[Nogrod]

Modryth read Cnebba’s expression easily enough from a distance when the party was coming into the main yard. Something terrible had happened. She ran to meet her child with open arms and Cnebba ran to her. They hugged each other tightly falling on their knees. Modtryth could feel that Cnebba was shaking all over and he was sobbing now, after all the brave face he had given to the others. “My poor child, what has the world done now? Please, mom is here now and you’re safe and sound. Mom’s here… just let the bad things out, mom’s here…”

Stigend came to them at last withdrawing from the group and stroked their hair as he didn’t know what else he could do.

“It’s the twins… they are no more…” Stigend offered as an explanation to Modtryth. “These outlaws were responsible of it. But we caught them and justice will prevail.” With that he kneeled to the level of his wife and son and grasped them both into his arms. “Nothing will give them back. But we shall see justice done after this horrible affair. We should weep today indeed but we should always stand up against the monsters who do such things…”

Modtryth raised her head to give an irritated look at his husband. Save us your lessons on justice of the Rohanians… that was what she meant and Stigend got it immediately. He took a firmer grip of his wife and son and laid his head down towards Cnebba’s shoulder who was still shaking.

After a minute or two Cnebba was cooling down and his trembling ceased. It was Modtryth who lifted her head first and addressed Stigend:

“Let’s go inside now.” She took a tighter grip of her son and added to him: “We’ll get to our room now. No one is going to be helped and nothing made straight by lingering here at the courtyard. Now brave up my little...” She rose her head and looked at Stigend studyingly. “You owe me a couple of explanations but I think their time is not now…”

Stigend nodded and took Cnebba with both of his hands hoisting him up from the ground while Modtryth let go off him. Cnebba resisted more feebly than for real.

After they had gotten to their room Stigend laid Cnebba to the bed and leaned over him. “I think lord Eodwine is going to deal some quick justice and I need to be there, to defend the case of the twins and to see for my part that justice prevails. Now be a good boy and stay here with your mother. I’ll be back soon.” With that he kissed his son to the forehead and rose up. Facing Modtryth he frowned and took a step towards the door.

But he couldn’t leave yet as Modtryth’s eyes were literally nailing him to his place. Stigend frowned again but in the end spoke:

“It’s a court-thing. They need witnesses. But Cnebba should stay here… or if you find Garstan, maybe the kids could be together… I mean Cnebba and Garmund… I think Garmund has the tougher time of these two.”

Stigend turned away and left the room without waiting for Modryth to answer him.

Cnebba rose up from the bed and stared at nothingness.

“What is it my child?” Modtryth asked her son gently but Cnebba was if he hadn’t heard the question.

Garmund… how does he feel now? I thought Rilef was nice and friends I could have, … but they were his friends already… It’s so terrible to Garmund… Cnebba shivered with the remembrance of how the twins looked lying in the pool of blood.

Not saying anything Cnebba rose up from the bed and went to the corner of the room where his few personal possessions laid. There was a small knife his father had made and given him to his birthday a year ago. There was an old linen cloth that had belonged to his grandmother, beautifully embroidered in Dunleding-style. There were different beautiful stones he had collected from different places about… and some weary and time-beaten dolls he didn’t himself remember how old they were. But then there was the wooden knight. Stigend had carved that to him after they had gotten into the Mead Hall. It was figurine of a charging man on horseback spear laid down ready for attack. Cnebba immediately remembered how enviously Garmund had looked upon it when he had showed it the first time. That would do.

Cnebba took the figure into his hands and turned towards his mother.

“We should see Garmund. Can we, please mom? I have something for him.”

Modryth was quick enough to follow the tracks of his son’s mind and smiled frowning in away that was more than telling. She was most delighted of her son’s reaction.

“Let’s go then and find Garmund.”

As they came to the stairs they realised that most of the people had gathered into the main hall. Rilef’s body was laid on the table and Modtryth felt sick to see it laid that openly in front of everyone’s eyes. She tried to call Cnebba’s attention elsewhere but that was too late.

“Mom, it’s Rilef!” then Cnebba’s voice broke. “They’re so… dead….” Modtryth tried to hug her child gently but before she had time to come up with it Cnebba was on it again.

“Garmund is there, look there, beside Garmund and daddy! Let’s go!” With that he ran away from Modtryth.

Cnebba made himself room to sit beside Garmund. He had hidden the figurine under his skirt. After sitting down he carefully poked Garmund. No proceedings were out yet but everyone were just waiting and whispering. Slowly he drew the figurine from inside his skirt and presented it to Garmund.

“Take it. You can have it.” Cnebba said as Modtryth hurried to sit beside Stigend and made a knowing glance towards Stigend, smiling.