Drinks Among Friends (March 3010) - [Ceolmund, Theodred]
Dec 18, 2017 16:29:20 GMT -5
Post by Ceolmund on Dec 18, 2017 16:29:20 GMT -5
“Oh, Paega will love it. It will match that sword and bow! I noticed you’ve changed the decorations, Ceol! Hanging some swords and shields up.”
Ceolmund nodded to Grindan. “Had to rearrange a bit for Paega. But I like it. My Runa's sword up there, right along with her shield.” He pointed toward the smaller set.
“A few more years til Paega will be touching real steel,” Gerlaf laughed.
“Captain'll have her down the training grounds with the other recruits in no time I'm sure,” Oswin put in.
“I'll have her down on the grounds with my wife,” Ceolmund agreed. “Runa can teach her at thing or two herself. We'll make another shield maiden out of her.”
Wynfled was clutching her chest in what seemed agonies.
Theodred offered what sounded of a fine toast to them, and Ceolmund smiled. Yes, he did not mind in the least offering a hand to his wife. He had lived on his own for many years and being able to care for her offered him a great relief. He was gone so often with the Eored, she would have plenty of time to tend to hearth and home alone while he was gone.
"It must have been dreadful, I...I doubt many would have survived such an ordeal at all."[/i]
The word's caused Ceolmund to stiffen, and he looked up to Thea and shook his head.
“I don't think Ceol wants to talk about it,” Sunnifa offered as she noted her brother's face. She was coming back from the kitchen, bringing a fresh cask of mead right to the table in the sitting room for all of them to partake.
“Have a drink, Captain,” Oswin pressed Ceolmund's refilled mug back to his hands, and the man did well to take a long draught of it immediately.
“It's fine,” Ceolmund answered after a moment. “Runa is strong. Strongest woman I know.” He inclined his head to look at her. “And I've been training her in defense a long time. She did what she could, and you're right,” he looked to Thea, a proud gleam forming in his eye. “And she did well.”
“She was strong enough ten years ago,” Bjarr interjected in recall. “I know personally.”
“You were young yet,” Ceolmund laughed. “Needed someone more her size to practice on her. You were the smallest I had in training then! She'd never go rough enough on me anyway.”
“A healer's care for her most frequent patient. Probably just didn't want to need to stitch you up again. Saved you a few scars. Aside, you needed the practice too, Bjarr!” Gerlaf's laugh was thunderous.
“I think she bruised my ribs!” Bjarr chuckled. “Had me pinned down with those legs so tight I lost the round!”
“What?” Wynfled's head jerked in the direction of her husband and then back to Runa.
A tisking came from the doorway as a breath of fresh air blew in once more, and the squat woman who lived across the road wandered in. “You and those swords. And wrestling! Never was proper for girls. I told Dagny, but she didn't care! Smelled the pork. I need to set some in the doorway for that stray dog. If I can keep him from howling he won't call the spirits in on us.”
“Help yourself,” Ceolmund turned, looking to the doorway. He knew better than to argue with Cynburga. The old woman took to the table to gather herself a plate of the food.
“I'm sure it's suitable for the dog,” Wynfled muttered.
Ceolmund was moving from the floor once more, giving Runa's thigh a pat and a loving squeeze as he did so. He turned back to Bjarr. “And she's stronger yet. All muscle. You should see her swing these days with that sword.”
He had taken off for the bedroom and returned moments later with his Captain's helm in hand. “This still needs some buffing… I'm afraid we've been a bit too busy but look at that dent, Theo.” He held up the silver helm to the room of guests, then handed it to Theodred. “Good thing I had my helm on when I came in, she would have sliced me clear through the skull if I hadn't. I wouldn't be surprised if that swing could break bone. She sure does a number on the pells.”
Ceolmund shook his head laughing. His words were coming more quickly than usual, but the mead and brennevin was working through him, he was in a room full of all his friends, and Runa's, and it was with all honestly that he was proud of wife and glad to share her accomplishments with the others.
Wynfled looked mortified, her mouth gaping open as she looked between the dented helm, the sword upon the wall, and Runa.
Even Drifa's look was in shock this time, for though she had been keeping Elin occupied during their nuptials, she had heard well from Thea the way Ceolmund's bride had greeted him at the feast. With a punch to his chest that had near knocked the injured man over. And now hearing of this... She raised eyebrows and looked toward Thea for a moment, though said nothing.
“That's funny?” Wynfled asked, aghast. “What woman would try to kill her husband with a sword and have the husband laugh it off?”
“Oh, she wasn't trying to kill me,” Ceolmund retorted. “She was just defending the door, and I came in unannounced. Does me well to know she can defend herself though.”
“If you're not careful, she'll be sure to give you a scar down the other side of your neck next time,” Cynburga waved a hand at Ceolmund. “Not how you keep a husband about,” she told Runa pointedly. “I've said, time and again.” She gave a bewildered sigh, looking above the hearth to the swords.
“Better go feed that dog,” Swithin offered, “I thought I saw him run past the window.”
Cynburga's eyes shot toward the window pane, and then back to Swithin. “Did you?”
He drew his mug back to his lips, not sure how to respond.
“The black one?” Cynburga seemed hurried.
“All black,” he nodded, keeping a tight lipped face, and hoping it was the correct answer.
For a moment the old lady almost looked flustered, and then she waddled quickly to the doorway. “The black ones keep them at bay,” she looked pointedly to Runa. Then the wind rushed through the door once more and Cynburga was back outside.
Ceolmund nodded to Grindan. “Had to rearrange a bit for Paega. But I like it. My Runa's sword up there, right along with her shield.” He pointed toward the smaller set.
“A few more years til Paega will be touching real steel,” Gerlaf laughed.
“Captain'll have her down the training grounds with the other recruits in no time I'm sure,” Oswin put in.
“I'll have her down on the grounds with my wife,” Ceolmund agreed. “Runa can teach her at thing or two herself. We'll make another shield maiden out of her.”
Wynfled was clutching her chest in what seemed agonies.
Theodred offered what sounded of a fine toast to them, and Ceolmund smiled. Yes, he did not mind in the least offering a hand to his wife. He had lived on his own for many years and being able to care for her offered him a great relief. He was gone so often with the Eored, she would have plenty of time to tend to hearth and home alone while he was gone.
"It must have been dreadful, I...I doubt many would have survived such an ordeal at all."[/i]
The word's caused Ceolmund to stiffen, and he looked up to Thea and shook his head.
“I don't think Ceol wants to talk about it,” Sunnifa offered as she noted her brother's face. She was coming back from the kitchen, bringing a fresh cask of mead right to the table in the sitting room for all of them to partake.
“Have a drink, Captain,” Oswin pressed Ceolmund's refilled mug back to his hands, and the man did well to take a long draught of it immediately.
“It's fine,” Ceolmund answered after a moment. “Runa is strong. Strongest woman I know.” He inclined his head to look at her. “And I've been training her in defense a long time. She did what she could, and you're right,” he looked to Thea, a proud gleam forming in his eye. “And she did well.”
“She was strong enough ten years ago,” Bjarr interjected in recall. “I know personally.”
“You were young yet,” Ceolmund laughed. “Needed someone more her size to practice on her. You were the smallest I had in training then! She'd never go rough enough on me anyway.”
“A healer's care for her most frequent patient. Probably just didn't want to need to stitch you up again. Saved you a few scars. Aside, you needed the practice too, Bjarr!” Gerlaf's laugh was thunderous.
“I think she bruised my ribs!” Bjarr chuckled. “Had me pinned down with those legs so tight I lost the round!”
“What?” Wynfled's head jerked in the direction of her husband and then back to Runa.
A tisking came from the doorway as a breath of fresh air blew in once more, and the squat woman who lived across the road wandered in. “You and those swords. And wrestling! Never was proper for girls. I told Dagny, but she didn't care! Smelled the pork. I need to set some in the doorway for that stray dog. If I can keep him from howling he won't call the spirits in on us.”
“Help yourself,” Ceolmund turned, looking to the doorway. He knew better than to argue with Cynburga. The old woman took to the table to gather herself a plate of the food.
“I'm sure it's suitable for the dog,” Wynfled muttered.
Ceolmund was moving from the floor once more, giving Runa's thigh a pat and a loving squeeze as he did so. He turned back to Bjarr. “And she's stronger yet. All muscle. You should see her swing these days with that sword.”
He had taken off for the bedroom and returned moments later with his Captain's helm in hand. “This still needs some buffing… I'm afraid we've been a bit too busy but look at that dent, Theo.” He held up the silver helm to the room of guests, then handed it to Theodred. “Good thing I had my helm on when I came in, she would have sliced me clear through the skull if I hadn't. I wouldn't be surprised if that swing could break bone. She sure does a number on the pells.”
Ceolmund shook his head laughing. His words were coming more quickly than usual, but the mead and brennevin was working through him, he was in a room full of all his friends, and Runa's, and it was with all honestly that he was proud of wife and glad to share her accomplishments with the others.
Wynfled looked mortified, her mouth gaping open as she looked between the dented helm, the sword upon the wall, and Runa.
Even Drifa's look was in shock this time, for though she had been keeping Elin occupied during their nuptials, she had heard well from Thea the way Ceolmund's bride had greeted him at the feast. With a punch to his chest that had near knocked the injured man over. And now hearing of this... She raised eyebrows and looked toward Thea for a moment, though said nothing.
“That's funny?” Wynfled asked, aghast. “What woman would try to kill her husband with a sword and have the husband laugh it off?”
“Oh, she wasn't trying to kill me,” Ceolmund retorted. “She was just defending the door, and I came in unannounced. Does me well to know she can defend herself though.”
“If you're not careful, she'll be sure to give you a scar down the other side of your neck next time,” Cynburga waved a hand at Ceolmund. “Not how you keep a husband about,” she told Runa pointedly. “I've said, time and again.” She gave a bewildered sigh, looking above the hearth to the swords.
“Better go feed that dog,” Swithin offered, “I thought I saw him run past the window.”
Cynburga's eyes shot toward the window pane, and then back to Swithin. “Did you?”
He drew his mug back to his lips, not sure how to respond.
“The black one?” Cynburga seemed hurried.
“All black,” he nodded, keeping a tight lipped face, and hoping it was the correct answer.
For a moment the old lady almost looked flustered, and then she waddled quickly to the doorway. “The black ones keep them at bay,” she looked pointedly to Runa. Then the wind rushed through the door once more and Cynburga was back outside.