Alorne ✔️

Chapter 38

"Arwyn, are you listening?" Fawnaya's voice breaks me from my trance.

"Yes, yes of course. Great idea." I answer quickly.

"Really? What did I say?" She fires back. I bite on the inside of my cheek and look at the map in front of me. I don't have a clue what she said. "I thought so." Fawnaya sighs, "I said we have to stop at Ravenwood to deliver the news about Aggir and then we follow your compass to that temple."

My eyes travel to the compass at the upper corner of the table. Curse it. When I look at Fawnaya she stares at me expectantly. "What?"

"Are you going to grab it so we can see where we have to go or not?"

Sighing I place the metal object in my palm. I watch the needlepoint go south. Of course. Right towards my old home. Just great.

We say our farewells to Ifora after she gifts us a cage holding a dove. I promise her to release it as soon as I have replaced the Ember. The journey back to Ravenwood is quiet. Fawn and I discuss our next moves and how to tell Jorah that his father is never coming home.

The silhouette of the city makes my stomach churn. How can I possibly deliver this news? That Belethrorn is the one that killed his father instead of rescuing him? We have reached the first farms. The farmers look up from their daily chores and one of them waves at us. He must recognize us from the party. "It is good to see you back lass."

"I feel uncomfortable coming back here," I whisper to Fawn. From the corner of my eye, I can see her nod. I feel a droplet fall on my face and my gaze turns towards the sky. The clouds are thick and dark, I wouldn't be surprised if it is going to rain heavily soon.

"Me too."

I let out a heavy sigh and adjust the strap of my quiver. I can do this. We pass the Gydjer's cottage and enter one of the backstreets leading to the square in front of the Great Hall. Drops start to fall more frequent now and the sandy path starts to change into a dark mud. I pause at the door before opening them. It's now or never. The hall itself is just as I remember. Well, almost. Instead of the gruesome bone throne on the platform, there are now two smaller wooden chairs. Adorned with iron they make an impression one can not easily forget. 

"Arwyn, I heard you're back." Jorah enters the room with wide arms. "It's good to see you. Did you find what you were looking for?" He asks with a grin.

"Yeah, we did," I answer him softly. Jorah's face falters.

"What's wrong?" he asks worriedly, his face alarmed by my lack of enthusiasm. 

"It's your dad Jorah." I take a step back and raise my gaze to meet his. "He didn't make it."

Jorah takes a step back. "What happened?"

"There was a Scimitar attack," Fawnaya answers. "They caused an avalanche, we couldn't save him."

"I am so sorry Jorah, I wish we could have saved him."

Jorah stays quiet. "I wish I told him before he went away." He shakes his head. "He was going to be a grandfather."

"By the gods Jorah, that is great news!" Fawnaya walks towards him and engulfs him in a hug. "You and Darya?"

Jorah nods enthusiastically. "I can't help but notice, I see we are still missing Beorn. Is he talking to someone outside?" Upon hearing his name I forget the great news about the newborn to come and my mood turns sour. 

"We lost him as well, in Saberhold," Fawnaya tells Jorah grimly. I look at my feet. The tears well up in my eyes again if I think of the moment he died.