“So will you want to use the sword or your new staff first? You will have to choose one or the other, and be clear in your mind about which you will reach for if we are endangered,” Waelden said in general conversation.
We had ridden across the river at Entwade, stopping at the small village to rest the horses and ourselves for a short time. Having travelled thus far at a mixture of walk, trot and canter, we had made good progress and Ealfin and Wynn were still fresh enough to make Faldham that night. Speaking to the guards at Entwade, we had found there were few reports of trouble on the path we sought to take.
“There has been one sighting of mounted orcs not too far from Faldham,” one of the guards warned us. He looked at Waelden. “Not enough of them to worry a soldier on a warhorse I think.”
Then the guard looked at me and Wynn. “Keep riding Lady, if they come into sight, and let your man deal with them. That would be my advice.”
That was not what I wanted to hear. I sensed rather than saw a slight grin on Waelden’s face. Though I knew he would support me in my need to improve my basic skills of defense, this was something I had to do myself.
“If there are only a few they will not bother us, for they are cowards at heart,” Waelden stated. “And despite appearances, my woman has a wolf-heart at need. Neither of us fear them.”
The guard nodded. He was only saying what he thought best. No insult had been intended. But his words played on my mind a little as we travelled on.
“You are competent with a sword dear, but you cannot compete against anyone who has had years of training, and in an attack it is usually the more skilled who wins, regardless of the weapon.” Waelden drew me from my musing to answer his question.
“My instinct will be to use my…’Big Stick’, I almost chucked as I used the ‘name’ Ethel had called the metal capped oaken staff, which she had made for me.
A glance from Waelden acknowledged the humour, but bid me think seriously on the matter. “If several orcs waylaid us, and we were mounted, what would you do?”
“I would turn Wynn to ride them down, if they were on foot. I could not swing a staff of course, so it would be hoof and sword, and if any got close enough, then dagger.” I suggested.
“And if they were mounted on wargs and we were on foot?”
“My staff would be more useful. It has longer reach, and a well delivered blow would cause concussion or worse?”
He nodded.
“There are times to use a staff, but on horseback, or in very close melee are not the moments. If you are happy with the idea I think we should work with your staff mostly, but you will need a sword or dagger at times. And as for riding down anyone on Wynn…”
Wynn snorted with offense.
“We need to do some work on that too, eh?”
The ride was uneventful save for a sighting of those reported warg riders a short distance south of Faldham.
It was Ealfin who gave warning, as three figures appeared on the darkening crest of the nearby hill. “I see them, boy,” Waelden acknowledged his stallion’s call. “Warg riders out on a late evening hunt. We leave them be. There will be soldiers from the Elfward here to bring them down soon enough.”
So we headed towards the welcoming lights of the Northcrofts settlement, arriving some time after the sun had set.
“A beautiful sky,” I pointed out, as the stars began to appear.
“”Very.” Waelden looked up a moment. “I do love riding under a starlit sky.”
“We should have a lot of chances to do that in Wildermore, if it isn’t overcast.”
He nodded, then chuckled, “And if it isn’t too cold yet.”
My own thoughts turned to another starlit night much earlier in the year, when we had both sat upon a hillside to the east, and watched the stars and the ‘Hunter’. I had much reason to be fond of Faldham.
We rode to the stables, dismounting and addressing the stable master there on our horses requirements. The man was not one known to Waelden, but experienced nonetheless.
“It feels like coming home,” Walden said to me, as he unsaddled Ealfin.
“You are coming home, in some ways. This is where you were born and raised.” I was attending Wynn in the next stall, who still seemed a little out of sorts at the suggestions made about her that day.
“One of my many homes. Indeed.”
I smiled over at him affectionately. We had both had a couple of homes in our respective pasts, but the one we had recently acquired together in Bancross was by far my favourite. Aye, soon it would even outshine my own childhood home I thought then.
I patted Wynn’s neck and gave her a good rub behind the ears. “Settle down now girl. It will be an early start.”
My mare sighed, and nudged me a few times, as a stable hand arrived with a bucket partly filled with tepid water for each horse.
Elfin ignored the man and snorted at Wynn, as if he was trying to raise her spirits in some manner.
“I see a few old friends of yours in the stable tonight, boy. Have a chat with them if you like. Introduce Wynn to them maybe?” Waelden was on familiar ground. So was Ealfin. The stallion tossed his head and snorted. He did not need to be told twice.
The sight of the Mead Hall was welcoming. Waelden and I walked towards it, ascending the few steps, and then pushing open one of the heavy doors. The fires were lit, though there were only a few folk still about.
“We spend the night here, Greybeard, or at least get a few hours sleep. I haven’t ridden that far in one stretch for some time, and parts of me are demanding some relief.”
He grinned knowingly at me. “I say we can spend a couple of hours for food, drink and sleep, and then press on into the mountains? There might be a farm where we can lodge later, if Forlaw itself is too far.”
“A few hours will do.” I replied, reaching over to give him a light kiss on the cheek. “There are farms of the Fallows near the top of the incline. We should find one at least that will give us space to camp. Edsig has a place not too far away.”
“Edsig, eh? If he be a good man, then I don’t mind staying there.”
“He and his family are good sorts as I recall.”
Waelden made an act of shivering slightly, though the Mead Hall was warm. “As long as we are not sleeping out in the cold anywhere, we will be fine.” He winked at me.
Elfmar was still awake, and talking with another at the further end of the hall. It was time Waelden and I paid our respects, and asked for his hospitality.
