Ędegard
"I don't know," Leafa stammered, without looking up. Then her eyes met Ędegard's. She blushed. He did not want her to feel that she had to say anything on his account, but could not bring any thought into words, as his tongue clove to the roof of his mouth. Against his will, his heart was in his throat, for Bellyn's question had probed to the very heart, and Ędegard's back and neck tingled with fear as he wondered how Leafa would answer. She looked up at the sky and the starlight caught her eyes. Of a sudden she seemed akin to woodnymphs he had heard of in stories. She seemed that much the fairer to his eyes.
"Maybe," she said, and smiled. He heard someone humming the tune of the song she had taught him. Then he realized that it was he. She looked to him, her smile unfading. His fingers tingled. He stood, came to her, and sat beside her, still humming the tune. He took her hand in his.
"I will do my best to turn your maybe into yes." He was surprised by his own words. Was it Ędegard who was talking this way? He felt as if he did not know him, but was quite willing to make his acquaintance, for he liked what he heard. Their eyes met, and her smile did not change. Nor did she remove her hand from his, but joined her voice to his; they hummed the tune together.
When the finished, Liornung clapped.
"Nicely done, Ędegard and Argeleafa. Your voices blend well! You should sing together more often, only with words!"
Ędegard dropped Leafa's hand and coughed. He had forgotten that anyone else was there. He went crimson.
"I am sorry if I have troubled you," he said to Leafa as he rose to leave her.
She did not stop him, for it was not her way to make another do as she would, but she said, "You did not trouble me."
He watched her, his eyes large, his face working. She blushed at his attention and smiled again, and looked at the fire. He could think of nothing to say, so he went back to where he had been sitting, and watched the fire too, his mind and his heart working over things he had no reckoning of.
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