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Eodwine was about to pull off his tunic when he heard a knock on his door. He opened it and found Léof's drawn face looking up into his face.
"I need a bed, lord."
Eodwine shuttered his eyes as hard as he could then opened them. Of course!
"Forgive me, Léof, for failing to think of your needs." He searched about in his mind for an option. Everybody was to bed except Rowenna, whom he had ordered to do likewise at first opportunity.
"You will have my bed this night."
"But-"
"No, I will not argue it. It is the least I can do after how you have served this Hall today and ever since you became my man. I'll find another. After all," he winked, "I've rights to whatever unused bed I can find."
"But lord-"
"Tut tut!" Eodwine pulled Léof into the room and used the leverage to push himself out. "I bid you goodnight." With that he closed the door, his last view inside the stunned look on Léof's face. With a chuckle he went into the Hall and found himself a mat and bed cloths and wrapped himself up. As he nodded off to sleep he considered that the boy was probably too distraught to think of bedding down in the Hall with the footmen.
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