It was a chilly night and the stars were almost disappeared. At dawn, there was a struggle within the éored camp. The riders were bustling about with saddles, ashen spears, swords of steel and iron and green shields with axes, preparing themselves for the next patrol over the plains covering several crofts within the Wold.
Among them, there was Agnahan, a weathered and experienced scout who joined the éored few weeks ago, and Ysmired, a mounted archer who enlisted to the patrol and Eirveth, a keen shieldmaiden.
As a habit, Régnwald greeted his horse and leaped on it with a lithe move, observing the riders with a stern look.
Soon enough, the patrol consisting of torwardas and mærcwardas were ready to set off. He pulled the reins of his steed toward the horsemen who were standing behind him on a straight line, and mægisterwigend at his side. The patrol leader turned to give the order, ''Horsemen! Are you ready to ride out?'' he asked in a fierce tone.
The horsemen held their spears tight to them as reply.
Æthelwigend kicked the side of his steed lightly, making it to move on a pace, cantering. So the ride began.
Few hours passed and the sun was about to fulfill his daily task to half finish the day.
Régnwald rode ahead, cantering and checked his steed wheeling, and coming charging round, he raised his spear, giving the order to head back towards the crofts.
A middle-aged peasant man stared at the riders approaching and he would stride towards them with distressed look, after thrusting his fork deep into the hay stack.
Régnwald would halt his horse by the stables of the crofts and glance down at the peasant, replying his worried and desperate look with a brief, stout nod. ‘’Wes thu Hal!'’ he would exclaim, eyeing him curiously.
Peasant bowed his head to them, ‘’Wes hāl, riders of Théoden King.’’ He would clear his throat, stepping closer ‘’Wish you were here on time and see the horrible affair occurred here.’’ he continued on a low tone, grumbling.
Régnwald looked at him with renewed wonder, hardening his eyes, ‘’What happened?’’ he asked, flashing a worried glance at the mægisterwigend at his side.
Peasant man answered quickly, not caring about the accuracy of his words, ‘’Ruffians and poachers… they came in the night, and stole our cattles. They had told father that they would, but my old good man didn’t care ‘bout ‘em, I was restless, I knew they would, and they did.’’ the desperate man finished his words.
Maegisterwigend Elbrand listened to his words raising a quick brow and feeling restless inside, yet his cold eyes remained his firmness. ‘’Did you see them leave?’'
The man nodded, ‘’They headed to north-west, and they were on foot, they can’t be so far.’’
Régnwald asked, ''What is your name?''
'’Ulfric, son of Ulfmar, my lord.’’ the man replied.
'We will find your cattles, Ulfric, son of Ulfmar and will bring them back to you, that is my word.'' and Régnwald gave his word to the man as a sign of confidence, before checking his steed, making it to turn round towards the hills along the northwest, and he gave the order,
''To northwest, head-on!''
The tracks kept going through the west, it was easy for the mærcwardas who were riding ahead to explore the area, to find the path, torwardas were following them with their heavy horses. The riders crested the hill with their ash hafted spears held high, pennants fluttering from their metal shod tips, and finally brigand camp was at sight down the hill and they halted. With a quick order,
Agnahan exclaimed, ''Mærcwardas, to me!'' then six scouts followed his lead, rounding the camp with their light steeds from a distance.
Soon they returned. ''Agnahan! How many?'' one of the horseman called.
''Fourty, no fifty more!'' he replied, gaspingly. The riders looked one another, gulping.
''Learn the difference! We must hasten our hunt n'er none be left alive!'' Régnwald cried.
Horsemen began to talk among themselves, ''Aye, these are our cattles, and no worm shall take it!''
The brigands trembled upon hearing a familiar horn sounded in clear daylight and they all hurried for a dire matter, reaching for their weapons to arm themselves with grievous, panicking expressions from each. Some of them were out of the tents and some were just leaving, and voices of the pounding hooves echoed through the wind as the riders entered the camp with astonishing speed, axes, spears and arrows flying through the air.
Soon enough the galloping noises and cries of the horsemen were replied with the sound of struggling as the brigands charged towards the riders from all directions with grim ambition, seeing their number was lesser than expected. The ruffians plunged upon the riders with daggers, rusty swords and spears to lay their bodies on the pale ground. The combat continued, more than a dozen of brigand lay dead or heavily injured by blade, spear, arrow or horse's hooves. Whilst the remaining brigands continued to fight on melee, the others were running to a higher ground, equipped with bow and arrows. Mostly aiming for the steeds, they began to release the arrows, flanking the riders until their wish to prevail succeeded.
Régnwald's eyes stood wide and his face was haunted, alike to those of his kinsmen amongst him.
"Die and so will your children!", an éorling yelled as he hacked with his sword!
The brittle courage of these ruffians began to waver.
Eirveth cried, ''Forth Eorlingas!'' and swinged her sword of steel, cutting through the guts of the filthy men.
Ysmired confronted the archers on the slope with his arrows.
Agnahan, leading some three riders at his side, rode towards the ruffians and knocked them down, thrusting their spears deep.
As the area was clean from the ruffians, the chieftain came forward with around two dozens of men on horseback clad in shining mail armor of some éored. He'd give a smug smirk ''Riders in the Limlight were not as harsh or swift as you that they met their ends!'' he spoke in a cherished tone.
Régnwald's eyes were maddened with war-rage, at that moment, he stood pale and lost on his thoughts, and he stared ahead, his green eyes were hard and visage grim beneath his plumed helm. His thoughts were dark on this bright morning.
''Attack!'' the brigand commander ordered, and kicked the side of his horse, making it to move after the rest.
Régnwald raised his spear, aiming for the chieftain, though his spot were too untoward for that, as he was already surrounded by several fighters.
He tossed his spear to shieldmaiden Eirveth, who was over a slope away from the foes.
The shieldmaiden grabbed the spear and hardened her eyes like an eagle after its prey then threw the spear to the chieftain, letting out a vivid war-cry. And the spear went deep into the chest of him, before he fell dead from the horse.
Régnwald ordered, ''Riders, head-on!'' and they slew the rest with a mighty charge.
From their tents, the smoke was going up through the air. The horsemen were still at the camp, some were healing their wounds while some were keeping the watch over the area. Eirveth was ordered to gather the cattles over the hill they gathered before the charge.
Régnwald was roaming on horseback, within the camp with Agnahan and Ysmired at his side. Soon after, his eyes caught the view of a hidden cave entrance beneath the high rock. He leaped from his steed, giving his spear to a rider at his side and paced over to the cave.
It was rather dark inside, pacing ahead they noticed few torches embed on the walls. This was the place where they kept the supplies. Upon striding ahead, the three eorling came into the main room of the cave. Scarcely had Ysmired grabbed the torch when a guard brigand left the place he was hiding.
Régnwald would point his sword's tip to his neck, ''Don't even think about it.'' he said lowly whilst surveying him with keen eyes, and he led the brigand towards the middle of the room, giving the charge of him to Agnahan. He pointed his spear to him fiercely.
Régnwald left them and began to pace around the large room, he stepped closer to the dim firepit, then across it, his eyes caught the view of a woman lying unconscious by the crates, her legs and hands were roped tightly.
Régnwald steered to her quickly, crouching down to cut the ropes,
but the woman letted out a horrible cry, ''Stay away!'' leaning herself near to the wall with mad eyes turned red with crying.
Régnwald took a step backwards, whispering, ''I mean no harm, we came to save you.'' casting his eyes down to her.
The woman did not say a word, only letting the stranger to cut the ropes.
''Some of your fingers are out of place.'' he said after cutting the last rope around her hands.
''I have to push them back.'' Régnwald reached out for her fingers, yet the woman leaned herself deeper, hiding her hands within her body.
''If I don't do this, there's a chance you may never use them again.'' he continued.
The woman freed her hands once more to him, almost whispering, ''They tortured me... with machines.''
Hearing that, Agnahan fiercely stroke at the neck of the brigand guard, making him fall faint on the ground.
''It's all over, you're safe.'' replied Régnwald, holding her left hand softly, locating the bones then he pushed her fingers back, one by one, making her let out a terrified cry.
''To make me tell them things that... that I didn't know to begin with.'' she continued.
Régnwald remained silent, taking the woman to his arms and standing up, he turned to the two, ''He is coming with us'' glancing down at the brigand who was about to wake. ''We will send a detachment here, It would be foolish to leave the supplies'' and he paced forward through the dark walls to leave the cave.
Outside, the riders were gathered and ready to ride, looking bored of endless waiting, and their attention were shifted swiftly upon seeing their captain leaving the cave with a woman in his arms.
He ordered to the mægisterwigend,
''Send two of your men to the farm with the cattles... We ride to burg.''
The patrol leader nodded swiftly and retired.
He placed the woman on his steed and leaped on it swiftly, holding her before him. And saying nothing the Æthelwigend pulled the reins of his steed tight, making it to leave the camp swiftly, and the rest of the riders followed him.
The sun was beginning to set, and out before them the spreading grasslands of the Mark were turning from gold to grey beneath the haze of the spreading darkness...
