Eorling Mead Hall

[littlemanpoet]

Eodwine moved as quietly as he could through the dense foliage and thickets, trying to find his way away from the noise. A real man would sneak up on one, disarm, him, dispatch him, and join forces with his friends. Eodwine didn't like the thought that had slipped into his mind, for it implied that he was a coward. For one thing he was not sure anybody whom he'd call a friend was anywhere nearby. On the other hand, this was pure survival.

But what about Rilef? What if they had captured him? What mockery and cruelty might they not resort to? Eodwine cursed softly and turned around, making his way as quietly as he could back the way he had come.

He heard sword's clashing and feet thumping along worn down paths. Horses whinnied in the distance .... that was a good sign. Dogs growled and barked aggressively in the opposite direction. He was almost back to the tower.

“‘Ey, me lads, now, I haint gonna ‘urt you,” came a soft, menacing voice. “You put up a nasty li’le foight, don’ yea?”

Was Falco back? But there were two lads. Where were Rilef? Eodwine peered through the foliage and saw a ruffian stalking toward Cnebba and Garmund.

No!

Eodwine forgot all about protecting himself of a sudden. This was not to be allowed! He sprang out from his covering, quickly closed the short distance between himself and the ruffian, and tackled the lout who fell sprawled face down beneath him. Eodwine didn't give him a chance to react and beat him about the head until he was senseless.

[Nogrod]

Stigend and Leof (and Garstan)

Stigend unmounted by Thornden’s orders. He took the shorter spear to his left hand and the longer one to his right. He patted Snowstreak to her neck as tenderly as he could with all the excitement and pulled the reins over her head. “Keep cool my love, keep cool...” he whispered to her more to assure himself than her.

Stigend felt insecure as they walked forth towards the grassy hill in front of them. Can these people fight? Thornden probably can... He realised how little did he know of his fellows that were advancing this grassy mound. Well, he did know them by names surely but he had still spent most of the time in the Mead Hall with his family or then with Garstan and their work. He knew Náin also and relied on his stounchness but the dwarf was trailing long behind him as Stigend tried to stay along the level of Thornden. We’re spreading too wide.. now where’s Garstan?.

Knowing someone by name was not much when you were possibly walking to a fight. Stigend was missing the straighforward calls of the officers at the men-of-war –camps. There was a certain order there and when they had to actually fight the two times he had been involved everything had been orderly and clear and he had known what was demanded of him. Now he was much more insecure. Thornden had just called them to spread and advance... Stigend was getting worried about the distances they were making to each other. It was not the way he had been taught.

Thornden was attacked first.Stigend’s body stiffened as hew realised it was an ambush they were walking into. Just as he was about to rush to the aid of Thornden he heard noises from all around him. Then there was a call of help to his left.

“Leof!” Stigend cried as he recognised the voice to his left. He turned and started running to the direction of the call. Leof! You’re so young you shouldn’t be here in the first place! I won’t let them harm you! Just hold on! I’m coming! Stigend was overwhelmed with his thoughts. Fatherly instinct they were? Possibly... no doubt the image of Cnebba flashed in his mind as he thought of Leof.

After a short sprint Stigend thought he had an idea where the cry had came from. Happily the grass were swinging to and fro at the point near enough the one he had been targeting. So there they were. He rushed forwards throwing in everything he could. He changed the spears in his hands while he ran. There was no use of the throwing-spear here.

And he caught them. The outlaw was on top of Leof and they struggled. Leof was just barely pushing the knife of the outlaw from the wrist to stay away from his throat. It looked really bad indeed. But everything that followed happened fast then.

Stigend dropped the longer spear to the ground two paces away from the struggling pair. With the next he secured a two hand grip from the shorter spear and with the last bounce he bellowed as mightily and loud as he could.

The outlaw had time enough only to turn his head to face Stigend as the spear ran through his body. It went in from the shoulder and through out to his other side. The spear hit the ground and yanked Stigend who was still holding it savagely to the side. You were to drop it...!

Stigend was immediately back on track and turned around to face Leof on all fours. Simultaneously he was trying to swerwe the spear from the still trembling outlaw.

“You’re alright Leof?” He asked, panting after he had freed his spear from the body of the outlaw.

“Mmhh... I guess I am...” Leof managed to answer, gurgling the blood of the outlaw from his mouth.

Stigend looked at him worriedly at first but then nodded as he could see no open wound on him. He crawled over Leof and picked his longer spear from the ground. Then he turned back to him.

“Promise me you will stay behind! And take this brute’s knife, it’s far better than yours!”

Leof nodded with confusion while Stigend was already standing up straight. Leof saw Stigend to take a quick look around and then he heard him shout out aloud.

“Come together! Closer to each other!”. With that he ran away from Leof.

At the moment Stigend started towards the middle of the Mead Hall men he saw a man emerging from behind Garstan whom he had just spotted from between the grasses.

“Garstan! Your back!” he shouted and at the same time threw his spear. The outlaw was too far for him to reach and the spear seemed to fall some yards too short. But the outlaw yelled in pain. It had seemingly hit him into his leg. But with the force of the sudden effort Stigend fell down himself. He heard oncoming noises of feet approaching and went to his knife.



---***---



Garmund, Cnebba and lord Eodwine

”Master Eodwine!” both of the boys yelled in unison when Eodwine fell upon the brute. The fight was quickly over but the sight of lord Eodwine hitting the brute’s head first with his fists and then just banging it to the ground sent shivers to both of the little boys. All the blood around... the way the brute’s body stopped responding... They were petrified.

Eodwine looked them anxiously over the numb body of the outlaw, panting heavily.

“Rilef is in there...” Garmund managed to utter at last. Cnebba was pointing inside the doorway as well.

“It’s good to see my good friends armed and by my side” lord Eodwine said warmly amidst the panting. He drew breath to calm himself.

“But from now on you two should stick to the pebbles... Do you both have them?”

Garmund hesitated with the shearing knife still in his right hand but Cnebba produced two pebbles from his pocket and laid them to Garmund’s free hand. The two boys glanced at each other and then turned back to face lord Eodwine. They nodded to him in concerto.

“Now, promise me not to try any heroics. You’ll come five paces after me the nearest, you understand?” Eodwine queried seriously, not waiting for an answer.

“You can help with your pebbles if there’s a need, but otherwise you just stay behind. That understood?”

The two boys nodded.

"And if something bad happens you two get deep in the thickest brush until all's clear, then try to get some help. Do you understand?”

The two boys nodded again

[littlemanpoet]

"Now, lads," said Eodwine, "I'll look inside the tower. You keep watch. Got it?"

The boys nodded their heads eagerly. Eodwine turned toward the doorway to the tower and took one cautious step at a time until he could see around the corner. Inside the land dipped down, as if there had once been a floor built at the level of his feet, which was now gone.

He saw Rilef, lying on the ground.

"Ritun! Lefun!" he whispered hoarsely.

The twins did not respond. Eodwine looked to right and left and saw no other outlaws in the circular chamber. He approached Rilef. Both twins had head wounds, gashes at their foreheads. Eodwine knelt by them.

"Rilef! Rilef!"

He slapped them gently on the face, and their eyes came open, and showed recognition.

"Come! The outlaws are not far! Let's get out of here and into the brambles where it is safer! Garmund is here with his friend Cnebba. Can you rise?"

Rilef did so, but with difficulty. Eodwine called for the boys who came in wide eyed and happy to see Rilef standing, though unsteadily. They helped him to the doorway, across the opening where the path lay, and toward the bracken opposite the tower.

"You!" came a harsh voice from down the path away from the East Road. There were four outlaws running toward them. They struggled into the bracken and tried to put as much distance between them and the path as they could in the short time allowed them. It was not long before Rilef was dragging behind, and fell. A knife skewered the bark of a tree trunk just instances from Eodwine's face. The outlaws were upon Rilef again, and looking at Eodwine and the boys. Two of the outlaws started dragging Rilef back again while two gave chase to Eodwine and the boys. He ran slowly so as not to outdistance the boys, and pushed them with his free hand and his urging voice. He wished he had taken a moment to look around the tower for possible weapons, or at least to take the dagger the bandit had.

Eodwine and the boys pushed deeper into the woods. The two outlaws were gaining.

[Taralphiel]

Lys watched the younger boy struggle with his emotions. It was hard for him to understand the emotions Elfthain may have felt. He had little personal experience to draw from. Would he feel wounded if Thornden had a son, and showed him greater love and care? He most likely would. He wondered what Thornden was doing now. That was another thought he pushed out of his mind. He had seen Thornden quickly take charge of the situation that had claimed the Hall, and he knew he would ride out to Lord Eodwine’s aid. He must simply wait for him to return.

Lys spoke softly to Elfthain. “You have a hard thing to deal with, Elfthain. I would not think your Uncle would forget you so easily. He seems to be an honest man. And you are a nice person. Why would he overlook you? It is nice to have an Uncle like that, I think.”

Lys watched the boy look up at him, and saw that the words were not going to comfort him. He stood slowly. “I do not know when Thornden or Lord Eodwine will be back, so would you like to take a walk? I can show you around.”

[Celuien]

Garmund glanced back over his shoulder. Ritun and Lefun no longer followed.

"Wait! Rilef's gone!" Garmund cried out and started to turn back.

Eodwine caught him by the shoulder. "We have to keep going. It's not safe for you here."

"But we can't leave Rilef behind," Cnebba protested.

"They were hurt." Garmund's worried face turned back towards the mound.

The pair of outlaws shouted as they drew nearer.

[littlemanpoet]

Eodwine grimaced. This was a bad situation. If he hadn't two lads to keep from danger, he would be back following Rilef to see if he could rescue the twins without endangering his own life too greatly. But to go back with Garmund and Cnebba in tow would be reckless. If anything happened to them in such a pass, Eodwine knew that he would never be able to forgive himself, and he would not, of course, be able to blame Garstand and Stigend and Modtryth for holding their deaths accountable to him. No, it could not be.

"Come! These are dangerous men! If they did not kill you, they would take you captive and make slaves of you. What would I tell your parents? Once I have brought you to safety, I give you my word that I will go back for Rilef. Now run!"

It was too late. The bandits were upon them. They waved short swords and daggers in both hands. Eodwine wished that he had had relieved the guard by the tower of the short sword he had seen on him, but there hadn't been time. Desperate, he bent down and dashed at the ground with his hand, sending dirt and debris into one of the bandit's face.

"Run, Garmund! Run, Cnebba!" Suddenly they had wings on their feet and they fled west, leaving Eodwine between them and the bandits. He threw himself at the one scrabbling at the dust in his eyes, and rolled him to the ground, clutching at both his wrists. He used the force of his tackle to roll the bandit between himself and the other, and just in time, for the second bandit had lunged toward him, and just caught himself from stabbing the wrong man. Eodwine bashed the first bandit's wrists against the ground and the man's grip loosened on his weapons. Eodwine pushed his knee into the man and made a swipe at one of the blades, with no success. It was either try to get away, or try for a blade again and risk getting cut himself. He fled. But he was going southwest. He had to get between the bandits and the boys.

[Folwren]

Thornden struggled on, pushing through the underbrush, and running as fast as he could manage on the narrow, choked path. Finally, he came to a heavy curtain of grape vines that blocked the path. He stopped for a moment, his heart pounding with tension, excitement, and exertion. He listened carefully while he stood there. On the other side of this curtain of thick vines and leaves, he knew there was an opening of ground. Little underbrush grew there, and the main remains of the ruins still stood in that area. Once he stepped out, he would be in easy view of whoever watched.

But it was not only for that reason that he stood listening so intently. He heard the sound of leaves crackling and branches snapping. It seemed to him that something heavy was being dragged across the sound. In such a circumstance, he could not help but think that it could easily be some body just recently killed.

The noises stopped and a man spoke. Thornden did not recognize the voice, nor the rough accent. “Blimey, but this thing’s ‘eavy! We sh'd just kill'im! ‘E’s no good to us!”

“Don't complain,” came the curt answer. “Come on, you’ve rested enough.”

Then started the labor again. There was less noise, for they were apparently beyond the bracken and underbrush, but still Thornden knew that they were dragging something, and he knew it was a body, though not a dead one.

He also knew that there were two outlaws out there, and there was only one of him, and he really only had one workable hand. He drew a deep breath and lifted his right hand to look at the dagger. It was a clumsy weapon, but it was sharp and would do it’s business, as he well knew by the blood still on the blade and the memory of its recent owner. Then he lifted his left hand and looked at the curled fingers and the blood and green of the leaves that showed beneath and between them. He’d have to do his best and that was all.

With a sweep of his left arm, Thornden drew back the vines and ducked through, entering the glade almost silently. Almost directly before him two men were struggling with the massive burden of an unconscious Lefun and Ritun. Thornden ran forward mutely, hoping to reach them before they noticed him. He was almost upon them when one of them turned and lifted his head. He gave a warning yell, and dropped Rilef’s ankle while dodging back, away from Thornden’s swinging arm. He nearly escaped the blade, and though he escaped immediate death, the knife sliced his chest and his shoulder.

Thornden did not halt his forward momentum and he passed between the two outlaws, leaping over Rilef’s body. He turned about, lifting the knife in his hand, and hurled it towards the second, unwounded villain. Unfortunately, Thornden knew little of knife throwing and the blade spun crookedly, hitting the outlaw with little damage.

In a flash, Thornden’s sword was drawn. The sun glinted briefly on the cold steel. A swift glance at the first man he had wounded told him that he would be easier to overcome in the end, so he turned his attention to the second man, with the minor wound.

This fellow now had his own weapons in his hands he had a sword in his right hand and a long knife in his left. He looked a dangerous adversary as Thornden stood considering him.

They stood still for a moment, measuring each other up. Then the outlaw lunged forward. He feinted to one side with his sword and then swung about to the other. Thornden turned the blow and answered it with one of his own. Then they were locked in a mighty battle of flashing and slashing swords. It was fierce and hard and quick, and in a moment, they stumbled back from each other. The outlaw was waving his left hand in the air. His knife had fallen to the earth and blood streamed from his hand.

Thornden’s body tensed to spring forward again, when the other outlaw stopped him.

“Hold fast, or I’ll slit his throat.”

Thornden stopped and turned to look. The man had a dagger blade pressed against Ritun’s throat and Thornden cursed himself inwardly for not killing him sooner. The outlaw himself was badly hurt, Thornden saw now. He would not be able to fight Thornden, but he could stop him after all.

Thornden’s tensed and ready muscles relaxed. His sword lowered half a foot and he took a step backwards. In that moment, the outlaw he had been fighting, leaped forward, hoping to catch Thornden off his guard. Instinct that had been instilled in him by training caused Thornden to fight back immediately. He dodged to the side, and his hand went up and then down again in a diagonal stroke. He got behind the other’s guard and the blade went deep.

Quicker than thought, he spun about - pulling the sword after him, out of the other’s body - and ran the few paces towards the other outlaw kneeling by Rilef. The man’s hand had paused and he hadn’t killed Ritun left. He seemed shocked by his companion’s sudden death, and his hand was perhaps arrested for another reason, too. Either way, it was too late. Thornden knocked him backwards away from the twins and while he still lay on his back, Thornden’s sword tip came to rest on his throat.

“Now,” Thornden said, panting a little, “drop the knife and stand up. Slowly, man. Slowly.”

“Aren’t you going to kill me?” the man asked.

“No,” Thornden said. “I’m going to let the king’s officials do that. . .if that wound doesn’t kill you. I hope you don’t poison your daggers because that belonged to one of your companions.”

[Mithalwen]

“I do not know when Thornden or Lord Eodwine will be back, so would you like to take a walk? I can show you around.”,


Elfthain seized on the chance to substitute activity for brooding. His fear seemed a little foolish now he had voiced them and while he had lost his father to war and sister to illness he still had his mother and an extended family. Lys seemed to have no one of his own.
"Oh yes, I have been here before but for not a while and I never got the chance to explore. I don't remember it very well anyway" he finished the last morsel of cheese and stood up - " but will you be alright?" he added anxiously "Won't it make your leg hurt too much?

[Taralphiel]

Lys coloured as Elfthain looked down at his leg. He'd tried his best to make it seem less noticable, but it seemed he hadn't done the best job.

"My leg? Oh, it will be fine. I have grown stronger and I don't need to rest as much. Hrethel the Healer has given me good strong boots too."

He looked up slowly at the boy, and knew he was curious. But he couldn't bring himself to tell him.

"I'll take you around past the kitchens first. The gardens are wonderful too. I would visit Hrethel, but he would be busy..."

Lys stepped away from the bench and tried to look like his limp bothered him as little as possible. He smiled.

"Really. It is nothing."

[littlemanpoet]

Eodwine faced the boys. Garmund was looking at him, hands hanging at his sides, his eyes wide; his glance slipped to the two dead outlaws.

Eodwine cleaned the dagger blades on some fallen leaves from the previous autumn, slipped them inside his belt, and knelt down by the two boys. Garmund did not flinch.

"Do you understand, Garmund, what I did, and why?" The boy nodded. "Then tell me."

"They would have killed us, and if you had not killed them, they would have tried again."

"Aye. You are a smart lad. Now, let's take a look at that ankle, Cnebba."

Eodwine felt it carefully and asked where it hurt and how much. It seemed to be either a twisted ankle or a mild sprain. He helped Cnebba to his feet and asked him to see if he could stand on it, then limp about. With much wincing the boy was able to put only a toe-hold of pressure on his ankle.

"That settles that, young man. It seems I'll be carrying you. You're not so big as you can't sit on my shoulders."

Eodwine reached down and placed Cnebba, sitting, on one of the beech tree branches, then backed up until he was under the boy, who slid down onto his shoulders. He hoped that there would not be too many low hanging branches.

They walked for a little while and could hear shouts and hollarings off behind them.

Suddenly they came out in a clearing. Five dogs, thankfully chained, started in an uproar of barking and growling, their hackles raised and their teeth bared, saliva dripping. Garmund cringed against Eodwine's leg and Cnebba's grip around his neck almost choked him. Two of the dogs were Dunlending wolfhounds by the look of them; one was big as a mastiff; one looked a wolf except for its curled tail, and the fifth was a hound with drooping ears.

Behind them, tied tight to a tree, legs bound by rope, was a woman in rough smock over a threadbare skirt. Tough boots were on her feet. Her blonde hair fell this way and that in shaggy strands, but could not hide a frankly stunning beauty of face.

"I would untie you, lady, but for these dogs!" Eodwine called. "You must be a prisoner of these outlaws!"

"Claw!" shouted the woman "Fang! Gray! Bull! Bear! Quiet! Lay down" The dogs stopped barking and their growls diminished to a bare-fanged grumble, but their tales went down and their ears back, and one by one they settled on the grass surrounding the woman.

"They obey you," Eodwine said in open surprise. "Are you a captive of these outlaws?"

She nodded. "The men are often gone, and I have won these five over. They are not vicious."

Eodwine helped Cnebba to the ground and ordered Garmund to watch over him while he untied the lady. "How long have they held you?"

"Two years, I think. They burned my father's holdings to the ground, killing everyone, and took me as their slave."

"I am sorry. What is your name?"

"I am called Rowenna."

"I hope they did not treat you too shabbily."

"They kept me well enough..." she paused, her face reddened and her eyes became hot with humiliation, but she did not look away ".... well enough for their purposes."

"Come with me away from here," Eodwine said.

"Not without these my dogs," Rowenna declared. "They will obey me instead of them."

Eodwine's eyes widened. "Will they attack whom you say?" She nodded. The mastiff looked big enough to serve as a mount for Cnebba. "Will that one bear this boy? He has a bad ankle."

"If I tell him to."

[Mithalwen]

"Really. It is nothing."

Elfthain realised he had done the wrong thing in asking about Lys' leg - the older boy clearly didn't want a fuss made but it was hard to ignore the fact that for him each step was a small triumph while Elfthain moved with agility and careless ease.

Elfthain decided the best course of action was to accept Lys' words without quibble and to moderate his own pace.

"That's good - resting is boring. I fell out of a tree once and my mother made me rest for ages " He shuddered a little at the memory of what had in fact been a very short restriction.

"I wonder if my mother knows Hrethel, she knows a lot of herblore - learnt it from my grandmother along with the midwifery - lots of the people in the village come to her for possetts and simples so she must be good, but she doesn't think so, says that they are just used coming up to the farm from when my grandmother was alive" Elfthain knew he was talking too much, trying to cover any residual embarassment from his earlier faux pas. "She doesn't make boots though - there is a man in the village who does that - I don't think she really likes sewing at all much... but she does like gardens" he added, and it occured to him, that his mother was much happier outside the house than in it. He did not analyse the realisation further but picked up the plates and things they had used.

"We better take these back to the kitchen - I suppose you know everyone here" he added looking around, " ....and all the ones who have gone away. I hope they will be back soon." Elfthain hoped he would not have to leave before he could get to hear about all that had happened and tried to calculate how long it would be before he was looked for.

[littlemanpoet]

"With what name do I call my rescuer?" Rowenna asked as she held the mastiff still while Eodwine lifted Cnebba onto its back.

"I am Eodwine of the Ga-" he paused; no, that was no longer adequate. "I am Eodwine, Eorl of the Middle Emnet." The mastiff did not protest.

Rowenna laughed. "You mock me. There is no such thing."

Eodwine grinned, abashed. "Nay, 'tis so. Eomer created me an Eorl, and charged me with a portion of his realm. My mead hall is in Edoras not far from Meduseld."

"An Eorl's mead hall within sight of the king's? That is odd."

Eodwine looked about. They were too easily seen. "We must leave this place. Let us head west toward Edoras." He started off.

"Then why go you south?"

Eodwine stopped and looked at her questioningly, then following her eyes, looked up the slopes of the White Mountains straight ahead of him. He shook his head. "I must have gotten turned around in the woods. Where are the ruins from here?"

"They are to our north." She pointed in the direction from which Eodwine had unwittingly come. "If Edoras is to the west from here, then it is that way," she indicated.

"Then that is our way."

They left the clearing, Rowenna holding the leads of five big dogs.

"You say you have made friends of these beasts?" Eodwine said, marveling.

"Aye. 'Twas easy. The hound, Bear, grew up with me on my father's farm. I gave bits of the little food spared me to these five. It was not long before they saw me as friend."

[Folwren]

The dart had felt momentarily like the sting of a small insect. He had not had long enough to feel any worse pain before falling like a stone to the earth. Minutes later, when his consciousness slowly returned, the first thing Thornden felt was a pain at the side of his neck. As he raised himself up on his left elbow, his right hand unclasped the sword hilt and he lifted it to feel the sore area. His fingers touched the area gently, feeling out the welt that was rising around a very small indentation.

Once he had found out what very little he could of that, he shook his foggy head and looked up around him. He looked at Rilef, relieved to see them in the same position that they had been, and then turned to see if the wounded man had crawled away.

An audible gasp, bordering close upon a cry, burst from him as a jolt of surprise shook him. The headless corpse lay but two feet away from his face, and the bloody stump of his neck was nearest of all. He sat up and backed quickly away from it.

How did it happen? Thornden wondered. He stooped forward to retrieve his sword. Who would put me down and then come in and kill him and leave Rilef and me unharmed? His thought stopped there, however, as he lifted the blade, stained with bright red blood, still wet. He had cleaned the sword after wounding the one and killing the other, he was sure. But now fresh blood showed on the blade from half way up it to the very point.

“It was a clean sweep,” he observed, gnawing his under lip. “But with my sword.” He stood up and walked away to where a clump of clean grass grew. He knelt and cleaned the blade once more and then sheathed it. His next object was to get Rilef up on their feet and get them out of this tangled mess of vines, trees, and old ruins.

[littlemanpoet]

Thornden came toward Ritun and Lefun, reaching down to give them a hand up.

"Move us not!" winced Ritun. "They evil did us."

"What do you mean?" asked Thornden, his brow creasing with concern. "Where are you hurt?"

"'Tween us," Ritun grimaced.

Thornden noted how pale their faces were, especially Lefun. Between them? "Let me see."

Lefun shook his head. Thornden saw then that Lefun's right arm hugged Ritun's middle very hard, while his left arm was buried between them. Worse, he saw now that blood was soaking their shared trousers at both hips, and a red stain was expanding around them in the dirt.

"What have they done!" Thornden cried, but he believed that he knew.

"Pulled us apart they tried," Rilef grunted. "Lefun ripped inside is, methinks."

"I've got to get you out of here!" Thornden cried.

Ritun shook his head. "Nay, we're done. Save your Eorl, a good man he is."