The woman raised her hand and gently touched the shoulder of Elara.
Elara, with a pure expression of happiness on her face at the touch, lifted her head.
"Your friend has come to visit you, my flower," the woman said.
Elara's turned in the direction Morwenna indicated. When she noticed the two figures standing at the other end of the courtyard the look of awe on her face instantly changed.
First surprise, then disbelief, and finally, a wave of joy spread across her face.
"Aurelion..." she whispered.
Morwenna responded to Elara's reaction with a faint smile. "Come," she said calmly and rose from her knees.
Elara immediately stood up as well and they began to walk together towards Aurelion and Faelan.
As the pair approached, Aurelion couldn't help but scrutinize the woman more carefully.
She was indeed tall, probably over one ninety, and the thin white dress she wore seemed to have no effect on her in the cold air.
The flawless whiteness of her skin, her eyes, her hair, and her posture clearly indicated she was different from a normal human.
"This resistance to cold... This appearance... Is it some kind of Evolution, or an inherent trait of this race or clan?" he quickly thought.
The woman's beauty was undeniably perfect, but that wasn't the main question in Aurelion's mind. "Why is she so close to Elara? Was she with her because she knew they were coming, or... had this crazy woman become Elara's new mother?"
Just as he was grappling with these thoughts, he felt Faelan's tension beside him. The man leaned slightly towards him and whispered through gritted teeth.
"Crazy woman is approaching, lad."
Aurelion this time, without hesitation, he hit the Faelan's leg with his elbow, harder than before.
"Stop fooling around if you don't want to become a very realistic looking ice sculpture," he hissed in the same whisper.
Faelan wasn't much affected by Aurelion's move but quickly composed himself.
"You're right, lad," he muttered and, forcing a tense smile onto his face.
Morwenna seemed not to have heard Faelan's earlier whisper. They stopped right in front of them.
Elara's eyes were still on Aurelion, a mixture of joy and slight shyness on her face.
Faelan immediately stepped forward, placing his hand respectfully on his chest.
"Cra-" he began, and just then, Aurelion's elbow touched his side again. "-I mean Clan Leader," he said.
Aurelion also gave salute. "Clan Leader."
Morwenna's eyes seemed to scan the Faelan, then returned to Aurelion. That faint, smile was still there.
"Welcome," she said. "You must be my daughter's friend, Aurelion?"
This direct expression of possession didn't surprise Aurelion, but it still caught his attention. His eyes briefly flickered to Elara, who stood beside her, a mixture of happiness. Then he turned back to Morwenna.
"Your daughter?"
"Yes," Morwenna said without hesitation. Her smile widened slightly as she raised her hand and gently smoothed a few strands of hair that had fallen from Elara's shoulder. "I wish I had noticed such a flower in the orphanage sooner." Elara smiled faintly at this touch and these words.
As Aurelion watched this scene, his suspicions grew even stronger. This closeness... seemed to have been established a bit too quickly.
"Clan Leader, if you don't mind, may I ask something?"
Morwenna's gaze slowly turned to Aurelion. Just then, Faelan reflexively leaned towards Aurelion's ear. "Be careful, lad, she might misunders-"
Aurelion jabbed Faelan in the side with his elbow once more before he could finish his sentence.
Morwenna had completely ignored this brief interaction. "You may ask, Aurelion,"
"You are a Clan Leader. The leader of an established and powerful clan like White Frost. Adopting a child of another race, a Forest Elf... isn't it a bit strange?"
Morwenna calmly turned her head back to Elara, gave her a warm look, then turned back to Aurelion. "Why would it be strange? Or, does it matter if it's strange?"
Without waiting for an answer, she gracefully placed her hand on her own chest. "I am Morwenna White Frost. I am the leader of this clan, and no one can question the decisions I make."
Aurelion slowly nodded. "Yes," he thought inwardly. "Just as I expected. Power speaks. Absolute power, absolute will... Logical but dangerous." He understood once again how proper Roric's and Faelan's warnings were, yet he couldn't help but appreciate the woman's demeanor. This was power in its purest form. An unquestioned, boundless will. He slowly nodded.
After Morwenna saw Aurelion's silent acknowledgment, her voice returned to that soft tone. "But if you expect a more concrete explanation, I am unmarried, Aurelion. I have not met a man worthy of me. And I had no child to whom I could pass on my legacy."
The moment Aurelion heard this personal explanation, he preventatively jabbed Faelan in the side again, just in case.
This time, Faelan dodged the blow and shot Aurelion a glare as if to say, "I'm not that stupid."
The woman continued speaking, her voice sounding more passionate now. "But I value legacy. My legacy shows who I am and what kind of life I have lived."
Her gaze returned lovingly to Elara, and she stroked the girl's head. "Elara is a very special girl. When I saw her, I wanted to share my legacy with her and take her as my daughter."
She gestured towards the ice flower she had just created, still glistening on the snow. "This flower may look like a flower, it may be beautiful... but is it a flower?"
Morwenna then turned back to Elara. "I will share my legacy with Elara and I will make her create one just like this flower, but this time, a real one."
After finishing her words, she slowly straightened up. She spread her hands to her sides and lifted her face to the sky.
Her eyes were closed, and an expression of pure, sincere looking happiness was on her face. At that moment, her posture was so ethereal that even Faelan stared at her for a moment, as if mesmerized.
"Could there be anything more beautiful than passing on one's legacy to others and seeing it bloom?" Morwenna whispered. Just then, a light, harmless wave of cold energy spread through the air around them.
She took a deep breath and turned back to Aurelion.
"Isn't that so, Aurelion?"
Aurelion knew this question wasn't just about Elara. This was a veiled promise offered to him. If he accepted her legacy, he could bloom under her guidance. Or, if he refused, then he would remain merely a cold, lifeless ice flower.
"Yes," he said simply.
As Aurelion's answer hung in the air, the smile on Morwenna's face didn't change. It was as if she had received the exact answer she expected.
"In that case," gesturing towards the inner part of the courtyard with her hand. "Let's not keep our guests waiting on their feet, shall we, my flower?"
Elara nodded. "Yes, Mother."
Morwenna began to walk and Elara immediately took her place beside her.
Aurelion and Faelan, after a brief exchange of glances, followed them. Near the center of the courtyard, they came under a magnificent tree whose branches seemed to be made of translucent ice, reflecting the light that struck it into thousands of tiny sparkles.
Under the tree stood a few armchairs and a low table, also made of the same white materials. Everything was in perfect harmony and cold elegance.
As Morwenna and Elara settled into the armchairs, Aurelion and Faelan also took their places opposite them.
Morwenna clapped her hands lightly from where she sat.
Two young women with long white braided hair, also dressed in spotless white clothes, appeared from the main door of the manor.
They silently approached them, carefully placed the silver trays in their hands on the table in front of them, and retreated as silently as they had come.
On the trays were exotic looking fruits he had never seen before, seemingly coated with sparkling crystallized sugar, and steaming, light blue tea in porcelain cups.
"I don't know if you've had tea before," Morwenna said, gently taking one of the cups and offering it to Aurelion. "But I'm sure you'll like it."
Aurelion took the cup. Even the cup itself was slightly cool, hot steam rose from the tea within.
He glanced at Faelan. Faelan got the message, immediately grabbed his own cup, and took a large gulp without hesitation.
The moment he did, his eyes widened in surprise. He brought his hand to the steam rising from the cup, felt its warmth. Then he looked at Morwenna in astonishment.
"This... This is incredible!" he said, his usual rapid speech now filled with genuine amazement. "The tea is hot... but it's cold when you drink it! Cold but hot! This is wonderful!"
Morwenna just smiled.
Aurelion also took a small sip from his own cup. Faelan was right. As the hot liquid flowed down his throat, a refreshing, intense coolness simultaneously spread throughout his body. It was a very strange but pleasant sensation.
Elara giggled when she saw the expression on Aurelion's face. "Isn't it nice, Aurelion?"
Aurelion nodded. "Different."
Elara continued. "It's a hot drink, but it's made from special mountain herbs that contain ice energy. That's why you feel both warm and refreshed when you drink it. Mother showed me a little how it's made."
This Mother expression and Elara's closeness to Morwenna... "Such closeness in such a short time... Morwenna's influence has been faster than I expected," he thought.
His suspicions were being confirmed, but outwardly he only showed slight surprise. "For you to be so close to the Clan Leader in such a short time... I thought you would be scared after being adopted."
At these words from Aurelion, Elara straightened her shoulders "I won't be scared anymore, Aurelion," she said in a clear voice. Then she added with a small pause "Or at least I'll try."
This was a good development for her. "Well done," he said.
Morwenna interjected "My daughter understood there was no reason for her to be scared after coming here, Aurelion. She is safe now. She is one of us now."
Just then, Aurelion noticed Faelan rolling his eyes. It was clear he didn't agree with the "no reason to be scared" part.
"Soon my daughter's Core will also mature," Morwenna continued. "Then I will teach her how to use her energy, how to shape that beautiful light within her."
Aurelion turned to Elara. "Listen carefully to the Clan Leader's teachings, Elara. This is important."
Elara immediately nodded. "Okay."
Morwenna turned back to Aurelion "If she listens to me, I'm sure she'll soon catch up to you and be able to use energy like you, Aurelion."
Elara started at these words, her eyes turning in surprise first to Morwenna, then to Aurelion. "Mother told me a little about this energy," she said excitedly. "Can you do that, Aurelion?"
Just as Aurelion was trying to formulate a diplomatic yet evasive answer in his mind, Faelan unexpectedly shot up from his seat.
"Aurelion!" he said, an exaggerated pity in his voice. "Poor Aurelion!"
He turned to Elara, a sad expression on his face. "The poor child is unfortunately stuck with the Captain's brutal training right now, sweet girl. He make him do push ups until he's about to crawl on the floor! He can't really bother with these energy things right now, poor thing."
As soon as he finished speaking, he reached out and grabbed Aurelion's arm, lifting it up. Aurelion's arm, since he didn't resist Faelan's movement, dangled limply.
Instead of getting angry at this sudden intervention, Aurelion looked at Faelan.
Faelan, showing Aurelion's arm to Elara and Morwenna, continued. "Look at these arms! Even if he could use energy while being this weak, what could he do? Right, Aurelion?"
Aurelion's nose twitched momentarily. Faelan's display was both demeaning him and actually helping him. Suppressing his anger, he put a faint smile on his face and turned to Elara.
"Faelan is exaggerating a bit. But not everything is energy manipulation, Elara."
He noticed Morwenna's eyebrow rise slightly. "If you can't protect yourself in close combat, you'd be in danger even if you had very good energy manipulation abilities. Don't forget the close combat moves I taught you, and practice them."
Elara nodded seriously. "Okay, Aurelion."
After a few seconds of silence, Morwenna spoke.
"Absolutely!"
Everyone's gaze turned to her. "What is this woman up to now?" Aurelion thought.
"Mages like me," Morwenna said "are usually at a disadvantage in close combat. That's why we must be able to protect ourselves, Elara."
With these words, she gracefully rose from her seat. She took a few steps in the courtyard, moving a little away from them, then stopped sideways and looked back at them.
"That's why..." She slowly raised her right arm in front of her, palm facing upwards. Suddenly, a bright, white energy began to radiate from her arm and then, before their very eyes, that white energy began to solidify, to change shape.
Within seconds, Morwenna's right arm, up to her elbow, was covered in sharp lined, white ice. This was no ordinary ice. Thorny protrusions had appeared on its surface, her fingers taking on a claw like shape.
A threatening, long ice spike extended backward from her elbow. The ice climbed smoothly up to her shoulder, and a few more short, sharp spikes jutted upwards from her shoulder. It was a savage, yet strangely elegant sight.
Morwenna slowly wiggling her clawed fingers. She looked at Aurelion and Faelan with a smile.
"That's why we must also physically strengthen ourselves with energy manipulation abilities," she said, her voice mingling with the faint crackling sounds from her icy arm.
"Wow..." Faelan whispered. "That... that's so cool!"
Aurelion was also inwardly impressed. It was absolute control and shaping ability. But he tried to remain expressionless outwardlyy.
Morwenna, without lowering her icy arm, extended her other hand towards Aurelion.
The smile on her face was inviting. "Would you like me to check you, Aurelion?" she said softly. "Perhaps we'll discover some nice things about your energy that even you haven't noticed."
Aurelion looked at the woman before him. Her offer was tempting but it was full of danger.
"Thank you for your offer, Clan Leader, but Captain Roric has strictly forbidden me from undergoing such checks or energy work outside his supervision."
Morwenna's smile didn't fade. On the contrary, it deepened. She took a few more steps closer to Aurelion. "No need to worry, Aurelion," she whispered. "You don't have to do anything. I'll just... feel your energy, check your potential. I won't harm you."
Just as Aurelion was thinking about his next move, Faelan suddenly shot up from his seat and stepped between Aurelion and Morwenna, right in front of the woman who was taller than him.
His posture was straight, his eyes calm, and his voice serious and sharp.
"Clan Leader, you're getting too close to the child. Would you please step back a bit?"
Morwenna's eyebrows furrowed slightly. She looked down at Faelan. "This doesn't concern you. I'm just going to check the child. Discovering his potential will be good for him." She moved her hand slightly as if to push Faelan away. "Now get out of my way."
However, Faelan didn't budge. He calmly continued to look into Morwenna's eyes. "This child is under the protection of Captain Roric. And as you know, Captain Roric only follows the orders of the War Chieftain."
He said nothing more, just continued to look at Morwenna. The mention of the War Chieftain's name had made the air even more tense.
Morwenna paused for a moment. For a brief moment, an expression of hesitation passed over her face.
She seemed to be weighing the risk of going further against a child under the protection of a Captain directly subordinate to the War Chieftain.
Finally, she let out a light "Hmph" sound, and her icy arm returned to normal with a faint hissing sound as she stepped back.
Just then, Aurelion, seizing the opportunity, stepped in.
He looked at Morwenna. "Speaking of Captain Roric," He glanced briefly at Elara. "I had this permission to visit Elara." He turned back to Morwenna. "Thank you for your hospitality, but if you'll excuse us, we must be going now Clan Leader. The Captain's training schedule is quite intensive."
Morwenna looked silently at Aurelion for a few seconds. Then she nodded slightly. "Very well, Aurelion," she said "I understand the importance of training."
Elara's face fell a little when she realized they were about to leave, and she still looked surprised by the events that had just transpired. When Morwenna stood up, she did too.
Morwenna gestured towards the other ice sculptures in the courtyard. "Even if they are very beautiful, they need constant protection, constant care."
Then she looked directly at Aurelion. "Otherwise, they melt away." She paused for a moment. "I don't want Elara to be alone. It would be much better for her if you visited her."
Aurelion had received this last message as well. He nodded and turned to Elara.
He approached the girl. "Embrace the Clan Leader's teachings," he said in a low voice, "and don't forget what I taught you, alright?"
Elara nodded quickly, her eyes still a little worried. "Okay, Aurelion."
Morwenna clapped her hands again, and the two servant women reappeared. "Let them escort you to the gate,"
Aurelion and Faelan, gave a final nod of thanks to Morwenna and Elara. Then, under Morwenna's gaze, they followed the servants out of the courtyard, returning the way they had come.
Before Morwenna turned away, she looked at the pair one last time.
"Until next time, young High Elf."