Frieda led her group back into Aiyanna of the Four with a sigh. If she had it her way, she wouldn’t be travelling with them, but her father had insisted.

“As long as there are no guards, we need to be careful. Elswyth is the only community with any relationship with the guardian – and we know that others would kill for the privilege.” He told her. “Until we have something new set up, none of our people are to go anywhere alone.”

She ignored them as they complained, doing her best not to roll her eyes at their words. They thought they were above such ‘common duties.’

Sometimes she wondered why all the people of Elswyth had been given the gift of their new forms when it was clear that many would have preferred to remain as boring humans.

“Keep up.” She ordered them, her body relaxing as her twitching wings lifted her from the ground. There was no telling where the guardian would be, the last time she had come to them.

They hadn’t been travelling for long when she spotted the guardian, sitting next to a lake that Frieda had never seen before.

“I have come to a decision.” The guardian said, looking straight at Frieda. “As long as the people of Elswyth are under the house of Joy, they may take refuge in Aiyanna of the Four. But should another take command, they must speak with me on behalf of their people.”

Frieda was silent. That was more than they had been expecting for her to grant them.

“Thank you.” She said after a moment to collect her thoughts.

Even as she led the others back to Elswyth, she thought about what she was told and how she would tell her family.