[Mnemosyne]

Seeing her husband rise to leave the hall, Wynflaed rose to follow him. As soon as she was out of the hall her steps quickened until she had caught up to him. She rested her hand on his arm.

"I hope my lord has enjoyed himself this evening?" she said with a small, somewhat sad smile.

Athanar heaved a sigh.

"We do seem to have our work laid out for us..." They reached the private chamber reserved for the eorl and his wife.

Stepping inside, they found Lilige waiting. She dropped a curtsey.

"Good evening, Lilige," said Wynflaed. "I trust Aedre behaved herself?"

"Indeed she did, my lady. I sent her to bed two hours after sundown."

"Thank you. I will not require your services any further this night; it is late and there will be much to do tomorrow. My husband will assist me."

Lilige curtsied again and left the room. Wynflaed sat down at the edge of the bed and began to work at the braids that her maid's fine work had kept tightly bound to her head through the entire banquet. Silently Athanar moved behind her to help work them free.

"I am glad," said Wynflaed, "that Aedre seems to have gotten through the evening well despite her mistreatment earlier today. I shall have to check on her myself tomorrow morning."

"That was plain outrageous... I could understand displeasure with changes, even action like Lithor’s… but roughing with a young girl... and eorl's daughter! I’m not going to be lenient with that person, whoever it was..."

"Athanar, you are pulling at my hair!”

“Oh, forgive me… I was getting upset…" Athanar was confused. "Do you know who it was that bullied her?

“From what I gathered from her account, it was a boy around her age. Apparently he said that you weren't the real eorl here, and she felt the need to correct him. Lilige said she recognized the child... I believe Javan was his name. At any rate, I think we need to hear the account from more people ere we pass judgment; Lilige only walked in at the tail end and Aedre has been known to embellish things in the past..." She sighed. "But justice must be taken. It is never right nor honorable to strike a lady, especially a child."

“Hmm… but if it was also a child who did that...” Lord Athanar fell into his thoughts while still unwinding the braids from his wife’s hair. He sighed heavily. “I was ready to get that person flogged for real you know, but if it was a child as well… you’re right, Aedre might not be totally blameless then…”

“Are you suggesting…”

“Oh no my dear. I think the kid needs a punishment. It’s not only what happened between him and Aedre, but it is a matter of principle that eorl’s daughter is not to be bullied… and if she is, there will be consequences.”

There was a silence while both concentrated on opening the last braids from Wynflaed’s hair. When it was done Wynflaed started combing her hair and lord Athanar sat down next to her on the edge of the bed looking at his wife. She was still a beautiful lady, actually he had always thought she looked even fairer with her hair open.

“What have you thought with that Lithor?” Wynflaed asked, still combing her hair.

"That Lithor deserves a fair punishment... and people should understand why it is so… things like this must be resolved determinedly. Especially if what you told about this Javan is true; that he had also questioned the eorldom… I will allow no disrespect or mutinies in my Hall and that kind of thoughts need to be cut off firmly and immediately."

"It was good of you, my love, to involve Thornden in that decision. I could, perhaps, understand Master Lithor's words at the beginning--speaking out of ill habit or misunderstanding, but afterwards?" She sighed. "I am rather glad it is not my place to determine treason among soldiers. At any rate I fear that the laxer style of command Eodwine appears to have exerted extended to his men at arms as well. I do not know what to make of that."

Wynflaed smiled. "What exactly did Wulfric and Wilheard tell you, anyhow? They refused to say anything of what they had heard Thornden and Lithor talking about, except that it was all treason."

"I’m not sure, they told me the same, well, they said Lithor had suggested treachery but then again Thornden had not aswered him… I do actually trust this Thornden fellow and what they said confirms it to me... but the treason then? If that Lithor has actually suggested some tricks it will be worse for him. Do you know what happened there in the first place? Where did that claim come from?"

"Apparently they overheard the two talking, leaped to conclusions, and tried to take matters into their own hands--or fists, I should say. By the time I and Thornden arrived Wilheard had his fist aimed for Lithor's face. I got there in the nick of time, as you might say, but they did not take their chiding very well." She sighed. "They appeared to be under the impression that Lithor was planning to kill you, had been the one to hurt Aedre, and all sorts of other things. I tried telling them that their violence would only make matters worse, but Wulfric told me--his own mother--that I cared more for these strangers than my own family's welfare and that I would do nothing to stop these so-called traitors until you laid dead at my feet!"

"What? They acted like that on you? What a disgrace!” Lord Athanar was clearly agitated and sprang up from the bed. After some furious walking around he finally came to her wife now a bit more settled. Stroking gently her hair he bent down to her. “What have we done wrong with them my love? I mean, look at Degas and Saeryn, they must be approximately their age – and how they behave, how they carry themselves like noblemen do…"

Wynflaed shook her head; her eyes glimmered just a little at the lashes. "They do not understand honour or nobility beyond mere prowess on the saddle, and I do not see how they ever will. Maybe if the Southrons attack Gondor again and Eomer calls for a muster?" She sighed. "A little war would do great wonders for our sons, and gladly would I see them put in harm's way if they came out of it as men and not these overgrown children."

“You might be right my love, but they have to learn… and one can’t order wars just to get his children educated into the secrets of nobility…” Athanar actually laughed for the thought and kissed his wife gently on the neck taking a soft grip on her shoulder.

He stood up and started walking around again… but how? but how?

"Wait a minute my dearest... I think I have it!"

Wynflaed rose to join him and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Tell me!"

"Lady Saeryn will have a child, but it will take twenty years for the child to grow up..." Athanar whispered to her ear, pulling her closer. "If we do it well here - and that requires that these people look well on us – king Eomer will be pleased… and we can be far away from here then: in Edoras, Minas Tirith, Dol Amroth... whatever you fancy my dear. Back with civilization..." He folded her in his arms.

"Mmm..."

"So why don't we adopt Saeryn as our heir?" With that he pushed her a little away from him to look at her in the eyes. "That would grant the good will of the people here, and our sons would get a reminder of needing to actually earn their status themselves." He was smiling.

Wynflaed laughed. "They will not like that, I'm afraid! And I daresay they shall rather deserve it, if this carefree behavior of theirs continues!"

"Exactly. And I actually trust Saeryn not to wish for any other inheritance than this Mead Hall to her child... she feels like a true noblewoman, even if she’s so young and emotional; but we might make such a clausule in the deal that her inheritance would concern only this Mead Hall and nothing else we might own by that time… or later."

Wynflaed stepped out of her husband's embrace and walked over to the bedside table where her jewelry box lay. "Hum. It does seem to be a better solution than any others I have thought through this night. I am not sure how the common people will understand or take to it, though. They may think that we are merely using the adoption to further our own ends and control the Lady Saeryn further, if they do not see that we would be leaving her and her child all the property they would have had if not for Eodwine's illness. We shall have to give the matter some more thought."

“You’re right Wynflaed… as always.” Athanar gave her a smile and sat back on the bed starting to open his shoelaces. “I’ll think about it… we’ll think about it.”