Eorling Mead Hall

[Nogrod]

Stigend dacided to straighten his back for a second before taking on the next log. Glancing around for the children he noticed that Garmund had disappeared. Lèoðern and Cnebba were playing together at the back of the going-to-be Alder court.

Both Stigend and Modtryth had noticed that some tensions had been building up between the children but they had always been too busy or not having an unforced situation to take that up with Cnebba. Maybe I should have a word with those two right now? I could do with a little break anyhow, Stigend thought and started walking towards the children, stretching the jammed muscles on his back as he went.

“So, who’s leading?” he addressed the two as he reached them and sat down to the ground beside Cnebba. Both kids looked to him, but before Cnebba had time to open his mouth, Lèoðern already answered: “I am! Cnebba only has two left!” With that she produced an irresistible smile. Stigend couldn’t but smile back to her. She really is charming little girl.

He took a look at his son and gripped him softly from the elbow. Aloud he said: “Don’t lose your concentration, Cnebba, or you lose the whole game”. Cnebba turned his face downwards and didn’t dare to look at his father but instead started ripping off some grass from between his legs. Stigend knew that Cnebba was fairly good in the game the children were playing. When they played it together, Stigend rarely had to fake a bad throw to keep the game even. Letting the girls win now aren’t we? So, he has seen me faking and uses the same method, I see.

As Cnebba avoided his eyes, he turned casually towards Lèoðern and asked her, like in passing: “Where’s Garmund? I thought I saw him a while ago here but I haven’t heard your dad come around to call for him.” Now it was Lèoðern's turn to start avoiding his eyes, picking hairs from her dress. There was clearly something wrong here.

Cnebba opened his mouth to help her: “Garmund lost the game and got angry for it! We don’t know where he went”.

Stigend looked at his son to the eye for a while until Cnebba ducked his gaze again. He took a bit firmer grip on his elbow and after a moment’s silence he said, looking at both of them in turns. “One should not take games that seriously”. Both children lifted their heads slowly and carefully to see what was to follow. “But was it just losing the game you played a while ago that made him angry?” He took again a bit tighter grip from Cnebba’s elbow and looked now straight into his eyes quite seriously: “Was it a fair game today?”

Cnebba tried to turn his head away but simultaneously Stigend let off from his elbow and grasped his chin with his hand. Slowly but firmly he turned Cnebba’s face to meet his own. “Have you been fair to Garmund? Answer me, Cnebba”.

“But we have such fun together!” Cnebba tried to answer, as a tear started forming in the corner of his eye. He wasn’t sure what was it exactly that he had done wrong this time although he had a faint idea of it. But what he knew for sure was, that if his father acted like that, then he was serious and he himself had done something wrong. Cnebba tried to escape the situation, but his father’s eyes were nailed on him and he couldn’t get away. So he just bursted to words.

“I mean... I mean Garmund is nice but he is so often working with Garstan and then we get great games going and then when Garmund comes back we need to explain him everything and still he doesn’t understand the game as we do and then we must correct him all the time and...” Cnebba had to draw a breath but Stigend didn’t let his eyes go.

“And Garmund’s adventures are always the same. Cnebba has funny new ideas that are nice!” Lèoðern put in, trying to help Cnebba.

Stigend glanced at Lèoðern and nodded slowly while thinking. Then he turned to Cnebba and asked calmly: “Answer me in earnest, Cnebba. How do you find Garmund’s ideas? Always the same or quite new and fun?”

“I’ve never heard many of the stories he tells while we play adventures”, Cnebba managed to mumble, his head down again as his father’s eyes had given him a chance to escape by looking the other way for a while.

“Alright you two. I understand what you mean and I hope you understand it too. But how do you think Garmund feels about this? It’s not his fault that he has to learn the trade. But when he comes from his duties you start to scorn him, right? How would that feel if it were you Lèoðern, or you Cnebba?”

“I’m sorry dad. I hadn’t thought it that way...” Cnebba said slowly, his voice trailing off a bit. As Stigend glanced to Lèoðern he thought he was seeing small tears in her eyes too.

“You should tell that to Garmund, and make an apology to him, I think. You know, it’s always easier to lose a friend than to gain one.” Stigend made a little pause, watching the two children fighting for courage to look at him and enduring the shame they had found in themselves. “And the sooner, the better, I say. You go and find Garmund and tell him you are sorry and make it a jolly reconciliation. And if all this is settled after the working-day is over, I’ll promise you a little game of adventure with me. Maybe I could talk Garstan over to join us, and Modtryth perhaps...” With that he noticed that both kids raised their heads and a flash of joy was to be read on their faces.

“Really dad? Mum would come too?” Cnebba asked. “My dad too? We all?” asked Lèoðern in turn.

“I quess it could be settled. But I can’t promise it.” Stigend answered them, smiling now heartily to them both. He rose up patting both gently to the shoulders as he rose. “But at least I will come with you and plan an adventure anyone of you will not forget!” With that he winked an eye to both of them and straightened himself up. “Now you two have something to do and I have also. I hope to see you all three in the evening as friends again!”

Stigend turned and started back towards his site. I must discuss this whole issue with Garstan, and with Modtryth. Maybe it’s time for Cnebba to start learning the trade too?

[littlemanpoet]

"I give you good greeting, Eomer King!" Eodwine bowed deeply.

"Greetings Eodwine, my new Eorl. I had hoped you would bring the Holbytlan with you, the one who claims to have saved your life, Master Folc- Folwi-"

"Master Falco Boffin."

"Ah! Those Shire names are passing strange!"

"He did as he claims, lord, and I did not think to bring him. Forgive me. He would have liked to come."

"Forgiven! Bring him next time. What brings you to Meduseld?"

"Fear that you would beggar yourself out of kindness to me, lord."

Eomer allowed a half grin as he eyed his Eorl. "I think I can guess what you will say next, but I wish to hear it from you."

"Lord, you have given me Edoras and land fifty miles long from north to south and fifty miles wide from west to east. All of it did pay tithe to the king. Now the tithe comes to me, and you get but a tithe of the tithe! You have cutt off your own wealth from your hand!"

"I keep the wealth from East and West in my own hand, Eodwine. You have a new weal from my hand that has not been done before among the Eorlingas. I am testing a new thing to see how it works, and you are my Woses Hog."

Eodwine blinked, tilted his head, and squinted from one eye. "So you are giving me your wealth to test me? Why? ....if I may be so bold?"

Eomer chuckled. "Not testing you, but a way of holding lands."

"What way is this?"

"It is to hold all one's lands in fief to local eorls, and to get tithes from all of them."

"But then you get only a tithe of a tithe and beggar yourself surely!"

"Yes and no. I do get a tithe of a tithe, and if the lands stay as they are it would be beggary to me. Tell me, Eodwine, how much of the Middle Emnet is farmed? And how much of it is fen, bog, marsh, unused, or horse pasture and paddock?"

"The numbers of our fold are not great for we have often been at war with Dunlending or orc, or even woses; much of the land that could be farmed is not."

"And much is pasturage for the steeds of the Eorlingas," said the king. "Some day our fold will learn that warring costs more than it gains, and that the land is enough to enrich us."

"Where has the king learned these new thoughts?" Eodwine ventured.

"From Elessar and Imrahil. And Lothiriel my wife."

Eodwine nodded. It was as he had thought. Marenil's newfangled ideas came back to mind, as things he would rather do without, and here was his king speaking of the very same thing. He swallowed and cleared his throat. "We are close to the land, lord."

"Close enough to turn fen, marsh, and paddock aplenty to cropland? I want you to understand these things so that you can see for yourself how they may be made to happen. I have land to give you so that you can put this to the test."

"Lord?"

"Sorn's land is forfeit to me because of his crime. I give it to you."

Eodwine was dumbfounded for a merest moment. "And I give it back to your forthwith, lord!"

"No, Eodwine, you shall not. Use the land. Move there with your household. That old inn is too cramped for the Eorl of the Middle Emnet, though you have done much with it already. Sorn's land will make a fine estate which, as it turns out, is in the very heart of the Middle Emnet, where you should be."

"But folk do not go there, lord."

"They will when you are there."

"Would you have me a day's ride away? Out of sight and mind to do as I please whether you like it or not?"

Eomer smiled. "Bold words. But I picked my first Eorl well. I trust you, for you are trustworthy."

"Are you commanding me?"

"I could. But I do not. Think on this. Return to me in a month and we will talk of it again. It is not something that must be done all in a rush. Now, is there anything else?"

"No, lord. You appear to have matters well in hand, far more than I credited you with, and much more well in hand than I."

Eomer laughed. "Ah, but I have means that you lack. Speaking of which, the queen wishes to speak with you when you leave my court."

"Oh? About what matter?"

"I know not, though I will learn soon enough, no doubt. There is another thing. Haleth!" The king's chief guard came forth holding a small pouch, which he gave to Eodwine. "Take it, Eodwine."

He opened it. Inside was a broad gold ring, etched around with galloping horses, nose to tail.

"In honor of your aid in winning back the queen's cousin."

"My thanks, lord. 'Tis doubtless a small fortune!"

"And well placed. Now tell me before you go, what is your ensign to be?"

"It is to bear a white horse, a white lyre, and a white alder tree on a green field, the horse to upper left, the lyre to upper right, and the alder tree beneath."

"You have made me curious. Tell me what these things mean."

The conversation whiled toward noon, and Eodwine had had a luncheon repast with the king before he went to see Lothiriel.