[Folwren]

At dinner, Javan once more found himself sitting with Lèof and Lys. Near the beginning of the meal, two young, largely built men entered the company. They were accepted immediately with merry greetings and broad smiles. Javan soon understood their warm welcome as, while they ate, they talked and joked quite easily and in such a fashion that he found himself laughing despite not being acquainted with them. With their jovial conversation, he quite forgot to watch for Eodwine’s return and when Lèof nudged him with his elbow, he jumped with surprise.

“There’s lord Eodwine,” Lèof said in an undertone, nodding his head respectfully towards a man just entering the building. Javan stared for a moment, before remembering himself, and looked quickly away. Lèof was quickly eating the remainder of his food. He stood up, picking up his plate. “His horse may need tending to,” he explained.

“I’m done. I’ll go with you,” Javan replied, leaping up immediately. “Lys, do you want to come?” He asked, pausing before rushing away.

“Yes, please!” the boy said, a flush of pleasure rising to his pale face. He started to rise, more slowly than the other two.

“Here,” Javan offered. “I’ll take your plate to the kitchen so you don’t have to walk so far.”

“I can walk,” Lys replied quietly, looking Javan directly in the eye. He nodded as he reached for his plate. “I can walk.”

The three boys quickly disposed of their plates and hurried back through the hall towards the door. Before going outside, Javan stopped and looked back. Lord Eodwine was only now taking a seat at the table after washing off the dust of the road. Javan paused a moment, knowing that shortly he would be meeting the man and Eodwine would be decided what would become of him. He drew a deep breath and ducked outside.

As it turned out, Eodwine had taken care of his own horse, and Lèof had nothing to do. The three boys remained in the stables, however, and while Lèof busied himself with cleaning and oiling a few bridles in desperate need of cleaning, the three of them talked. Javan grew more and more curious of Lys as they discussed different topics. Lys listened a great deal, and when he spoke, his voice was quiet – almost un-boy like. He acted older than he looked, and yet, somehow, he also seemed. . .younger. Javan couldn’t figure it out. Neither could he ask questions, for not only did Lys seem the type that would be embarrassed to be questioned about himself, but Lèof seemed careful about keeping the conversation away from anything that would lead to questions about Lys.

They had been sitting for some time thus, and Javan was in the midst of some story when they heard the door open and a horse led in. Lèof got up and put his work aside and walked forward. Javan and Lys looked up, too, and they both recognized Thornden as he came into the light of the first lantern. He exchanged a few words with Lèof and handed him the horse’s reins.

“Thanks, Lèof,” he said, smiling and thumping him lightly on the shoulder as he passed. He walked to the two waiting boys. “Good evening, Lys. Hullo, Javan. Will you run along and help Lèof there with the horse? When he’s all put away nicely, we’ll go in and I’ll see if Eodwine is available and I’ll introduce you.”

“He’s eating now,” Javan said. “Well, maybe not, he’s probably done by now,” he realized as he walked forward to do as Thornden asked.

Thornden turned to Lys as Javan disappeared into the stall that Lèof had led the horse into. “I’m glad to see you up, Lys,” he said. “I’m sorry I was gone the whole day, though, this being your first day on your feet.”

“It was alright,” Lys said, shrugging and looking down briefly. He brought his eyes back up to meet Thornden's. “Javan and Lèof both kept me company and we enjoyed ourselves.”

“Good.” Thornden paused a moment. He bit his lip slightly and his eyes wandered to the door of the stall from which they could hear Lèof and Javan talking as they rubbed down the horse. He looked back at Lys who stood waiting for him to speak again. “I am going to be introducing my brother to lord Eodwine tonight, as you probably know. I thought also that tonight I could speak to Eodwine of you coming under my care, as we have discussed before. I wanted to ask you if you still wanted that.”