Scarburg Meadhall

[Lhunardawen]

Harreld seemed so dejected at his loss that Ginna wanted to wrap her arms around him amidst all the onlookers, but something told her this was probably not a good thing to do. Instead she took one of his large hands and gave him a small smile of sympathy.

"There will always be some battles you can't win." Keeping her tone light, she added, "Perhaps aside from being your good luck charm, I'm also a cause for your distraction? Just give me the word, Harreld, and I'll keep out of your sight."

Still with a bit of a smile, she looked into his eyes and raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly, wondering which one he would choose her to be.

[Nogrod]

Cnebba and Kara climbed to the pole and readied themselves to start. It was clear that Kara was both bigger and more powerful of the two but would Cnebba’s energy and balance beat that; that was the question people mulled about when Lithor finally announced the match. “Now my friends we’ll have the second round! Let the best man… erm… the best person win!” With that he whistled the start-signal.

The crowd cheered as the two started the match immediately without any hesitation or tactical manouvers. Cnebba pressed on with gusto but Kara defended calmly. Slowly there developed something like a rhythm to the sacks banging on each other. From left, from right, from left, from right…

Suddenly, just before the sacks were going to hit each other Kara staggered and her sack hit the pole instead of Cnebba’s sack which now flew to the left unhindered causing Cnebba to lose his balance. Kara only tried to pull back to regain her balance leaning backwards when her sack hit Cnebba’s from under giving it the final push that sent Cnebba down to the hays.

The crowd was as astonished as the contestants were about the sudden ending of the match but then burst into hurrays and laughter. “Kara has reached the final!” Lithor announced.

“Go Kara go! Go Kara go!” people yelled as she came down from the pole, but when she took Cnebba into her arms and they walked out from under the pole hand in hand the crowd exploded into applause shouting the names of both contestants.

Kara looked down on Cnebba as they walked, “That was an accident, you know? I was as surprised as you were…” she said smiling. Cnebba nodded and returned the smile: “I’ll be cheering for you in the final, Kara!”

“And then, we’ll see who is going to meet the invincible Kara in the final! I’ll give you Erbrand and Dan!” Lithor had to shout as loud as he could to be able to beat the cheers from the crowd.

The match between Dan and Erbrand was a tough one. Both dealt blows to each other but everytime Dan hit his mark Erbrand had to perform his best to regain his balance while Dan seemed to have no trouble at all with that. But Dan had to be constantly anticipating Erbrand’s different swings and ploys. Dan remembered how Erbrand had made his first victory and was on the look out for any similar trick.

It was clear Erbrand would not outbalance Dan, and if he didn’t come up with something and pretty soon it would only be a question of time when Dan would bring him down.

And the time came. Dan made a direct hit to Erbrand’s side sending him falling. But Erbrand managed to give a blow back to Dan’s lower legs while going down as Dan wasn’t defending anymore but mainly getting ready to celebrate a victory. And Dan fell as well. But unlike Dan who fell down directly Erbrand got a hold of the pole with one arm and leg thus giving him the important seconds. When his grip loosened and he finally fell down Dan had already hit the ground.

“Erbrand to the final!” Lithor shouted and the crowds were entertained indeed.

[littlemanpoet]

"...Just give me the word, Harreld, and I'll keep out of your sight." Smiling, Ginna looked up into his eyes with a very slightly raised brow. Harreld knew a test when he saw one. He grinned and raised his own brow, looking her in the eye.

"I will take you as a distraction to my eye instead of a good luck charm every time." He brought the hand she had placed in his up to his lips and kissed it. She was beaming, smiling from ear to ear, looking all the more winsome for it. He laughed heartily from happiness and added his cheers to the crowd as the sack fights progressed.

"Ha ha!" shouted Harreld when Erbrand had won his fight with Dan, "we saw Kara and Erbrand as a team in the three legged race, now we shall see how they fare as foes!"

[Nogrod]

It seemed that everyone around the Mead Hall had gathered around to see the final of the sack-fight. Not only because it had been a most entertaining game but also because of the unforeseen final between Erbrand and Kara. Everyone wished to see how it would go.

"Let me introduce to you, on the left, our beloved Kara without whom we'd starve to death on daily basis!" Lithor shouted as Kara climbed up to the pole. The crowd went wild with cheers. "And on the right, our sneaky leatherman Erbrand of Aldburg!" There was a lot of yelling, clapping of hands and hurrays.

"Contestants, are you ready?", Lithor asked and both nodded.

There was the whistle. And then there was silence.

Kara looked at Erbrand and smiled - and Erbrand smiled back even if he knew the situation was quite awkward.

"So you're going to hit a lady then, Aldburgian?" Kara asked aloud looking at Erbrand to the eye.

Erbrand frowned and turned a bit sideways to look at the crowd gathered around, his expression begging for any reaction to how he should go on with the fight or what was exactly expected from him in this situation.

Suddenly he felt a heavy blow of a sack in the back of his head and he went falling down. The crowd just bursted with cheers and laughter and Kara was waving the sack above her head gleefully, smiling down to her beaten opponent.

"Kara is the victor!" Lithor yelled and a celebration began.

And there were a lots of hands helping Erbrand up.

[Folwren]

Thornden cheered and laughed along with the rest of the audience. He thoroughly enjoyed the sack fight and the conclusion was the best part of all. He was not among the first to reach Erbrand, and by the time he was near him, he was already being helped up. Thornden, then, with a smile turned and offered a hand to Kara. She took it and leaped lightly down from the pole, smiling and gasping with laughter. She turned at once to Erbrand.

The spirits of the company were very high. Thornden felt it and was glad. His eyes swept over the people. There was the immediate press of people around Erbrand and Kara, congratulating them both. Standing a few paces away stood Harreld and Ginna, enjoying the sight immensely, but looking as though they enjoyed each other’s company even more. Up beyond them sat Rowenna and Saeryn, who had returned there after her defeat in the dagger throwing.

There were two empty chairs beside Saeryn, which surprised Thornden. He expected to see Eodwine there, but neither he nor Degas were to be seen. They must have left directly after the dagger throwing contest. Thornden silently wished that he were here now to see the happiness of his people. Such expression in all of their faces and voices were clear reflections of his good and noble lordship. No doubt he would be back soon, though. He must, for the quarterstaff fighting was to come next. Then he would see the merriment and joy.

With a smile, Thornden turned again to those close at hand. He was looking forward to the next game very much. At that moment, he heard Javan’s voice through the gabble of the crowd -

“Lithor! Lithor, what game is next?”

“The quarterstaves.”

“Ha! Did you hear that?” Javan asked, turning with a bright grin toward Cnebba and Garmund. “My brother’s in that! I’ll bet you anything you name that he’ll win!”

Thornden grinned widely and turned and walked away. He would not stay and hear what bet was placed upon his winning or losing.

[Groin Redbeard]

It was a very uncomfortable position for Erbrand to be in. He had hoped that either he or Kara would be eliminated from the games before the final match, however, fate took a different turn. Kara didn't seem to mind when Erbrand faced her and seemed rather glad that it was him whom she was fighting.

The round began but Erbrand held back what would be his normal instinct of attack. She smiled at him, he wondered if she knew he wouldn't hurt her, after much delay and pleading looks at the crowd he felt a thud on the back of his head and another thud when he hit the ground. Erbrand looked stunned and shocked at the sudden turn of events, but Kara was laughing gleefully and was waving the sack above her head, of course she knew he wouldn't hurt her.

Erbrand accepted one of the many hands that were offered him and was pulled up. A swarm of people pressed between him and Kara and for a long moment he was bewildered by all the handshaking and congratulations being exchanged between them. Presently Erbrand broke away from the crowd with Kara.

"A well won game, my friend," said Erbrand, embracing Kara in a hug, "but I'm afraid that Lithor's description of me being sneaky should apply to you."

"I hope I haven't hurt you in the fall." Kara responded apologetically.

"Just my pride, but out of all the players I'm glad that it was you who bested me. This defeat shall be much easier for me to bear."

[Nogrod]

“Ha! Did you hear that?” Javan asked, turning with a bright grin toward Cnebba and Garmund. “My brother’s in that! I’ll bet you anything you name that he’ll win!”

The two younger boys looked at each other excited. Cnebba was just opening his mouth when suddenly Garmund put his hand to Cnebba's shoulder silencing him and turned towards Javan.

"We'll think about it, just wait a minute." With that he dragged Cnebba along with him a few yards away from Javan.

They spoke in lowered voices.

"He said he would bet anything we'd name? The dagger Garmund, the dagger!" Cnebba protested Garmund treating him like some half-witted child.

"Now listen, he will ask something as a bet from us as well, didn't you think of that?" Garmund hissed glancing back at Javan to see if he was able to hear what they said or not.

Cnebba gave a deep sigh as he hadn't actually come to think of that. Finally he raised his eyes to meet with Garmund's with a worried questioning look. "What do you think he would bet for the dagger? Our Rohirrim? Those my dad made?"

"I'm afraid he wouldn't bet it for anything less", Garmund nodded. "And Thornden is a mighty warrior."

"But isn't lord Eodwine himself competing? And Harreld, and dad... and... well your dad... and that freaky newcomer, that Crabath...thannan... or what was it, or that Erbrand or... "

"Thornden is the chief of all the soldiers here. Do you think he got into that place for nothing?", Garmund snapped back. "The dagger is neat but I wouldn't trade it to my rohir-soldier."

There was a difference there. Even if the rohirrim Stigend had carved for the boys were probably the finest pieces of wooden art he had ever produced, Cnebba was used to having such wooden toys all his life.

"So what do you say then? We can't step back from it now?" Cnebba came down on Garmund for an answer.

Garmund started thinking about it but it was Cnebba who came up with the idea first.

"Hey, how about he will be our slave for a week if he loses? Like making our beds, serving us food and doing our work? We can do the same but it's not so bad as we are two."

Garmund looked delighted first but then fell a bit backwards. "Do you think he would take that?"

"He can't step back from it either?" Cnebba suggested, smiling.

Garmund burst into laughter. "You're right! He can't!" And with that Garmund turned around to meet Javan. Cnebba followed suite.


"Okay Javan, here's the deal!" Garmund said to Javan as he reached him and waited for Cnebba to come beside him. "If Thornden doesn't win you'll be our servant for two weeks. You'll serve us in all we want you to. If Thornden wins, we'll do the same for you." Garmund stared at Javan as if challenging him to keep his word.