F?or froze as every eye in the glade fell on his shoulders.

  How could anyone speak in a setting like that, let alone breathe? It was unbearable. He wasn’t like Gylda. His words only worked well in his head. He couldn’t speak them into a spell-binding song like she could. And now B?olnos wanted him to speak right after her? No way. That was definitely asking for too much.

  “Go on,” Belor urged.

  “We have your back,” Hálin soothed. “No matter what you say, we’ll stand behind you.”

  “Tha’s right,” ?olorn laughed. “Jus’ be yerself an’ worry ‘bout tha rest later.”

  I guess there isn’t anything I can do to get out of this…

  Closing his eyes, he held his ?ána-bead bracelet to his nose, took a deep breath, and steadied his heart. He then spoke while looking at the small flowers sprouting beneath his feet.

  “She was…peculiar. I…m-mistook her for a f?ánor at first, but…it didn’t take me long to figure out that she was an…an Eldásr.”

  He took another deep breath.

  “She was passionate about herbs. We spoke about that a lot. She, uh, said she wanted to help others heal. I…I was actually jealous of her. I mean…it takes a lot to leave home to pursue your dreams, right? I thought…I thought that was kind of impressive.

  “She said her life at home wasn’t too great. I guess her family didn’t support her. But to leave that behind and come here? To a place predisposed to hate her? That’s…that’s kind of crazy, right?

  “Anyway…I told her I was too afraid to do anything like that myself. I’ve always stayed close to home. She asked what I was so afraid of and…well, I told her I was afraid of her kindred. We’re all afraid. But she looked so sad…like she was doomed to be alone forever.

  “I guess she felt abandoned by her own and rejected by the rest of the world. She even cried. I believed her tears were true. Her wind was warm. I don’t think she was lying. Her sorrow was too deep to be an act. I decided to accept her for who she was. That’s when Valyría came.

  “True to her role, she defended me from what she saw as a threat. I guess most would agree. I worried about that same thing, at first. But like Gylda said…I listened to what she had to say and learned more about her before assuming things. Her name is ?rna, by the way.

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  “She was terrified. She didn’t try to fight. I thought she stayed true to her aura the whole time. So I…I tried to stop Valyría from hurting her. That’s when…that’s when ?rna ran away. Valyría went after her, but…B?olnos stopped her. I’m glad he did, too. Valyría was prepared to kill her. But her wind was just so warm. She wasn’t there to harm us. If soldiers from Pelren have come here…I don’t think she wanted that. If anything, she’s probably running from them, too.”

  F?or sighed, feeling relief and exhaustion hit him as he finished; but when he finally looked up—

  “Friend or foe,” a voice proclaimed. “I’m sure she led them here.”

  —all he saw were furrowed brows.

  “Maybe she’s a fugitive,” another pondered.

  “We should find her, capture her, and hand her over!”

  “Maybe we can use her as a hostage.”

  “W-wait,” F?or muttered meekly. “Th-that’s not what I said.”

  Belor’s gentle hand patted F?or’s shoulder.

  “Yer right,” he said softly. “We knew ya felt that way, but most folk don’t feel tha same.”

  “People tend to take pieces of what they’ve heard to reinforce what they already assume is true,” Hálin added. “It’s hard to change someone’s mind, especially when they’re afraid.”

  “So don’ take it personal, my boy,” ?olorn said. “Ya did what yer heart told ya ta do. Ya defended the girl. Ya gave ‘er yer best. Now we jus’ hafta vote an’ see what the assembly decides ta do next.”

  As if on cue, B?olnos calmed the clamor and moved the assembly to their first vote.

  “Now that you have all heard from our primary witness, let us decide what must be done henceforth. Shall we capture the young Eldásr—?rna—to use as a hostage for negotiations; or shall we let her roam free, offering shelter from the enemy and perhaps making an ally of her?”

  Hearing B?olnos state their options like that made F?or feel like a fool. The choice was obvious. Painfully so. Who in their right mind would let someone they don’t know or trust run around their home unsupervised?

  “Those who say we capture her, bring a pinecone to Rogálos,” R?álnos spoke. “And those who wish to befriend her, bring the same to B?olnos.”

  Thus the assembly began to move, but before F?or and his companions joined them…

  “Friends,” he said, “I appreciate your support, but please…vote your conscious. I won’t hold it against you. I promise.”

  They hesitated…but knowing that F?or was sincere, they reluctantly turned away from him.

  “We don’t mean ‘er any harm,” ?olorn said.

  “But this is tha safest choice for G?lenor,” Belor finished.

  “Sorry F?or,” Hálin added.

  “It’s alright. I understand.”

  And so F?or went to B?olnos alone.

  “You did well,” B?olnos told him when he arrived. “You may be here alone, but it takes a tremendous amount of courage to be yourself in front of a group so large. I am proud of you.”

  “Th-thank you,” F?or managed as he placed his pinecone before the great bear. “And…thank you for giving ?rna this chance.”

  F?or returned to his spot in the glade, where he remained alone until his friends finally returned.

  “Our apologies,” Hálin squeaked. “The line was a bit…long.”

  F?or managed a strained smile.

  After an awkward silence…

  “I shall now declare the results,” R?álnos announced.

  “Aside from two votes…”

  “Two?” F?or wondered aloud. “But I thought…”

  “…the vast majority gathered here today has decided…”

  F?or looked around to see if he could find who voted with him.

  “…that we shall capture the Eldásr.”

  He caught a glimpse of Gylda speaking with B?olnos before the assembly erupted with cheer.