[Folwren]

It took Eoghan a minute or two, walking between the tables and looking for Thornden and Léof. He went relatively unnoticed by the men seated at the tables. A few greeted him, and one or two reached out to rumple his hair as he passed, but he ignored most of them. He found Leof and the others at last and crawled up by Thornden. Javan, seated next to his brother, shifted to make room for Eoghan.

As he climbed up and settled on the bench, he heard Elfthain regretfully announcing that it was raining again. Eoghan imitated his expression of listening and after a moment he, too, heard the gentle patter of rain. He made a face and looked at Léof.

“Maybe the weather will be better tomorrow,” he said sadly. “I was going to ask Papa about learning to ride, but I don't know where he is.”

Thornden overhead him and glanced about the hall. Eodwine was nowhere in sight.

“The horses will wait,” he said, comfortingly

Kara came up behind them and served Eoghan a bowl of porridge. As the child tucked in, Thornden continued the conversation with the men around him.

“If it is raining hard today, there is not much for anyone to do out of doors. Elfthain's story has made me think that perhaps it would not be a foolish idea to use this day in cleaning the leather. We can bring them in. Perhaps today will not be another entire waste of time.”