Two stood together at the north gate of Bree on a cold rainy winter morning. As she watches the ranger preparing his horse to travel, Emmawynn finds her mind flooded with questions. This was the path fate had set for her, of this she was certain. Yet so much has changed since she left Rohan, and she wonders if perhaps she should be re-evaluating. Yet the feeling does not last long. The primary reason for the journey has not changed.
As she prepares to send Atharann ahead to scout, the weight of the path settles into her heart a little bit. A wanderer and a protector, Emma is comfortable traveling with friends and strangers, she has learned how to react quickly when danger appears, and she is confident in her abilities to defend herself. For the first time though, the journey is hers. The companions she will travel with have all been assembled and are joining her for various reasons, but all at her request. They are all willing to take on the dangers of the road, and even further the dangers of Forochel. The magnitude of this is not lost on her and, for a few moments before sending the ranger off Emmawynn takes one last look into herself, her motivations, and her plan.
As she had so many times over the last few weeks she marvels again. In this moment she has so much more than she had dreamed possible. Though there are still many unknowns, she realizes the things that are the most important she knows with certainty. She has people in her life that love her, and she them. She has freedom, purpose, and joy, and most of all she has her integrity and her identity. The last years had been hard, harder than she could have imagined, but through everything she kept her word, and although many things did not go as she had hoped, she has no regrets over her own actions.
Satisfied, she says farewell, and makes her way back through the streets of Bree to a little nondescript house where friends wait for her. This time, she finds she is not impatient to leave Bree and she intends to enjoy the last few days before the journey begins.
