Scarburg Meadhall

[littlemanpoet]

"I - I will answer your question, lord. Faramund is not like his father. I do not know what makes him bitter, for lord Friduhelm has always been of a great heart. I do my duty by lord Faramund, for that is right, even when he does wrongly.

"But I have not said all that could be said, lord, if you will pardon me. You will find in this ledger much to show that my lord takes and does not give without price. He is a grasping man, and he drives a hard bargain, especially with those who have little to bargain with.

"Take Wiglaf, for example. He fell upon hard times for his lands dried and a poor crop came up, not enough to feed him and his family and stock. He came to Faramund seeking help. Faramund gave it, but for a price. Wiglaf's stock were to be his bond against failure to pay. Faramund gave him the grain he needed to survive, but Wiglaf has not been able to pay. So Faramund takes the bond.

"So you see, Faramund does nothing against the law, but his justice is cruel and has no mercy in it. Soon these free farmers will find themselves his chattel. I - I hope I have spoken enough for you to understand how it is here. I fear I may have said too much.

"These other lords, these friends of his, I don't think lord Faramund came by these ways on his own. I think he was taught them."

[Nogrod]

Athanar had hoped Stedford would have revealed something about his lord, but all this was just so much over to his anticipation. So for a while he just stood there his mouth open with the openness of lord Faramund's sergeant standing in front of him. But finally he was up to the changed situation...

"Tell me one thing Stedford, you know your lord better than I do, would he try anything desperate in a situation like this? Like trying to use force or a threat?"

Stedford glanced around and then returned his gaze to Athanar "I'm afraid he has already done that... he's... well... impulsive."

Lord Athanar was able to make the calculation; his observations about the feeling around the place added with what Stedford just said made for an outcome he recognised.

"This is important now as I wish to avoid any bloodshead... How is lord Friduhelm? Can he come here? Can he come here if someone aided him with no great risk to his health? Or would he be willing to take that risk?" He looked at Stedford intensively.

Stedford felt awkward, feeling like he was put in between the rock and the hard place, but after a moment he answered to his best knowledge. "He might not be able to walk, but he should be able to be moved..."

Lord Athanar thought it for a second. "'You give me hope Stedford... let me tell you I will not forget this." He looked at the young sergeant with a concerned smile. "Blimring!" he suddenly yelled to the soldier inside the hall. As he came to the doors Athanar turned to Stedford.

"I'm not intending to push you, but if you think Faramund is really able to act that recklessly; and if you love lord Friduhelm, king Eomer, the eorlinga, all the farmers... then you go with Blimring here and bring lord Friduhelm here as soon as possible. It maybe a question of minutes... Will you do that?"

Lord Athanar looked Stedford to the eye with all his authority - but it was no game-changer there as Stedford had clearly chosen already.

"I will do it."

"Praised be the gods for that..." Lord Athanar half whispered. Then he turned around. "Blimring! Follow the sergeant and do as he tells you!"

When Stedfast took the stride up the stairs past him, lord Athanar nodded to him approvingly. "I'm thankful to you for this Stedfast, and so is the king. I will make sure the king will hear of this..."

[Folwren]

"You threw me out of your hall! Tell me why I should not have you thrown out right this minute!"

Answers to this bounded plentifully into Thornden’s mind, but he kept his mouth firmly clamped shut. He stared down at Faramund and waited for his final word. It came in a burst of rage. “Get out of here! Give your words to your lord! Go!”

Thornden did not even incline his head in the slightest hint of a bow. He turned on his heel and went out, shouldering his way through the men standing there. He strode across the courtyard to where Athanar stood on the steps speaking with Stedford. As he drew near, Faramund’s steward was sent away.

“Lord Athanar, Faramund wishes me to tell you that he will defend what is his and he will fight you if you continue to press him. He demands that you stop trying to trap him and he asks that you send me back with word that you will no longer threaten him. This is what he said when I advised him against arming his men and pitting them against you.”

[Mnemosyne]

Wynflaed sighed and took a few deep breaths once she had reached her and Athanar's room. For not the first time, she blessed her status and the privacy it afforded her. Her heart still pounded at the exchange she had had with Saeryn, though it had been pushed out by the holbytla's arrival. That she could not see the enemy in their midst, be Modtryth witting or no, stunned her and left her cold. Was it her youth that made her think so, or her coming of age in a time of peace, or the rule of her husband, who, fine eorl though he may be, let this Meadhall run itself more or less on its own?

For a moment, Wynflaed felt her age. More than that, though, she felt the absence of the company that she had come to rely on in Edoras--and especially her husband's company, though he might only be gone for the day. There were so few here to confide in, and none of them of a fitting station...

The easy camaraderie, too, of the entire kitchen once the holbytla had arrived, and the way the kitchen had seemed to let out pent-up breaths as she had departed...

She shook her head. There was nothing good to come of moping, and was she not a lady and an eorl's wife? It had been, and it was, an honour to accept this position; and there was still so much good she could do here, so many inefficiencies she could eliminate.

She left the room and made her way to the stables. Wulfric and Wilheard were with Athanar, of course, but Aedre was at the Hall, and thus was probably with her horse. The horse, and Aedre, were gone. Wynflaed smiled, but if she did not see her before sundown there would be harsh words.

With nothing else to do, she returned to the kitchen. She would learn more of this holbytla, and of the people and the land he came from.

[Folwren]

Thornden strode back towards the stables, the two men behind him. He looked perfectly collected on the outside, but inside his heart was beating a little faster than normal as he prepared himself for upcoming encounter. He highly doubted Faramund would be pleased to see him, and he hoped rather fervently that nothing rash would be done…that he wouldn’t get killed, namely.

He stopped outside. “I don’t want you coming in. It looks too…belligerent.”

“But lord Athanar said-” Frumgard began, but Thornden cut him off.

“I know what lord Athanar said, but I also know what lord Faramund said and is thinking, and I really think it would be best if I went in alone.” The two soldiers looked at each other doubtfully. “Just – stay here and wait, will you? I will not be long, and if aught is said to you of disobeying, I will tell Athanar that I commanded it.”

“Very well,” Bettelhird grumbled.

Thornden nodded and then hurried into the stables. There were fewer men inside now as many had already gotten their horses outside. He hurried through, seeking for lord Faramund, hearing muttered comments behind him from what men were still there. Finally, he found him, waiting for his horse to be bridled.

“My lord Athanar sends me to give you word that he has no intention of taking anything that is yours away, and that his intention is not to threaten you, but he means to leave in peace. He awaits your word that you will not attack his men.”