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Old 01-10-2008, 12:43 PM   #3
Thinlómien
Shady She-Penguin
 
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: In a far land beyond the Sea
Posts: 8,385
Thinlómien is wading through the Dead Marshes.Thinlómien is wading through the Dead Marshes.Thinlómien is wading through the Dead Marshes.Thinlómien is wading through the Dead Marshes.Thinlómien is wading through the Dead Marshes.Thinlómien is wading through the Dead Marshes.
Lord Eodwine halted his horse and Modtryth managed to stop Snowstreak, who was distressed because of the sudden halt. "Hush, good girl, we've arrived", Modtryth said, stepping down from the wagon and caressing the horse's big head. During the journey, the old mare had been more nervous than she had ever been. Modtryth suspected it had something to do with the fire. No Man could forget such experience, why should a horse?

"Mum, look!" Cnebba cried out. He and Garstan's children were sitting on the wagon, eyeing around. "Mum?" Cnebba asked again, anxiously. Modtryth lifted her gaze from the horse to the scenery before her.

This was the great Scarburg for which Lord Eodwine had left the homely, newly renovated Mead Hall. The estate of Scarburg would have been grand, Modtryth reflected, had it been anything more than a ruin. Someone had been there before the Eorl's folk, someone who had had no good in his mind.

"Why are we stopping here, Modtryth?" Léodern asked.
"What is that ruin?" Garmund asked, "Shouldn't we be in Scarburg already?"

"I'm afraid we've arrived," Modtryth said, keeping calm, "the house just needs some renovating." She smiled weakly at the children who were watching the remains of Scarburg, their faces plainly showing both horror and interest.

The Eorl had exchanged a few words with the men riding behind him. The wind had muffled their words, but now Javan's voice rang clearly, audible to all. "Seems as though fire's your bad luck, my lord. At least I didn't light this one."

"Did you hear what the bad boy said?" Cnebba asked Garmund and Léodern, in a gossipy tone.
"Hush now", Modtryth said sharply, "and don't you call him names, it's rude."

She would need to think about this and talk to the children. It was not the first time Cnebba or Garmund expressed disapproval of Javan, but now it was more clear than ever before. Modtryth would not see them bullying the older boy in such manner - even though he probably wasn't aware of the younger boys' attitude towards him. But she could not make them think such idiotic carelessness as burning down the stables would be forgivable either. Not every lord was as lenient as Lord Eodwine, and neither of the boys was a brother of a lord's right hand man. The issue would have to be treated with care.

"Look!" Léodern interrupted her thoughts, "what's that?"
Modtryth glanced at the direction she was pointing to. "Probably just a stray dog, scavenging the ruins and looking for food," Modtryth replied, even though she wasn't sure.

Last edited by Thinlómien; 10-14-2008 at 09:38 AM.
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