloria's back, I said, "I'll be back, whether Kielreen has any answers for you or not. Hopefully I can get some information that will give you some peace of mind."
Leaving Laurenna to her constant watch for any sign of her mother, I rode to the castle and then made my way into the reception hall. This was the first time I had entered the castle since Neldor and I came to Lokken and I was again struck by the realization that I prefer the outdoors and have no desire to live within a fancy sprawling palace again.
Kielreen, who was of course working at the reception hall's small bar, appeared surprised to see me. Putting some tankards away, she said, "Hello, Aeronwen. What brings you here?"
Hoping that Ragnar wasn't around, I explained softly, "I am here on Laurenna's behalf. She believes something might be wrong with Sigrid and asked me to come and see what I could find out."
Kielreen appeared puzzled as she replied, "No, I don't have any news about her, but I will of course investigate immediately. Come back later and I will hopefully have something to tell you." She paused a moment, then asked, "You're from Vvardenfell, aren't you?"
Trying not to sound or appear wary, I answered, "Yes I am. Why do you ask?"
She glanced around before she lowered her voice and explained, "I have heard strange rumors concerning a man from Vvardenfell in the castle prison. Apparently, this man witnessed a murder on the island. Strangely, he has been kept prisoner ever since reporting what he saw to the guards. I don't know if this has any connection to the death of Wulfgar the White but I certainly think it would be a good idea for you to check this out as soon as possible."
Admittedly I had misgiving about getting involved with this, for it's a safe bet that Ragnar wouldn't appreciate his new rangers poking around in matters that took place before we arrived. However, as the island's rangers we need to be informed about anything that has taken place in the forests. For this reason I agreed to go to the Lokken prison and quietly conduct an investigation.
As I was walking past the row of cells I half expected to find Erandre and RiData locked inside one of them, but instead of hearing Erandre yelling "we didn't do it", I heard a shrill voice with a Wayrest accent pleading, "You have to let me out! My assistant is probably all the way across Tamriel by now with my amulet! I NEED that amulet!"
Somewhat amused, I saw Louis Beauchamp pacing around inside one of the cells. Now and then he peered out through the bars and yet again lamented not being able to obtain the amulet that would make him "irresistible to women". Approaching one of the guards, I asked, "So the balloon man is still here?"
The guard chuckled and explained, "Just until tomorrow morning. At that point we're putting him on a ship that's bound for Vvardenfell. Louis will then be transported to a cheery little town called Ald'ruhn. I hope he gets lots of dust and ash in his underclothes."
On resuming my search, I discovered that there was a prisoner, a gray haired male Nord, in a cell that was tucked away by itself in the very back of the prison. As soon as he noticed me, the Nord reached through the bars and said pleadingly, "Ranger! Please listen to me! I'm not scum! I'm not a thief! What happened to me could happen to anyone who is unfortunate enough to hunt in these forests! Please, let me tell you my story."
Stepping closer to the cell's bars yet careful to remain out of reach, I replied, "All right. I'll hear you out."
He stammered, "Thank you. I am Erik from Dagon Fell. I left for Solstheim more than a year ago, looking for a place where my wife Hellena and I could open a clothing shop. She's a seamstress. She's talented but the competition is a bit hard at home. Then, I heard that the Lokken clothier might be interested in selling her shop, and that's why I came to this place. Which was a mistake..."
When he paused, I drew a bit closer to the door and said, "Go on."
Again raising his eyes to mine, Erik continued, "On the day of my arrival, the clothier wasn't at home. So, I went for a walk. Somehow I happened to leave the village and found myself lost in the forest. After a short while, I saw two men and I decided to talk to them. But as I got closer, one of them suddenly drew his sword and killed the other one! I left the place immediately, and ran until I reached the village. I hurried up to the castle and talked to a guard but..."
"They didn't believe you?"
Erik exclaimed, "The guard didn't listen to me at all! Instead he dragged me down here and threw me into a cell. I shouted that I was innocent, but he didn't seem to believe me. Many months have passed since then, but so far no-one has even bothered to give me a fair trial! I have heard that the old chieftain has passed away, and that there's a new cruel one ruling this place. Obviously he doesn't care if there's an innocent man kept in his prison."
Not wanting to speak against Ragnar and take the chance of being overheard, I inquired, "Is there anything else you can tell me?"
Squeezing the prison bars with his fist, Erik continued, "As time passed, I began to fear that I would never get out of this place. What truly torments me is the thought of my wife back in Dagon Fell not having a clue about what happened to me. She might even think I'm dead. Last month I convinced the prison guard to forward a letter to her. But I haven't heard anything from her since then. Maybe he didn't send the letter to Hellena. Or maybe she isn't in Dagon Fel at all."
After looking around, I told him, "She is in fact not in Dagon Fel. I have met Hellena here in Lokken. She is staying at the inn."
Tears and glimmer of hope appeared in Erik's light blue eyes. After making what sounded like a soft sob, he responded, "Hellena is here? In Lokken? How is she? How did she find her way here? Does she know what has happened to me? Oh, I should have realized that after being married to this wonderful woman for so many years that she would do everything possible to find me."
With a small smile, I said, "Yes, she wants very much to find you and made it clear that she is not leaving without answers."
Barely able to contain himself, he begged, "Please, go and talk to Hellena. She is as clever as she is lovely. I'm sure she can come up with a suggestion to get me out of here."
This I readily agreed to. After leaving the castle, I rode to the Pondering Pony and found Hellena seated by the fireplace and staring wistfully out the window. When I approached and told her that I had some news about her husband the woman practically jumped out of her chair.
She listened to me as I told her of my conversation with Erik. When I finished, she said, "From what I have heard about Ragnar Fire Hair, it's not a surprise that he has not bothered to give my husband a fair trial. We'll need to find another way to rescue Erik. I think I have an idea."
Feeling a kinship with the innocent man whom had been unjustly imprisoned, I asked, "What is it? I'll help if I can."
Hellena explained, "There is a woman named Fiona Klang who runs the Lokken bakery. I have met her a couple of times and she's a charming lady. I know that her brother works as a prison guard. If I could only talk to her...Aeronwen, would you please be so kind and escort me to her? I know the bakery is not far from here, but now that I know where my husband is I'm a little fearful of walking around the village alone."
I could understand her fear. The individuals who want to keep Erik quiet would likely want to do the same with Hellena. With a brief nod, I answered, "Yes, I'll accompany you to the bakery."
Beaming at me, she responded gratefully, "Thank you so much, Aeronwen. You know, from the first moment I saw you, I realized that you were a righteous and honorable person."
The Lokken bakery, which is filled with the mouth-watering scents of cakes, pies, tarts, cookies, cobbler, and other baked goods, is in fact quite close to the castle, which made me feel wary as we walked at a casual pace through the village. Luckily we reached our destination without drawing any unwanted attention.
Within the bakery, Hellena introduced me to Fiona Klang and then told her what we had learned about Erik's situation. Afterward, Fiona shook her head and commented, "That's terrible. He can't just sit there in that cell without a fair trial for a lifetime."
Hellena asked in a whisper, "Is there anything that can be done?"
Following a brief hesitation, Fiona explained, "My brother Fridolf works as a prison guard and he is a friendly soul. He is generally know by his surname, Von Schlepp. He might not look friendly, but beneath the surface he has a heart of gold. I will write a letter to him and if you, Aeronwen, could take it to him, I am sure he will do his best to help you. I think Hellena should wait here with me until you come back."
As Fiona began writing the letter to her brother, I agreed, "Yes. If Hellena is seen at the prison that might draw attention that we don't want or need."
A few minutes later, Fiona handed a folded sheet of paper to me and said, "Here. Take this note to me brother. I am certain that he will help you."
It was almost noon when I returned to the castle prison. Von Schleep, who was on duty guarding the prison's central cells, accepted the letter from his sister than I held out to him. Unfolding the paper, he muttered, "Wonder what Fiona is up to now..."
After reading the letter, he looked toward Erik's cell, then turned to me and said softly, "This actually confirms my thoughts. I have been wondering about Erik, but I didn't know what to think. Look, I think I could help you but...you must promise me that you will never mention to anyone that I have participated in this. If Ragnar ever finds that out I will be in so much trouble."
Without hesitation I replied, "I promise. Indeed we would both be in trouble, but we can't leave an innocent man here to rot."
Von Schlepp then said calmly, "All right, I trust you. If my sister consider you a friend, you are also a friend of mine. Now, there is a way to smuggle Erik out of here. If he is wearing a guard uniform, same as Ragnar's guards are wearing, with a full helmet, then he should be able to slip out unnoticed. The smith, Herr Schmidt, is not to be trusted. But his wife Frideborg has helped us once before, when Fiona's husband and Fjorgrin got into trouble. Go and talk to her. Give Fiona's letter to her. Then she will help. During lunch time when Herr is out Frideborg is usually inside the blacksmith's shop tidying up. "
The blacksmith's shop is luckily right next door to the prison, so I didn't have to go very far at all. After tying Gloria's reins to the hitching post, I went into the shop and discovered a somewhat plump Nord woman with light blonde hair sweeping the floors.
Frideborg, looked at me warily as I approached and asked for a moment of her time. She listened to my reason for being there and then read Fiona's letter. There was still some uncertainty in her eyes when she looked at me a few minutes later and said, "I know Fiona and I trust her judgment. I do have the armor you need right here. I'll put it in a burlap sack to make it easier to carry and you can borrow it for a while. Just make sure you return it to me once this Erik is safe. My husband is not an evil man, but he is afraid to oppose the authorities, and he wouldn't like me helping you."
While the sack filled with armor was fortunately not too heavy for me to carry, it was awkward and caused me to move at a slower pace. When I at last reached the prison, Von Schlepp said, "Ah, you're back. And I see Frideborg has given you the armor that looks like the set Ragnar's guards use. Good. The full helmet with make it possible for Erik to slip out unnoticed. At least this trick worked when Fiona's husband Vollmar and Fjorngrin were imprisoned. They got drunk in the Main Hall and were singing a song about Ragnar that...oh, well...let's not talk about that."
As amusing as I am sure that tale was, Erik was frantic to get out of his cell and be reunited with his wife. As I waited in the corridor, he got into the suit of armor. Then, with his face almost completely hidden by the helm, he stepped out of the cell and whispered, "Let's hurry, please. I can't wait to see Hellena again."
Hellena was waiting outside the bakery when we arrived (to be honest, I would have preferred for her to stay indoors where she would not be seen). The moment she saw Erik, Hellena flug her arms around her husband and sobbed, "Erik! Oh, Erik!" Drawing back slightly, she looked into his eyes and whispered, "It's you! I finally found you!"
After giving them a moment, I said awkwardly, "I really should return that armor before anyone notices that it is missing."
Hellena released her husband, then said to me, "How can I ever thank you for this, Aeronwen? I am so grateful that you were here. For a year I believed I had lost my husband forever. Thanks to you we are now together again and will be taking the first ship back to Dagon Fel."
It was nearly after lunch by the time I had returned the armor. I had just untied Gloria and was about to head for the ranger's station when I remembered to once again check in with Kielreen. That turned out to be a wasted visit however, for Kielreen didn't have anything new to report regarding Sigrid.
Following the afternoon patrol (and found nothing amiss or out of the ordinary), I rode back to Laurenna's cabin. As she came to stand at my horse's shoulder and looked up at me anxiously, I told her, "Kielreen isn't aware of anything that is wrong with your mother. I'm sorry. I know that answer does not quiet your fears."
Laurenna, looking fearful and frustrated, replied, "It doesn't, but you did what you could. Thank you, Aeronwen."
I assured her, "I'll stop by here again tomorrow."
Neldor managed to get home this afternoon before I did. As we sat down for dinner, he told me about the events of his day; that a wealthy Imperial noble who knew nothing about hunting had overused a container of reindeer "cow in heat" scent and had drawn the attention of an rutting bull. The hapless Imperial had scampered up a tree and had been trapped there as the reindeer bull paced around on the ground. Lucky for the Imperial, "Ranger Neldor" had shown up and was able to drive the bull off.
Following Neldor's account it was my turn to talk about my day. We both agreed that while Neldor's day had been far more amusing, mine had likely opened a can of worms. I hope this doesn't sound selfish, but I really hope nothing happens that would result in us having to leave Lokken. We're both safe and happy here. I would like our lives to stay that way.
