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With the quick pace set by Lčođern's skipping, it took little time to reach Stigend's door. Garstan knocked while Garmund slowly came up behind, still not looking forward to meeting Cnebba again. He thought everyone - even his own father - was working against him, trying to make him seem less than Cnebba. Dragging him to see Cnebba did not make things seem better. Garmund was sure that the point of the trip was to make yet another offer to admit wrong against Cnebba. All this when Cnebba had started the trouble in the first place!
Stigend opened the door and clasped Garstan's hand. While the fathers exchanged greetings, Lčođern looked around the room to spot Cnebba sitting on the floor. She ran over and joined him in a game with a wooden horse. Garmund scowled.
Garstan noticed the look on Garmund's face and the reason for it. "Lčođern. We're not here to play. Come over here." She pouted and stood in front of Garstan, twisting around with her arms crossed. Cnebba rose and stood with his parents.
"Cnebba," Garstan began. "I remember when you first came here. You and Garmund were friends, even as your father and I are friends. But that has not been so of late, and I would have you be friends once again. And so I want to know what has gone ill between you. Garmund, I am told that you grudge Cnebba's spending time with Lčođern. Is that so?"
Garmund flushed and blinked. He had not thought that his father had known that. Said that way, it made him sound small and spiteful. And wasn't quite what bothered Garmund. Cnebba and Lčođern could play as much as they wanted so long as Cnebba wasn't trying to replace him.
"No. It isn't so," Garmund said irritably.
"What is it then?"
Garmund looked at Lčođern, then at Cnebba. They would laugh at him if he told why he was angry.
And so Garmund's answer was, "Nothing. Can we go now?"
"No. Not until this is answered. But if you will not speak, perhaps Cnebba will."
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