View Single Post
Old 12-10-2009, 04:43 PM   #654
Nogrod
Flame of the Ainulindalė
 
Nogrod's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Wearing rat's coat, crowskin, crossed staves in a field behaving as the wind behaves
Posts: 9,330
Nogrod is wading through the Dead Marshes.Nogrod is wading through the Dead Marshes.Nogrod is wading through the Dead Marshes.Nogrod is wading through the Dead Marshes.Nogrod is wading through the Dead Marshes.Nogrod is wading through the Dead Marshes.
Send a message via MSN to Nogrod
Athanar returned to the table clearly agitated. Degas and Saeryn couldn't help noticing it. Their questioning gazes followed him as he sat down and emptied his goblet with one draught.

Lord Athanar turned towards the kitchens to see anyone at the door. As Ginna emerged from the door he waved his goblet to her and then finally turned back to face the siblings.

"Well?" Degas asked, trying to sound as neutral as he could.

Lord Athanar breathed heavily gazing at the goblet he toyed with in his hands absent-mindedly.

"Well... I don't know." He glanced around to make sure no one else was hearing them speaking. "Well, watching you two... you could be my children, you're not that different age from Wulfric and Wilheard... and yet you seem so much older." He fell silent and studied the goblet in his hands.

"Maybe I should have given the two more responsibilities to stand for themselves... maybe I should have thrown them out to stand for their own a lot earlier..." Athanar shook his shoulders and finally turned to look at the two again. "I don't know your stories but I hope being able to hear them one evening... What made you decent and reasonable noblemen?"

He fell silent for a moment but then continued: "That's what I have been thinking myself over and over again... My childhood was not easy... I had to fight for myself and for justice to me and my brother..." Suddenly there was a tear in his eye, and another.

"Please lord Athanar..." Saeryn started, but he waved her to let it be. After wiping the tears from his cheeks he turned back to the two again.

"We were schemed away from the lineage of inheritance by my cousins who were helped by their family. My brother..." He had to swallow once again.

Suddenly he straightened himself up. "Excuse me.. There maybe another time for this..." He had heard the oncoming steps and Ginna was there indeed pouring him and the others some more wine.

Athanar thanked Ginna with a cordial smile and then turned back.

"We'll have to make some strong decisions tomorrow... We just can't afford another day like this." He took a sip of the wine looking like thinking where to begin.

"Someone bruised my daughter today, this Lithor-fellow played fool with me openly challenging king Eomer's decree - and he was supported by some people here... but now I hear my sons have meddled up with this Lithor and Thornden as well..." With the last news Saeryn and Degas looked confused. Athanar could sense a worried look in Saeryn's eyes.

"No one's hurt lady Saeryn... at least physically." He made a try for a comforting smile but it was a bit lame and he knew that. He was not in a good or comforting mood himself, too much aware of the sleepless night of heavy decisions he would be facing.


They heard the door opening and saw Thornden and Wynflaed coming back in - and someone following them but taking another route coming inside.

"Master Thornden" Athanar said firmly and then turned to Saeryn "Lady Saeryn".

Waiting for Thornden and Wynflaed to take their seats he then continued.

"I want to see this Lithor and that guy who stood for him here tomorrow morning after breakfast... before the military excercises. I hope you Thornden will see it done. And you should be here too yourself." Thornden nodded.

"And if anyone of you knows who was the person who roughed my daughter, let that person be there as well." He looked at all the people around the table.

"I'll see personally that Coenred will be there, and my sons... to hear different sides into what happened out there." Lord Athanar emptied his goblet.

"But I would like to see you lady Saeryn and lord Degas there as well to make sure the judgements are dealt fairly. That should do for the disciplinary measures... But we have other matters to discuss as well tomorrow, especially concerning you and your unborn one lady Saeryn. I hope I can come up with a suggestion on that tomorrow."

He rose up and laid the goblet on the table. "But for now... if you have no pressing matters to share I would like to wish you a good night everyone... I have quite a many issues to settle before I can get to sleep..."
Nogrod is offline