The pursuit of happiness

King\'s Courtyard

You stand in a large courtyard framed on three sides by large buildings, and on the fourth by the Kings Road. The three buildings are all made of stone, and are each several stories tall. Each has a large main door, and tiny slits for windows. There is quite a bit of movement of rohirric soldiers and clan members between the various buildings and the training field beyond where there are usually several units drilling. A giant flagpole in the center of the clearing flies the rohirric flag a white horse upon a green field.

Obvious exits:

First Building leads to First Building of the Barracks.

Second Building leads to Second Building of the Barracks.

Large Hall leads to Clan Hall.

Street leads to King\'s Road (1st level south).

Real time is: Sun Dec 14 16:00:11 2008 - Rohan weather is: Clear

Elendor time is: Mid Morning <10> on Highday of September 9, 3045

The Moon is: waxing gibbous

[Heregyth(#24218)] August and the heat and storms of summer have come and gone, and September\'s freshening breeze, with its promise of autumn, blows through Edoras this morning. It is morning, though barely so, the sun just having peeked over the horizon. Despite that, the soldiers of Rohan are up and busy, walking back and forth between the buildings here, on their way to or from duty. A few men in the center of the courtyard are warming up wiht wooden swords, readying to practice sparring.

Near the entrance, tucked against a building stands a young woman, light cloak on her form for the slight chill of the morning, but her hood down and a blonde braid down her back. Her gaze is intent on the sparring soldiers

From one of the barracks buildings emerges an unlikely figure, for here stands no soldier. Bardawulf, a satchel slung at his back, leans on his staff for a moment as he squints into the sunrise before beginning to make his limping way across the yard, skirting the training area. His blue-green eyes rest on the would-be combatants, and he pauses thoughtfully to watch them. The girl in the doorway he has not yet seen.

[Heregyth(#24218)] It\'s at this moment that Heregyth has chosen to step away from the wall, moving just a bit further into the courtyard so as to get a better view of the sparring, which some of the men have now begun. This puts her, of course, right in Bardawulf\'s path--but the girl catches sight of the man out of the corner of her eye, and gives a little hop out of the way. \"Your pardon, sir! I did not see you there!\"

The feminine voice distracts the man, and he half-turns, a frown line appearing between his brows as he identifies the young woman standing there. \"Heregyth? What-\" He halts, shaking his head, and the part-formed question is replaced by a calm, \"Fair morn to you.\" His mouth curves in the beginnings of a smile. \"It is long since I last saw you, back in the Infirmary. I trust that ill dreams no longer plague your sleep?\"

[Heregyth(#24218)] \"No, sir. Gerta made me take that potion you made up, and then after a while I just began to sleep on my own without it.\" Heregyth, though she obviously recognizes the healer, looks none too pleased, though she is polite in her address of the man. \"But still, I know where my brother is.\" Her chin lifts a bit, as if daring the healer to contradict her, and her gaze travels back to the men sparring. \"As for why I am here..\" she smiles briefly to Bardawulf, \"I like to watch the sword work.\"

Bardawulf does not contradict Heregyth\'s words. \"Child, I promised that if you wished I would ride out with you, to the place you wish to go. But think carefully - such riding will bring you naught but pain. Do you truly wish to relive what is long gone?\" His brow is furrowed in concern, and he does not match the young woman\'s smile. His gaze remains evenly on the girl, without a single glance for the sparring soldiers.

[Heregyth(#24218)] \"I used to watch my brother training,\" Heregyth replies instead at first. \"He showed me a little of how to use a sword, but always told me that was for men, not women. \" She turns back, smile gone, studying the healer. \"I will not hold you to your promise. You said what you needed to say when I was ill, and I thank you for that. But I -will- ride out to that place I saw in my dreams of him. He is dead--what more pain can there by than that?\" The last is said almost matter of factly, as if the girl has finally reached an acceptance of it.

Bardawulf shakes his head slightly. \"And your brother was right. Even among men such as these, skill with the sword is a rare thing. It is one I myself never sought. Why then should a woman expect to master it?\" His brows tilt up.

Whilst he awaits answer to that question he responds to Heregyth\'s one: \"If you had truly accepted it you would not seek to revisit it. And if you ride, you should not ride alone. My word is not lightly given, Heregyth.\" Nothing more does he offer.

[Heregyth(#24218)] \"No...you are right. I could not master use of the sword. But now only my father rides for our family...and he should not. He is on in years and old injuries trouble him greatly. My brother should have been in his place now....\" Heregyth lets the rest of that thought go unspoken.

\"I feel helpless in this. There is nothing at all that I can do now to help my family, save find someone to marry and make them happy by appearing to settle down and accept things,\" she then continues, with a bit of anger. Then Bardawulf\'s renewal of his word draws a solemn nod in response. \"I do not take your word lightly, sir.\"

\"Then accept my company, should you ride east. It may be you will have need of it.\" Bardawulf\'s features are solemn. He hesitates, then adds quietly, \"I have learned that not all healing comes from herbs. Child, if it is truly your wish ...\"

The other issue brings the frown-lines back to the healer\'s face. \"Why should it matter if any of your kin ride or no? None in my family ride in an Eored, now. Perhaps my brother\'s sons, in a year or two ...\" His tone is puzzled.

[Heregyth(#24218)] \"I give you my word I will not ride east alone. I am not that foolish, even if perhaps you think I am touched somehow,\" Heregyth says with a wry smile that fades as she continues.

The girl shakes her head. \"It should not matter, but it matters to my father somehow. Perhaps...that is how he heals or tries to heal? He rides still with an Eored, though my mother has begged him not to anymore. But then...there is nothing left for either of them since my brother was killed, I think.\" Again, this is all said without intense emotion, even if the girl is solemn and shows some sadness as she speaks.

Bardawulf lets his gaze rest on the young woman. \"There is something left. There is you, Heregyth.\"

[Heregyth(#24218)] Heregyth doesn\'t answer for a moment, instead letting her eyes drift out to the men training again. \"So you say. Yet, they sent me to live with my cousins here. My mother lives with my older sister. The farm they had has been abandoned. My father rarely returns home.\"

\"Perhaps-\" Bardawulf breaks off as he follows the direction of Heregyth\'s glance, but after a moment he speaks again. \"Perhaps they fear that you have nothing left for them.\"

[Heregyth(#24218)] \"That I have nothing left for them?\" The girl turns a sharp look back to the healer, her brow knitting as she stares. \"I don\'t understand. Of course I love them. Nothing has changed that way. What else could I give them? I am soon to be 18 and they would have lost me to a marriage soon in any case.\" Heregyth actually winces at the word marriage this time.

Bardawulf blinks at the girl\'s wince. \"Perhaps,\" he says softly, \"marriage would make your parents happiest of all. What father does not wish to see his child provided for before his days are numbered?\" He shifts position slightly to ease his leg.

[Heregyth(#24218)] \"Yes. Well.\" Heregyth\'s nose wrinkles slightly in distaste. \"My cousin Gerta has made it her business to parade me around to all the eligible bachelors in her neighborhood. But I do not care for her taste in men. Perhaps I should ask others for help in this matter, since, as you say, it would ease the hearts of my parents. And it is my duty. Do you, perhaps, know of anyone suitable? I can keep a good house.\"

Bardawulf gives a start at the young woman\'s question. \"I? No, indeed.\" He peers at her closely. \"Do I take it that marriage is not your wish? Or only that it is a thing you would do of your own choosing, and not because it is merely needful?\"

[Heregyth(#24218)] \"It is,\" Heregyth answers with care, \"something that is my duty. As you said. It would make my father, well, not happy, but it would settle his mind. He would know that I am taken care of. I have heard all my life how I would grow up and find a man to love and marry. And yet, I have never envisioned that for myself. I just thought...honestly, I cannot say what I thought.\"

\"It is the way of things,\" Bardawulf responds. He hesitates, looking at the girl, then goes on evenly, \"But I am sure it is not the only thing that would make your father happy. A daughter\'s happiness is a treasure in its own right. If not the thought of husband and babe, then what else brings you joy, Heregyth? Your work?\"

[Heregyth(#24218)] The girl lifts a shoulder, then lets it fall in a small shrug. \"I used to like to ride with my brother and hear of all he did. And we would spar--he showed me how to use a staff. But that option is gone from me. So perhaps I should take up the healing arts, I suppose. One thing is as good as the other now for me. The days are the same. Though...riding still gives me some happiness.\"

Bardawulf frowns. \"If riding gives you happiness, then ride!\" he answers. \"The rearing and training of horses is a noble art.\" The corners of his mouth lift in a gentle smile. He is solemn, though, when he continues. \"I do not think that you would find solace in healing. It is a battle fought without staff or spear, against an enemy who cannot be seen. None will celebrate your victories or remember your name when the days of your life are spent. If you seek fame or glory, then look elsewhere.\"

[Heregyth(#24218)] \"Not glory,\" Heregyth answers with a shake of her head. \"That does not matter to me. But...riding...I suppose I will pursue that, as you say.\" She turns from the courtyard, as if intending to leave, then pauses. \"We can ride east before the winter sets in? I can describe the area that I have seen. It is in the marshes. As you say, we should not go alone.\"

Bardawulf continues to watch the young woman, his headshake mirroring hers. \"There /is/ joy in life, Heregyth. Seek it.\" He lifts his staff in his hand, ready to move on, but Heregyth\'s next words give him pause. \"There are herbs to be gathered in the marshes, before the winter sets in. I can arrange for you to come and assist, if you wish. And,\" he pauses but an instant, \"I am sure there are thse who would wish to go wildfowling also. We will not go alone.\"

[Heregyth(#24218)] \"All right, then. I will take your advice,\" Heregyth says as she departs, though it is not clear exactly which advice she might mean. The young woman walks quickly away before the healer can speak again, though she does lift a hand in farewell as she does so.