Scarburg Meadhall

[Groin Redbeard]

Thornden seemed annoyed in his voice. Lithor was very surprised to see that Wynflaed had acted so promptly on the situation, she had startled him far more than the young man’s oncoming fist (Lithor still had not caught the young men’s names). Lithor watched for a moment as the men obediently trotted after their mother and then turned his attention to Thornden and addressed him formally.

“Certainly not, Master Thornden. Crabannan is in no way responsible for my actions. Indeed, he came here to prevent a fight but arrived too late. I am to blame for this fight.”

“Tell me what happened.” Thornden asked. Lithor was quiet and stood straight at attention as if to expect an order or rather a judgment.

It may seem strange to hear Lithor, who had almost been in rage and indignation with his two unknown opponents, suddenly turn and defend them by remaining silent. The answer is simple: being now twice accused of treason in one night he had better start acting like a soldier. The consequence of his actions had finally begun to sink in. Decades of training, long forgotten under Eodwine’s rule, were beginning take hold. Lithor had been more like a guard than an actual soldier under Eodwine. Now that Lithor had come into contact with a lord who was true soldier, his mind began to draw its nourishment not from everyday working life, but from training and years of unquestionable obedience.

However, Lithor was troubled that if he took the better part of the blame the accusation that the men will bring against Thornden might be believable. Lithor was not optimistic with two of his lord’s sons about to testify to their father, he hardly expected Athanar to be a fair judge in this case. What mattered was keeping Crabannan’s (who had already been in hot water with Lithor) and Thornden’s reputations clean.

“I will not defend my actions, sir, but I think that you should know that these young men are out to slander your good name. They are accusing you of treason as well, sir.” Lithor was still standing at attention but he noticed that Wynflaed had joined them.

He hated to be gawked at and examined like some horse at a fair. Athanar’s words rang in his ears: court jest, start acting like a soldier, should know better. This is precisely why Lithor liked Eodwine’s rule: everyone was their own man adhering to a common law—that was a working man’s life, a peace time life. All that had vanished so fast today. Still, Lithor would do his duty and start being more obedient. Lithor swore allegiance to his lord; however, his conscience would remain his own.