Snow melted away with warmer days, even though she knew, back at her home snow still stands over crofts, cold winds still bring chill. But she was here, in Harwick, where spring already showed its first flowers, and first foals have been born on farms. Just as that first fresh recruits, felawigends gathered infront of the barracks, at the training ground, that eve. She stood there watching them, with mind murky from the mead, her rabbit heart beating fast. As maegisterwigend its her duty to shape them into a riders, tie their lives together, so they would bond into a brothers and sisters, so as those were ways of old.
She knew their names, scribe already written them on the paper at the barracks, and there was little that could impress her about their fine new armor and sharpened blades. One was missing though, a Stangard pardoned criminal, so she waited a little.
Regnwald was standing next to a old man, Youth and strength by the wisdom of the elder weapon master. She bowed her head to both, and there was no time to wait no more.
She spoke with man in exquisite armor first, perhaps his armor smith was eager to prove but by her thinking it is too rich for a simple falawigend, and could make problems with others, jealousy is oft where man of coin and crofters meet.
There was girl she met before, stubborn jawed but pretty, there was steel and grim look in her eyes, and already there she knew this one would give her life for her aethewigend, fellow rider and the King. But there is a lot of bark around her that needs to be shaved off all way to the steel heart. Eohilda took laps together with Wiga.
Next recruit, Eadelric, had beautiful armor, good healthy body, long legs and a handsome face. Heartbreaker by all accounts. His armor was well polished and boots scrubed well, but there was no real endurance under the armor she could see it. But that is easy problem for her to solve. He had to run and swim over the Harwick pond, taking off and taking on his heavy armor. After him was a simple lad, Aodhred, he had no knowledge about greetings but honestly feeling she knew he would do well. He seemed just over his feet here, and there was the last one. Langhund, the pardoned criminal from Stangard was handsome lad, bold and well built, healthy but boastful, so first she had to do is to teach him manners.. So he also had to guard the red barrel all night with Aodhred, wearing all the shiny armor others in patrol had.
All of sudden Wiga broke, calling this is not a service he wanted..that he made mistake.. a wrong town? She just stared at the cracking mad lad slightly confused. If he expected riders are polished out of silk and brocade he was very wrong. Aethelwigend didnt interrupt, as she he has seen many give up, run away, unable to take orders, even the simplest ones. So she had nothing to say to lad then farewells. May Bema give him courage or he will hide behind womans skirt all his life.
Already she felt this group would suck the life out of her, but there was a lot to prove, the honor aethelwigend gave to be a patrol leader, she, a shieldmaiden.. Such an burden..
