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littlemanpoet · 03-15-2005, 03:30 PM

Ædegard

Ædegard woke with the sun. He would have mended the fire, but that was proving unnecessary these days, with the Elves never sleeping. How could they get by that way? He walked away from the camp to relieve himself. Oh, to be an Elf. Nay! He would have none of it. He was happy to be Rohirrim, happy to have troth with a Rohirric lass as beautiful and sweet-hearted as Leafa. Ar-ge-leafa. The name was slightly odd, perhaps archaic. Ar meant honor or worth; ge usually meant action in the past; leaf was clear enough; and a was feminine. Best as he could make it out in his own rough way, her name seemed to mean something like Leafed honor, or Worthily leafed; silly; he shook his head in frustration, then thought once more: lass of the best leaves. Yes! He liked that one. It fit her.

When he returned to camp, Leafa was sitting near the fire, warming and chafing her hands. He sat down by her right side.

"Good morning, lass of the best leaves. How did you sleep?"

A smile grew on her lips. "I slept well, though not as long as I would have wished." She turned to him. "My Da called me that."

"Then I was right! 'Tis the meaning of your name, I think."

"And yours? What does Ædegard mean?"

"Lucked spear, or lucked warrior."

"Oh!" Leafa looked somewhat discomfited.

"Fear not, dear Leafa," Ædegard said in humbled tones, "I am no warrior, and fool to think I could have been. I am a one handed wainwright." Leafa relaxed. He brightened. "But with you by my side, I could become a three handed wainwright! I could teach you the craft. Why did I never think of it?" Leafa was looking even more discomfited than at first. "But I should ask you. Do you think you would like to learn something of the craft?"

"I - I do not know. I know nothing of such things. I fear I would be a burden to you."

"You, a burden to me? Never. Not ever. You are the warmth of my heart."

Leafa smiled at him gratefully, and lay her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her, which did not work as well as he would have liked, since it was handless. Leafa did not seem to mind that; and Ædegard was grateful in his turn.

At length he said, "I have been thinking, Leafa, that my part in this quest may be finished. I do not know for sure. What think you?"

03-15-2005, 03:30 PM	#671
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,072	Morning in the camp Ædegard Ædegard woke with the sun. He would have mended the fire, but that was proving unnecessary these days, with the Elves never sleeping. How could they get by that way? He walked away from the camp to relieve himself. Oh, to be an Elf. Nay! He would have none of it. He was happy to be Rohirrim, happy to have troth with a Rohirric lass as beautiful and sweet-hearted as Leafa. Ar-ge-leafa. The name was slightly odd, perhaps archaic. Ar meant honor or worth; ge usually meant action in the past; leaf was clear enough; and a was feminine. Best as he could make it out in his own rough way, her name seemed to mean something like Leafed honor, or Worthily leafed; silly; he shook his head in frustration, then thought once more: lass of the best leaves. Yes! He liked that one. It fit her. When he returned to camp, Leafa was sitting near the fire, warming and chafing her hands. He sat down by her right side. "Good morning, lass of the best leaves. How did you sleep?" A smile grew on her lips. "I slept well, though not as long as I would have wished." She turned to him. "My Da called me that." "Then I was right! 'Tis the meaning of your name, I think." "And yours? What does Ædegard mean?" "Lucked spear, or lucked warrior." "Oh!" Leafa looked somewhat discomfited. "Fear not, dear Leafa," Ædegard said in humbled tones, "I am no warrior, and fool to think I could have been. I am a one handed wainwright." Leafa relaxed. He brightened. "But with you by my side, I could become a three handed wainwright! I could teach you the craft. Why did I never think of it?" Leafa was looking even more discomfited than at first. "But I should ask you. Do you think you would like to learn something of the craft?" "I - I do not know. I know nothing of such things. I fear I would be a burden to you." "You, a burden to me? Never. Not ever. You are the warmth of my heart." Leafa smiled at him gratefully, and lay her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her, which did not work as well as he would have liked, since it was handless. Leafa did not seem to mind that; and Ædegard was grateful in his turn. At length he said, "I have been thinking, Leafa, that my part in this quest may be finished. I do not know for sure. What think you?" Last edited by littlemanpoet; 03-15-2005 at 03:35 PM.