Redwick walked with the head of an orc in his left hand, thinking his job complete and every pile of hay checked. He was wrong. For there was a sudden a swift ruffling sound in a bay of hay and out came an orc swinging his blade at Redwick who had heard the noise just in time to move himself out of the length of the orc's swing and when the blade passed Redwick's unsheathed and cut off the orc's hand, and the orc cried in a fell voice, drawing the attention of farmers nearby and Redwick had a sudden fury that was very seldom seen in his eyes as he cornered the defenseless orc. He aimed his blade at the orc's neck and said:
"A folly attempt to slay me, and I have had enough of you cut-throats. Are you unnumbered? Of whither come you? Tell me or your head shall be the next thing that I remove! Nay, you shall not answer me, not even for your own life. But I tell you this: Go to your master and tell him that Redwick son of Ceobrand has returned a useless servant to him. And take your friend with you!"
And then he tossed the head at the frightened orc who stooped to pick it up and at that moment Redwick considered removing his head, but he stayed himself and turned his back as the orc fled as swift as he could. There were murmurs amongst the gathered farmers and soldiers regarding Redwick's ways that day, but he humoured none of them and went on with his day and there was a grim look in his face till the end of it.
