She rode toward the gates with last light of sun that was traveling behind the Misty Mountains and Cuthstan. Guard on the doors stopped her, unrelentless to let her in, as at first they didnt recognise her.
- I need to speak with Dryhten or Maegisterwigends. - she spoke as jumping down from her steed, Her heavy chain mail reinforced with plates of iron, clanked loudly
- Gates are closed, rider. Wait till the dawn. - one of the guards said.
Cynebur sighs annoyed and pull the belt under her chin, and removes her helmet. Guards reposture themselves quickly with wide eyes, as there was not a soul that didnt know her face in the burgh as former maegisterwigend of eored and handthegn of Stangard.
- I need your silence, and that gates opened, Now.- she said as stepping forth to the tall wooden gates.
- Ja. hlaefdige. - says one of them and hits the doors with his armored fist three times quickly "Open the gates, outrider returns. " he said and gave stout nod to Cynebur.
She slinged helmet on again, and passed trough gates, avoiding to share any word with anyone else till she reaches Regnwald. After leaving her steed at upper stables, with few coins for stable service, she went up straight to the home where Regnwald dwelled. One guard was placed to guard the doors as always and she approached to him "Westhu hal, is dryhten about? I have news for him." she said.
Guard lazly shakes head "Dryhten has rode out with company."
Cynebur gives brief salute to continue her role of a outrider and goes to the Mead Hall, wherefrom she heard sound of music and bards song. The tall intricatly carved pillars held the one of the oldest mead halls of the Mark. She passed them and entered.
Warmly greeted her fires, and smell of mead and ale, repeatedly spilled over the stone floor and wooden boards over the years. Tapestries made by skillfull hands of women, carvings shaping horses, flowers and shields from hand of the men. Furs were covering benches and higher floors, tables full of half eaten food and empty horns. Firepits were only light in the hall, and there was enough dark corners for lovers to hide.
While hungry were tasting the boars from the spits turned over the fires, thirsty were tasting mead and ale, commenting on the work done, or sleeping lostly under the barrels or tables. And there was a rider thinking to be a bard, standing on the table, singing songs in a way so wrong it made many laugh.
But there was fewer then before, she noticed, there was no Boldric the Old, or fair Gleowen that served mead. Were they gone? Taken with sickness? She searches for faces that were dear to her, riders she shared meal and blood. Ceolswith, Langhund the Wild, Heva his sweetheart, Ciardic, Tidhelm the wise? Where are they, her heart drummed in panic, as walking under the shade of the tapestries, while taking her helmet off. As closing to the high table of dryhten and elders, she notices hair done in delicate way, broad shoulders and body of a warrior tied into a fine crimson dress. Without waiting she approaches behind the woman.
- Westhu hal, Ceolswith - she said as placing her hand on womans shoulder slowly.
Ceolswith whirls around to look, "Cynebur?"
She notices a fresh nose wound as if someone placed plum on ridge of her nose, though other than that she looked fine though a little pale.- 'Still brawling?' - she asks Ceolswith a little amused as the woman was nothing but simple, lady but with heavy punch, romantic with calculated mind perfect for a quartermaster. So many opposites in one woman, no wonder she looks thorn so often.
Ceolswith looks confused for a moment, "Brawling? Oh, you mean the nose... I was trying to motivate a young shieldmaiden from her timidness. But you? I thought you went home?"
Cynebur replied "I just came to see how are you all holding with that sickness unbound on Stangard, though i had to leave on the order of Reeve, my heart was always with all of you. He must not even know i came, or i am gambling with my families lands..'
Ceolswith raises her brow, smiling, "Glad to see you again. You left without saying goodbye...
"I need to speak with you, since Regnwald is on patrol. - she pulls her hand loftly so she would follow her toward the upstairs, where was a small level for supplies and patrol of the guards.
Cynebur smiled a little but then continued as pulling something out of her satchel over her shoulder "I think Bema himself guided me this time." offers her a bloody scabbard, of clear orc made as stench was reeking out boldly. It had a mark made of some white chalk or paint in shape of hand. "Found it after I passed the bridge from the High Knolls, but that is not all. I would come sooner but this intrigued me and worried me since its very close to Stangard mines and crofts. I followed trail of the goblin to the north-west, until i came to see a large camp of goblins and orcs in middle of the daylight, i swear i saw few trolls the same, They are in the dell of the silver mine, where shadow is tall and dark, one cant wonder how many are in the mine, but i counted around fifty outside. Totems say they are from mountains. And most strange thing is there was no fires, as if they were afraid smoke of the fires would give them up.- Cynebur finishes with slight sign of panic and urgency in her voice.
Ceolswith takes the scabbard, slowly studying it, "It is true then... They are coming." She sighs, looking at Cynebur again. 'Fifty at least and trolls!? By Bema... how are we supposed to fight that? We're not even at full Eored?!
Ceolswith continues as she shakes her head, crossing her arms, "We just went through a sickness and brigands... Regnwald mentioned Easterlings and now orcs? Tidhelm had right. You had right, this all is not coincidence. Brigands, Easterlings, goblins .. -
Cynebur leans on the the wooden beam "How many riders we have? Fyrds?" - she asks worried.
Ceolswith takes a moment to lean on the railing. She watches the merriment below, ignoring Cynebur's question for a moment. A long sigh would escape from here, "Not more then fifty riders, as horses were striken with ilness the same as well many of the farm animals. Our stocks are low cause of that, Though we have enough armor and weapons for fifty more. But.. we're not ready, Cynebur."
- We dont have more then five days, even less, though we need to send outriders to seek help from outposts and Harwick or Forlaw. To Forlaw its four days of ride.. so we cant expect them sooner then week, same with Harwick. - frowns as thinking, her mind focused on all she knew that could help them.
Ceolswith says, 'You give us days. You think Harwick will sent help? Aldor Harding has already given the burgh entirely to Regnwald. The camps... Eorlsmead helps, but even then. We lack horses. The sickness left many dead.'
Cynebur looks down at the festivity, smiled faces, laughters and friendly brawls "I could try to return to Forlaw and try to gain help from Thane. But.. it is far away, i need four days back again, the muster.. Ten days at least.
Ceolswith lets out another sigh, watching the feast again. She puts a hand to her chin, keeping her silence She whispered - Regnwald would not let me return to service. He rejected my oath to serve as a shieldmaiden again.-
Cynebur closes her eyes as she had no sleep for two days.- 'Now the time came for you to be forced to take the shield and blade.'-
Ceolswith nods, "Aye... I do not know if I can sit and wait a fight out."Cynebur replies with smirk,-'Then dont.-'
Ceolswith says, -What if he asks me to?'-
Cynebur replies as patting her shoulder - Then you will sit and wait with shield and blade in your hands. -
Ceolswith turns with desperate look "If i die here, and you live, can you carry my helm to my father in Harwick? The one my brothers made, so my father .. I left him .. but..can you take care of him if I die too? -
Cynebur frowns at the thought of loosing her closest friend - "Why you think you will die, It may happen or not, We have survived the worst odds. And we have Regnwald, You, Langhund, Aeonid, Tidhelm, you all stand for four of men. But if that will calm you, i promise you that, but also, i promise you will not die, not now." - Cynebur would pull her into a tight embrace, though she was carefull as she was still in armor.
- With Bemas help, we will not let it happen. - stands back and looks at Ceolswiths eyes. "No oath can tell us we are not shieldmaidens, we were born as this, and we so shall die as one. But not now, so many skirmishes we must win. Regnwald needs us, so does people of the Mark. Wether they knew that or not." -
Ceolswith glances down at the feasting again, "You can stay in my home... I have been using a spare room in the Mead Hall recently. You will sleep well there."
Cynebur nods "You know me well, that was just what i wanted to ask
Ceolswith looks over, nodding some, "Sleep well, Cynebur."
, 'Good night.' - Cynebur pulls helm of the rallings and puts it on loosely, while picking the shield as passing by "No word about me being there part those you trust."
Ceolswith nods and smiles to her. - It is good you are back. -
