Casa blinked, at least, she thought she blinked, but the pale blue hazy light around her remained the same. This is a path you do not yet have to travel, I'm... I'm meeting you half way. The strange dis-embodied sensation was starting to make the hair on the back of her neck prickle.

Am I dead?

No, but you wish you were... Please go back. I.. I always wanted a child. I died young, far far to young, and it gives me peace to watch you live.

Calista?

Some how she got the impression of a nod, but Casa saw nothing but the blue haze all around her.

When the time comes, you will be strong enough, and... and if not, I'll help you. Casa felt warm sensation, of a sisterly kiss on the cheek. Go back, your son will be needing you.

"She's coming around."

"She must hear Fin."

The pale blue haze broke, and as she always had so often in the last few months, Calista awoke to the sound of her infant son crying. It was so natural to her that she would have been shocked to know that she had been asleep for some time and had missed many of her son feedings and changings and late night crying.

"Fingolfin?" Her voice rasped from lack of use, but it was her voice.

"He is well taken care of," an unfamiliar, female elvish voice responded. "Welcome back."

Calista tried to open her eyes. She ached all over, her head felt as if it had a far to small circlet shoved down on it. The hot, sweaty sticky ness of un-washed hair and tamp sheets told her even more: she had been in a fever, probably for days.

"Where am I.....Where's Fin?"

She was first answered by a light, elvish giggle. "You're in Heartood, cousin....You had the trees weeping with your pain, one of our rangers brought you in. I think half of your ah.. pets are hovering around here as well." With a kindly smile she added, "your son's being taken care of. We left him by you while you rested. Being close to you seemed to calm him, and seemed to help you."

"How long...."

"About 3 days. Congratulations arwen....You're one of the few to survive the breaking of a bond..."

Relaxing back against the pillows with her son snuggled to her breast Calista sighed contentedly. The soothing sensation of Fin nursing, along with the relief of several of her most worrisome questions having been answered. Calista, the elf maid who had died before her time, and who's name, and body Casa had adopted on her resurrection, was not upset that she lived on, even with her spirit in Avernath. The fact that she was happy to see herself, after a fashion, still living on, and even having a child eased the elf woman's mind.

And she said I'd be strong enough for The Journey, that thought brought even more elation, as she smiled down at the red curles of her sons hair. One of his tiny hands was twining at the edges of her own red pony tail.