(Previously...)

Kaitlyn Silverdust Moonstone sat alone upon a crystalline boulder, weeping softly. Her ankle-length ebony hair flowed like silk around her delicately-pointed ears, over her smoothly-curved shoulders, and down to mingle with the glinting snow on the ground. With each tender sob, a single tear welled in the corners of her almond-shaped lavender/cobalt eyes, caught the light, and rippled down her pale olive cheeks.

Her sorrow was so heart-breakingly deep that it seemed the whole world was affected by it: the bare trees leant in as if to shield her, the babbling of the silver stream was the sound of mourning, and even the birds cried out, "Woe! Woe!" Such was the tragedy of Kaitlyn: forsaken by her husband, forsaken by her mother's spirit (her midnight-black cat Moonlight with its piercing green eyes had vanished into shadow some years before, saying her task was done), with only the silver filigree of her elven owl-shaped amulet to remember them by.

Something moved in the gloomy woods: a mysterious figure, lithe and fast, hooded in black. Kaitlyn gasped and sat up, clutching her hands to her voluptuous bosom. Could it be? Could it really be? She stood, her bare feet making no mark in the snow, and pushed her luscious ebon hair back to reveal her clinging, flowing silver gown, tantalisingly low cut yet modest. "Who is there?" she called, in a voice like a nightingale at play.

The figure stopped, graceful as a unicorn. For a long moment there was silence, the air between the shadowy cloak and the glowing dress filled with tension. Then a deep, masculine voice rang out:

Oh, Galwyn was a shield-maiden
A shield-maiden was she,
A Rider's girl with hair of gold,
And eyes as blue as sea,

Forth Eorlingas!
For maidens short and tall
And maidens dark and maidens fair
The riders love them all!

She said would you come a-riding
Come riding out with me?
She was looking for a stallion,
And a stallion I be!

Forth Eorlingas!
For maidens short and tall
And maidens dark and maidens fair
The riders love them all!

Kaitlyn gasped, shock running through her like silver lightning, one slender coppery hand flying to cover her rich ruby lips. "Can it be?" she breathed, her almond-shaped lavender/cobalt eyes widening. "Can it really be?"

The dark figure lowered its head as if in acknowledgement, and stepped forward into the luminous moonlight. It held out a hand towards her, its fingers seemingly carved from pale ivory, and sang on:

So I rode her in the stables,
And left her wanting more,
I rode her in her chambers,
And on her bedroom floor!

Forth Eorlingas!
For maidens short and tall
And maidens dark and maidens fair
The riders love them all!

I told her to choose someone else,
But Galwyn was persistant,
And I finally surrendered,
For Galwyn has a sister!

Forth Eorlingas!
For maidens short and tall
And maidens dark and maidens fair
The riders love them all!

"It must be!" Kaitlyn Silverdust Moonstone ran across the snow. Her ebony hair flowed behind her like a tide, and all the colours of the aurora seemed to chase each other across her sleek silver dress as it rippled over the pure white field. "My love!" she cried, tears of joy tumbling from her bright eyes. "You have returned!"

"I have." The figure reached up and pushed back his cowl, revealing a pale, slender face, set with eyes the colour of garnets and lips as red as wine. "After so many years, I have returned to you, fair Kaitlyn Silverdust Moonstone!"

Kaitlyn stumbled to a halt, her shapely arms still outstretched towards the handsome man standing before her. "But... who are you?" she asked in a voice like moonlight rainbows.

The man smiled, and reached up to touch his deep russett hair. "You probably don't recognise me, because of the red hair, but it is I - Leto Haven. I come back to you, my love - and here you are, waiting for me still."

"No..." Kaitlyn let her hands fall as she studied Leto, bewilderment written across her beautiful face. Her almond-shaped eyes narrowed slightly, and her perfect lips set into a line. "No," she said again, and behind her words Leto seemed to hear the rumble of distant thunder. "You are not my love, Leto Haven. I wait on another."

"But I can be." Leto stepped forward, reaching for her with his muscular arm. "My Lady, will you not give me a chance? There is none other here who loves you."

Kaitlyn Silverdust Moonstone's eyes flared, violet fire blossoming from their points. She drew her filigreed amulet from where it nestled in her bosom, and the same amethyst flames filled it with light. "You had your warning," she said, the chill of the far north seeping into her voice. "Now begone."

Leto started to say something, but the owl-amulet spread its wings, and a wave of purple light washed over him, and he was gone.

Kaitlyn let the amulet fall from her limp fingers, and fell to her knees in the snow. "My love," she whispered, crystalline tears falling silently down her flushed olive cheeks. Her hair fell in ebon curtains around her, her silky dress blending into the snow. "My love..."

The snow crunched in front of her, and Kaitlyn forced herself to look up. Her gleaming almond-shaped lavender/cobalt eyes widened once more as she saw the tight leather trousers; the huge muscles rippling on the bare torso; and finally the steel-grey eyes set in a beautiful yet masculine face.

"My love," said Huinesoron, holding out his manly hand to his wife. "I am here."

---

With deepest apologies to Twiggy (author of the 2004 Shipfic to which this is a sequel and homage), and to Jen Littlebottom (author of Galwyn Was a Shieldmaiden).

... no, actually, you know what? For what they've done, neither deserve apologies. ^_^

(Fourteen years. Good grief.)