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The yard became emptier hour by hour as the afternoon turned to an early evening. Stigend and Modtryth had already packed their little camping site consisting of a couple of small linen clothes they had spread to the grass for the food and drink and to sit on. As the little boys had disappeared with their families, Cnebba was left with a boy and a girl who seemed to be in no hurry either. The three children were playing in the great elm that dominated the yard. There seemed to be no figthing or teasing. Just the natural lots of fun the children only are capable of when they are not spoiled by the adults and their twisted ways, Stigend thought to himself looking at the children playing. Both Stigend and Modtryth were feeling comfortable right now, but the idea of meeting the Eorl and asking for a job had slowly creeped into Stigend’s mind making him more worried again as the day was drawing to a close.
They had just decided to call for Cnebba and try to check inside the Mead Hall when the man came and bid them to come in. Stigend took the horse by the reins and started walking her towards the main door as Modtryth went after Cnebba.
“Could I stay here Mummy? We could play more!” Cnebba called to his mother as he noted her intent even before she had opened her mouth. “Oh no, you will come with us right now!” Modtryth called him back with a firm tone. “You know, if they are to give us work from here they will have to see that you also can behave yourself!” she continued, flashing a smile to him and quickly checking Stigend’s expression. For a moment Stigend’s face showed a sudden alarm, but that melted fastly to an amicable but controlled smile basically thrown at Modtryth. But he addressed his son: “You just listen to your mother! And no tricking inside, the Eorl is a great man and has no time for foolery”. The two other children had been following them and now hurried to whisper something to Cnebba’s ear as the Eorl was mentioned. Soon they all giggled heartily. Stigend and Modtryth frowned and smiled to each other at the same time, rolling their heads.
After being out in the open for the whole day, it was relatively dark inside and it took a moment for their eyes to get used to it to actually see something. Stigend sensed that there were several people still at the Hall, but before the Eorl spoke there was a short silence. He knew exactly what that silence meant. They were examined and evaluated by their looks.
"I greet you, goodman and goodwife. You have waited long, it seems. Now is the time to have your say." echoed the Eorl’s steady but already a bit tired voice at last. Stigend found himself more nervous than he had thought he’d be before. The Eorl spoke to them respectingly, but still there was that familiar ring of uncertainty in his voice, as if he was not sure how to treat them.
“My lord.” Stigend and Modtryth both bowed low in front of the Eorl. “Thank you for your kind words sir. But our waiting has been kind of our own choice as we have no case to bring forwards in this Hall. We are here to offer ourselves to your service. My name is Stigend and I’m a carpenter by trade.” Then he turned a little to draw attention to his wife and child. “This is my wife Modtryth and this is our son Cnebba.” Modtryth smiled to him quickly in encouragement as he turned to face the Eorl again.
“We came to Edoras because of the horse fair.” Stigend found himself immediately searching for words as his first address he had thought of the whole afternoon started breaking down. “Then we heard that your Mead Hall is under renovation and thought of...” He was getting desperately conscious of his lack of eloquence.
Suddenly Cnebba broke free from her mother’s hand as Garmund and Lčođern hustled him to join them to something more interesting. Modtryth tried to grasp his hand back and was just getting after the boy as Stigend’s hand took hold of her shoulder. Then she noted it too. The lord Eodwine himself seemed to smile and nodded to the father and mother to let their child go. Or so they both interpreted what they saw. The children ran out from the Hall clearly delighted of their freedom.
Stigend felt relieved by that small gesture of good will towards his child and encouraged himself to finish what he had to say with more confidence. “I master most of the techniques that are used in carpentry. I can do masonry and simple ironworks and have some crude experience in making and using weapons.” He made a small pause and then nodded towards Modtryth. “My wife is handy in any kind of household- and needlework and has even served as a helping hand at building sites.”
Stigend was already taking the step back to show that he was finished when Modtryth elbowed him, hissing through her teeth about the letter of recommendation. Stigend had been a bit embarrased with that letter-thing from the beginning and had hoped he would not have to present it in the end. His idea of the value of a man’s work was the man and his work itself, not the letters written between lords and masters. But as lord Eodwine clearly had noticed this last communication between the two and waited, he had to open his mouth once more.
“I have been given this letter of recommendation from lord Byrthold at whose estate I was working after the fair.” he added a bit shily. He produced the letter from his belt and took a few steps towards the Eorl, offering it to him from respectful distance.
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