[Folwren]

Fliede did not quite know why Thornden was laughing, but before she could ask, Ginna and Harreld returned by the outside door.

“Here’s your companion. I bring him back with my thanks. But it seems you have managed well with just Thornden here.” Fliede opened her mouth to reply that she did not know what she had said so humorously and she had evidently been the one keeping Thornden amused opposed to the other way around, but suddenly Ginna exclaimed, “Oh! My name is Ginna, by the way.”

Fliede smiled broadly and stood up from the table. She dropped a quick curtsey. “It is nice to meet you, Ginna,” she said. She looked quickly from Ginna to Harreld, took quick stock of his slightly flushed face, and looked again at Ginna. “You like him, don’t you?” she asked. “That’s why you thanked me for his company.”

Thornden did not blame Ginna for looking slightly taken aback. Before anyone could make any sort of reply, Eodwine and Norjm came back into the hall. Fliede spotted them first and with a bright look on her face, she darted about the table and ran to her father. She stopped without touching him.

“Papa! What did he say? Has he decided?”

Norjm reached out and laid his hand on her shoulder as he continued to walk towards the long table. “We will eat lunch with him, for he has invited us. And tomorrow we will return here.”