Alanis was an orphan at near birth, her father having died before she had been born due to wolves, and her mother dying due to child birth. She was taken in by a lovely man, old in age, wise yet mischievous in nature. He acted as her father and mother, sometimes playing with her as if he were a sibling. He, as one person, became her whole family, along with being her teacher, and friend. Over the years, the old man of course grew weaker in mind, though gave no excuse. He taught her what she would need to know, skill in hunting, and in reading. Being the tinkerer he was, he also taught her how to create things, useless or useful. And as he grew weaker, she grew stronger, and became a fine young woman. She loved this old man with her heart and soul, and he to returned that love... however, one day seemed to tell her otherwise. He told her to leave, that there was nothing for her to gain here, in this small village of few. She refused to leave.
In the span of months, he, every day, asked her to leave. And again and again, she would refuse. He soon grew ill, not able to leaving the house, and though his health was giving out, his resolve did not. One day, he would ask her again, "My child.. take your skill and head to Nim'Lindel, where you can forge those skills into something of importance... after you do this, return to me. And show yourself again..." he croaked, and she could not help but obey- knowing fully well that this may be his final wish.
She left the next morning, remaining silent in her thoughts. During the hours of travel, she determined that she would seek to be a Blacksmith, a trade that would nicely be composed from her current skills. And so she did. Within the week of arrived at her destination, she had befriended a blacksmith, and persuaded him to take her under his wing. For five months she had worked steel and iron, fulfilling the tasks given to her with likewise resolve. It was only when her hands were rough, and slightly charred black with coal, that she decided to visit her foster father to show her journey.
She found the journey home easy, the winds unable to make her shiver, the snow unable to cause a slow in her step. It was the destination that broke her. The young Elven found her home empty of life, save a few mice and rats. With a fear behind her voice, she asked fellow villagers to tell her what had happened. Only to find, to her great dismay, that the old man had finally died from sickness. For years, she closed herself in, used to the loneliness, yet not used to the loss. With the thought that he would wring her by the ear from sitting in the dusty house, alone, and making nothing of herself, she finally left, setting out for other cities... seeking to improve her skill again, preparing to forge her future.
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