[Folwren]

Javan

Javan gasped and panted as he struck valiantly at the flames. Did anyone hear him? Did anyone know that there was fire here? What was he going to do? The fire was spreading, for all his struggling with it, and the smoke was curling up in a great, wafting, choking coils. And what about the horses?

The horses! The thought struck him violently and without a moment of hesitation, he threw down the blanket and ran out into the main aisle. Smoke was already spilling out there, and though it was not so thick for him and difficult for him to breath, the horses were already nervous, some were whinnying, and almost all were moving about their stalls.

Javan paused momentarily – what was he going to do? How could he get them out of there before –

There was a sudden whoosh from behind him, a burst of heat and light, and Javan turned about. The fire had found its way through the boards of Léof’s tiny room and lit the stock of hay. The flames were growing and dark smoke was curling upwards and repulsed by the stable’s roof came flowing back down.

“Get the horses out!” Javan gasped to himself as he coughed. He plunged forward to the farthest stall, his hands fumbled with the latch and he jerked the door open. The horse, one of the ones that had come in less than an hour ago, stood trembling in the farthest corner. Javan stumbled in. “Come on, get out! Go!” Oh, what he would give for a rope! “Go!” He stepped to the side so that he would not block the door and he went at the horse.

The mare lowered her head, blowing air from her nostrils, and then she plunged forward, half shying, half lunging at Javan, and then she did a half leap, skittering strangely out into the aisle. Javan plunged out after her and shooed her desperately towards the open door. She raised her head, tucked her tail, and ran. Javan turned to the next stall, and at that moment, as he tried to get this door open, he heard someone calling his name.

“Javan! Master Javan! Are you in there? Can you hear me?” It was that newcomer fellow, Matrim. Javan opened the stall door and was thrown backwards against the opposite wall as the horse plunged out at once, knocking him violently with his right shoulder. Javan slumped momentarily, gasped for air and got a lungful of smoke instead. He struggled up and forced himself forward again. His mind swam, his senses seemed disoriented. Horses were screaming, some were kicking at the walls of their stalls. The noise of the fire was intense and the heat unbearable. He grasped the latch of another stall and forced it open. This horse leaped out at once, too, and Javan fell back, clear of his hooves as he galloped away.

And then, out of the thick smoke, the figure of a man became visible. Javan tried to get up. He tried to speak. His throat constricted and his tongue clove to the roof of his mouth. His limbs felt very heavy, his eyes burned, and his chest felt as though a great board were pressed upon it and he couldn’t draw air.

Without uttering a sound, he slumped back, half senseless and unable to move.

Thornden

Thornden felt the blood leave his face as he heard Æðel pass Eodwine’s message. He sprang at once to his feet and glanced about the hall. There were not many men there now, but the others would be somewhere about the hall. There was Harreld there, and the two strangers, but one of those two were already running out

“Go, Harreld!” Thornden cried to the Smith, “Go out and help, and you, sir!” he said, to Balvir, although he did not know him. “Miss Æðel, find Stigend and Garstan.” He started towards the kitchen at a run, calling over his shoulder as he remembered, “and Garwine! And anyone else who can bear a bucket and water!”

He ran into the kitchen headlong, practically knocking Kara down as he entered. He caught her and set her on her feet, but he didn’t let go of her shoulders. “Buckets, Kara – quick - many as you’ve got – we have a fire.” Mutely, she handed the one she held in her hand to him. He grabbed it, reached for another beneath the table half full of scraps and rushed out the outside door. As he sprinted towards the stables and the billowing smoke, he flung out the scraps of food, emptying the bucket and preparing it for water.

And all the while, he thought, “How did a fire start in the stables?”