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Kara had hardly sat down since the end of the sack fight. Throughout all of the quarterstaff battles she was on her feet cheering on all the competitors - though one in particular. She hadn't had a chance to see Erbrand before the fight, there had been too many people clustered around her congratulating her still on the sack fight victory, and when she had seen him he had been talking to Thornden. Assuming that since the two spoke rarely the conversation must be important she had left them to it. Neither had she been able to see him after the fight, and this had concerned her a little. Whether he had won or lost Erbrand had always returned to her side so far and yet now he seemed to have entirely disappeared.
"He cannot feel ashamed of being beaten," she thought as she stretched up on her toes to try and catch sight of him above the crowd, "after all he was against Thornden, a trained soldier. To have got as far as he did is an achievement!"
She had almost made up her mind to go and search for him when Eodwine's proposal and Saeryn's acceptance drove all other thoughts entirely from her mind. The happiness on the faces of those she considered friends warmed Kara's heart, and she dared to hope that one day her happiness might be as certain as theirs seemed to be.
"Kara, what does all this mean? Are the eorl and Saeryn to be married?"
The voice from behind her made Kara jump, but she laughed in recognition even before she turned to see her questioner's face.
"Erbrand!" She cried. "Now where have you been? It must have been an important errand to miss all this excitement." Without waiting for an answer she rushed on. "Yes the Eorl and Saeryn are indeed to be married by the end of the day! A fitting end to the celebrations don't you think?"
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