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"I am sorry for my children's fighting, Lord." He bowed and turned to Stigend. "It would seem that our problem is worse than we thought."
"You are forgiven, of course," Eodwine said, smiling. "Children will fight." He turned to Falco with narrowed eyes. "And Hobbits will nose into other folks' business." Then he turned to Lefun and Ritun. "What would you in the matter of the young ones?"
Ritun spoke for both of them, as usual. "Earn my keep first." Lefun nodded. "We'd five make it in games. Why less? But weary we be this day."
Eodwine smiled. "There you have it, Garstan, until I can hit upon a good way for the Lefun and Ritun to earn their keep here, the children may take as much of the twins' time as these two can stand. Do I have the right of it, Lefun? Ritun?"
They nodded.
"Good! Now where is that minstrel of ours, the mighty Manawydd? Let's have some harping!"
The minstrel was found and he sat before the fire as the day waned. Ale kept coming around. The twins left the hall early in the evening. Harreld staggered out in search of his brother Garreth, but not until much time had passed, the sun just setting. Eodwine sat in his chair, silent, mulling. Those who looked his way so a furrowed and lowered brow and lips that twitched and bit and frowned, and an eye that cast about here and there, following Saeryn closely as she walked by from time to time.
Toward sunset Modtryth and Cnebba came to him, and he gave them his full attention. Once they had moved on, he resumed his mulling.
Falco once tried to make small talk with him but Eodwine dismissed him abruptly; Falco left him with raised brows, and pulled out his pipe and sat near Manawydd and the fire himself. None knew his thoughts, and Falco knew better than to try to badger them out of him until the Eorl was ready to speak his mind.
Eodwine was still mulling the words of the King about Sorn's old holdings, and the Queen about Saeryn. He knew what he needed to do and say, but did not relish the doing and saying. He remained in his seat long after Manawydd grew tired and lapsed into silence, and the hall emptied save those who changed their benches into beds. Eodwine was left undisturbed by all, and paid all the to-ings and fro-ings littlo heed.
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