[Nogrod]

A messenger from Edoras had broke the news a week ago. A new eorl, lord Athanar son of Hereweald, from a distinguished Rohir family, had been appointed by king Eomer. He and his entourage would come and take over the Mead Hall in a week. All the people on the Mead Hall would be held on as old employees and all the guests would be invited to stay as with lord Eodwine. And the king would send them some gifts to pave their way through the hard times they might meet in the future. The messenger didn't mention the landlords but everyone realised the meaning of the gifts: if there were troubles they wouldn't starve to death the first thing...

"Praised be king Eomer..." was the sentence on everyone's lips even if they were quite worried about what kind of a lord they were to have. Too many of them knew of the corrupted lords of Edoras; the lazy old aristocrats who were more interested in their personal luxury than the well-being of their subjects.

Today they would find it out. Or at least get a grip of what would come...


~~***~~


Captain Coenred rode in front of the convoy with Wulfric and Wilheard. They all wore shining armour and full weaponry. But it was clear they came in peace riding slowly, their backs straight and their posture upright and formal. Behind them came two soldiers flying banners: one flag had the familiar white horse on green but the other one had a white eagle on yellow with crossed staves in the background and two spears right beside them. That was Athanar’s flag, the flag of his family. Everyone in Rohan recognised the white eagle on yellow as the emblem of Aldor’s house. The staves and the two spears were the identification of Athanar’s lineage in relation to the main line.

Following the banners there was Athanar on his beautiful white mare and right behind him his wife Wynflaed and young Aedre on their own horses.

Then there were two more soldiers in their bright coats of mail followed by a wagon of Athanar’s family-items driven by an old and grumpy looking man. By his side there was Lilige, Wynflaed’s maid.

After the first wagon, there were two… three… four… five wagons with drivers and almost two dozen riders to escort the retinue.

~*~

Stigend was looking at the oncoming party with amazement. Like the landlords coming about a month ago these people wore shining armours, bright colours and they looked like coming from a totally different world: a world of wealth, a world of clean clothes, a world of civilisation… Spending their days in the wilderness just working round hours had made the people of Scarburg Hall look dirty and rugged even if they had washed themselves thoroughly to meet their new lord and had put their best clothes on. Stigend glanced backward to find the beaten figure of Erbrand from somewhere among the people waiting. He smiled to himself with the thought of Erbrand trying to look prominent with those bruises and why he reasonably stayed behind.

To his own amazement he kind of understood the scorn of the landlords. The Scarburgians sure looked like workers, like of the class less than the ones with shiny armours… what had that young lord said, "rag-tag"? Even if it was not true in any moral sense of the word, he could see how someone could think like that...

But he did also notice the shine and excitement in the eyes of Cnebba and Garmund standing by his side. He glanced at Garstan over the lads only to confirm he had also noticed the enthusiasm in their young faces. Garstan shrugged and Stigend shook his head as an affirmative answer.

~*~

The party halted to the frontyard and Athanar came forwards from behind Coenred and the flag-carriers.

“Good day to you!” he called from his saddle eyeing the general public around him but soon found Saeryn and Thornden standing in the middle of the crowd a bit forwards from the irregular half-circle the people of the Mead Hall had formed around the two. There was a young red-haired man behind them as differently positioned like the two - and clad in noble robes - but he had no idea on who he was. It can wait… let’s get this over and done with first.

“You must be lady Saeryn?” Looking at Saeryn straight to the eyes he bowed his head deep and kept it down for a good while before raising it again. “My condolences to you milady. I don’t know if you have the latest news but it seems lord Eodwine has not gotten any better in Minast Tirith as far as we know of things a week back from now.”

The people didn’t look surprised for the latest news but Athanar could sense the grievance his words had produced. He let the silence take the yard and waited for a while before continuing.

“I’m Athanar, son of Hereweald, appointed by king Eomer to be the new eorl of Scarburg Mead Hall.” He looked around to see that his words had the desired effect… or if there was any dissatisfaction or other grievances.

“I didn’t know lord Eodwine personally but I have heard about him and know that he was… that he is… a good man”, he corrected. “But king Eomer has seen that the future of this Mead Hall requires full and acting eorlship right now. I have been briefed about your troubles – our troubles – with the local landlords by the king himself and we’ll settle those matters as a first thing. Let me assure you people; the king’s will shall prevail on these quarters of the land as well.”

There was a silence which was broken by lady Saeryn asking for lord Athanar and those he felt should follow him to come inside the Hall.

“Aye lady.” Athanar answered with a nod but then straightenend his back to glance around him – to the people in front of him and to the people of his entourage behind him. “We’ll have time for introductions later today with a modest arrival-banquet… we’ve brought quite a stock of things with us as gifts from king Eomer.”

There were scattered cheers from the people of the Mead Hall and from the convoy. “And we’ll have a lots of beer and wine to go with it this evening…” He continued receiving quite an outstanding support of “ayes“ and “yeses” from both sides.

He silenced the men behind him with a sudden movement of his hand, the Scarburgians saw the effect his hand had on his disciples and went quiet as well.

“Good.” lord Athanar said looking around him quite pleased. “Let me give you my first orders as we have things to do before any banqueting-time.” He looked now straight to Thornden. “You must be Thornden then? Your qualities have been praised to me in Edoras. I’m looking forwards to working with you…” Thornden nodded cordially as to accept the formal words of good-will.

“Appoint your stable-master to see after out horses. Hilderinc here will be on charge of that on our side” he waved to the bearer of his own eagle-banner behind him. “Fourteen of them will head back tomorrow as they are from Edoras’ town guard only to escort us and our convoy here, so you might wish to arrange things accordingly.” He made a short pause but did raise his eyebrows seeing Thornden waving at Leof… but he didn’t say anything.

“Then the other carriages… The first one has the belongings of my family and they should be unloaded into our personal quarters. Lilige here, the maid of my fair wife Wynflaed, will advise your men with them.” He nodded towards Lilige sitting on the first cart.

“On the next two wagons there are food supplies that should be delivered to the kitchens and your craftsmen should be interested in the two last wagons. They should all be unloaded immediately so that we can get the men and the beasts to rest.” He turned back to Thornden. “Who’s the main cook?”

“She’s Frodides, here.” Thornden waved towards Frodides who nodded proudly but minimally.

“Let’s see a welcome feast for tonight then Frodides. But for us all… work first.” He hesitated a moment but then added: “A pint of beer to everyone as soon as the horses are taken care of and the carts are unloaded.” With that he unmounted while nodding to Wynflaed to follow him as he got down. “Coenred, Wulfric, Wilheard… follow us…” Glancing upwards to his daughter he said in a more soft tone: “Aedre darling… go with uncle Fulcher.” He gave a hearty smile to his youngest child and to the old man on the cart. “Hilderinc! After you get it with the horses see things done out here! And some decent lodgings for the men…”

“Aye lord! Done!” The man with the family-banner yelled back.

Athanar glanced at Coenred as to ask with his eyes whether Coen would need to stay behind and check Hilderinc was up to the organising task. He was new to his household anyway. But Coenred shook his head and then nodded smiling. Athanar replied with a nod and walked towards the main doors of the Mead Hall.

Coming closer to the two he addressed them shortly.. “lady Saeryn... Thornden. We have a lot to talk… This way, I presume?”

Saeryn nodded to lord Athanar and glanced at Thornden and Degas.


~*~

They went inside the Mead Hall that had gotten quite a facelift since the landlords visited. It was almost completed and looked quite impressive – even if still a bit under construction. The smell of fresh wood and newly hacked stone betrayed the novelty of the place. But lord Athanar nodded approvingly after studying the place for a moment on the doorway before walking straight to the eorl’s chair at the end of the Hall and setting himself into it.

There was a long table in front of the eorl’s chair and the others sat themselves around it. Coenred, Wynflaed, Wulfric and Wilheard on the other side; Saeryn and Degas on the other.

Ginna and Modtryth served them a round of ale and went back to aid in the kitchen.

They had tasted the ale in silence when Thornden finally rushed in after dealing out orders and organising the work outside. He sat at the side of Saeryn and Degas.

Lord Athanar looked at all the people around the table and took a sip from his pint before opening his mouth to start things in earnest.

“So my friends, we need turn this into a real Mead Hall. I need to know all you can tell me about these landlords and on the advancement of the building efforts; of the staff you have here and of any problems or shortages we might have. But first you should meet my wife Wynflaed, my sons Wulfric and Wilheard and my precious right hand man Coenred.” The people nodded to each other over the table while lord Athanar mentioned the names.

Lord Athanar turned to look at the Mead Hall people after taking another sip of the ale. “I think I know you are lady Saeryn and you are Thornden, lord Eodwine’s second in command. I’m pleased to meet you… But who might you be then?” lord Athanar addressed Degas looking at him with curiosity. “I was not told in Edoras there was a third caretaker of the Mead Hall while lord Eodwine was away.”