"I will step down as Eldritch Lady of the High Pass and surrender its throne to Young Lord Hauke!"
Ashlynn's words unleashed a storm of emotional cheers on both sides of the Great Hall. Some, like Odette, dropped to their knees and wept openly in relief. They had been conquered, but the Vale of Mists would only rule over them while Hauke had a chance to grow and learn under the guidance of both the Mother of Trees and the Eldritch Lady of the Vale.
To learn sorcery from one of the great witches was already an honor beyond words, but the fact that Hauke would also benefit from being able to learn how Lady Nyrielle ruled over the Vale of Mists was almost more valuable than whatever Hauke could learn from Ashlynn. The High Pass had long kept to their ways and their traditions, but Nyrielle was right that the world was changing.
