Eorling Mead Hall

[Celuien]

The noon meal had passed quickly, and Eodwine called for Garstan's aid in rearranging the great hall for the continuation of court proceedings. Lèoðern yawned, sleepy in the afternoon heat. And, partly, because she bored of lengthy speeches for which she had to stand quietly.

Eodwine smiled, catching the child's sleepiness. "The children, perhaps, would prefer to be dismissed from court?"

The children looked hopefully at from Eodwine to their father, silently begging to be allowed out of doors. Garstan returned Eodwine's smile. "Yes, I think that they would prefer it so."

Garstan nodded to Garmund, and the children first walked, then ran to the door.

Sunshine and air cured Lèoðern's weariness, and she dashed around the yard, now whirling, now tugging at her brother's hand. Though, for all her giddiness, Lèoðern had acquired a new grace in her motion of late - a quick, light step and alert bearing.

They came to the alder. "Come, Garmund. Let's climb." Lèoðern reached for a low branch and quickly pulled herself to a perch a short way from the ground. Garmund followed.

From their branch, the pair saw a group of boys scatter and hide. Lèoðern laughed and pointed. A game. Neither knew the children playing.

"Do you think they'll let us join them?" Garmund shrugged.

Another boy, darker than the others, appeared. There was a defiant look about him. Garmund wasn't sure he trusted that stubborn, proud glare. Before Garmund could stop her, Lèoðern slid out of the tree and followed the boy as he passed. Garmund came too, a few steps behind her. The new boy didn't turn, either ignoring his shadows or unaware of their presence.

A series of poorly stifled giggles from Lèoðern revealed her game.

[Nogrod]

“...97 – 98 – 99 - 100!” Cnebba shouted the last number with all his 8-year old might and turned around. The yard was buzzing with people. He thought he had a glimpse of the big-guy, the one who had bullied him to the ground, just disappearing behind a cart somewhere over his right. He started walking somewhat towards the cart that was about 50 yards away from him, carefully trying to show that he was not looking at that direction and slightly angling his path away from it, not to make to the cart straight away. He had played hide’n’seek before.

He was determined to show these boys he would be as good as they were. I’ll show them, I’ll find them and find them fast! He thought to himself as he suddenly came aware of someone behind him – it was not an adult. He continued as if he hadn’t noticed it but was more than alarmed. Those two, could they have sneaked behind me? He thought as he walked steadily forwards without glancing to his back. The giggle of Lèoðern finally made it clear to Cnebba. Those behind him were not the brothers he had met a moment ago. Suddenly he stopped and turned around to see the giggling Lèoðern and the more reserved Garmund trailing him – their movement stopping just a bit too late to appear not being tracing him.

For a while Cnebba stood there unsure about what to do. They looked kinder – or at least the girl looked like it. Anyhow they both were much nicer looking kids than the ones he was playing the hide’n’seek with. But still, he had promised to play...

Without a further thought Cnebba took a step towards the girl and addressed her: “Hi, my name is Cnebba.” He said, looking Lèoðern intently in the eye. “Who are you?” he asked.

“My name is Lèoðern, and this is my brother Garmund”, Lèoðern answered somewhat taken a back by the blunt move of the strange boy – as one who had been caught in the middle of something one should not be caught in the middle of. Garmund just stood back, waiting what would ensue. Lèoðern raised her gaze to meet Cnebba’s eyes and looked curious "Why are you sneaking around like that?" she asked, smiling in the end of her question.

Cnebba felt a bit confused by the sudden stare and the smile of the girl. “I’m playing hide’n’seek.” He answered but then paused for a while, thinking fervently for a good answer to make these two his friends.

“Would you like to join the game? I could count to hundred again and both of you could go hiding too? There are four guys in the game too. They wouldn’t mind you joining in... You come?” he asked in the end, smiling too with his teeth shining white. But his long and untied golden hair was taken by the gust of the wind and it covered his face – making him cough the last words as his hair got into his mouth. He blushed slightly. "You come?" he asked again, kind of making sure they had understood what he had mumbled with the hair in his mouth.

After he had sweeped his hair back, he felt more confident. Lèoðern and Garmund were looking at each other questioningly. Cnebba continued then, not wishing to lose the opportunity: “I would like to play with you more than with the boys there”, he said, pointing to the general direction to where the other boys had hidden themselves among the crowd, “But I can’t eat my promise. My father and mother have told me that a man never breaks his word”.