Eorling Mead Hall - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

littlemanpoet · 12-02-2007, 04:01 PM

"Fire!"

It was a scream coming from the stables, which had begun to erupt in panic stricken whinnies. Eodwine stood quickly, tucking the letter in his jacket and bumping the table toward Æðelhild, who put our her hands to ward it from pushing her.

"I am sorry," Eodwine said. "I must see to this. Please do me aid and spread the word in the Hall!"

With that Eodwine leaped out of the room, ran down the stares, out the courtyard door and toward the stables.

Rowenna

Rowenna pulled her ear back from the wall in the room next to lord Eodwine's, stood. She had had her wash bucket propped up against the door to give her warning should someone enter the room while she spied. She moved the bucket now and resumed her work, sprucing up the bedclothes. She had been able to hear pretty much all that had been said, by both lord Eodwine and the young noblewoman called Æðelhild. Rowenna tucked away the young woman's story in her mind for later use as opportunity might avail.

Nerindel · 12-02-2007, 06:22 PM

Æðelhild

“Off course!” Æðelhild nodded, alarmed at the sudden change of events, she watched as Lord Eodwine tucked the letter into his jacket and leapt from the room. Knowing that the stables a joined the halls residence’s she quickly knocked on the next door and pushing it open to check it was empty she saw a dark haired woman freshening up the bed linens, a maid Æðelhild thought spying the bucket . The woman looked up seemingly surprised by her sudden entrance.

“Sorry I did not mean to startle you,” she said, “but there is a fire in the stables and all these room’s will need to be vacated, do you think you could make sure the rooms up here are emptied while I find Master Thornden.” the Maid nodded and Æðelhild heard her knocking on the next door as she hurried down the stairs.

She ran across the hall to where Thornden was sat with Leof and a few others of the hall she recognised, she did not see Balvir and Matrim rise and follow her concerned by the look of urgency on her face. “Master Thornden” she breathed “the Stables are on fire, Lord Eodwine asked that I alert the hall.”

Matrim

"Javan!" Matrim breathed hearing Æðelhild's words. "The boy was in the stables Balvir!" he announced turning to his captain, looking for permission to go. Balvir nodded once and Matrim leapt for the door and out into the court yard towards the stables.

The flames licked at the walls and black smoke billowed out through the stables entrance, "have you seen a young lad, yay high dark hair" He asked one of the man frantically trying to put out the flames. The Man frowned and shook his head that he had not.

"JAVAN, MASTER JAVAN ARE YOU IN THERE CAN YOU HEAR ME" he shouted over the panicked horse's screams, But there was no reply. Looking about Matrim thought quickly, grabbing a bucket he filled from the water trough and sloushed it over himself then ignoring the protests of the man seemingly in charge he dived into the stables.

The smoke was thick and it stung his eyes but he had to be sure the lad was alright, the flames seemed to be everywhere but he managed to pick his way through the stables calling the lads name hoping that the boy was still able to reply.

Folwren · 12-02-2007, 09:18 PM

Javan

Javan gasped and panted as he struck valiantly at the flames. Did anyone hear him? Did anyone know that there was fire here? What was he going to do? The fire was spreading, for all his struggling with it, and the smoke was curling up in a great, wafting, choking coils. And what about the horses?

The horses! The thought struck him violently and without a moment of hesitation, he threw down the blanket and ran out into the main aisle. Smoke was already spilling out there, and though it was not so thick for him and difficult for him to breath, the horses were already nervous, some were whinnying, and almost all were moving about their stalls.

Javan paused momentarily – what was he going to do? How could he get them out of there before –

There was a sudden whoosh from behind him, a burst of heat and light, and Javan turned about. The fire had found its way through the boards of Léof’s tiny room and lit the stock of hay. The flames were growing and dark smoke was curling upwards and repulsed by the stable’s roof came flowing back down.

“Get the horses out!” Javan gasped to himself as he coughed. He plunged forward to the farthest stall, his hands fumbled with the latch and he jerked the door open. The horse, one of the ones that had come in less than an hour ago, stood trembling in the farthest corner. Javan stumbled in. “Come on, get out! Go!” Oh, what he would give for a rope! “Go!” He stepped to the side so that he would not block the door and he went at the horse.

The mare lowered her head, blowing air from her nostrils, and then she plunged forward, half shying, half lunging at Javan, and then she did a half leap, skittering strangely out into the aisle. Javan plunged out after her and shooed her desperately towards the open door. She raised her head, tucked her tail, and ran. Javan turned to the next stall, and at that moment, as he tried to get this door open, he heard someone calling his name.

“Javan! Master Javan! Are you in there? Can you hear me?” It was that newcomer fellow, Matrim. Javan opened the stall door and was thrown backwards against the opposite wall as the horse plunged out at once, knocking him violently with his right shoulder. Javan slumped momentarily, gasped for air and got a lungful of smoke instead. He struggled up and forced himself forward again. His mind swam, his senses seemed disoriented. Horses were screaming, some were kicking at the walls of their stalls. The noise of the fire was intense and the heat unbearable. He grasped the latch of another stall and forced it open. This horse leaped out at once, too, and Javan fell back, clear of his hooves as he galloped away.

And then, out of the thick smoke, the figure of a man became visible. Javan tried to get up. He tried to speak. His throat constricted and his tongue clove to the roof of his mouth. His limbs felt very heavy, his eyes burned, and his chest felt as though a great board were pressed upon it and he couldn’t draw air.

Without uttering a sound, he slumped back, half senseless and unable to move.

Thornden

Thornden felt the blood leave his face as he heard Æðel pass Eodwine’s message. He sprang at once to his feet and glanced about the hall. There were not many men there now, but the others would be somewhere about the hall. There was Harreld there, and the two strangers, but one of those two were already running out

“Go, Harreld!” Thornden cried to the Smith, “Go out and help, and you, sir!” he said, to Balvir, although he did not know him. “Miss Æðel, find Stigend and Garstan.” He started towards the kitchen at a run, calling over his shoulder as he remembered, “and Garwine! And anyone else who can bear a bucket and water!”

He ran into the kitchen headlong, practically knocking Kara down as he entered. He caught her and set her on her feet, but he didn’t let go of her shoulders. “Buckets, Kara – quick - many as you’ve got – we have a fire.” Mutely, she handed the one she held in her hand to him. He grabbed it, reached for another beneath the table half full of scraps and rushed out the outside door. As he sprinted towards the stables and the billowing smoke, he flung out the scraps of food, emptying the bucket and preparing it for water.

And all the while, he thought, “How did a fire start in the stables?”

Firefoot · 12-03-2007, 04:13 PM

The stables are on fire. The words thudded dizzyingly in Léof’s mind. The stables are on fire.

Æthel.

He had not a thought for the other horses, not a thought for Javan, not a thought for the rest of his possessions, not a thought for the cause of the fire. His horse was in those stables.

He bolted from the table, scarcely begun meal forgotten. Fear granted wings to his feet; he flew through the Great Hall, across the courtyard, into the stables. How many times had he told Javan not to run in the stable? Irrelevant.

Already smoke billowed; the fire could not have started but minutes ago but already fighting the fire seemed to be a hopeless cause. The stable would go down; it was only a question of how many horses could be saved in the meantime.

He ran straight to Æthel’s stall, where the flames were thickest. He could hear her frantic screams and the thudding of her hooves against the wall boards. He flung open the door; her neck and flanks were lathered and he could see the whites of her eyes. “Easy there, easy,” he crooned, trying to keep the panic from his own voice. He reached up for her halter, but she flung up her head beyond his reach. Wary of her hooves, he laid his hands on her neck, trying to calm her by his touch but ever conscious of the time this was wasting.

If only he had something to cover her vision with! He cast about for something, but he was woefully unprepared for this situation; his shirt would have to do. Without a second thought he pulled it over his head and lifted it over Æthel’s head. Now at least he was able to catch hold of her halter and pull her forward, however reluctant she was to move. As quickly as he could, he led her outside and into the paddock.

Now finally he took thought to the other horses. He fleetingly thanked his luck that half of the horses were still outside since he and Javan had moved them out here at noon. Before the thought was over, however, he was already running back into the stables to retrieve the next horse.

littlemanpoet · 12-03-2007, 07:41 PM

Eodwine's thought was only for Flíthaf, and he ran headlong toward the entrance to the stables closest to his stallion's stall. The moment he entered, he encountered billowing smoke and a cacophony of horses and humans screaming, and hooves striking wood. He could see flames dancing along the stalls and reaching quick hungry hands up to the roof. He pulled his shirt up to his nose and plunged in.

He came to Flíthaf's stall, which was thankfully closest to the opposite end of the stables from where the fire had apparently started, which was Léof's little room. How odd, his thought skittered a moment, then he was at Flíthaf's stall. Hooves came flying out at head height. Eodwine dodged just in time. The stallion was bucking his way right out of his stall, into the aisle. Soon the horse's head was out. The reins dangled then flew out of reach, then whipped back again.

"Flíthaf!"

The horse ignored him. How was he going to get at all near the horse? Once he did, should he grab the reins, or try to ride? That would be foolery, he decided. He began to step closer to his bucking stallion, to try and grab the reins. Suddenly the horse became aware of the relative light beyond the entrance, and bolted. Eodwine leaped out of the way just in time. He was happy his horse had escaped, but did not look forward to searching far and wide.

Eodwine rose and looked around him. There was Léof leading a horse in his direction.

"What happened? How did this start!" Eodwine demanded.

"I don't know! I was in the hall!" Léof hustled by. Eodwine followed his ostler's example and looked for another horse to lead to safety.

12-02-2007, 04:01 PM	#1
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Eodwine "Fire!" It was a scream coming from the stables, which had begun to erupt in panic stricken whinnies. Eodwine stood quickly, tucking the letter in his jacket and bumping the table toward Æðelhild, who put our her hands to ward it from pushing her. "I am sorry," Eodwine said. "I must see to this. Please do me aid and spread the word in the Hall!" With that Eodwine leaped out of the room, ran down the stares, out the courtyard door and toward the stables. Rowenna Rowenna pulled her ear back from the wall in the room next to lord Eodwine's, stood. She had had her wash bucket propped up against the door to give her warning should someone enter the room while she spied. She moved the bucket now and resumed her work, sprucing up the bedclothes. She had been able to hear pretty much all that had been said, by both lord Eodwine and the young noblewoman called Æðelhild. Rowenna tucked away the young woman's story in her mind for later use as opportunity might avail. Last edited by littlemanpoet; 12-03-2007 at 10:53 AM.

12-02-2007, 06:22 PM	#2
Nerindel Spirited Weaver of Fates Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: In an endless sea of dreams! Posts: 827	Æðelhild “Off course!” Æðelhild nodded, alarmed at the sudden change of events, she watched as Lord Eodwine tucked the letter into his jacket and leapt from the room. Knowing that the stables a joined the halls residence’s she quickly knocked on the next door and pushing it open to check it was empty she saw a dark haired woman freshening up the bed linens, a maid Æðelhild thought spying the bucket . The woman looked up seemingly surprised by her sudden entrance. “Sorry I did not mean to startle you,” she said, “but there is a fire in the stables and all these room’s will need to be vacated, do you think you could make sure the rooms up here are emptied while I find Master Thornden.” the Maid nodded and Æðelhild heard her knocking on the next door as she hurried down the stairs. She ran across the hall to where Thornden was sat with Leof and a few others of the hall she recognised, she did not see Balvir and Matrim rise and follow her concerned by the look of urgency on her face. “Master Thornden” she breathed “the Stables are on fire, Lord Eodwine asked that I alert the hall.” Matrim "Javan!" Matrim breathed hearing Æðelhild's words. "The boy was in the stables Balvir!" he announced turning to his captain, looking for permission to go. Balvir nodded once and Matrim leapt for the door and out into the court yard towards the stables. The flames licked at the walls and black smoke billowed out through the stables entrance, "have you seen a young lad, yay high dark hair" He asked one of the man frantically trying to put out the flames. The Man frowned and shook his head that he had not. "JAVAN, MASTER JAVAN ARE YOU IN THERE CAN YOU HEAR ME" he shouted over the panicked horse's screams, But there was no reply. Looking about Matrim thought quickly, grabbing a bucket he filled from the water trough and sloushed it over himself then ignoring the protests of the man seemingly in charge he dived into the stables. The smoke was thick and it stung his eyes but he had to be sure the lad was alright, the flames seemed to be everywhere but he managed to pick his way through the stables calling the lads name hoping that the boy was still able to reply. Last edited by Nerindel; 12-02-2007 at 06:28 PM.

12-02-2007, 09:18 PM	#3
Folwren Messenger of Hope Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a tiny, insignificant little town in one of the many States. Posts: 5,076	Javan Javan gasped and panted as he struck valiantly at the flames. Did anyone hear him? Did anyone know that there was fire here? What was he going to do? The fire was spreading, for all his struggling with it, and the smoke was curling up in a great, wafting, choking coils. And what about the horses? The horses! The thought struck him violently and without a moment of hesitation, he threw down the blanket and ran out into the main aisle. Smoke was already spilling out there, and though it was not so thick for him and difficult for him to breath, the horses were already nervous, some were whinnying, and almost all were moving about their stalls. Javan paused momentarily – what was he going to do? How could he get them out of there before – There was a sudden whoosh from behind him, a burst of heat and light, and Javan turned about. The fire had found its way through the boards of Léof’s tiny room and lit the stock of hay. The flames were growing and dark smoke was curling upwards and repulsed by the stable’s roof came flowing back down. “Get the horses out!” Javan gasped to himself as he coughed. He plunged forward to the farthest stall, his hands fumbled with the latch and he jerked the door open. The horse, one of the ones that had come in less than an hour ago, stood trembling in the farthest corner. Javan stumbled in. “Come on, get out! Go!” Oh, what he would give for a rope! “Go!” He stepped to the side so that he would not block the door and he went at the horse. The mare lowered her head, blowing air from her nostrils, and then she plunged forward, half shying, half lunging at Javan, and then she did a half leap, skittering strangely out into the aisle. Javan plunged out after her and shooed her desperately towards the open door. She raised her head, tucked her tail, and ran. Javan turned to the next stall, and at that moment, as he tried to get this door open, he heard someone calling his name. “Javan! Master Javan! Are you in there? Can you hear me?” It was that newcomer fellow, Matrim. Javan opened the stall door and was thrown backwards against the opposite wall as the horse plunged out at once, knocking him violently with his right shoulder. Javan slumped momentarily, gasped for air and got a lungful of smoke instead. He struggled up and forced himself forward again. His mind swam, his senses seemed disoriented. Horses were screaming, some were kicking at the walls of their stalls. The noise of the fire was intense and the heat unbearable. He grasped the latch of another stall and forced it open. This horse leaped out at once, too, and Javan fell back, clear of his hooves as he galloped away. And then, out of the thick smoke, the figure of a man became visible. Javan tried to get up. He tried to speak. His throat constricted and his tongue clove to the roof of his mouth. His limbs felt very heavy, his eyes burned, and his chest felt as though a great board were pressed upon it and he couldn’t draw air. Without uttering a sound, he slumped back, half senseless and unable to move. Thornden Thornden felt the blood leave his face as he heard Æðel pass Eodwine’s message. He sprang at once to his feet and glanced about the hall. There were not many men there now, but the others would be somewhere about the hall. There was Harreld there, and the two strangers, but one of those two were already running out “Go, Harreld!” Thornden cried to the Smith, “Go out and help, and you, sir!” he said, to Balvir, although he did not know him. “Miss Æðel, find Stigend and Garstan.” He started towards the kitchen at a run, calling over his shoulder as he remembered, “and Garwine! And anyone else who can bear a bucket and water!” He ran into the kitchen headlong, practically knocking Kara down as he entered. He caught her and set her on her feet, but he didn’t let go of her shoulders. “Buckets, Kara – quick - many as you’ve got – we have a fire.” Mutely, she handed the one she held in her hand to him. He grabbed it, reached for another beneath the table half full of scraps and rushed out the outside door. As he sprinted towards the stables and the billowing smoke, he flung out the scraps of food, emptying the bucket and preparing it for water. And all the while, he thought, “How did a fire start in the stables?” Last edited by Folwren; 12-03-2007 at 06:37 PM.

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12-03-2007, 04:13 PM	#4
Firefoot Illusionary Holbytla Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 7,547	The stables are on fire. The words thudded dizzyingly in Léof’s mind. The stables are on fire. Æthel. He had not a thought for the other horses, not a thought for Javan, not a thought for the rest of his possessions, not a thought for the cause of the fire. His horse was in those stables. He bolted from the table, scarcely begun meal forgotten. Fear granted wings to his feet; he flew through the Great Hall, across the courtyard, into the stables. How many times had he told Javan not to run in the stable? Irrelevant. Already smoke billowed; the fire could not have started but minutes ago but already fighting the fire seemed to be a hopeless cause. The stable would go down; it was only a question of how many horses could be saved in the meantime. He ran straight to Æthel’s stall, where the flames were thickest. He could hear her frantic screams and the thudding of her hooves against the wall boards. He flung open the door; her neck and flanks were lathered and he could see the whites of her eyes. “Easy there, easy,” he crooned, trying to keep the panic from his own voice. He reached up for her halter, but she flung up her head beyond his reach. Wary of her hooves, he laid his hands on her neck, trying to calm her by his touch but ever conscious of the time this was wasting. If only he had something to cover her vision with! He cast about for something, but he was woefully unprepared for this situation; his shirt would have to do. Without a second thought he pulled it over his head and lifted it over Æthel’s head. Now at least he was able to catch hold of her halter and pull her forward, however reluctant she was to move. As quickly as he could, he led her outside and into the paddock. Now finally he took thought to the other horses. He fleetingly thanked his luck that half of the horses were still outside since he and Javan had moved them out here at noon. Before the thought was over, however, he was already running back into the stables to retrieve the next horse.

12-03-2007, 07:41 PM	#5
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Eodwine's thought was only for Flíthaf, and he ran headlong toward the entrance to the stables closest to his stallion's stall. The moment he entered, he encountered billowing smoke and a cacophony of horses and humans screaming, and hooves striking wood. He could see flames dancing along the stalls and reaching quick hungry hands up to the roof. He pulled his shirt up to his nose and plunged in. He came to Flíthaf's stall, which was thankfully closest to the opposite end of the stables from where the fire had apparently started, which was Léof's little room. How odd, his thought skittered a moment, then he was at Flíthaf's stall. Hooves came flying out at head height. Eodwine dodged just in time. The stallion was bucking his way right out of his stall, into the aisle. Soon the horse's head was out. The reins dangled then flew out of reach, then whipped back again. "Flíthaf!" The horse ignored him. How was he going to get at all near the horse? Once he did, should he grab the reins, or try to ride? That would be foolery, he decided. He began to step closer to his bucking stallion, to try and grab the reins. Suddenly the horse became aware of the relative light beyond the entrance, and bolted. Eodwine leaped out of the way just in time. He was happy his horse had escaped, but did not look forward to searching far and wide. Eodwine rose and looked around him. There was Léof leading a horse in his direction. "What happened? How did this start!" Eodwine demanded. "I don't know! I was in the hall!" Léof hustled by. Eodwine followed his ostler's example and looked for another horse to lead to safety.