[Folwren]

“Take the prisoners down to the cellar,” Eodwine said, turning to Thornden. “And tomorrow we will begin work on a real dungeon!”

Thornden bent at once to obey, pulling the Ulric up onto his feet. Garwine followed his example, prodding Withold to stand. They took them back through the kitchen and down again into the cellar. There, Thornden shoved his man into the corner and then he stooped and picked up the cut ropes. They were cut in only one place and would work again, for now. Thornden would come back with new ropes to take their place shortly.

While he bound the outlaw's hands and feet again, his thoughts whirled bitterly about in his brain. ‘Dolt!’ he called himself viciously. ‘It’s your own fault for not searching them! Clumsy fool that you are! You might have known they had hidden weapons on them! You’re fortunate Eodwine said nothing to you. You’d deserve it, you would, if he yelled properly at you.’ He tugged furiously on the rope, tightening it harshly, and Ulric grimaced.

“Both the women might’ve been killed,” Thornden went on, half aloud and through gritted teeth. “Both of them! And it’s all you’re careless doing. Garwine!” he snapped suddenly.

“What!” Garwine replied, a little startled.

“Sorry,” Thornden apologized, turning from Ulric. “Have you got your man bound?”

“Yes.”

“Then go ahead and search him as lord Eodwine instructed.” ‘And as I should have instructed earlier today,’ he added to himself. For a minute, there was silence as the two men searched the outlaws. They searched them as thoroughly as they knew how, coming out with nothing.

When they were through, Thornden and Garwine left the cellar, once more closing and locking it behind them. Thornden left Garwine alone at the door and went up, intending to find other men and working out a change of watch, as Eodwine wished. He intended on having two men there at a time, and on having both men wide awake at any hour of the day, until the outlaws were gone.