[Arry]

Skald stood quickly, knocking over his chair as he did so. His gaze pivoted from Riv to Unna and back again to his brother. ‘I . . . I can hardly think what to answer you . . . either of you.’ He pulled out a chair for Unna then righted his own and sat down heavily. His faced was flushed; the tips of his ears crimsoned with confusion and awkwardness.

‘Nay, nay! You’re surely no sack of oats!’ He blushed again, but stammered on. ‘It’s Riv that will have to tell you what he saw near the Elven city, Unna,’ he began, pulling on his beard as he collected his thoughts. ‘It was something terrible though . . . really terrible, it must have been . . . for him to say such things and ask such questions.’ He paused for a moment, then looked squarely at his brother.

‘First let me say this . . . nothing is going to happen to you . . . nothing . . . you hear me!’ Skald’s had risen to a distressed tone. ‘But for your peace of mind . . . and for mine, because I know you’ll hound me til you get the answer you seek . . . I swear I’ll do as you ask . . . as best I can . . . and as Unna allows,’ he added, looking toward her.

He ended with a sigh, seeing Riv nod to him. ‘Mayhap you two should discuss this in private,’ nodding at the both of them. In a hollow effort to lighten the heavy atmosphere in the room, he pointed to the mucky footsteps Riv had made on the kitchen floor. ‘And perhaps you can persuade my brother to clean himself up a bit . . .’

With a tired grunt Riv rose from his seat and offered a begrimed hand to Unna. She took it, with a hard look at him, and bringing it up to her, rested her cheek against it for a moment, a look of pain and puzzlement in her eyes.

Skald watched them as they left the room. He got up, too, and walking to the sink, poured out his mug of tea. A few steps to his right and he brought down the skin of ale that hung on the wall. With a shaking hand, he poured one mug of it and downed it in one gulp. Pouring another, he brought it and the skin back to the table.

‘Mahal take the dark demon and all his Orcs!’ he rasped out. He emptied his mug again and slammed it down on the table. Another mugful was poured, the foam from it running over the sides to puddle on the table . . .