It begins as a premonition. Just the feeling that someone's watching him as he wheels around town. Every time he turns to look, there's nothing there... but maybe every once in a while he'll catch a glimpse of dark hair or ribbons catching in the wind. Maybe he'll hear a giggle... right behind him.

Of course, Letha doesn't have the patience to keep out of his sight for very long. But she does seem to be playing a game of walking just behind his wheelchair, and running around to keep behind him each time he tries to turn the chair around. Ironically a disadvantage he only has because he isn't crawling.

Finally she's had her fun, and she pops up beside him to lean against the arm of the chair. She doesn't recognize him at all, but he looks like a storybook hero, and her eyes are shining with excitement. And he will see a little girl with a bright red ribbon in her curly black hair, dressed in the finest and gaudiest black dress that money can buy, green ribbons and silver trims lacing throughout it. And despite her rich appearance, her dress and knees have dirt and scuffs from running around and causing trouble.

"Why does your chair have wheels, mister?"

It seems, no matter when in her life she met Ivar, her first impression was doomed to be an insensitive comment about his condition.