Malina reddened slightly. ‘Oh, they will recognize me for what I am. It is their possible reaction that worries me.’
Theuli looked ahead, thoughtfully. ‘I didn’t realize the extent of the harm we’d done. Well, I hope we have paid the price already. I would not want my children to suffer for the mistakes of others.’ Her eyes widened as she watched the children, and the look she turned to Malina was profoundly sad. ‘Of course, how can I say such a thing when you have suffered the brunt of our injustice?’
Surprised, Malina replied, ‘But you have never treated me badly. Even when I did things to make you angry, you never did me any harm.’
‘Did I not?’ Theuli took Malina by the hands. Malina had never been touched by an Elf in such a manner in her life, and she stared at Theuli uncertainly.
‘I remember a time,’ Theuli told her, ‘when Pran and I travelled on a wagon much like this, when we first were married. There was an unusually cold and heavy rain that evening, and we were huddled under an oilskin, keeping each other warm and dry. We saw you, alone and shivering, huddled against the downwind side of a tree, trying to stay out of the rain.’