Thus after breakfast Meadwine, Meadowyn, and Aegaldred were prepared to take their leave. Their swords were in their sheaths, their green cloaks were held upon their shoulders by their brooches, and were mindful of their passage ahead. However Meadwine was silent, the earlier displeasure was still lingering on him and it was by then when their younger sisters had returned. They were all standing outside the door of their house and greeted one another with smiles, "You are going, Eggy!?" asked Freowena cheerfully, "Yea, I go to the Riddermark!" He said with confidence. Immediately Meowlfre and Freowena cheered together and embraced Aegaldred.
Meanwhile Meadowyn spoke out: "Girls, Meadwine has aught that he wishes to say to you," and then Meadwine frowned, the grumpy look on his face only become grumpier as he struggled to speak, "Forgive my behaviour of late, sisters." He said with difficulty, but the two held no grudge and went to embrace him as well.
However the morning was passing quickly and it was time they all had bid farewell with a group hug, mentioning to one another how many they will miss them; giving their well wishes and good hopes for their journey, with all hope that they would stay safe. They were all pleasant and happy, and them the riders went for the stables. Freowena and Meowlfre stood at the door, waiting to watch them off and one by one their horses came trotting from the stables around the corner with their riders upon them and halted in a line near their home. The passing guardsmen gazed upon the riders with both bafflement and suspicion; perish the thought that random townspeople would linger on tall horses and donned shinning armour as if it were a normal every day thing to behold. For indeed their mail glittered in the morning sun and a smile could not be held from their faces.
"Behold, brothers," Said Meadowyn, "the day is in our favour and the road before us is clear. Make no mistake, dangerous paths lie that may claim our lives ere we reach the Riddermark lie before us. I will take what chances I must, for I will no longer be stayed from my home and family." And they smiled hopefully, "Westu hál!" exclaimed Freowena and Meowlfre waving to their siblings as they spurred on their horses towards the gate of Bree, leaving their little home where they spent many months in the hands of their younger sisters.
THE END
