Wunjo was displeased.. He sat next to his brother in the Prancing Pony. They were not befitting with the surroundings, for the light was full of warmth and the patronage sang, drank and laughed to heart's content! He had his elbows rested on the table.. he sat with his back towards it, and so his eyes loomed over the people. Next to him his hulking kin Uruz ate and drank, not discriminating with his own food and the leftovers from other patrons that had attended the common room of the inn earlier.
"Your mood sours my beer , brodr." The large man said , smudged honey over his beard and crumbs of bread.. "We are sitting here.. growing soft and fat.. Like badgers during winter in their holes. We should search more for kin of ours.", Wunjo answered with a grumble. There they sat then, the quick bypassing of children and the big frames of pudgy jolly men of Bree surrounding them, in the back a glass could be heard shattering with a few cheers of joy quickly following. The smoke of pipeweed hung like a thundercloud against the ceiling, too few windows were open, the winter's cold had seen to that outside.
Then Wunjo looked up, his brother still not having his mind to his task.. He drank a beer and rose, "Remain here brodr." The big man didn't even seem to notice. Wunjo pushed aside a fat , sweating drunk.. Whom was being scolded by a horrible old crone, "Youth these days!! Always drunk! No respect for elders!.. " Then before him stood a girl.. A young girl! Too young for him , one might add.. Yet he approached her as something had caught his eye upon her neck, hidden beneath golden braids now.. He spoke with a voice full of confidence, his charm and his looks would not aid him he knew, thus his voice would have to carry the day!
"Greetings.. young frow!".. He said and the woman turned, she was tall for one so young and her gown was as blue as the midday's sky, she looked unsure of this man.. "Yes?", she said. They introduced , him being Wunjo one of the sons of Tunaraz the Elder! She was named Oldiss.. Bjarkadottir. "What brings a .. woman.. from the north in a place like this?" Upon which she answered, " It may be that my fate has brought me here, even when I was not of age to choose so myself, but I shall say no more. For I know you not and though.. your tongue seems familiar to mine, how am I to know you are to be a man worthy of trust?!" And so impressed was he by the tone of her words that he offered her his arm.. "I am none.. that hides daggers beneath sleeves.", he merely said and she grabbed his lower arm as did he with her. First trust, was established that day between them. Wunjo spoke of bringing her home with him, to return to her ancestral lands, like he intended to do with many. "Your Vegvisir will show us the way home... young frow.. I promise you.. you shall be the last to fall.. if this journey is to be a doomed one!" She blushed, "I shall have to ask my man, Arde is his name. He may yet keep me here." And truly as she spoke so the mighty Arde approached, a man that had an easy smile. There was no jealously with him, but worry beset his brow still as he saw Wunjo speak to his woman. "Who are you.. to seek this poet's wife and ask her to leave him? Should I show the warrior within me and draw iron upon you?!" Wunjo grinned, and he extended his hand to the man, "Songs to strengthen the limbs.. would be welcome in this journey! Yet now.. if you will. Show yourself then.. as a true mann and a warrior!" And the gesture of grabbing eachothers' arms was done once more, Wunjo his eyes glittered with feverish light. "You have strength.. not to kill a bear maybe! But many a goblin.. had best fear your arm! Ha-ha!" And they spoke on in length once more. Then at the end the couple gave smiles of theirs to Wunjo .. and he gave one back, even if it had the quality to unsettle man and woman, but the bonding with blood-kin in faraway lands could just as easily make friendship .. As being spear-brothers for a lifetime of season-circles and so they were friends. They laughed once more and the couple pondered on the journey. Wunjo went back to his brother and sat next to him, content..
"You have found some then , brodr?" , asked the big man. "Joah! And ..a good start it be! Two birds with one stone.. or how does.. the saying go eh?"
"So have I!", said the ugly broad man and he revealed next to him a woman. She smiled in a pleasing way and her movements were effeminate, but she seemed undaunted by the two brutish men she sat next to. "Meet Istrid, brodr! She will .. come with us.. and give me many sons! Oh-hohoho!"
