"So be Habuk's hail!", chieftain Hvildhafli yelled while he raised a drinking horn before his folk in the hall. Habuk noticed the rich bronze adornments worked unto it. Habuk and his companions were all seated around the fire and were given as it befits welcomed guests, drink, warm food and fresh clothing. They enjoyed themselves and already a few whistles to the servant girls flew around the hall and songs of cheer rose up. "So, you and yours follow a gang of orks, while warning what villages in your vicinity about the increase of their numbers. Noble." "Yes, lord, they are with many and lay everything to waste that they meet on their paths, wether leading or being led by easterlings is unknown at the time. Thus far it has proven unclear who holds the rule over them." At that moment, Habuk then had expected to show proof, thus far not a single chieftain or thane had cared to pay them much heed without it. A bag stinking of oils was given to him by Chauck, his second in the lead. Hvildhafli rose his hand, "No need, I have my own sources which prove more than enough by themselves that you are not lying to me in my own hall. Nothing that you could show would convince me more than I am already, haha!" Habuk seemed surprised, this man did not seem too bright, or not at all possessing all his senses anymore if he ever had. He was relieved that he did not have to go through the tedious word-spinning at the least, but this man seemed overly trusting alltogether, naive even. Or.. maybe something had happened in these parts, that would be not surprising either. Maybe they had seen the horde pass by themselves? He asked with care, "A courier has come with news?" The hall became quiet. ".....Yes.", Hvildhafli answered rather rude and cold.
He drank from his horn, "Skol!!", sounded through the silence like a thunderclap in a grey sky. Many snapped out of their own thoughts and echoed it before they drank themselves. Some with more cheer than others. Orange mead dripped from old teeth and cracked lips and Habuk was of the idea now that this man should long have given up his position for his sons. His eyes searched the hall and he saw the coolness of the villagers. He was surprised at the way they behaved. The walls were tall and sturdy. Surrounded with pitts full of stakes, the warriors had for a large part swords even! If that alone should not be reason enough to instill more pride than pulling such long and distant faces for no apparant reason, would it not be the stone houses that he saw along the stone-paved roads, (indications of great wealth and perhaps trade with Dale in the south-east or the fabled dwarves of the north) that gave them cause to be more joyous? Sure it was war now, but he had seen more fiery spirit in far less fortified and smaller villages. Could it be that they had gained their wealth from raiding in the east.. or somewhere closer?
He kept looking around, the knotworks in the wood depicting animals or the tapestries showing the history of this hall ..nothing of it he found uncommon in particular. Perhaps the sheer plenty of it all was something that made him uneasy, for all ill and good it would bring. He was born in the woods and he had lived there, most at home would be disgusted by such a wide and frivolous display of wealth perhaps. He decided these people may just be too used to the comforts they have and are grim due the decrease in trade to add even more to this senseless amount. He decided , despite the richly laden table, to eat only a bite or two. Drinking only from a jug of milk. His companions on the other hand gobbled down what they could and drank freely, the weeks of living on dried fruit and meat made the pheasant and buck seem worth more than gold, for indeed they had no eye on the rest of the hall.
The evening began to lengthen, it was after the second poet and the third musician and another speech of hearing on how welcomed they were that he began to lose patience. He shouted in the midst of a song, "My lord!" "May I ask if you would lend me some of your men to come to my aid? For surely they look skilfull and mighty!" Hvildhafli allowed the music to be dimmed with a gesture. "You already ask much of me. He who has gotten so many gifts already, yet I shall forgive you! See, you were indeed correct to assume that a courier came to me and he also spoke with worry about warbands. As you did yourself in essence. Still I ask of you; which wealth shall be given to me by you if I come to your aid?" "Greedy old piggart.", Chauck thought privately in that short moment of clairvoyance in his drunken mind. Habuk merely looked up, "Is the safety of your people not reason enough then?" .. "You are a young fool if that is what you believe you could offer. It is not even within your power to do so even after all orks and easterlings would be gone from these lands." Habuk's companions nudged eachother and those that still could tried to listen into the conversation.
Hvildhafli rose up from his seat, "Since years my warriors fight, there are no two women in this hall that have not atleast lost one son or daughter by the sword to defend my lands!", the man's thoughts turned inwards for a moment and as his head rose again to speak so did his eyes burn, "I am getting old..and I have no sons that could follow me with dignity. Will our enemies be gone when I am? No! And I have been offered the chance to use the power that I never had before the erase them ere they can threaten this town, which I spent my entire life to build back from when it was hardly worthy to be called a hovel!", then he cackled and pointed at Habuk! "And you come to take this chance from me?! Try to convince me with noble ideals that would hasten my doom and that of my people?!" Habuk rose up as realization came over him and he cried out, with a white hot fury, "You are the one behind these massacres!?" "Ha! It seeps into your skull!", the old man set his horn aside especially to applaud the young man, "You could have known." Habuk then remembered in an instant the burned down village. "Those in the halls.. they weren't hewn down." "Indeed! Surely, many could have led the easterlings and orcs around the country, but then again my mark is left in that our sacred traditions are still held high. As you can see, even such vile forces can be used to do good, when kept in line.", the chieftain took up his horn again and swayed on his feet with glee. "Untold numbers of women and children were strewn amongst the ruins of their own homes as food for crows.", Habuk said, realizing the deadly cold calculation behind Hvildhafli's actions. The man sat himself down and answered, "And many more will follow. But come on, I see that you and yours have need of rest after the long painfull journeys and the feasting from my table. I offer you yet another gift despite your tone of voice! My room for special guests of the highest order!" At this came guards from all sides to grab Habuk and his companions!
A short fight broke out, but quickly, too quickly they were overpowered. Their drunkeness and bloated bellies now holding them down. They were tossed in an old hall. They yelled and cursed at the door that was being locked behind them. Habuk and his eagles were caged.
