[Lhunardawen]

Dropping off to sleep in spite of herself, Lhuna was awakened at the mention of her name. She listened well to Nogrod, and shook her head almost imperceptibly when he ended. Rash, she thought, too quick to shed blood that by all means could be innocent. I do not blame him his frustration, but he should not have expressed it so. And she decided to keep an eye on him from then on.

Next came the voice of an old woman, who soon handed her a comb. She received it without thanks, doubtful that it would do her good, and began to work on her hair quietly. As they moved to the pool outside she persevered, sometimes almost breaking the comb in two, but all the while she listened carefully to what was being said.

Soon, when the state of her hair was undoubtedly more dignified than it had been minutes - hours? - before, Lhuna handed over the comb to the old woman Rikae.

"I thank thee," she told her, "for this favor, and for expressing fearlessly your observations. The latter is possibly a sign of your innocence. But I will not be too quick to judge that for certain, for a lot more remains to be seen.

"I feel rather uncomfortable with tgwbs's vote - I would rather he chose one among those who have already spoken. Rather hasty, it seems to me, and safe, for in the event that xyzzy is killed and found innocent, he could hardly be blamed for playing a crucial role in it."

She turned and frowned at the dozing Macalaure, saying, "If you do not like what we speak, then you could have demonstrated for us what you think is right. But your defensive tone this early in our discussion is suspicious, and not worth mimicking. You ought to be observed more carefully."

Lhuna sat, stroking her hair, and pondered on the words spoken throughout the Day. For reason unexplainable, as though a part of her lived in a place where it is already dark, the desire for sleep was to her overwhelming, and she desired to cast her vote before finally succumbing to it.