[littlemanpoet]

"Of course it was my idea," Falco announced. "What of it?"

"I ordered you to stay at the Mead Hall," Thornden retorted.

"You've no rights to ordering me around, plain and simple," Falco shot back, "and if you'd listened more close to Lord Eodwine here, you'd know that."

Thornden's shoulders stiffened and his brow positively thundered with the wrath that was obviously building inside of him. He was trying very hard to control his tone, however, and what came out was disappointingly shy of the pique Falco was hoping for.

"Lord, what have you said regarding Falco that I heard not aright?"

Of all the nuisances, thought Eodwine, this is poorly timed with grief so thick in the air. But deal with it he must. He did not answer straight away because he wanted to make sure he gave the right of it. Simply put, Thornden was second in command at the Mead Hall. However, Falco was Eodwine's personal guest and not a Man - or Hobbit - of the Hall. In fact, his status was more on a par with an ambassador. For he was, after a fashion, an ambassador from the Shire to Rohan. But only informally; and hobbits were, if nothing else, very clear about formalities. No, ambassador was a stretch. Still, Falco was his guest and therefore had a certain status not given to his hired help or bonded men.

"Lord?" Thornden prompted. "Did you hear my question?"

"Aye, I heard it. I was trying to think it through clearly, for I do not think I ever did lay out for you the - ah - precise - ah - status - of Master Falco Boffin." (He realized that he was resorting to formal Gondorian verbage in order to be as careful as possible. He was glad that he had had such exposure over his many years as King's Messenger to Eomer.)

"Precise status, lord?"

"Aye, you ninny!" Falco threw in. "I'm guest and friend of the Eorl! Not to be ordered about by the likes of you!"

What really irritated Thornden the most about Falco was not that his words were so outrageous, but that he was smirking and grinning his way through his jibes. Thornden was being made fun of! Few things bothered him more. A retort was ready to jump off his own tongue, and one that he knew he would regret, but the Eorl spoke first.

"Enough, Falco. Though you may not be Thornden's underling, he still deserves respect. He is, after all, my right hand man at the Mead Hall. Thornden, Falco is my guest but not a formal ambassador. He is not one to whom commands may be lightly given-"

"There! I told you!" Falco blurted.

"I'm not done, Master Falco," Eodwine scolded mildly. "-however, Thornden, in the case of emergencies, it is your bounden duty to hold both bond and guest in safety. To do so you have no recourse but to order things as you see fit. So you were right to command Falco for his own safety. And Falco, perhaps you had cause to refuse to submit to Thornden's command, but you did wrong to involve Javan, and you should apologize to both Thornden and Javan."

"But I did not force Javan-!" Falco started.

"There are no buts," Eodwine cut in. "Javan is Thornden's to scold as he will. To you I speak as a guest in my house but also as friend."

"I see," Falco said. He took two more steps, stopped, turned, doffed his hat and bowed. Thornden and Javan were forced to stop suddenly, causing a small jam-up behind them. "Masters Thornden and Javan, I have wronged you both. I offer you my deepest apologies."