Chapter III, Reading 2

"Good morning," she said in greeting, trying to keep as much cheerfulness in her tone as she could manage.
"Morning Flindra," Brehwan answered with a forced smile of her own. "Leudh and the boys are in the barn."
Flindra nodded in understanding as she went to give her mother a hand with the cooking. "Morning, Momma."
"Morning, dear. Did you sleep well?"
She smiled, this time with genuine feeling. Her mother's question spoke volumes of concern and love. "I did. The sprig of lavender you put next to my pillow made me sleep well and brought me pleasant dreams."
Dakra looked pleased. She'd been hoping the lavender would help. "Would you mind giving the porridge a stir? There's nothing worse than scorched porridge."
Flindra's answer was to reach for a spoon and start on the task. Oatmeal had always been one of her favorite breakfast foods and she looked forward to having a bowl. Looking around the hearth, she realized that most of her favorite foods were being cooked this morning. It was going to be a farewell feast.
The door swung opened and the twins rushed to the fire to warm themselves. It had been a cold walk from the barn.
"Looks like it's going to be a clear day," Leudh announced as he closed the door. "There's no smell of rain in the wind."
"That's good," Flindra remarked as she looked up from her stirring. "It will be a chilly enough camp without it being wet too."
"I fed Deru so he will be ready to leave when you are."
"Thanks, Leudh."
"Aunty," Alek said as he turned and looked at Flindra. "Why do you have to go?"
The question had been asked before but neither one of the boys had been satisfied by her answers. They had been told of her true identity but they didn't understand why she had to go.