If Rohan indeed is a feudal society - which I think it kind of is (feel free to disagree) - then it would be that lord Eodwine is also Degas' lord. All the landowners are subordinate to their lord who in turns answers to the king of his district. Basically the landowners pay in goods, services or with money and are obliged to send a number of men to arms i dire need. The lord protects the landowners with his men at arms, makes judgement on matters of dispute etc. You all know this I think.
But that feudal system doesn't mean the landlord and a landowner couldn't become close or even friends or that there couldn't be different relations between the landlord and his different "vassals". And surely on Degas' situation the relationship is particularly interesting. Still if Eodwine is going to give Degas noticeably different rights than to others the other landowners would grumble to be sure.
It was indeed part of the original plan (at least some of them) that one source of different plot-lines could emerge from at least some of the mightiest landowners not being too pleased with the King's presence via the Mead Hall in the area they have used to run between themselves.
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I think Stigend and Modryth might take part in the three legged race, as well as Cnebba and Garmund. And if Modryth declines then it should be Stigend and Garstan - so fathers vs. their sons...
