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Old 08-27-2015, 09:10 PM   #98
Firefoot
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Firefoot has been trapped in the Barrow!
Scyld

Scyld rose early that morning – at least, early for him. He had never been naturally inclined to waken early, though neither was he a sluggard. Long years of discipline under Sorn’s ruthless hand kept him from staying abed too late in the morning, though now without such a taskmaster Scyld had become accustomed to taking a little bit of extra time in the morning to rouse himself.

Not this morning. In truth, he had hardly slept, wracked with anxiety now that he was finally faced with the reality of handing over Linduial’s letter. He had put it off for a few days, letting the commotion over the caravan’s arrival die down. Additionally, word of Eodwine’s collapse on the day of the caravan’s arrival had spread quickly after his young daughter had effectively announced it to the whole kitchen, and Scyld had told himself that he ought to make sure that the Eorl was properly healthy before approaching him. The abundance of proper food seemed to serve its purpose though: everyone in the Hall, not just the Eorl, was already looking healthier.

Now many of those in the caravan were discussing making the trip back to Edoras, and Scyld knew he had to choose: to stay and carry out his original plan, or to leave, fearing too much the consequences of admitting his guilt. The option tempted him sorely: once, it was the choice he easily would have made.

He could hear when the Hall began to wake up: women heading to the kitchen, others up to attend to early morning chores. He despaired of sleeping any longer and rose himself. He did not have any particular tasks of his own to tend to and was unsure of what to do at such an early hour. Then he thought: a walk. Perhaps a walk before breakfast up into the Scar would clear his head. He dressed quickly, tucking Linduial’s letter into a pocket. He had fallen out of the habit while at his brother’s, where he had merely kept it hidden among his personal affects, but now the information was too valuable to him for him to feel comfortable with it out of his sight.

When he stepped outside the Hall though, he felt a jolt in his gut to discover Eodwine standing there alone. Now he thought. Now is your chance, with no distractions, no one else around. Before he could talk himself out of it he stepped towards the Eorl. “Lord Eodwine,” he began. A convincing show of deference had once been an essential survival skill, when he lived with Sorn, and Scyld used it well now, though it was not so feigned as it had once been. “There is a matter I have been meaning to bring to you.” He reached into his pocket to bring out the letter. After keeping it so close for so long it felt wrong to hand it over, but he held it out. “This letter will explain much, but if there is more you would ask of me after you read it, I shall try to answer.”

Last edited by Firefoot; 08-29-2015 at 01:12 PM.
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