The Eldars

5

Neither one says anything as the words hang in the silence. Only wind blowing by the cave makes any sound. The fire had died and only embers remain so Mauntie can't even see the reaction Katiri has.

"I can go with you to Malinor or I could take you to the elven lands. The choice is yours, Mauntie."

Mauntie hadn't even thought of that. The elves themselves had taken her many times over the years, she would know the way. He shakes his head though, he feels that she needs to go to Malinor. Not even the elves would be able to teach her all that she needs to fully become who she is destined to be.

"Come with me to Malinor, if in time you wish to leave you will be free to do so. I however, believe you belong with the Eldar, Katiri. If you prefer though I will ask the eagles to take you back to the elves or the humans as you wish."

Katiri doesn't like that he's thrown things back into her court. He has the chance to renew relations with the elves as he had originally intended yet, taking her to Malinor and his people now is taking precedence. She shakes her head in confusion. How could she take precedence over something so important as to take the leader of the Eldar away from his home?

"Very well, I'll go with you to Malinor, but you very well may come to regret that decision." Katiri warns him. Wherever she goes trouble seems to follow.

"I doubt that Katiri. Besides trouble is coming whether you are there or not." Mauntie says and Katiri stiffens. Had she said that last out loud or had he read her mind.

"My apologies, one of the things you will learn will be blocking your thoughts from us. You are actually quite good without any lessons. If I didn't know better I'd say that you were born Eldar and just raised amongst the humans. Your thoughts aren't completely blocked and a few slip out. I wasn't trying to pry. Your first tutor will teach that to you along with whatever else he or she is assigned to teach you."

Mauntie's words bring little reassurance to the tense girl, but she had made her decision and will stick with it. She never backed down from a challenge and she doesn't have any intentions of doing so now.

The time has come for them to leave. There isn't really much for them to gather up, but what little they have they make sure it is secured. Mauntie leads the way over to the Eagle that waits for them.

"He says to take a tight hold of his feathers once you are on his neck. Right there, yes," Mauntie instructs as Katiri gets on the eagles neck. She makes room for Mauntie then grabs hold of the feathers before her. She's rather doubtful at how well that will stop her from falling off though.

Mauntie chuckles at her hesitation. "He won't let us fall, but the feathers will help to keep us on if he needs to make a sudden move or something like that. If we leave now we can be back in Malinor before the end of the day."

Katiri could hear the longing in his voice and nods her understanding. She fights her own nervousness and grabs onto the feathers. Once Mauntie does the same the eagle goes to the edge of the cliff and jumps off.

Katiri has never been afraid of heights, but she's never before experienced free fall and she can't say that she really likes that experience at all. But then the eagle spreads his wings and the fall turns into flight and Katiri is lost in the magnificence of that.

The land below speeds by and soon they are far out of the lands that Katiri has any familiarity with and speed towards the north west. At times she swears that she sees glimpses of the fabled waters that cover the land far to the west.

Well it isn't exactly a fable. There is actually proof of its existence, but the thing is no one that she knows had ever seen or been there. Just merchants that tell tales from those that they trade with that have been there.