[Nurumaiel]

Liornung's brow was dark and his eyes troubled as he took Maercwen's arm and began to lead her away. "Come, little Mae, 'tis time for you to return as Miss Aylwen requested," he said gently. "I will escort you there; I do not think it safe for a young woman to wander these streets alone." He murmured a few words of explanation in Hearpwine's ear and the young man nodded with a bit of regret. Liornung and Maercwen, after proper courtesies to the King and all in the hall, began to make their return to the Inn.

As soon as they were outside Liornung paused his niece and took her wrist, fingering the silver bracelet. Then slowly his hand dropped and he sighed deeply. "Take it off, Mae," he said.

Her eyes widened and she looked up into his face with surprise. "But, uncle, you told me not to cast it away!"

"I have changed my mind," he said, "and there is nothing more to say about it." Maercwen looked doubtful but nevertheless took the bracelet off her hand and gave it to her uncle. He took it, gazed thoughtfully at it for a moment, and then pressed it into her hand, bidding her to put it in her pocket but not put it back upon her wrist. She grew more startled. "You avoid the thing as if it bore a curse!" she cried. "Can you read the inscription? Is this thing evil?"

"I cannot read it," he said, "and I do not know if it is evil, but I would not have you wear it now. The boast that a mere circlet of silver could change one's fortune does not seem a true thought." He smiled in an odd way, as if there were thoughts of sadness inside him. "I do not believe in luck, nor any charm that is said to bring it." He began to lead her away again, but she was not content with what he had said. She saw he was deep in thought and was not paying very much attention to her. The way he had ordered her to give him the bracelet was odd, for he had encouraged her to keep it not long ago. She did not understand her uncle at times, but there was nothing that could be done about it. She did, however, desire to know more about the bracelet.

"Uncle, I desire to know what the inscription says. If it would not displease you, perhaps I might take it back to the old woman and beg her to tell me how it reads."

He pulled himself away from distant thoughts and looked at her in some confusion. He had not clearly heard what she had said. "What is this you ask, Mae?"

"To go back...?"

"Ah yes, of course. I see no harm in it. Stay there, however, until I come fetch you. I'm going to go back to the Inn for a brief moment. I recall I left my fiddle in the Common Room and I don't desire anyone bungling into it and breaking it." He patted her head gently and moved off into the crowd.

Odd that he should consent so willingly, but he surely knew what he was doing. She looked about her, trying to gather where she was and which direction the old woman was... Jesia she had been called. As the walked lightly in that direction, gazing about her with deep interest, she puzzled more over her uncle's doubt about the bracelet. When she thought back to the meeting with the old woman she could not see anything dark in it. Such folk as Jesia were always about in marketplaces, selling little trinkets they claimed to be enchanted yet were mere nothings. The woman had also been polite.

"Ah, I do see it is you again," croaked a voice from somewhere behind the girl. She started and turned, and then relaxed with a smile when she saw Jesia. "Your name was Mae, was it not?"

"Maercwen," the girl said, "but most call me simply Mae." She hesitated a brief moment, and then, putting her hand into her pocket, brought forth the circlet. "Miss Jesia, my uncle gave me permission to return to you and bid you tell me what these words say. If you would?" She held forth the bracelet.

************

Liornung stepped into the Inn, smiling at the delighted cries of his nephew and nieces, and the little excited gurglings of the baby. He kissed each in turn, bestowing a friendly smile upon the girl they were sitting with, and moved to his fiddle, taking it down from the chair it was upon and sending Mereflod off to put it in a safe place. He smiled as he sat beside Gomen. "I was quite afraid someone might have injured it seeing as it was there all alone," he said. "I hastened back as fast as I might."

"Where is Maercwen?" Aylwen questioned.

"She asked permission to go back and watch the feats of the horsemaster," he replied. Then the careless expression on his face turned into one of distress. "I do apologize, Miss Aylwen," he stammered. "I had quite forgotten that you desired her to return immediately after Hearpwine's song." He stood to his feet and made for the door. "I'll go and bring her back now. Again, my apologies."

************

Liornung looked about him in confusion, his eyes not even glancing towards the tricks of the horsemasters as they brought forth cries of delight from the spectators. He had moved through the crowd many times, calling Maercwen's name, but he had not found her. It was impossible to believe, but Mae was not there watching. A frown flickered over his face. He could not imagine the girl being so disobedient, but it seemed there was nowhere else for her to go except back to the Contest. He would go see.