Grief and Relief

Lieve sat at the table in the Pony, unable to hide her grief as much as she tried, the tears rolling down her cheeks and her shoulders heaving. She had sent the necklace the captain had given her back and had heard nothing from him since she left him. She felt utterly crushed. Two men approached her, to see what was the matter. Listening through her tears, she recognised Ruthrey's voice asking 'Are you taking this one Baecere?' and turned away from him. The other was looking at her kindly, replying 'Aye, I'll look after this one'. Ruthrey then walked away, leaving her alone with the man named Baecere. He asked her if she wanted to talk about her problems, and if so, they could go to a more private setting. Nodding tearfully, she got up and followed him into a smaller room near the middle of the Pony. There, they both sat down, she wringing her hands in grief and he looking kindly and concerened. 'What seems to be the trouble then lass?' He asked. 'A man of course,' she replied listlessly. 'Isn't it always about a man?' She then proceeded to tell him a little of the past six weeks, though not the complete story. He listened quietly, occasionally asking a question but letting her take her time. When she was done, she looked at him, expecting him to look at her in disgust. Instead he sat there calmly looking sympathetic. 'I am sorry for my outburst,' she said. 'I did not mean to cause such a fuss, but I could no longer hold it in and I could not show it at home. But now, I think I am calm enough not to have to.' He offered her his friendship and said he would see what he could do to for her next time they met. She gave him a small grateful smile, thanked him heartily and said it was high time she was on her way home, at which they both made their way back to the front of the Inn, she to slip home, he to go back to the friends he had abandoned to come to her aid. But she did not go home. Her heart was still too heavy. It was a beautiful day, reminding her of her time in the elven homestead. She walked through Bree aimlessly, hardly noticing where she was going. Without knowing how she got there, she found herself on the bridge outside the West Gate. The water sparkled and gleamed in the sunlight. The birds sang, the breeze was warm. But it all felt so hollow, so unreal. Thinking of the last six weeks, her tears started to fall. But tears did not seem to help her. Her heart was a stone in her breast. She could barely breathe. Why was there so much life around her when she felt dead inside? Unable to bear it any longer, she flung herself into the river. The current dragged her under quickly and, breathing in water, she lost consciousness. She opened her eyes. A dark figure was bending over her. She vomited a quantity of riverwater up, coughing and spluttering. The figure turned out to be a man, dressed in black and looking her over in concern. 'Miss? What were you doing in the river miss?' he asked. Lieve turned her head away, ashamed. 'It were better you had left me where you found me sir,' she replied. He regarded her quietly, sizing her up. 'Nay, but why would you try to kill yourself?' he asked. Lieve shook her head, unwilling to broach the subject, shivering in her wet clothes. He shrugged, not wishing to intrude on her privacy but still concerned. He brought her home, introducing himself at Adermor Darkwold. Together they made up a story of how she got into her sorry state, which thanks to Mr. Darkwold's ingenuity her father believed. Lieve was so grateful that she assented when he asked her to go on a picnic with him the next day. Having packed a luncheon, they walked to some ruins and ate there. It was a beautiful day again. Though older than her father, Mr. Darkwold was a very entertaining man and they got along very well. Before she realised it, she ended up telling him about her failed getaway from home as well. He was outraged and demanded to know the name of the captain. However, she refused to give that particular information as Mr. Darkwold looked very dangerous whenever the captain was mentioned. She may have had her heart broken, but she was not prepared to let someone get hurt on that account.