“Anything I can do to help, sir?” came a shy gruff voice from the doorway. Eodwine turned and saw Léof, and smiled. But the boy was greedily clutching at the cup, and Eodwine brought his eyes and thought back to the boy, making sure he didn't choke. As he aided the boy, he wondered if he had indeed seen a skulking shadow behind Léof.
Who might be trying to hide in a Mead Hall corridor in the first hours of the day? He shrugged, lay the boy's head back down on the pillow, and gently released the cup from his grasping, boney hands. Eodwine looked over his shoulder.
"Come, Léof." He hobbled toward the bed. "You seem no worse for wear."
"I'm all right, so long as I have say in the stables."
Eodwine nodded. "When Æðel comes, she will see to the boy's care. If she asks for Hrethil the Healer, I'd like you to take to horse and go to Meduseld and ask for him."
"Aye, I can do that." The young man's brows worked.
"Something else?"
"This boy. Will he-" Léof was apparently at a loss for words.
"Aye, I think he'll be well. But is that all?"
"Well, no. Those two boys who came with their horse trading father. They stayed in the stables all night and they were noisier than is seemly. All night, or late into the black hours."
Eodwine nodded. Here was information he needed and so far had not gotten. It was not his way to seek out bad word against another, and he had no plans to start such hunting. But, as Eorl, he was now beginning to wonder if he did not need to have his folk be his ears and eyes as well as ostler, hostess, guard, steward, and reeve. He would have to think more on that. Since Léof had offered some word, he took thought to test his hunching and see what came of it.
"What do you make of them? .... boys and father?"
Intro to Eorling Mead Hall rpg