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Folwren · 03-13-2007, 11:37 AM

Javan was once more the first one out of bed and away to the stables. He was up almost as early as he had been the previous morning. He dressed quickly and silently and went out. Lèof was up before him again, but this morning, instead of cleaning out a stall, Javan found him saddling a horse.

“'Morning, Javan,” Lèof said, “Go in and get Falco’s pony’s saddle. It’s the smallest one in there.” Javan almost stopped to ask him why they were preparing horses so early for riding, but he stopped himself before speaking and turned to obey first. As he came out with the saddle in both arms, he asked.

“Why are we getting the pony ready? And that horse? Who’s riding out so soon?”

“Lord Eodwine and Falco are going with the twins somewhere. Hurry up and saddle the pony. He’s ready.” He nodded towards the little horse as his hands busied themselves on Flíthaf’s girth.

Together, they finished preparing the horses for riding and then led them out. Eodwine and Falco with Lefun and Ritun were coming out of the hall. Eodwine quietly thanked them and took the reins. The two boys watched the company of four leave the courtyard before turning back and setting to work in the stables. After perhaps an hour, they heard the sound of hooves in the courtyard. Javan was closest to the door and he dodged outside to see who it was.

The man mounted on the horse slowly brought his steed to a stop. Javan hurried forward to take the reins and hold the horse still while the man dismounted. Javan looked silently at him with wide eyes, for he moved slowly and painfully.

“Thank you, my lad,” the man said. Javan nodded and offered a small smile. The man smiled back briefly and then turned to go into the hall. Javan took the reins down from the hore’s neck and led him into the stables.

“Lèof! We’ve a new horse to tend to!”

---

Thornden

Thornden awoke alone in his room and went down to breakfast. He was not surprised when Eodwine and the other three were not at the hall. Eodwine had told him the night before that he would be leaving early.

Thornden got his breakfast together and went out to take a seat. He ate alone that morning, and he ate quickly. He wanted to check on Javan that morning to make sure that all was well. As he had lain on his bed the previous evening, trying to sleep, he had thought more of the conversation that had taken place at the dinner table. Perhaps the short disagreement that took place there meant more than it first appeared. Were the two boys getting along together? Was Javan too much of a burden to Lèof? Was he too young for the job? These were questions he would have to ask Lèof.

He had scarcely finished eating and was just rising from the table when a new figure entered from the main door. Thornden looked up at him and nodded in greeting. Something about the man’s face told Thornden that he knew him, or at least recognized him. But his name...?

“A pint of the house, please,” the man said as he seated himself.

Thornden nodded and at once moved to fetch it, taking in his breakfast dishes as he did so. A military man, obviously. Thornden had seen the weariness about the man. But even with that weariness he carried himself with that unmistakable uprightness of a soldier.

“Fordides, we have a guest,” he said, as way to explain his appearance in her kitchen. “He wants a pint of mead.” Fordides silently filled the order and handed the mug to Thornden to carry out. Thornden took it mutely and hardly saw her.

Why was he thinking officer? Captain. . .General. . .General. . . Thornden entered the hall again and looked up at the worn face, the bright eyes looked up at him as he entered and Thornden dearly dropped the cup. General Hama, of course! Of course? More like, of course not. How could it be? Thornden had only seen him once or twice and that was over a year ago while he was still part of the guard. Since then, their paths had never crossed, except when Thornden saw him ride out with his company of men. Then, he had been missing for weeks, perhaps months.

Thornden placed the full mug on the table before the general. “Sir,” he said quietly as the man reached for the mug. “Will you need anything more?”

03-13-2007, 11:37 AM	#708
Folwren Messenger of Hope Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a tiny, insignificant little town in one of the many States. Posts: 5,122	Javan Javan was once more the first one out of bed and away to the stables. He was up almost as early as he had been the previous morning. He dressed quickly and silently and went out. Lèof was up before him again, but this morning, instead of cleaning out a stall, Javan found him saddling a horse. “'Morning, Javan,” Lèof said, “Go in and get Falco’s pony’s saddle. It’s the smallest one in there.” Javan almost stopped to ask him why they were preparing horses so early for riding, but he stopped himself before speaking and turned to obey first. As he came out with the saddle in both arms, he asked. “Why are we getting the pony ready? And that horse? Who’s riding out so soon?” “Lord Eodwine and Falco are going with the twins somewhere. Hurry up and saddle the pony. He’s ready.” He nodded towards the little horse as his hands busied themselves on Flíthaf’s girth. Together, they finished preparing the horses for riding and then led them out. Eodwine and Falco with Lefun and Ritun were coming out of the hall. Eodwine quietly thanked them and took the reins. The two boys watched the company of four leave the courtyard before turning back and setting to work in the stables. After perhaps an hour, they heard the sound of hooves in the courtyard. Javan was closest to the door and he dodged outside to see who it was. The man mounted on the horse slowly brought his steed to a stop. Javan hurried forward to take the reins and hold the horse still while the man dismounted. Javan looked silently at him with wide eyes, for he moved slowly and painfully. “Thank you, my lad,” the man said. Javan nodded and offered a small smile. The man smiled back briefly and then turned to go into the hall. Javan took the reins down from the hore’s neck and led him into the stables. “Lèof! We’ve a new horse to tend to!” --- Thornden Thornden awoke alone in his room and went down to breakfast. He was not surprised when Eodwine and the other three were not at the hall. Eodwine had told him the night before that he would be leaving early. Thornden got his breakfast together and went out to take a seat. He ate alone that morning, and he ate quickly. He wanted to check on Javan that morning to make sure that all was well. As he had lain on his bed the previous evening, trying to sleep, he had thought more of the conversation that had taken place at the dinner table. Perhaps the short disagreement that took place there meant more than it first appeared. Were the two boys getting along together? Was Javan too much of a burden to Lèof? Was he too young for the job? These were questions he would have to ask Lèof. He had scarcely finished eating and was just rising from the table when a new figure entered from the main door. Thornden looked up at him and nodded in greeting. Something about the man’s face told Thornden that he knew him, or at least recognized him. But his name...? “A pint of the house, please,” the man said as he seated himself. Thornden nodded and at once moved to fetch it, taking in his breakfast dishes as he did so. A military man, obviously. Thornden had seen the weariness about the man. But even with that weariness he carried himself with that unmistakable uprightness of a soldier. “Fordides, we have a guest,” he said, as way to explain his appearance in her kitchen. “He wants a pint of mead.” Fordides silently filled the order and handed the mug to Thornden to carry out. Thornden took it mutely and hardly saw her. Why was he thinking officer? Captain. . .General. . .General. . . Thornden entered the hall again and looked up at the worn face, the bright eyes looked up at him as he entered and Thornden dearly dropped the cup. General Hama, of course! Of course? More like, of course not. How could it be? Thornden had only seen him once or twice and that was over a year ago while he was still part of the guard. Since then, their paths had never crossed, except when Thornden saw him ride out with his company of men. Then, he had been missing for weeks, perhaps months. Thornden placed the full mug on the table before the general. “Sir,” he said quietly as the man reached for the mug. “Will you need anything more?”