[Nurumaiel]

Liornung went to Argeleafa, and he knelt before her, and softly he pushed the hair away from where her ear used to be. He said nothing to her, but his eyes, gentle and compassionate, looked into hers, and his hand lingered on her cheek. The tears fell down her face, and she was trembling and pale.

"Oh, Liornung," she said, her voice just a murmur. "I am so tired. I wish I could lie down and go to sleep." Her head dropped wearily in his hand, for a few moments, and then she looked up again. "Liornung!" she said, and her voice, though hoarse from loss of breath, was a cry. "Where is my Ædegard? Why is he not with you?"

"Don't fear," he said, his voice thick and trembling with emotion. "I will take you to him." Then he swallowed, and drew a breath, and straightened himself. "But, my little Leafa, you are hurt. Let Erebemlin tend to your wound. I will return shortly."

"Will you leave?" she said, and the tears began spilling over faster.

"For a short time," he said. "I must see if I am needed anywhere." He stood, but she fell forward and caught his hand.

"They do not need you," she said. "What can you do? They need healers! But I, Liornung, need you."

"You need Ædegard," said Liornung, "but maybe you need me, as well. Yet at the present moment you need Erebemlin most of all. I must go and see if my presence is needed elsewhere."

"I need you here, Liornung," she pleaded. "I am so afraid."

He bent down and kissed the hands that were clinging to his own. "Little Leafa, you need not fear. Have courage, and make the sacrifice. I must see if I am needed more. I will return to you within a minute."

Argeleafa sank back down and wept, but she was resigned.

Liornung went to Ravion, who stood by the silently weeping boy and his sister. Softly the fiddler touched the man's shoulder, and said in his ear, "Sir Ravion, I have not great talents in healing, such as you and the Elves, for I am a simple fiddler, yet a lone traveller in lands both tame and wild must learn some skills of healing, to care for himself and others in need. My skills I offer are not much, but if you are in need of any humble and small assistance, I sit by the golden-haired maid."

He turned then, to go back to Leafa, but he paused behind the boy who wept over his sister's body. He lay his calloused hand upon the lad's head, and ran his fingers through the dirty hair, and the tears filled his own eyes. He stood a moment more, and then he returned to Leafa.

Alas, then, for the sorrows of the world.