A crossroad is as much a parting of ways as a meeting of ways.
<— Britain – 1 Mile
Trinsic – 20 Miles —>
Elyriel laid a calming hand on Sylvan’s neck, stroking the stallion’s mane as she looked up at the sign. Britain or Trinsic…. A slight frown drew out a tiny crease between her brows. Which way to go? Her emerald gaze drifted over the treetops to the large buildings of the capital city. A quick stop in town and then she would be on the road again to the manor. So easy a ride – a short and well-known trip. She then looked to her right, down the road where it disappeared into the forest. Or the long trek to the sandstone walls of Trinsic. A longer ride… and one with an uncertain end.
Sighing heavily, Elly stared up at the sign again, letting the city’s traffic sweep by her as she sat undecided. The choice weighed heavily on her heart. Who would be able to understand? The month since she had left Vesper had been hard. She did find a small sense of satisfaction in riding the road and “adventuring” as many people termed it. Her life in Winterfell had been too demanding and filled with duty to really explore the world much. Now, she had a free rein to do whatever she wanted…. Unfortunately, that was part of the current dilemma.
Britain or Trinsic.
Thoughts of the last month filtered through her mind, mostly endless hours riding from town to town broken by brief periods of action. What did any of it really mean? She felt a little pride from helping those she came across, but the drifting nature of her new life just left an ache in her heart. No matter where she went or what she did, something was missing. She let her gaze drop to the road as the ache tightened her throat. Closing her eyes, she sighed quietly. So many things she had done and seen. So many people. And yet that feeling of … emptiness… nagged at her. A strange mix of confusion over the loss of direction and the sorrow of a dying love.
Part of her urged her to ride east. She had caught glimpses of Daca in Yew, though never at a time when she could speak with him. But the sight of his tall figure and light hair only seemed to bring a dull throbbing pain to her heart. The intervening months hadn’t healed the wound – if anything, her fear of facing him had only made it worse. From what she had seen and heard, they both had changed a great deal in that time too. Would he be able to understand her now? Could she go back and repair the damage? Swallowing hard, she shook her head slightly. No. She couldn’t. His trust in her had been a foundation in their relationship – and she had broken that trust while desperately trying to persuade her king to prevent the war. Even abandoning her oath and leaving Winterfell couldn’t make up for her mistake. The queen had warned her about treading too close to the vampire lord’s darker path, about the differences between the Covenant and Winterfell. Biting her lip hard, Elly brushed away a tear. She had taken a great risk in trying to bridge the gap, and in the end, it cost her everything. Going back to see Daca now would only cause them both more pain.
The part of her urging to ride south eased the sorrowful grip on her heart. Trinsic was Wraith’s home, and she couldn’t deny how nice it had been seeing him in the last few weeks. Since their initial talk in Yew, she had run into him there several times. He even invited her to ride with him and several others to brave the strange dungeon Khaldun. A tiny smile crossed her lips at the thought of that journey. Fighting at his side again had felt good, she had to admit. She liked watching him with Trinsic’s other warriors, his dark blue eyes sparkling with humor as he jested with them or turning deadly serious when their safety was threatened. He still carried himself as a knight at times, austere and cordial, but there was such a lighter side to him now. A determined cheerfulness that even Yew’s turmoil couldn’t darken. Her smile grew as she realized how much of that was tied to her too. He always seemed to brighten when she approached. And every encounter ended with that same quiet request – “Come visit me in Trinsic sometime.”
She needed counsel on this sense of emptiness… perhaps her old mentor would be the one to really understand. Looking past the sign, Elly cast a final glance east and then turned Sylvan onto the southbound road.