A second meeting...
Meadwine and Aegaldred happened upon one another in Bree for the second time, and it was suggested that they have a drink drink together, moments later they found themselves in the Prancing Pony Inn, sat face – to – face at a quiet table...
"The ale is good," Meadwine stated as he tasted Butterbur's ale for the first time. "'Tis very good, not mead, but it be better than the mead you might found in these lands. The best is more so to be traded from Dwarves." It was only midday on a Monday, and the tavern was quiet for the time being whilst all the folk tended to their jobs and duties. "Where have you been staying?" Aegaldred asked. "In the woods," Meadwine replied, "but in this Inn for the time being, I had not much coin until a few days ago," Meadwine pondered for a moment, "What of you?" On this subject Aegaldred was wary of what to answer his brother, yet he chose to give the true, knowing that a lie could easily be discovered: "In a village not so far from here, with-... "Your woman," Meadwine interrupted, nodding knowingly, "I have wished to speak with you of her."
Aegaldred only grew more wary at that, his brow lifted, but curiousity remained, "What of her?" He asked. "Many times has it been when you sought a woman for only her comforts in days past, it would be difficult for you to go without these things, I am certain. So now I must asked, what are you doing with her?" Aegaldred frowned. He felt doubted, only as it were his brother who asked of the matter, "And all those women knew it, something wrought of an agreement for the contentment of us both. This," He hesitated, "This is not so. I would have had this with Bloss-," he corrected, "Dernwynn. But things changed swiftly, perhaps too swift for my likings. I promised her loyalty and honesty, and as such that is what I gave her!" Meadwine frowned at the harshness in his brother's tone, he lifted a hand in gesture, "Calm down, brother. It were a simple question," He said, and to those words Aegaldred took a sip of his drink to calm himself. "Forgive me," he said with an apologetic look on his face, sighing thereafter. "She is a fair woman of our kind, and if all that you told me of her be true then I might say that you need be careful of her. Be certain that you can trust her wholly, there is little doubt that she might safely bear you pure children, you only need be true to her. Do you intend to marry her?" Meadwine asked fatherly, though the matter was of deep importance to their family.
"I-..." He was interrupted, "Are ye two alroigh', can Oi get ya anythin'; ale, soup, breed n' cheese?" said the barman who came to check on them, "Terribly sorry t' be interrupting, beggin' yer pardon." Semultaneous both Meadwine and Aegaldred's heads turned as they looked upon the Bree-lander. "Bacon bits?" He offered with a slight unnerved smile. After an awkward exchange of looks between Meadwine and Aegaldred, "We will call upon you," said Aegaldred, eyeing the man strangely, "When there is aught that we need."
"Roigh', roigh'," The Bree-lander said uneasily, "Sorry fer the interruption," he went back towards the counter; never quite certain of what some foreigners intent are like.
Aegaldred looked at his brother and shook his head, "He must be a new here." The two laughed together before Meadwine sought to get back to the matter at hand, "Well?"
"Ah," said Aegaldred, feeling a bit eased up after their laughter, "Should things in our birth-land one day change, then yea, I will take her home and there wed her." Meadwine gave a slight approving nod, stroking his bushy beard in some thought that he kept to himself, "Have you spoken with her of it?" He asked. Aegaldred responded with a nod, "Yea, yea, I have. She is a strange woman and has paid little thought to marriage, believing it flawed. Yet she has said that she would wed to me if such a time might come."
Meadwine frowned at his brother's former words, "This is very strange. Is she dim?" He asked quite seriously. "Nay, she is not dim!" Exclaimed Aegaldred, "She is wiser than you think. There is a tale behind all of it, brother. As there is behind everything that makes little sense to us. However, this is not my tale to share." Meadwine grunted in protest, "I am your brother," he said, "And if I seek her trust then I need show it, even now. I do not like things as such to be common knowledge, but in truth, I do not care much of it and my only wish now is that she might find enough happiness in all that I do for her; for not all tales that start sadly need end so."
Though Meadwine was annoyed by his brother's poetic words, he did not show it and said naught of it. He only cared for the details that mattered and shunned those little things that his brother would find significance in. "You speak as a man in love," said Meadwine as Aegaldred took a good long sip from his ale, wettening his throat after all his talking and Meadwine followed the example.
"I do not believe that she is fond of you," started Aegaldred, "Nay, I am certain that she is not fond of you." Aegaldred grinned at his brother who gave a dismissive gesture with his hand, "She need not like me," he frowned, "And I hope that this does not injure your chances with her." Aegaldred laughed and shook his head, "Nay, not one bit, I think. She is entirely aware that you and I are very, very different. However! We have spoken much of things that concern me, what of you? Have you seen our sisters yet?"
"Nay, not yet. Women are difficult to deal with at times, and these ones are not the least of the difficult. I need think carefully upon this." Aegaldred gave a sly smile, "I could help you, if necessary." Meadwine looked up at him and eyed him strangely for a while, "Nay," he said hesitantly, "I can deal with this matter myself." However, Meadwine spoke with stubbornness, for he would refuse to accept his brother's aid in many a matter; even if it would help him verily.
By they had finished their first pints and finally summoned the bartender to order another. The Bree-lander was more than content to serve them some more of the fine ale, almost as content as the brother's were to drink it. They raised their tankards and lightly nudged them against one another with a 'clink'.
"So, brother," Aegaldred started, "Will you not tell me more of this mysterious woman of yours?" Aegaldred kept the faintest of smiles on his lips, carefully watching his brother's thoughtful behaviour. In his mind Aegaldred thought that he knew all that there was about the matter, yet he hoped that his brother might explain to confirm his suspicions. "It is no big matter," Meadwine said, "What ever hope I had in that is now gone with her." Then there was silence as they sipped their drinks. Thereafter Aegaldred once more kept his eyes upon his brother, perhaps he had perceived correctly. "If you are looking for the company of a lass I might-..." The very look upon Meadwine's face stayed Aegaldred's words in their tracks. "It is done," Meadwine said, "I need no aid, nor do I seek a woman to keep warm the other end of my bed. We are brothers, yea, but you and I two very different men."
From those words a long silence followed. The sounds about the hall seeming more apparent to them and folk began to gather within for their well-deserved drinks after a hard day's labour. Many a merry smile of a happy Bree-lander was to be seen as they sat and enjoyed their ales. This was also a sign that it had gotten late and something came to Aegaldred's mind. It was the reason he had come to town to begin with. Thus he looked at his brother, "Forgive me, brother," He started, "But I need to be off." He drank what remained in his tankard before they exchanged nods and farewells. With that Aegaldred left the hall, but Meadwine sat quietly and enjoyed the rest of his drink as he fell towards his thoughts.
