| The slow healing of VanQa
September 363 SR
Four years have passed since I first visited VanQa in Eska’eldalie. Gwen Irima has grown into her position as leader of the Trinsic elves and as Mine Hostess of The Trinsic Rose. Time has also seen a gradual change in VanQa that gave me a spark of hope. When I first visited her she was very withdrawn, wore a full gown that covered all of her except a small part of her lower face, hating the terrible tattoos that hateful drow Iglata had covered her whole body with - the marks of his possession of her. And she never left the elven city, living as a recluse, afear’d of the outside world.
I visited her only twice since then. Each time she appeared somewhat better, and glad to see me, eventually abandoning her full gown for more normal elven apparell. Each time my heart was filled with love for her and I left with my spirits lifted, only to fade until my next visit to her in her elven city sanctuary. But progress there was. Yet still she would not venture away from Eska’eldalie, never coming to Trinsic, the place of her horror of Iglata - elfbane, mass-murderer, kinslayer of VanQa’s family, VanQa's tormentor, kidnapper and torturer. And this the place where Gwen Irima was growing into the hard-earned position of elven leader, a position that VanQa wished not to disturb.
Then in the year 362 came a beautiful spring day with the Yew forests stirring with budding growth and the sun sparkling on the blue sea. I was moving into Fretting Cottage in Silverleaf - that elven village unique in its mix of races: humans, dwarves and halflings - when quite unanounced VanQa visited me! Miguen was nearby and left her for a short while so we could meet and talk. I thought mayhap this foretold her coming back out into the world. But time passed, and she did not appear again. Yet it was a sign. And that she chose to visit me and me alone gave me much comfort and hope that I dared not even acknowledge to myself. |