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With a shamefaced attitude, Javan left the stables when Léof dismissed him. He did not try to explain himself, he did not try to apologize. He was thankful that Léof decided not to report his behavior, but he felt somehow crushed when Léof sent him away. Javan knew that Léof had a right to be angry. Although Javan had not meant for his horse to spook and take off, he was still at fault. He went to extremes to avoided Thornden and Eodwine and therefore saw no one else as he slunk quietly up to his room. He did not want to be stopped and questioned about not being in the stables.
The remaining hour in the morning passed slowly for the boy. He paced quietly in the room between the door and the window. He used the time as Léof hoped he would - thinking. He had nothing else to do.
When enough time had passed and he figured lunchtime was drawing near, he once again slipped out of the bedroom and headed quickly for the stable. He knew what he had to say and what he had to do. He only hoped he’d be allowed to do it. Léof was a patient and quiet fellow, though, Javan told himself: he’d surely hear him out.
“Léof?” he said when he entered the stables. Léof popped out of one of the stalls immediately. Javan walked forward, tentatively wrapping his hands one about the other. “Léof, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have disobeyed. I didn’t mean for her to spook and run like that, and I was about to stop her, but. . .I should have stopped her sooner...when you told me to.” There was a short pause and Javan looked down. “Thanks for not telling Thornden or lord Eodwine.”
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Thornden
Thornden had kept busy all of that morning in the armoury with Garwine. Together they surveyed all of the weapons and if any of the blades of the swords of spears had any rust or signs of it, they cleaned and oiled them carefully. They took the bows down from the wall and oiled the strings. It was a long, meticulous job, and by noon-time the two men were hungry with long hours of it.
“You have the last one, Garwine,” Thornden said as he placed a spear on the brackets. “I’m going to go see how lunch is coming. When you’re done, you can follow.”
“Aye,” Garwine said, glancing up and waving his cloth absently. “I’ll be out shortly.”
Thornden went through the Great Hall to the kitchen. He passed Rowenna in the hall, stepped carefully around her work, and entered the kitchen. Lunch was not entirely ready yet and Fordides did not let him linger there for long.
“We won’t work faster with you looking over our shoulders. Get out and wait with Master Falco!”
“Master Falco?” Thornden repeated. “Is he still here, then?” He did not wait for an answer (and he would not have received one) as he left the kitchen by the outside door. He walked across the courtyard towards the alder tree where, sure enough, Falco sat, placidly smoking his pipe. “Good morning, Mr. Boffin!” Thornden said, stopping beside him. “I thought for sure you would be well on your way to the Shire by now. What happened to your well laid plans of leaving immediately after second breakfast?”
“Léof was not in the stable,” Falco answered.
“Oh, what an unfortunate pity. I guess you’ll be staying at least for lunch, then?”
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