[Firefoot]

Haleth’s brisk and determined pace brought him quickly away from Meduseld towards the Mead Hall. His meeting with the queen had taken several times longer than it ought to have, and much of that extra time had been taken up in waiting. The queen had been overjoyed to hear that Linduial had been located, and immediately had stated her wish to go with to bring her back. Haleth had had a time of it persuading her against such action. Finally, however, they had gotten around to developing a plan, and now Haleth was restless to be on his way and eager to make up for his mistakes. His guilt at letting Sorn’s minions escape the Mead Hall without a watch weighed down on him; why had he not heeded Eodwine’s advice? What new mischief might Sorn even now be planning? And who knew what those few extra days might have done to Linduial’s state?

Soon he would know. They would ride out this very evening, maybe even within the hour, and put a couple hours riding behind them. They would meet Eodwine’s company near Sorn’s holdings before noon the next day if all went well.

But when Haleth arrived at the Mead Hall, he was not met by the forty or so men he had anticipated. Only about a dozen men were milling about – one of the three divisions that Haleth had put the rescuers into. He had thought it would be easier and more organized this way, if he had only three men to report to him. The man Haleth had set in charge of this company hurried up to him with a confused look on his face; Thurstan was his name.

“Thurstan, are not the other two companies here?” Haleth inquired, trying to ignore the queasy feeling that had sprung up in his stomach.

“No, sir,” Thurstan answered. “I had wondered if I misunderstood the message.”

“No, I had meant to ride out tonight – within the hour even,” said Haleth. He looked around for the youth he had sent out with the message, but did not find him. “Thurstan, do you remember exactly how the message you received was worded?”

Thurstan thought for a moment. “I believe so, sir. ‘The Lady Linduial’s location has been discovered; the Lord Eodwine has already been sent out after her. We will ride out after them and meet him on the morrow at the home of her captor.’”

Yes, it was precisely the message Haleth had sent out in haste before taking off for Meduseld. He thought it over, and quickly realized his error. Nowhere had he said to meet at the Hall that very night; it sounded more like they were to ride out tomorrow. “And there is no way to gather them,” Haleth said softly.

“No, sir – not before midnight, at least. Were they soldiers, it would be easy, but those two companies were made up mostly of common folk. Likely they are all at home preparing to enjoy an evening meal with their families.”

Never had Haleth felt so much a fool. To not even come up with a way of summoning the men! A scenario in which messengers could not be used had not even occurred to him. And to leave with just these men here would be to leave more than half the rescue party in the city. They would have to leave tomorrow – early tomorrow, it was to be hoped, but even so, they would lose precious hours. It would probably be mid- to late afternoon before they reached Sorn’s holdings. Had they left tonight, the horses would have had a built-in rest midway there, but not now.

He could only hope that no harm would come of yet another delay.