[Glirdan]

Elfride smiled the first smile he had seen from her and said, "erhaps we should put ourselves between them and Hama before he decides this isn't a sufficiently serious expedition for a General of the Mark to participate in? " Then she spurred her horse and gallopped to the front.

Léoflic looked at her in stunned silence but with a wide grin on his face. He was glad to see Elfride in such high spirits, something he had been longing to see from her for a long time. He spurred Aldor on and gallopped after Elfride, his pain and loneliness left behind. Never will he be alone again, not with such great people around, people that he could call friends.

He caught up to Elfride and smiled at her fondly. Then something stirred within him and he looked quickly away. What is this feeling? he asked himself silently, looking over the plains beside him. Why is it that whenever I look at her I feel happiness and joy? Could I be....in love? he looked back over at the smiling Elfride and smiled again. Whatever this feeling is,he thought, it's wonderful.