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How far she had run, Leafa did not know, but she realised that she could run no longer. Her legs trembled and collapsed beneath her, and she crouched on the ground with her face in her hands. Yet no tears came. Why did they not come? They would make things easier, they would relieve the pain in her heart. But her eyes were dry and there was naught but a steady ache. It was tearing her to pieces, it was killing her. Why didn't it kill her? Oh, would that she could die and escape this living nightmare!
Ędegard did not love her. He could not love her. If he loved her would he not marry her? He said it was because of his hand, but that was all nonsense. Why should his hand matter? Why? This was not how love in the stories went. In the stories all would have come all right, despite a loss of hand or foot. Would she go to him and tell him she could not marry him because her ear was missing? It was too absurd. A faint laugh broke from her lips, but she checked herself immediately and wrenched her face from her hands.
No! She would not let her emotions conquer her so. If the unceasing ache in her heart was terrible, to succumb to laughter was horrid. She would hurt and she would cry, but she would not laugh. She must be brave, for his sake. If she could not become his wife she would at least be worthy of what she could not be.
She stood on trembling looks and looked about her. A shudder passed through her, and she realised that she did not know where she was. The darkness loomed, enfolding its cold black arms about her and murmuring terrifying secrets in her ear. It came back to her with clarity that sent a hot stab of fear to her heart. She had fled the camp, and the Elf, that evil Elf, had been in the darkness when she left. What if he found her? What if the merlocks were with him.
Leafa suddenly realised that she was alone with the dark and whatever was lurking within it. There was no rock or tree where she stood. She had nothing to put her back to, nothing to cling to. Yes, a solitary rock would be a comfort. She could crouch beside it, feel its cold touch on her skin. It would shelter her. But here she sat in a wide open space, or so it seemed. Wasn't it? She felt about in the dark. No, there was nothing there, but darkness and emptiness. She cowered down and put her hands over her head, and her heart beat wildly.
A footstep sounded close by. Leafa's heart stopped at the touch of fear's finger... an icy finger, not the finger that had quickened her breath. She was stilled, and tensed. She dared not breathe... she could not breathe. The Elf was there, in the darkness. Could he see her? Did not his footsteps sound closer and closer?
Leafa sat, tense and full of dread, not daring to move. If only he did not see her... if only Ędegard were near to protect her!
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