[Nogrod]

The last evening, the migraine had hit Athanar exactly when Saeryn brought Scyrr to the hall. Why is this cursed illness picking it's moments like this? Athanar swore as he quietly backstepped away from his table while all the eyes were nailed on the center of this new row. As soon as he got to the stairs he had to twist down and with a violent shook he fell down. He was gaping for air and it felt like his head was exploding with pain. Spirits forbid! he thought holding the wail inside.

Wynflaed was there as soon as he fell down and helped him into their corners. Athanar breathed slowly and heavily just to vent off the pain by blowing air out from his lungs in a steady rhythm, for to some odd reason it felt it helped a little under the crushing pain. After aiding him to his bed and laying some cold wet cloths to his forehead Wynflaed went back to the hall to see what was going on - and that was how Athanar knew this morning what he knew - of the last evening.

Now he eyed the elf and lord Eodwine in turn, still amused by the elf's words and eyeing Eodwine with interest to learn what he thought of the last night's incident - or what had happened for real in the first place.

It was not hard for him to figure Scyrr being the centerpiece of a brawl. He was a fiery and a rash man, a proud harsh-tongued man with tendency to drink too much. But on the other side of the scales there was his loyalty, skills and bravery. Lord Athanar would trust his life in Scyrr's hand any day - like his father would have trusted his life with Scyrr's father's hands. It was not easy to punish him even if that was what he had to do. Especially in a situation where he had been almost killed by those mutinuos rebels who called themselves loyal to lord Eodwine. So he understood too well how Scyrr's antipathies might run against Eodwine... but mocking a lord, or a lady, was an act which should not go unpunished. That was clear above the obvious and he knew it.

Suddenly he got an idea and addressed Laerdil and Eodwine.

"Now please my lords..." he looked hesitantly to Laerdil to see if it was okay to him to address him that way and as the elf didn't seem to bother he went on.

"Let me ask you a speculative question, as to how you would decide on a matter for a lord. I mean you elves are called the fair and wise folks and you lord Eodwine are renowned for your your wise decisions..." He eyed the two and saw Eodwine was anticipating the exact subject of his question.

"So let's say there is a servant, not a nice person, but rather a harsh soldier of a line that served your father already and to whom you would trust your life at any moment because of his reliability and skills. But then some people who said they were loyal to another lord almost killed him for serving you, and he would then later make a brawl with that lord and insult him and his wife after having too much mead. It is clear he has to be punished for offending a lord and a lady, but how severe do you see his crime?"