>>6166200>>6166240>>6166325>>6166639In the end, you decide to forego your family the few extra minutes to comply with the usual customs of hospitality, even if it means enduring the reeve's contumely. Garwin, the reeve's personal attendant (though he's more like a bodyguard) opens the door. He's wider around the middle than he is tall, and his face is a mass of scars from a life of brawling in the arena at Yngleyside. He's known as a "simple" fellow around the village (though the reeve addresses him with more colorful titles). But all the blows to the head also seems to have knocked ordinary human malice out of him, for you've never seen him frown or rage at anyone. The rumors that the reeve's daughter has been teaching him to read and manipulate figures (with poor success) appear to be true, for he appears to have already been awake for some time, and his fingers are stained with chalk dust.
After some brief explanations, you're led into a large room with a long table, and a dead hearth. Garwin leaves to wake the reeve, while you busy yourself with lighting the fire. The rest take their positions at various places in the room. Odneyn sits at the other end of the table, the lady-in-white at his right, her attendant standing behind. Thom, the mousy man, leans against the wall opposite the door, while the bald Maxis warms his hands by the fire. The Suthermann merely paces the room, muttering to himself in Ylfesh.
The reeve enters, smiles at Odneyn and gestures for him to remain seated. Then he sees you and his smile fades. "What're you doing here?" he asks, as if he'd recently learned you'd contracted leprosy.
Odneyn speaks before you can respond. "We met on the road. He was kind enough to guide us here and introduce us."
The reeve scoffs. "Whatever his intentions I can assure you that kindness was not among them." He turns, looking directly at you. "I could tell you tales about his father. Always looking for an angle or some opportunity to cheat an honest man. An idler and a deadbeat. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, I always say. Here for a handout, then, are you? It's not enough I should house your miserable family." He turns back to Odneyn, whose white teeth are finally hidden behind his lips. "You shouldn't have told him our business. Now he's got the scent of money--"
"Oi," says Thom, "It's been a long road. If you're going to prattle, I'd rather it be over a hot meal."
You see Maxis return his hands from the fire to stifle a laugh. The lady-in-white touches her lips. The Suthermann's hand flashes to the handle of the long knife on his belt. But the reeve merely stares at Thom, his mouth slightly agape. No one, with exception of his second wife, has ever spoken to him in such a manner. "Oi?" he says, glancing bewilderedly between Thom and Odneyn.
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