(BEST VIEWED FULL SIZE!) Armed people from two nearby villages poured into the clearing, drawn by the night-rending flash of light. Concerned for the old woman, they were relieved she was unharmed. They returned to their villages bearing the dead and injured Greeners. She called herself Katesh, an herbalist, a healer - and an adept at the magical arts. As Aranée and Galen restored order to the cottage, she prepared them a small meal and offered lodging for the evening. Disconcertingly, Katesh stared at Aranée intently all evening, but her glowing eyes held more curiosity than malice. After the meal, Aranée and Galen wanted to talk more with her but they were gripped by unusual tiredness - perhaps the fight had been more tiring than they had imagined. Katesh helped them settle into a room with two beds - the infirmary she used for her ailing villagers. Aranée and Galen were so exhausted they did not bother to change, they simply removed their weapons and sank into a deep sleep. Within moments, the old woman entered the room with a candle, and looked down at Aranée. "Can it be? After all these years?" She carefully tugged at Aranée's clothing until she exposed the area below her navel. Moving the candle closer, she saw the distinctive tattoo and burst into tears. She turned to Aranée's face and lovingly caressed the golden hair as she slept. "It IS you! Oh my dear after so long. Look at you: I knew that elves age much slower than humans, but this..." She stopped and felt her own wrinkled cheek. "And so my dear I recognized you, but you did not recognize your 'young' governess Lillibeck..." Tears rolled freely down her cheeks. "...a name I have not used in such a long time." Wiping her face, she pulled a gold disc with a large blue stone from her pocket. "Now my dear let us see what lives within you." She placed the disc on Aranée's forehead and began stroking the rim with her hands. "Pala-pende-shezzeray." A small frown, then a knowing smile and tears again. "That is it then. You have lost your path, but your father's blood runs strong within you. You unknowingly seek the men who killed your family - and mine." She sighed, removed the disc then smiled down at the sleeping woman. "I cannot go with you and abandon my villagers. But I can help you." She went to a table and quickly penned something onto a scrap of parchment. She emptied Aranée's pack, placed the scrap at the bottom, and replaced the contents. Smiling gently, she tenderly lifted Aranée's sheathed dagger and necklace to her breast. "Yes, I loved your mother too, as if she were my own." Drawing the sword, she inhaled sharply. "It cannot be!" She looked at Aranée and shook her head. "How fitting, how very fitting. This too, must have attention." She carefully, almost reverently, carried the sword from the room, humming a tuneless song. "Yes, indeed, Lillibeck will help her young friend as no one else can..." --- TO BE CONTINUED! View the series in numbered sequence to get the entire story. Characters repaired (mostly), DS3 behaving, life is good! I've gotten more questions about this woman, guess she really intrigued you all LOL! She'll return later - as do all named characters! I've been using Mapps fabulous "Walls Abound" set for most of my internal sets for awhile now - very flexible, check it out! PLEASE leave your comments or criticisms - your words keep me going! Image and story © 2009 by Larry Hodge