Eorling Mead Hall

[Nogrod]

"Daddy? You see that one... I mean... those two?" Cnebba asked his father ecxitedly after Modtryth had left. For a second Stigend was not able to answer for he himself looked at the twins with disbelief. Cnebba was clearly more than ready to go to have a closer look and Stigend had to take a firm grip from his son's shoulders.

"Okay, we all see them" he finally managed to answer. "We'll go to eat in our table. You see, they are taken to the lord's table and we should not trouble them now." Gently but firmly he guided Cnebba back to their regular places where Garstan, Garmund and Leothern were already about to set themselves.

When they reached the table Stigend looked at Garstan quizzically as if asking whether he knew about this thing. Garstan couldn't fully maintain his calm and he nodded to Stigend inconspicuously so that the children didn't notice it. They all settled down.

"You saw those? Boy, that's weird! You think they're nice?" Cnebba asked the other children with fervour. Garmund tried to avoid Cnebba's questioning eyes but Leothern seemed grim enough. Even Stigend noticed her mood.

"He knew it all the time, when they came back from that trip of theirs..." Leothern managed to utter at last, looking at his brother with an expression that could not be misinterpreted: he had betrayd her and badly.

It took a moment for Cnebba to come to full realisation of this. Yes, Lord Eodwine had mentioned Garmund's name among the ones who had already made friends with the twins. He felt a growing anger inside him even though they had been good friends again the last couple of days after the incident. He has lied to us! He hasn't told us!

Cnebba acted as fast as any 8-year old could. He winked to Leothern, and as if by a common consent they both made a run for it. Garstan and Stigend tried to catch them but they were too late. The men stood up and tried to see where the two children were heading just to realise that Garmund had also left the table.

They looked at each other not knowing what to do, sharing the sentiment of powerlesness in the situation. Suddenly Garstan nodded towards the Lord Eodwine's table. Stigend turned his head and saw it too.

Cnebba and Leothern had reached the lord's table and had come to stand behind Lefun and Ritun. Cnebba patted Lefun on the shoulder and Leother on Ritun. As the twins turned around to find out what was it, both of the children took a few steps backward instinctively, just to make sure.

"Sorry", Cnebba managed to mumble for the four eyes that were looking at them intently. "We just wished to say hi. I'm Cnebba and..."

"And I'm Leothern, the sister of Garmund" Leothern put in before Cnebba had time to make the introduction.

"We were just wondering..." Cnebba continued, drawing breath and trying to form his question. Leothern was the quicker. " Which one of you moves your legs?" Cnebba glanced at Leothern and continued with his own question: "Would you play with us tomorrow, hide'n'seek, orcs and knights, ball-games?"

Garmund had reached the table and stood beside the two inquisitors.

[littlemanpoet]

Eodwine looked across the table at Garreth and Harreld. The twins sat to Eodwine's right. While Harreld's eyes strayed to the twins like torchlight cutting through the fog now and then, Garreth plainly stared. Eodwine looked at the twins, who kept their eyes on their plates.

Ritun was always situated to the right and behind Lefun, so Ritun had to reach around his twin to get at his food and drink. It had to be inconvenient to say the least, but Ritun seemed to think nothing of it; after all, he knew nothing else, Eodwine supposed.

"Hmph!"

Eodwine looked. That had come from Garreth.

"Must be a curse."

"Garreth!" Harreld said sharply, but eyed the twins nonetheless as if he agreed.

"Leave off, you," Garreth said to his own twin, then got up of a sudden before his ale was done. "I'm finished for the night. Good even to you all." He left the table and stalked out of the hall. Harreld eyed the others around the table, then pulled Garreth's plate and ale cup over next to his own.

"I hope you don't believe that about a curse!" Eodwine said.

Harreld just glanced up quickly and kept his eyes on both plates and ale cups as he worked at his double helping.

Eodwine heard the stomping of little feet running behind him and stoppin behind the twins.

It was Cnebba and Leoðern. They introduced themselves in their childish way, and came out with the most innocent questions that any adult would have been too embarrassed to ask: "We were just wondering. Which one of you moves your legs?" "Would you play with us tomorrow, hide'n'seek, orcs and knights, ball-games?"

Both of the twins turned, grinning. As usual, it was Lefun who spoke. "First one gets it done. Our rhyme it is. But games? First work, then play if Pa says."

"We must decide what work you are to do," Eodwine said. Then he noticed Garmund come up. The boy looked protective of the twins, and not exactly friendly toward Cnebba and his own sister. He wondered what was up.

[Celuien]

Cnebba was at it again. Garmund had seen that sly wink directed at his sister before they ran over to meet Lefun and Ritun. What did he mean by trying to play the hero for Lèoðern? Egging her on with her silly idea that Garmund meant to leave her out from knowing the twins? Her look had implied that she thought as much. Garmund would have brought them to meet the twins. He wanted them to be friends with everyone at the hall. But this one time, just this one time, he wanted to run the introduction. He wanted to a better friend to his sister than Cnebba. The way things were before.

Garmund was sure now that Cnebba was trying to make him look bad in front of his sister and in front of everyone else at the hall. That was no way for a friend to behave. And so he quietly followed them to the other table, feeling all the wrath of a thwarted 9-year-old.

"You ought to have waited, Cnebba," Garmund said through clenched teeth. "I'd have brought you over to say hello."

Lèoðern scrunched up her nose. "No you wouldn't. You're always too busy. And you didn't tell me before, like you should have."

"Yes I would. But I had to make sure my friends were alright first.

I stick with my friends and make sure they don't get hurt. Not like some people here." Garmund stared straight at Cnebba, defying him to answer the challenge.

[Nogrod]

"You say you would have, but you didn't." Cnebba answered Garmund firmly, returning the defiant look Garmund had thrown at him. He had no intent to pull aside or let Garmund bully him although he was very aware that he would not have great chances against the older boy if it would get physical. He was quick and agile, but that was mainly good for running away from the bigger boys or ducking hits or thrown objects.

"We" Cnebba started, throwing a quick look at Lèoðern, "came here to make new friends, not to quarrel with them, like some people here". Cnebba tried to imitate Garmund's tone of voice with the last part of his sentence. Then he turned his back to Garmund and readressed Lefun and Ritun.

"So, would you play with us tomorrow?"

------

Garstan and Stigend saw immediately that things were not right even though they didn't hear any of the words that were said at lord Eodwine's table. The body language and the expressions told them enough. With a fast nod to each other they left their meals and took after the kids.

[littlemanpoet]

Before Garstan and Stigend were halfway to their kids, Master Falco Boffin, former shirriff in the Shire, life saver of Eodwine of the Gap, and general ladies' hobbit in parts far to the north of Edoras, was standing beside Garmund, and looked evenly at Cnebba (they were about the same height).

"Young man, it was I as told Garmund to keep his secret. Now off with you and the little girl back to your supper and let these two men have some peace!"

[Nogrod]

Cnebba looked at Lèoðern but turned his head away from her almost immediately, lowering his head. He didn't want anyone to see him now as he tried to hold back the tears that were already moistening the corners of his eyes. His blood was boiling with anger and at the same time he felt so deeply hurt inside that it almost made his stomach turn around. All the world was against him, again. And his mother had just disappeared and his father seemed to be on the side of the world against him... well, probably not as such, but not defending him either. And then this old hobbit. What was he in this? Why was he defending Garmund who had come in and insult him in the first place? Cnebba couldn't understand.

And soon he felt he just couldn't hold the frustration and anguish inside him. He raised his eyes to look at Falco, tears flowing now openly, and shouted with all the will-power of a broken 8-year old who is hardly being able to control his voice.

"This is unfair! You're so unfair!"

With that he ducked pass Falco and Garmund and towards the door. Stigend saw these last moments near enough to send a concerned look at the hobbit before calling at the people sitting in the direction Cnebba was heading. "Catch him!" he shouted, only to see a small figure slip through the tables and to hear the door slam. Darn child... and what next? Stigend tried to relax but that was hard. He felt a strong urge to go after his son. He knew Cnebba well enough. He could do anything in that kind of state of mind, and get himself into trouble. If just Modtryth was here, one of us could stay here to try to solve this and the other could try and find Cnebba before he messes things up more...

Stigend looked both unsecurely and questioningly towards Garstan who frowned to show he probably knew no more of this than he himself did. Slowly Stigend turned towards Lord Eodwine and nodded to him apologetically, laying a quick glance at Lefun and Ritun.

"I do apologise on behalf of my son, my Lord. Whatever it was that happened here." He bowed slowly and took a step back, deeply in his thoughts that went after his son.

[Celuien]

"Look what you've done now, Garmund." Lèoðern protested. "You've made Cnebba run away. Cruel, cruel Garmund." She tilted her head back to look at him and scolded. "You ought to say you're sorry."

"Sorry?" Garmund snapped back. "He's the one who should be sorry."

Garstan had had enough. His face reddened with embarrassment for the children's quarreling in front of the Eorl. "Garmund. Lèoðern. Stop. We will speak of this later. But you should both apologize to Lord Eodwine for your behavior. You should know better than to make a scene at supper."

"I'm sorry," Lèoðern said quickly, hanging her head. Garmund reddened and muttered an apology.

"Now go to our room." Garmund and Lèoðern walked away slowly, frowning at each other all the way.

"I apologize for my children's behavior, Lord." He bowed and turned to Stigend. "It would seem that our problem is worse than we thought."