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Before Gorin had covered the body, Leanora had seen a glimpse of Grimbeorn's torn face in the moonlight. She turned her head, looked deep into the forest to hide the tears that had sprung to her eyes.
She had always thought she was a tough girl, not one of those smalltown primadonnas or princesses that cried at everything and could not face any kind of difficulties. She had never been afraid of the dead or their bodies, as a child she had eagerly examined the dead animals she occassionally came by, and unlike all other members of her family, she had not found it difficult to look at her mother's dead face or touch her cold hand.
This was toatlly different. Her mother had died of a long illness, and although she had not been old, she had not been young either. Leanora had known that her mother would die and her passing had almost been a relief. But this young man's death had been totally unexpected and a brutal one. His comely face was torn and his body mutilated.
Lea had not known the young man well, she had only met him tonight. Still she was sick with terror and grief. She had liked the gentle handsome stranger, and she had to admit that had she had the chance to know him brtter, she might have been attracted to him.
Suddenly, she could not hold it anymore. She sank to her knees, sobbing quietly. She hoped Ash would be occupied with comforting Orin and no one else would even think about looking at her direction.
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