They were not bidden.
We crossed a room where a few young thanes' sons slept, as I had slept before the king's door when I was first at court, and these leapt up, sword in hand.
"What will you ?" one said in a low voice, setting his back against the door.
"I must see Eadmund, our atheling, on king's business," I said gently, remembering how I should have felt when on the same duty, if one had come thus.
"He may not be waked," the boy said.
Then I spoke loudly, so as to end the business without troubling these faithful guards.
"I am Redwald of Bures.

I think that Eadmund will see me." "Hush! hush! thane," the boy said.
But there was no need to say more, for the long camp life had sharpened Eadmund's ears to aught unusual.

Now I heard the bar of the door thrown down, and Eadmund came out with a cloak round him and his sheathed sword in his left hand.
"Redwald--friend--what is it ?" he said.
"Even what we have feared, my prince," I answered, looking at him.
"Where has the blow fallen ?" "At Sandwich.

Olaf is there, and the Kentishmen have risen.

His word is that he has not enough men." "Surely Kent and London and Olaf--" he said.
"Eight hundred ships lie in Ebbsfleet.