The spirit of Èowyn

Chapter 2

Lucien

"These mountains, can you describe them as accurately as possible," Adam asked as he sat with his nose deeply buried in his writing pad. The boy I got to know a few months ago has come a long way since then. He had become an orphan and pack-less in the course of a few days. His brother had been executed, his mother was in prison for life, and his father was in exile. But he still had Lily, who was his half-sister, and his grandfather, Connor, had stepped up and taken care of the boy. But still, I always kept a watchful eye on him. His vulnerability touched me, and it was a lot for a 16-year-old to deal with everything that had happened. But in just a month he would turn 17. I truly hoped this year would be a better year for him.

“There were two pointed mountains. A smaller one which was then followed by a very high, pointed rock. Both had snow lying on the peaks and in the mountain valley between them. From what I've seen of Norway so far, I don't think the dream took place here. The forest and the whole scenery reminded me of Canada. But that still doesn't say much, does it? Canada is a big country.” I said as I did my best to keep my expressionless mask. I had made it an art form. One so perfect that I barely had to exert myself anymore. Life taught me early that emotions are weaknesses that could be exploited. That if you weren't careful who you trusted, you could be taken advantage of. Unfortunately, I learned my lesson too late and someone I loved had to pay the price. I hurriedly shook off the shadows of the past. To linger there too long would put too much weight on my already throbbing shoulders.

Adams sat hunched over the living room table, drawing with quick strokes. He repeatedly needed to brush away the dark blonde hair that kept insisting on falling down his face. "That may be so, but even though Canada is big, I know it better than most. I've spent an awful lot of time over the last few decades letting Cassian loose in the wilds there. And if I don't know, we can always ask Google. Lily showed me this strange photo thing on Google she did once when she wanted to know the brand of a couch she had to have in our new log cabin.” I raised an arrogant eyebrow and couldn't resist giving Zane a sly smirk. "What if Lily knew you just sounded like an old man? It would definitely put a damper on your bad boy attitude you have going on.” Adam huffed a laugh at my response while Zane stopped short in his pacing back and forth to glare at me. Adam made the mistake of looking up only to be met by Zane's dark gaze. The boy squeaked and quickly looked down again.

Zane was at least 6'4" with tattoos covering his muscular arms under his rolled-up shirt. He had a piercing in his eyebrow, and gods knows where else he had put metal in his body. His black hair that was shaved on the sides and long and unruly on top only increased his tough attitude that made other men piss themselves when he gave them a hard look. But I liked poking the bear though. What can I say, I had a twisted kind of humour.

I was momentarily stunned when Zane turned and looked at me full frontal. What in the goddess’s name was he carrying? I squinted my eyes at him to make sure I wasn't seeing the wrong thing. “I that a.. Uhm.. doll you`re carrying around?” I asked, perplexed. I didn't know whether to laugh or be appalled by the sight. “Shut up, Luci. Not one fu*king word! It is my mother who forces me. It's a fu*king pretend baby, okay? Who screams, poops and all that sh*t. Something about me being well prepared when Lily goes into labour.” I tried my best to hide my incipient laughter but to no avail. When I glanced at Adam who was fighting just as hard, my restraint broke. I laughed until my stomach hurt, it was so hysterically funny. And when Zane almost breathed fire at me while cradling the doll wrapped in a blanket, I really couldn't stop. Finally, I wiped away the tears and chuckled as Adam did the same. Zane muttered something about English as*hat under his breath, but I let him have it. It was worth the insult to be able to feel something other than exhaustion and constant anxiety for a while.

"I think I'm done. What do you think, Lucien?" Adam nervously reached over the drawing. I looked at the watercolour painting, so realistically drawn that I felt like I would see my angel come running into it at any moment. “It's perfect, Adam. Thank you. You are amazingly talented. I don't think anyone has told you that enough.” Adam blushed at my words and gave me a shy smile. "Thank you, Lucien. I'm just glad I could help." The pretend baby was sound asleep in Zane's arms as he walked around the sofa to look down over my shoulder at the painting. “Well, this old man is pretty sure where that place is located,” Zane uttered with a huff, causing my head to snap around. “Tell me! Now Z, no kidding around!” My frustration spilled over. But for the first time, we had a physical clue to go by. For the first time, there was a chance, hope. “Calm down. You`ll wake the baby.” Zanie said in fake exasperation. I hissed at him. I wasn't going to joke about this. Zane's gaze softened and he looked at me with something akin to pity in his brown eyes, making me squirm uncomfortably. "I suspect that it is Mount Assiniboine. It’s about 1 hour from Calgary. Cassian and I have run through the rough terrain between Mount Revelstoke and Mount Assiniboine more times than I can count.”

“I'll pack and leave at once.” I said as I quickly got up from the couch. "Hold your horses. You can't just leave, Luci.” I glared angrily at my best friend, "watch me." "Fine, be a dumbas*. But don't come running to me when your already cold ass is freezing in the Canadian wilderness.” He had a point. "The snow hasn't fallen yet, so we still have time, old friend. What we will do now is plan. Find out the surroundings and what surrounding packs there are. She has to come from somewhere, right? Chances are she hasn't just been dumped in the forest.” I had a hard time seeing him as the same tough Lycan walking around rocking that thing. But Zane was deadly serious, and for that I was eternally grateful. His help was invaluable. “Fine. I admit, you´re right.” Zane gave me an arrogant eyebrow and a cocky smirk. "Of course, I'm fu*king right. Come on, let's go and make a plan to save your woman.” My woman? Why did I like the sound of that so much?

****

"It is easiest if we climb the terrain from the east. However, there are a lot of hikers there this time of year, so we have to be careful.” Zane stated as he unrolled a map across the conference table. I listened intently as I wrote down a list of supplies we had to pack.

A knock echoed through the room and the King of the North stepped in, closely followed by his brother Alrik.

"I heard from my housekeeper that you were up, Lucien. What's going on?” Thorulf exclaimed in his deep timbre voice that reeked of authority. The Viking King was one of the few people I truly trusted and respected. He was a man of few words, but when he did speak it was with a wisdom that could only come from a lifetime of experience, and he possessed a strength that could only come from someone who had struggled in the past.

I told him what had happened. He looked thoughtfully out the window at my words while Alrik brought out the maps and lists of the Western Territory wolf packs. Alrik and Zane were deep in conversation about strategy when I turned my gaze to Thorulf, who was still standing looking out the window, deep in thought. As if he could feel my gaze, he turned and met it. "I've been thinking. The idea Zane had about checking the surrounding packs is a good one, but I don't think we should make ourselves known or ask questions." I was just about to protest when he raised his hand. "I understand your frustration, Lucien, I do. But judging by your dreams, this woman is in trouble. And whoever is giving her hell is guaranteed to try to hide it, or worse, get rid of her in the worst possible way. We know she'll be running through the Canadian wilderness, alive and well, when the first snow falls. But fate is tricky. If we get involved, there is a risk that we will change it.” He had a good point. But the thought of her suffering somewhere was almost unbearable. I rubbed my hand over my chest as if it would ease the pain, but to no avail. I felt restless, frustrated. In desperate need of finding the woman of my dreams, but all I could do was wait…