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Mellondu watched Ędegard and Liornung, and cast numerous glances at his sister. She showed little sign of speaking; he wondered why.
He stepped forward and looked at the dead girl, glistening with snow-crystals, and spoke softly.
"I still have a sister, alive and well. But it might have been otherwise; I might have been bereft, and not your brother."
He studied her, the white ice-princess, trying to paint her picture in his mind so that it would stay. He studied her face, her hair, her hands, her figure. He studied the snow on her eyelids. For a moment he saw her as if beneath a frozen sheet of ice; but he shook himself, and the vision passed, and she lay glistening in the cold open air.
He wondered what could be done for the boy. And then he wondered why the girl had come in the first place. She had not known Mellondu; neither had the boy. What had made them come with his sister to look for him?
He would ask his sister at another time.
*****
Mellonin stepped forward, and walked to the dead girl's side, and knelt down. Mellondu waited nearby, and heard his sister whisper softly.
"I am sorry, " said Mellonin, "sorry that you fell, sorry that you were caught up in this. I am sorry that they took... that they hurt you so. And I am sorry that I hurt you. And your brother. Little Gwyll, you were always kind. Perhaps in that kindness-- can you forgive me? I do not think your brother can. But perhaps you can forgive me on his behalf. I should not have spoken to him in my anger. I-- I know my temper... that is-- I am sorry I hurt Aeron. Can you forgive me?"
She waited, watching the dead girl. Mellondu thought that she was waiting for an answer.
"Can you forgive me, Gwyllion?"
Mellondu stepped forward, and put a hand on his sister's shoulder.
"Gwyllion, please."
Mellondu put his arms around his sister's shoulders, and raised her up, and he led her back to where she had stood before. He noticed Ravion's eyes following them.
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