Everlong

The Duer's

After the birth of Nole, it was settled that Silverymoon was to be the Duer's permanent home. No more traveling would be done by Jen, who after years of helping others and having many children, had enough of putting herself and them in danger.

She decreed she would only teach the next generation of Druids at Arrowmoor Keep in the warming seasons, and would council with the High Mage in the cold ones. Weylyn was still adamant about training Atticus and Olly, and soon Nole from his growing powers just like his siblings. Jen agreed, knowing she had plenty of help around the house with Brienne, Kirwin, and Mari with her at the Keep.

When Olly was out training with her father, life was like that of the Ranger, quiet when not facing battle, lonesome when the nights were dark, and exquisite when you got to behold the wonders of the world. Life back home though in Silverymoon was very different in it's stagnate routine. For years it was the same, Weylyn would take Olly, Atticus, and Nole out for a spring and summer, showing them the ways of the world and how they themselves could be Monster Hunters, then return home in the fall and winter.

Some years though, Weylyn knew the trio had to face the harshness of the world, for it was all not lush like the warming seasons. Staggering the years between his children, he would only take one of them out for a winter and fall season, showing them how to survive in the worst environments and face the toughest beasts that would come for them in the dark.

Sometimes Olly would fear for her brothers those seasons, watching the winds howl outside with snow and wondering if Nole had chopped enough wood for him and father, or if Atticus was separated from father in the darkness. The relief that washed over her when they would walk into the gates of Arrowmoor was nothing compared to the embrace she would receive from them upon their return. But like all young men, Atticus would soon not return from his travels.

Everything changed when Atticus left, Olly had been very young, Nole even younger. The oldest Duer took off in the middle of the night on orders from the High Mage herself, and upon hearing the news an angry Weylyn went after his son. When Olly's father returned though, he was missing his left leg and no Atticus.

It had taken weeks for her father to recover, his world going in and out to manage the pain. When Olly's mother finally got to question him about what had happened, her mother returned to the children and explained that their father would not speak of what happened to them, and that Atticus was gone.

Olly could not comprehend her brother just being "gone", and as much as she tried to press her mother, there was no other information given to her than that. She dared not ask her father, the man now changed as he adjusted to life with only one leg, taking more time to train at the academy, his life of traveling the world now cut short from his injury.

She would sometimes catch him just staring into the training grounds of the Keep, his eyes filled with emotion, although Olly could not tell if it was anger or more sadness. He held whatever happened to her oldest brother to himself, and would not even bring up his memory.