Rosalia remained tense and concentrated on her magic while her horse trembled but otherwise stood still, if somewhat impatient. Ingeld's grip was almost painful as they waited. Around the bend came a lone rider."Ho, there," he called to stop his horse when the woman and child came into his view, calmly as if he had been just another horseman out for an afternoon ride. "Merry meet, my lady," he greeted. "Are you perhaps riding on your way from Yarfell this fine day?"
When Rose saw who it was, she visibly relaxed and casually let the smoke drift away. She lowered her hand and hugged Ingeld, whispering, "It's alright. It is only Lord Tolan."
As he spoke, he frowned slightly. The woman's white hair and appearance in general seemed familiar to him, but he couldn't quite place it. "I know you from somewhere," he wondered, before she could answer his first question. "And your child..." the girl seated on the horse with the woman looked even more familiar, and Tolan did a surprised double-take as he finally recognized her.
"Ingeld?!" he gasped.
Ingeld smiled and waved one of her tiny hands at him.
"Explain youself and how this child came to be riding with you," he ordered, placing his hand on his sheathed sword to show that he meant business.
Rose twisted her palm covering back in place and raised both hands out to the sides to show she was unarmed. Smiling gently, she said, "Rest easy, Lord Tolan. I am Rose Vallan, Storyteller of Yarfell. When we have seen each other, I have been..." and here she gestured to her travelling clothes, "more appropriately attired for the evening's entertainments. I am currently taking young Ingeld here back home." Her smile faltered a bit as she continued, "At the moment, Yarfell is not the best place to keep a child of the Fey, especially as the week draws to a close. She should be back with her family."
"Back to Mama," Ingeld nodded.
Rose's horse tossed his head and made another low equine noise in his throat and side-stepped uneasily. Rose's glance flicked back to the bend in the road.
Looking back at Tolan, she asked, "What brings you out here, M'lord? I do hope that is your retinue just beyond the bend there. The woods are not always a safe place to be at a time like this. Particularly for one of your status."
