"Arrrgh! Fall upon my spear!!", Uruz bellowed! His black hair swinging like a ragged sweat-covered flag on his head as he dodged an axeswing for his brow! His foe was a northern man not unlike him, face red with fury and raised his shoulder to hold back another stab of his foe's speartip, "Hhraaahhhh!! Filthy Hag-spawn!!", the man spat back as his axe swung forward once more!
It was in the marketplace of a village near the eastern eaves of Mirkwood, a scene of violence unfolded there among the small stalls. Many men and women fled, taking up children from the fighting or holding back agitated barking dogs! Apparantly two groups each separately marked, the one had green shouldercloaks.. the others a single line of cow's blood over their right eye! Wunjo partly wiped his line away into a smear over his face, blinking as sweat threatened to blind him, .. in front of him his large brother swung with his weapon left and right, muscles on edge and bleeding from cuts all over their forearms.. "Gafka's boys have grown fat and lazy brother!", Uruz yelled as he stabbed the axeman in the thigh, he immediately fell on his side howling with pain! Wunjo bared his teeth between a smile as another came running at him.. "Good.. I was getting a little stiff too.. haha!"
The man jumped up towards Wunjo with a madness in his eyes that would only be described as going berserk by many of the Free Peoples.. yet the northmen knew better, this man was on the verge of it, but he yet held fear for his life, as any sane man would. A clumsy swing of a club , Wunjo took the hit in the ribs and bent forward , saved only by his siblings' spear finding it's way in the man's neck!
A worried expression came upon the usually dull and disinterested features of the huge man as he laid a hand on Wunjo's shoulder.. "Yes.. I'm fine. Huuu....", he bit his teeth and shut his eyes for a moment afore he dared to breathe again and looked around..
It was an utter mess, the local lord's men came running in, "Seems the thane's men have come brother..", Wunjo said as the shadow of a large well-armored man fell upon him and three were subduing Uruz with some effort.
--
"Final count,
Twelve men dead.. fifteen wounded among which two may not see the passing of the day... and another fifteen taken of the family of Tunaraz..
and
Fourteen dead.. thirteen wounded with five which may not see the passing of the day.. and another nineteen taken hold.
With several which may be of either side able to run for it, .. heads of the hosts step forward.. if these are dead the eldest men come forth and tell your names."
A man with fair braided hair stepped forth.. an intelligent face, not thick of limb, but he was one of the few that had suffered no injury large or small, yet his hammer was dripping red when taken from him. Algiloz he was called.
Next to him Wunjo came forth, with a smug grin perhaps..
And before him sat thane Herubrand, a broad figure, a ponderous brow wrinkled with wisdom, and eyes that stared deep in the spirits of those before him, so he would be described in short perhaps, he seemed displeased, but it only showed by a single twitch on his right eyebrow.. "So then.. the family of Tunaraz, both his sons even.. and Algiloz of ... Gafka Hildeson's tribe? Welcome , welcome, I have heard all about how both your parties seem to repay respects offered to them. Truly I heard from this very hall.. the shouting and screaming as if a pack of wild orks had stormed the palisade. Yet despite mistaking many men have yet died here! Come.. and try to convince me why I should not demand ransom and repayment from your close kin?" He beckoned both with a single hand, they approached the first step of a small stairs leading to the wooden throne of the lord.
"Algiloz, speak..."
The first gesture of the fairhaired man was to point an angry finger at Wunjo, and thus the shouting would begin, " This man and his own.. they fell upon us as we herded our flock inside and came laden with wares from our home, an attempt to steal both our lives and our goods, lord! I was forced to rally my own men and we fended for our very lives!" Herubrand rose a hand to silence the man, "And you.. Tunarazson? What have you to say for yourself?"..
Wunjo stood there a moment, the eyes of all upon him, then he rose a single finger skyward and would reply, "Ah.. yes I told my own to assault him.", and he would continue to smile.. immediately people started to grin and murmuring broke out in the hall around, only those involved in the fighting remained like statues.. Herubrand rose his eyebrows and interlocked his fingers while coming closer with his face, "Ah? .. Care to share with us why you would do such a thing .. in my lands of all places? It must be the reason.. why you confess guilt of manslaughter?" "That is because my lord.. that they are honorless swine.. among whom some have stolen cattle of my family, the sheep and goats they brought here are for a large part our own..."
"A lie!", Algiloz protested!, " His is but a family of common thieves.. and murderers! This man's father was perhaps a great warrior once, but he has grown soft, mean and greedy in his old age and so his sons have grown by his example! My own fam-" .. Herubrand rose his hand once more, "You were not permitted to speak again just yet.", he said annoyed, his eyes went back to Wunjo.. "Is this theft worth it? Drawing weapons within my palisade and destroying the livelihood of many traveling merchants and in no small part have my village be known as a place best avoided?"
"I have said I have fallen upon them my lord, as they were entering, I have not drawn blades within the market here, also it was not with naked iron, but by the fist that we did so! Fell iron was drawn upon our approach and thus we were forced to do the same or to find miserable deaths!"
One of the advisors of the lord would whisper in his ear and a small boy appeared from between the crowd, more whispers from the child came before it ran back to it's mother, "So then.. I just received word that you speak truth.."
Algiloz whitened as Herubrand rose, "Here is my word! Hear and obey! The family of Tunaraz shall repay the damage in cattle or gold, the exact prize to be made by Hathlaf Grimlafson my advisor! For drawing iron first though within my village .. the family of Gaklaf Hildeson shall recompense by offering up half the cattle they have brought here! .. Yet before both shall leave they will swear upon their bloodlines that no weapons of theirs will be drawn within my lands unless in self-defense or when commanded so by their familyheads or I!" ...
..
It took some days to arrange, but thus the fued between the two families had been settled for the time being, on the last day of that week Wunjo and Herubrand shook hands and shared some laughter, the family Tunaraz returned with a sizeable herd of sheep and some goats and their dead laid upon a cart..
