(This event occurs directly after the event of the Blood Mother Series and the Post 'A Tentative Home Coming, https://laurelinarchives.org/node/57542)
Eduwiges of Faldham awoke with a headache worse than the drums of Mordor and a shapely leg draped over her body. She did not remember bringing the woman home, nor did she remember leaving the small tavern just off the isle of Tol Lochu. She gently pushed the snoring woman’s leg to the side and quietly crawled out of the bed. Waking the woman was not an option. It was a conversation she did not want to have. She looked around the strange house and noticed her clothing strewn on the floor. Like bread crumbs leading the way to the door, she gathered them and walked naked into the main room. The furnishings of the home indicated a rich dwelling. The woman who took her home was no tavern maid, she thought as she hurriedly dressed. Morinehtar, her sword, and her elvish dagger were laying atop a large, richly made dining table. A golden jewel encrusted goblet rested beside them. Edu picked it up and tossed the remaining liquor back to clear her mind.She swallowed hard, and grimaced. She shook her head, buckled on her weapons, straightened her hair and stepped into her calfskin boots. Eduwiges took one last look around and walked out the massive front doors, careful not to slam them as the sunlight exploded in her face.
This was the third night she had slept in a strange place after abusing her liver, downing grog after grog and whatever concoctions the bar maids could imagine. Each night she left with a different woman. She hitched her pants as they were riding strangely over her hips and raised her head high. The groomsman saw her coming and quickly saddled Oenone for her. He looked on in shock as Edu walked to the water trough and dunked her head in. The water was cold and pure and began to rinse the cobwebs from her mind. Eduwiges threw her head back and shook the water from her hair. She rinsed her mouth and spit the remnants of her hangover beside the trough. She smiled at the groomsman and dug into her purse for a silver coin which she handed to him. Edu hugged Oenone and stepped into the saddle.
Since her mother, Daedre, the Shadowslip had come to Tol Lochu to recover, Eduwiges’ world had been turned upside down. Her mother, who had died when she was four years old, was not her mother and her murdered father, Alfara, was not her real father. Her real father was enslaved somewhere in Angmar and might as well be dead. Daedre, her real mother, was now ensconced in the island house. All of this new information disturbed her greatly and would make anyone’s head spin. She clenched the reins in anger. Honor dictated she rescue her mysterious father but riding into Angmar was not something she looked forward to. Even with Xanderian, Calidis and Ellsa riding with her. She did not like the odds and had a bad feeling about it. She was not sure her mother would be capable of aiding them at all. The poison from the strange spiders still coursed through her veins. With that thought, suddenly, a small fuzzy spider scurried from her purse and made its way to her shoulder. Of all the strange occurrences in her life, having a semi-intelligent spider adopt her was one of the oddest. The thing had not left her side since they had escaped with Daedra out of the sewers. (For more on this read the Blood Mother Series)
The trauma of having her history turned upside down and lack of activity had driven Eduwiges into the taverns to drown out the waves of insecurity riding her soul. Everything she had known to be true was turned upside down and the surety of her heritage shattered. Sure she was still Eduwiges of Faldham, and as she told Daedre in a moment of pique, Shield Mistress of Rohan, Rider of the Elfgard, Guardian of Lorien and Imladris, Defender of Dol Amroth and Lynx of Tol Lochu. She sat a bit straighter in the saddle thinking of it, then deflated and chuckled to herself. Edu had never been one for titles. Cracking her knuckles and getting the job done were what she was all about. Well, that and a good night of drinking and wenching.
She turned Oenone down the path that would lead to the boat which would ferry her out to her island home of Tol Lochu. Eduwiges of Faldham had never failed to deal with her problems head on and she would not start now. When she arrived back at the house plans would have to be made. She had a mother to nurse back to health and a father to rescue. The gates of Carn Dum itself would not stand in the way of her saving Sarick, her father and Bema take anything that stood in her way.
