"Murelle, this is heavy! What is it?" Borin grunted as he hoisted a large box on to the back of the wagon.
"You'll see! It's a surprise." Murelle replies with a grin. Gwyn bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, a wide smile on her face. She was in on the secret and was excited to be in on her mother's plans.
"Can't you give me a hint?" Borin asked as he climbed up onto the wagon's seat. Murelle followed him and Gwyn stayed in the back of the wagon to 'guard' the box.
"Let's just say it's a tradition I grew up with. It's high time I practiced it here." Murelle said with a sly smile.
Actually, Murelle had a good reason to carry on the traditions she grew up with. It was getting close to that horrible time when Llewyss was killed in the Dark Forest by the Chalkotu and she needed to be distracted rather than fall into depression again.
Borin grunted in reply, then slapped the reins of the horses. In a secluded spot Murelle climbed down and dropped the portal stone, immediately the portal opened to the small realm near Murelle's home. She waited to let Borin through and followed him in, picking up the stone the portal closed immediately. Without the stones, it was a three day trip over the mountains that border Eldicor.
Once at her cottage, Borin reined in the horses then climbed down. Murelle also climbed down then jogged to the cottage where she opened the door then helped Borin get the box out of the wagon. It was heavy; she directed it to be carried to the living room. Once the box was set down, Borin straightened with a groan then stopped and with eyebrows raised he asks;
"Mure". Why is there a pine tree in your cottage?"
Laughing, Murelle just said, "You'll see."
"You'll see! It's a surprise." Murelle replies with a grin. Gwyn bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, a wide smile on her face. She was in on the secret and was excited to be in on her mother's plans.
"Can't you give me a hint?" Borin asked as he climbed up onto the wagon's seat. Murelle followed him and Gwyn stayed in the back of the wagon to 'guard' the box.
"Let's just say it's a tradition I grew up with. It's high time I practiced it here." Murelle said with a sly smile.
Actually, Murelle had a good reason to carry on the traditions she grew up with. It was getting close to that horrible time when Llewyss was killed in the Dark Forest by the Chalkotu and she needed to be distracted rather than fall into depression again.
Borin grunted in reply, then slapped the reins of the horses. In a secluded spot Murelle climbed down and dropped the portal stone, immediately the portal opened to the small realm near Murelle's home. She waited to let Borin through and followed him in, picking up the stone the portal closed immediately. Without the stones, it was a three day trip over the mountains that border Eldicor.
Once at her cottage, Borin reined in the horses then climbed down. Murelle also climbed down then jogged to the cottage where she opened the door then helped Borin get the box out of the wagon. It was heavy; she directed it to be carried to the living room. Once the box was set down, Borin straightened with a groan then stopped and with eyebrows raised he asks;
"Mure". Why is there a pine tree in your cottage?"
Laughing, Murelle just said, "You'll see."