[Lalwendë]

"Where’s Leocsley?”

Larswic looked around him for the lad, wondering why he had wandered off. Leocsley sometimes wandered off alone at home, but he was quite a wary lad and he hadn’t expected him to do that in the unfamiliar city of Edoras. He looked towards the stables, squinting in the bright light to see into the shadows cast by the walls. As he looked, a sudden movement caught his eye. It seemed to be a horse and rider, racing off.

“Who the?”

“I saw him too,” said Wultheof, interrupting his father. “That’s the ostler, you know, the one I said who looked to be a born jockey?”

“The lad with the gammy leg?” Larswic strained to see where the lad had gone, but he had ridden out of the stables so swiftly he had quickly disappeared from sight down the lane that ran from the Mead Hall. “We have to try and find him at the fair. By the way he ride out of there, pound to a penny he’s gone to sign up for one of the races, and I’m not missing a chance of a good wager!”

Larswic smiled and felt for the pouch of gold in his pocket, imagining for a moment that it was twice, even thrice as heavy. He looked into the distance for a moment imagining new stallions he could buy, the fine and lavish wedding he might set up for his daughter one day, more acres of good grassland, the lush green turf cut by little streams.

“But we’ve got to find Leocsley!” came the voice of Wultheof, interrupting his father’s daydream.

“Find who? I’m here,” Leocsley walked up behind them and Wultheof jumped and spun round, glaring at his cousin. He had been thinking of whether to tell his father about Leocsley and his skiving off to talk to lasses. He wouldn’t get any coin for it, but his father might decide that Wultheof was the more reliable one, he might even give him some control over his cousin, make him his boss in some way. But he hadn’t decided if it was such a good idea yet, it didn’t feel quite right to him, but he knew it would make him feel better for a while.

Wultheof was a quick witted lad just like his father, and he was strong. He knew he would one day take over his father’s trade and land; that should have given him more than enough of a sense of his own status. He was at times quite bullish about his position as Larswic’s eldest son, especially when pushing around one of his three younger brothers or his sister, and since his mother had died, there was often no hand at home to check him as the indulgent aunts who looked after them all usually spoiled him. When his father was away, he was the head of the family.

But then there was Leocsley, who was always on his mind. A bit taller than him and darker, and despite not being as strong, the lasses seemed to find Leocsley interesting. He was better with the bow of course, and sometimes just a bit too quiet and secretive. Wultheof liked being able to have all the say for the pair of them, but Leocsley seemed to know everything about everyone, and he was so quiet, nobody seemed to miss him when he sneaked off. Even his own father seemed to think Leocsley was the reliable one, but it was just that they didn’t notice when he wasn’t there. On the other hand, everyone always noticed the moment that Wultheof disappeared, and he thought he couldn’t get away with anything, and felt resentful.

“Where’ve you been?” said Larswic, looking at his nephew from under his eyebrows. He looked quite threatening when he did this, and he knew one of his glances was usually enough to keep the lads in check.

“I’ve been behind the fence, watching yon ostler riding out the gate. He’s saddled up for the races, I’m sure of it!” Leocsley had cut down any chance of Wultheof giving him away; he looked at his cousin with a look of triumph.

“Well, come on then, no time to lose!” said Larswic, striding off ahead of them. The two lads looked at each other warily, and as they passed into the lane, they heard the faint sound of a girl giggling.