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Eodwine watched the lad try to look and act his best. He remembered many years before, when he had just been sent from home to be counted amongst the Riders of the West Emnet - be for Saruman had begun to do evil and that Ring that caused all the War had as yet been hiding in the Shire - Eodwine recalled how eager he had been to please, to prove himself, even if he had to stumble and fall a few times along the way. He warmed to the lad. Smiling, he placed his right hand on the lad's left shoulder.
"Would you be my ostler then?" Léofric nodded eagerly, eyes wide with hope. "You come with no name that I have heard to tell me who you are; so I will need to test you. You shall have a month to be my ostler. Should all go well, then we shall enfeof you for one year. What say you?" He released the lad's shoulder.
Léofric's face brightened with a big smile. "You will see your stables in good order at the end of the month, lord!"
Eodwine laughed. "So let it be."
Léofric's face grew serious as he eyed the plate of Gudryn at the table nearby where she and Gárwine sat. "Before I begin, might I have a bite to eat? Just a little?"
"Famished, are you?" Eodwine smiled. "Go ask Særyn over yonder to fix you up with a hearty breakfast. I'll not have it said in my hall that my help works overhungry." The lad grinned, shouldered his pack, and went after Særyn. Eodwine turned to Thornden.
"What think you, Thornden?"
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