Last time, the elves went on an adventure back to Earth to stop a demon from ravaging both the elven world and a small community near Pueblo, Mexico. They returned to the rustic confines of Fort Salma and the Kessex Hills of Tyria, and found their lives would change even more.
Dream Away
(a series within a series, inspired by the Northern Pikes’ Dream Away)
All you good-doers lay your weary heads
Thorn filled pillows on feather beds
1308, Fort Salma, Kessex Hills
It had been several months since the family had returned to the rolling hills of Kessex. As promised, Hildegaar Freyasdottir and her entourage kept watch over the small village. Now that they had returned, the five made their way back into the Shiverpeaks to explore and meet with the Norn. As for the five elves and one charr cub, they settled back into their routine quite nicely. Pania had even promised to take Flintlock to the Durmond Priory and begin instructing her on the history of the charr and the history of Tyria.
Wren began to take a greater interest in the activities in the east, especially the fighting between the villages of Nebo Terrace and Ascalon Settlement against the centaurs. Abisayo often worked with the Seraph in Fort Salma to help fortify the defenses, giving them tips on better ways to mount arrow carts and siege weapons. When not doing that, she would accompany Pania to the Durmond Priory, along with Flintlock.
As for Shani and her mother Unia, they grew comfortable in the small village. Shani still made her treks for supplies and to carry letters, while Unia assisted many of the villagers as they gathered food and prepared for harvest or seeding. For them, Fort Salma had become a home.
What they didn’t know was that the small family was about to grow.
One late night, Flintlock woke Shani.
“Mama,” the cub announced. “I hear somethin’ outside.”
Shani would rub her eyes as she sat up and listened carefully. “Centaurs?” she asked sleepily.
“No, it sounds like singing,” the cub would announced. “And I can smell lilacs.”
This caused Shani to sit up straighter in bed. There were no lilac bushes in the Hills that she had seen, and she had traveled a great deal through the Hills. There were some in Garenhoff, and they had taken Flintlock there to see the town where she was born. But there was one other place Shani had smelled lilacs before. Annewen.
She got out of bed and took Flintlock by the paw. “C’mon. I think I know what it is.” Flintlock followed her mother quickly as they quietly navigated through the darkness of the house until they reached the front door. Shani opened it quietly as Flintlock tried to get a peak outside. Both of them saw it. A person sitting among the flowers of their flower bed. And she was definitely singing quietly to herself as she gazed up at the sky.
“This here is an unexpected suprise,” Shani said as she opened the door fully. Flintlock bounded out and approached the person, feeling no fear as she sensed her mother was aware of who this was.
The person, a Sylvari, turned and smiled. Lillian of Midnight. The one who had helped Shani those many years before. “It’s my first time away from Annewen,” she informed Shani and looked to Flintlock with a grin. “I’ve never seen Charr before.”
Flintlock grinned and beamed. “I’m Flintlock,” she announced. “That’s my mama,” she added, pointing to Shani.
Shani chuckled as she walked out to the flower bed, picking up Flintlock and pulling her into her lap as she sat down next to Lillian. “So what made ya decide ta park yer behind out here?” Lillian blinked as she tried to translate Shani’s odd slang, but finally chuckled and managed to speak.
“The stars out here are vivid,” she answered. “And… I knew you lived here. I took a guess that this was your home. You’re the only person outside of Annewen I know.”
“Ya do know thet Amber an’ Willow is in Lion’s Arch, right?” Shani asked with a smile. Flintlock remembered the two Sylvari right away, and nodded in agreement.
“Lion’s Arch is still a long way from here,” Lillian replied. “And I can see the stars so much better here.”
Shani looked up to the sky as Lillian returned her gaze. Flintlock did so as well. “Well. Whaddya see up there?” Shani asked.
“I imagine that we’re not alone,” Lillian said with a smile. “I imagine that each star is a world, filled with people not unlike us. Or vastly different than we are. But I imagine that those people are looking up from their world and wondering the same thing.”
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