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Old 01-21-2008, 08:34 AM   #13
Folwren
Messenger of Hope
 
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: In a tiny, insignificant little town in one of the many States.
Posts: 5,228
Folwren is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.Folwren is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.
Furious has been used to describe Javan’s behavior, but the word nearly falls short of the feelings and emotions that pounded through the boy as he was bound, arms and legs outstretched. His body was rigid and he kept trying to pull his hands free of Garwine and Grimlin. But despite his struggling, he was soon tied up and left alone.

There anger and something akin to hate raged inside his head. With clenched jaw and burning eyes he looked out at everyone setting back to their work. His entire body was hot with embarrassment and anger. It never occurred to him that he had brought the shame upon himself. All he knew was that they could have made it ten times better, had not that woman gone after him – tackled him – Javan – to the ground! A tremor of contempt passed through him, for to be overcome by a woman was humiliating beyond anything Javan could dream of, just now.

And then Eodwine himself had treated him abominably. He didn’t allow him to speak at all - simply took that outlaw’s word for what had happened – and sent him away to be tied up like a regular criminal! In bitter sarcasm, Javan asked himself if later, when it fit the eorl’s convenience, he would come and have Javan beaten like a regular criminal. With how Eodwine had behaved, Javan thought it wouldn’t surprise him. Well, he’d bear it - and pay them all back for it in time. But what may have galled him more than all this being bound and tethered between two trees was that, as Javan was dragged off, Eodwine commended and rewarded Rowenna for her actions – actions that he himself had judged ruthless.

Javan turned his eyes from Eodwine and almost immediately latched onto Thornden. Thornden…the older brother who was Eodwine’s own right hand man. He had not said anything, hadn’t even stepped forward to begin to try to defend his younger brother. He had sat back and, like all the others, simply watched.

As Javan looked at him, Thornden lifted his head and turned toward Javan. Across the long space between them, their eyes met. Javan narrowed his eyes and Thornden could clearly see the pinched, angry look in his face before he turned away again and bent to continue working.

Thornden was silent. The talk that had flowed so freely between everyone before the scene caused by Javan had partially revived, but Thornden took no part in it. Although Javan was not aware of it, Thornden partook of his shame. But unlike the younger brother, Thornden put the blame on Javan and did not consider Eodwine or Rowenna at all wrong.

’Why, Javan?’ he asked inside his head. ‘Why did you do that? You act like an uneducated street urchin who has had no upbringing, not like the son of our father.’
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