[Folwren]

Wulfham

Athwen woke the next morning a little after the sun had risen. She had slept without waking and without dreaming that night - completely worn out from the previous day’s actions and emotions. Every limb felt heavy as she slowly sat up and her head had a dull ache. For some minutes, she was aware of nothing, except the fire, at which she blinked at several times. Then she stirred herself and looked around. The places where everyone else had slept were empty, and no one was around except for Incana - the one who had seemed to take her under her wing the night before. The young woman knelt with a knife in her hand, deftly slitting open a newly caught fish and cleaning it. She raised her eyes briefly as Athwen stirred and gave her a small, half shy smile.

‘Good morning,’ she said quietly, almost testing her ground.

Athwen nodded in reply and answered out of habit, whether it was a good morning or not. ‘Good morning.’ There was a slight pause. Athwen pushed loose hair back from her face. She felt dull and heavy in thought and body and she couldn’t account for it. Incana returned to her work and Athwen watched quietly for a moment before asking, ‘Where is everyone else?’

‘The men are gone fishing,’ Incana answered, motioning towards the river with her knife, ‘and Vaenosa is over there with the horses.’

‘Leod is with the other two?’ Athwen asked.

‘Yes, he is. They all went down as soon as getting up.’ Athwen paused a moment, and her eyes rested on the fish. Her stomach turned with uncommon sickness at the sight and she drew back involuntarily. What was it? The sight of the entrails, perhaps. . .but it had never bothered her before. . .before yesterday. Incana noticed the slight reaction and she put down her knife quickly and wiped her hands on the grass. ‘Can I get you something to eat or drink? I think Brand made tea this morning and it’s still hot.’

‘Oh. . . no. . . but thank you. You are busy and I don’t really need anything right now.’ She got up quickly and brushed the stray grasses from her skirt. ‘I’m going to go look for him. Leod, I mean,’ she said. ‘Where are they again?’

‘They’re over by the river. A little down stream, I think, but I’m not positive. Haven’t left camp this morning yet and that was only the general direction they went in.’

‘Thanks. I’ll be able to find them now.’ She turned and walked slowly away. As she went, she absently combed the tangles and foreign objects from her long hair with her fingers. A natural, girlish thought rose in her jumbled mind and she snorted in disgust as she looked at a handful of the golden locks. ‘My hair is a mess,’ she grumbled aloud. With a slight sigh, she pushed it back over her shoulder and continued on.

In a few minutes, she reached the river side. She climbed down the slight embankment to the sandy edge and looked up and then down river in search of the three fishermen. In a moment she caught sight of them and she quickly made her way towards them, following the river, but being careful that she did not touch the water and cause some sort of nuisance.