[Nogrod]

It was the most quiet breakfast Scarburg had witnessed since the advent of the new settlers there. Some of the people had not slept at all and most others had only dozed off in anguish. Lord Eodwine was loved and admired – and almost newly wed! There had been optimism beyond any dream in the Mead Hall. Everything had looked so rosy! And now he was just gone and none knew whether he was coming back.

It had been more bearable in solitude or in company of just your nearest ones, but now the people had to face it together. It was so much harder to share it as no one knew what to say or do. They just emptied their plates slowly, everyone waiting for someone else to relieve them from the situation; to say something encouraging or soothing.

Finally it was noted that Saeryn and Thornden were having a quiet counsel together and soon Thornden arose and called for attention.

"Friends, this is a dark day for all of us, and I know all our hearts are going with lord Eodwine right now." His voice trembled and he paused and bent his head for a moment to regain control of his emotions. He looked up again, and his eyes were clear and his face hardened. "But we have an important day ahead of us, and he would have insisted that we do our best to accomplish all that must be done."

Thornden let his gaze wander around the hall looking at every person.

“I do not know what you know or what kind of stories you have been told, but lady Saeryn and I have discussed this with lord Eodwine. We know what to except and what to do. The lords coming will not be pleased with what we have to tell them and we must be ready to face adversity. Let us try to make this hall look as great and grand as we can. Let us give them a brave face. Lord Eodwine counts on us today to succeed in carrying out his and the king's wishes. Let's show we are worthy of his trust, so that he can look on us with pride when he returns!"

It was not just one or two minds that changed the “when” into “if” while hearing the end of the encouragement-speech, but they all cheered and nodded to the general effort Thornden had made. Not that the cheers were too convincing. But they all knew none could have done more in that situation.

The slowed-down breakfast turned quickly into a busy morning. Everyone tried their best to get the places looking as fitting to a king’s hall as they could. Stigend even decided to bring down the two shortish flagpoles they had hoisted to the wall around the front door of the Mead Hall itself and started carving them hoping to make them look like decorated ones – and thus more worthy - before the landlords would come.


~*~


”Look!”

”What?”

”Over there! Coming from behind the corner!”

“Wow!”

“Ooops!”

“That’s an…”

“…army!” Garmund finished the sentence left by Cnebba.

“We’ll have to warn them!” He cried and ran back towards the Mead Hall.

“Wait, wait for us!” Cnebba yelled from behind him not sure whether the flashing of the weapons and banners in the bright October sun was more awesome than him joining the warning-party.

“C’mon Cnebba! Run!” Javan shouted at him and brought him back to reality. “We must go!” He grabbed Cnebba by the hand and yanked him up. “Run!”

Cnebba had time to glance backwards before he ran. The banners were flying from the speed and they made sharp snapping sounds that were so loud he couldn’t realise how they did that. The tips of the spears were bathing in sunlight glimmering in competition with the helmets and armour the oncomers wore. And all this with the background of red and yellow leaves in the trees and the cold autumn breeze. It looked fascinating.

And there were many… far more Cnebba could have imagined when they had decided to go to the edge of the woods to see them coming from the road. And they came with fair speed towards them. The thunder of the hooves startled Cnebba. He knew how a horse or two sounded when they galloped but this was something different, it was like a thunder coming towards them. He ran through the ground filled with piles of dropped colourful leaves…


~*~

The tumult had been heard around the Mead Hall as well when first Garmund and then Javan and Cnebba came rushing in.

“They’re coming!” Garmund yelled.

“It’s an army!” Javan added panting.

“Fly!” Cnebba screamed coming a little after the two others.

Stigend and Garstan stepped forwards to grab their sons and even Thornden made a move towards Javan but then draw back from it.

“No one is attacking us. Do not be afraid, Javan. They just want to show their might,” Thornden said, speaking loud enough for the others to hear it too – and hoping he could fully believe his own words. “This is the king’s hall and they wouldn’t dare attack us,” he added.

But he instinctively looked around the entourage he had around him to make a quick calculation. After Lithor, Wilcred and Balvir had gone to see lord Eodwine to Edoras they were even less a force to fight against the landlords and their men if it came to that. Raedwald was the most experienced soldier around, Osmund and Aethelstan were good lads… and there was Matrim. But after that? Just a few young soldiers Thornden had never thought of too highly – keeping with their own company and playing their own games.

He knew Crabannan was a warrior and Erbrand, Dan, Harreld, Stigend and Garstan would prove hard fighters if it came to it… but still. They were real soldiers, riders of Rohan, they were facing here.

~*~

Suddenly the first riders rushed into the yard from the road and the others - so many of them - followed. The sound was almost deafening and terrifying to those who had not heard of an approaching cavalry from that short of a distance - and it did send a shiver of recollection to those few who had.

They organised themselves in lines in front of the people of the Mead Hall standing in front and around the main doors of the hall itself. Counting quickly Stigend got 32 men on horseback in front of them, all armed and seemingly battle-ready. Some show of might indeed, he murmured to himself but couldn’t deny being impressed about the entry. These guys are not just fooling around…

Three men emerged from the middle of the frontline. They were clad in precious garments and their helmets shone with gold and silver, their armour and shields were real pieces of art. And they had the commanding stature of lords with them no one could deny.

“So what is this?” The oldest one of them in the middle bellowed without caring to dismount himself. “Where is Eodwine? And who are you? What is this rag-tag gathering here?” He scorned and then glanced at the other two smiling.

“Where have you hid master Eodwine? I can’t see him while I should know him…” Tancred continued and made a show looking like he was searching for Eodwine from the crowd. “I used to teach him to lead troops back in times… now where are you Eodwine?”. Faramund on his right couldn’t quite keep his amusement from plain sight and chuckled in half-tone.

Alboin on the left had stayed silent and grim but opened his mouth now. “We were summoned here by the authority of the king himself, through lord Eodwine and the Mead Hall. As I can’t see no more of lord Eodwine or any Mead Hall here I say we waste our time here.” Turning his horse sideways he addressed Tancred. “We’ve nothing to do here. It must have been a hoax…”

But Tancred waved his hand to Alboin. “Let’s hear what this scum has to say…”

“Maybe they have rebelled and killed lord Eodwine? And are trying to fool us into paying taxes to them? Good we have the men with us… we could reveal this plot… we would have acted in good faith bringing this little rebellion down?” Faramund added taking a grab of his sword.

Tancred moved quickly around. “Cut it Faramund! Let’s hear what they have to say.”

With that he turned towards Thornden and Saeryn who stood in the middle, in front of the door. “So what is all this? How do you explain lord Eodwine is not here and who are you? And what is this tom-foolery? We have no time for this kind of parties.”

The three lords faced them less than ten yards away all mounted high on their horses and looking sternly down at them. The around thirty horsemen behind the three clutched to their spears.