[Folwren]

Saeryn looked on in wonder and shock. She had found Lithor’s challenge amusing and she hoped that it would ease the unpleasant feeling in the room a little. At least it would distract her from her thoughts. But it did not amuse Athanar, apparently, and now he charged Lithor with disrespect, and worse. A sharp pain shot up into her head and pierced her skull at her forehead. She winced and looked away from Lithor, standing thus humiliated in the center of the hall, and pressed her hand against her temples.

Every turn of event this day had brought disappointments and strife. Load upon load was set on her heart and feelings, and she felt pressed down beyond endurance. Her eyes burned, but her mood now was such that she couldn’t cry. More than anything she wanted to stand and say that Athanar could not act such in her hall. This was not what he was sent to do, and in Eodwine’s absence he should try to uphold Eodwine’s standards.

Eodwine’s absence? Athanar had been given eorlship. It didn’t matter if Eodwine had been eorl, or even if he ever would be eorl again. She struggled with this reality, and the pain in her head became worse.

As from a distance, she heard Crabannan’s furious, though quiet, protest against the accusation of treason.

Eodwine would never have treated a man – any man – in such a fashion. Not even in his court of law did he speak so to a man. Never before had Thornden had to stand before his eorl and speak as he spoke now, pleading for another man’s life or fair treatment. It was all wrong. All terribly, terribly wrong, and it hurt Saeryn deeply to hear one of her men spoken to in such a manner.