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Thornden knew which way they had gone. He had watched them leave. Why then did he say nothing? He knew that if he told them that he had seen them leave, they would focus all of their men on searching in that direction, which would give them much greater chances of catching them.
If they were caught, what then? Thornden thought of the consequences. Erbrand faced certain death if he were caught and brought back. It was uncertain that Scyrr would live, and even if he did, by all appearances, Erbrand had made an attempt on his life. Thornden guessed how the encounter had gone. Scyrr had provoked Erbrand to the point of blind fury, and Erbrand had attacked him. Murder had not been Erbrand’s intent. If it had, he would not have failed. Rather, he was fighting because of something Scyrr had said or done, and though Erbrand’s response had not been right, it had not been wrong enough for him to die for it, and still, that would be his punishment. As for Lithor. . .Thornden was less certain about what Athanar would deal out to him. Lithor had already been disgraced and punishmed for a far less serious crime. That likely was why he ran. But what would happen if he were brought back, hunted the same as Erbrand? Thornden felt revulsion to the idea. Lithor was an honorable man, and to see him further humiliated and punished was a thought not to be born.
If he did not tell them, the search parties would be spread out thinly, and the possibilities of catching them were far slimmer. Athanar asked him to arrange three small parties to search the marshes, and he told Coenred to take the largest party out on what he figured to be the most likely escape route for the fugitive – South, along the main roads. But this was wrong, and Thornden knew very, very well they had gone in the opposite direction.
The choice therefore was either to tell Athanar and Coenred which direction they had gone and almost certainly seal Lithor’s and Erbrand’s fate, or to say nothing, and almost certain ensure their escape. On the one hand lay duty to his eorl and his position. On the other, lay loyalty to his two friends. For once his sense of duty was trumped by something else.
The thoughts passed swiftly through his mind in much less time than it takes to record them, and the decision was made just as quickly. He glanced sidelong at Coenred, who was looking at him, and then looked at Athanar, just as Athanar gave his final command to go.
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