(AN: No, no wait, I don't have anything to say.)
"Yes, both of their parents died."
"Such a terrible tragedy, and at such a young age."
"Eomund was a really decent person, did you ever meet him?"
"No, I never did."
It was a dreary day at Edoras, with large splats of rain sporadically bursting from the sky and then stopping shortly after. The sun had not peaked through the dark grey clouds in several long, very wet days, and the people were starting to tire of the weather. Their horses did not mind though; the food they were given was richer now, and quite tasty. The wind whipped the ankles and backs of the traveling people and the cold bit the noses of those who were not inside wrapped in blankets sitting near a fire.
But no one was complaining about the weather at the moment. Two young children had just been escorted up into the Golden Halls. One was a boy; he looked to be about 10. He was tall, much taller than most his age. The other was a girl with pale yellow hair; she was younger than the boy. When they walked up the steps to their new home, neither seemed to notice the pounding rain and the lashing wind, but they looked up in slight awe at the golden walls and high door of their new dwelling place. They disappeared into the King's hall without a look at the curious faces that were watching them from doors and windows.
They were the young children of Eomund and Theodwyn, now orphaned because of Orcs. Their uncle, Theodwyn's older brother, had agreed to let them live in Meduseld, and to raise them with his own son Theodred. Theodred was then 11 years old, and quite the warrior for such an age. But he was an only child, and his mother was dead. Everyone agreed that it would do Theodred good to have someone to share his home with.
In one of the many houses at the base of the hill that Edoras stood upon was a small family. It was the house of Gamrond, and his wife Haling. They had one daughter, and she was a hard to control fiery child of 10. Fengolin is her name, and at this very moment, she is trying to sneak out of her house to get a better look at the new arrivals.
Her parents were wrapped up in a conversation with the neighbor, a nosey lady who liked to gossip about the latest news with anyone that would have her. Fengolin carefully toed her way across the hall that exposed her to her parent's backs for a few painful seconds, and then she was in her parent's room, where there was a window big enough for her to get out of. She threw a small cloak over her shoulders and then clamored out into the muddy street directly under the window. She quickly ran beyond the view of her house, and then stopped. She quickly walked to another window and stuck her head inside.
"Grimbold, do you want to come with me?" she said to the boy that was sprawled out over his bed. He looked up at her, boredom traced in every inch of his face. Grimbold was four years her senior, but the two of them still managed to get along very nicely. He was strong, and when he wasn't at home, he was off with his father, learning how to defend his country.
"Where are you going?" he asked, sitting up to look better at her.
"Don't you know? There are two new people up at Meduseld, and I want a better look. Now, are you coming or not?" Grimbold shook his head at her.
"My parents would get angry, they don't want me to get sick." Fengolin laughed at him.
"You're such a baby, we'll only be gone for a few minutes." Grimbold looked like he was going to say no, but instead said, 'All right, let me get a cloak." Fengolin climbed into his bedroom while he rummaged around for a cloak, and then his boots. While he did this, she slowly walked around, picking up small knives and practice swords when she saw one.
"You're lucky your parents let you use these," she said softly.
"Not really," he replied absentmindedly, "I always have to train. That's all my father wants me to do."
"Still, at least you can fight if you needed to." Grimbold shrugged his shoulders and then threw his finally found cloak over his shoulders.
"All right, let's go."
They went directly east, past Fengolin's house first. After they got to the back of Meduseld, they slowly climbed up the steep slope of the hill, frequently slipping down to the bottom and getting mud and grass stains all over their clothes. When they finally reached the Golden Halls, they were completely wet (the cloaks did nothing), they were muddy and covered with bits of grass, and it was far past a few minutes.
"Well, here we are," Grimbold said, trying to master his chattering teeth. "Where now?" Fengolin looked up to the roof of the building, trying to make her next plan. Small clouds were appearing momentarily at her lips as she thought, when she finally snapped her thumb.
"I got it! We can look through the rafters above them!" she said, and began dusting the grass off herself.
"The rafters?" Grimbold repeated, looking slightly skeptical at his friend.
"Mmhmm," she replied, and began towards the side of the Halls, where there were windows.
The first window they came to opened into a small storage room. It smelled strongly of hay and had various things inside, mostly items for guests that needed to dine with the King. The room opened up into the dark rafters above, where children sometimes climbed up to spy on things and complete dares. The rafters were not the safest place to be. Fengolin climbed in first, followed by Grimbold. Fengolin had no problem getting through the window, but Grimbold, who was bigger than she was, had a little trouble.
"Shh," she whispered to him. Voices were drifting into the room from above them. They recognized Theoden King's voice, but no other person was talking. "Give me a boost then," she said when he was all the way in. With the added help pf Grimbold, she managed to pull herself up into the creaky rafters. She quickly crawled away so Grimbold could follow her.
When they were both steady, they slowly made their way into the Hall, where Theoden was sitting with his back to them. At his feet were a boy and a girl. "I think that's them," Fengolin barely whispered, and began to shakily climb out farther.
"Fengolin, no!" Grimbold whispered in the same volume she had, and he quickly followed her. She stopped when she was level with the King, but off a little to his right. Grimbold stopped next to her and pulled on her arm. She shook her head no and tried to get his hand off her arm. The more she tried, the more he pulled until the beam of wood they were on let out a resounding squeak.
"What was that?" the boy said below them, looking in the opposite corner of the rafters they were in.
"Nothing, nothing," Theoden replied, "It is just the rafters. Sometimes they squeak and moan in the wind and bad weather. You will soon grow accustom to it."
Grimbold and Fengolin were holding their breaths while the boy looked about, but, by a great stroke of luck, they were not seen. Grimbold pulled on her arms once more, and this time she nodded. They slowly turned to leave when the beam gave a great cracking noise, and then they toppled off the beam, fell the respectable distance to the ground, and landed on their backs, the wind knocked out of them.
There was ringing silence. Fengolin sat up first, shaking her head and rubbing the dust from her eyes. Grimbold sat up much slower, and more aware of what those around him were doing. They were all staring at the two children, and now the children were looking at their King, whom they held in a very large amount of reverence.
"What happened?" Theoden finally asked, regaining his speech from his surprise.
"We fell," Grimbold offered weakly, not matching the eyes of Theoden.
"Yes, I know that, but why were you in that place?"
"Because," Fengolin answered slowly.
"Because why?" Grimbold sighed a little.
"Because we wanted to better see them," he answered and looked over his shoulder at the two other children. "Well, I've seen them now, I'll go!" He stood to leave but was stopped by the King.
"You came in here to gawk at people?"
"You could put it that way," Fengolin said, "Or, you could say that we were exercising our curiosity in a healthy way." Theoden raised an eyebrow at her, but a small smile had crept onto his face nonetheless.
"I should tell your parents. It is a miserable cold day today, one where you could easily get sick," Grimbold looked heavily at Fengolin, "and you came and snuck around my Halls." Grimbold had cast his eyes to the ground, feigning that his feet were the most interesting discovery he had ever made.
"But, if it was all in the name of curiosity, I guess I will not mention it." Fengolin's face broke into a surprised smile while a wave of relief very visibly washed over Grimbold.
"May we leave, sir?" he asked, ready to run as soon as he could.
"I believe you wanted to see my niece and nephew first?" he asked and then nodded towards them. "They are Eowyn and Eomer, and they will be living here now." Grimbold and Fengolin looked over to the two who were now standing.
"Hello," Grimbold finally said, a little quietly. They nodded but said nothing. Fengolin looked back to Theoden and he nodded. She elbowed Grimbold and they both ran to the doors, past Eowyn and Eomer. Grimbold exited quite quickly, but Fengolin lingered just long enough to see them one more time. Eowyn had already returned her attention to her Uncle, but Eomer was watching her. With a quick turn, she ran out of the Halls.
"A few minutes she says," Grimbold was saying loudly behind her, "No, that was nigh an hour! My parents will kill me!"
"That's if they noticed you were gone," Fengolin replied and ran down the muddy street towards the gates of the city. Grimbold ran after her.
"You're going the wrong way! I want to go back home!" he said, a sharp whining quality to his voice.
"Then go back home, no one is stopping you," she replied and stopped in the middle of the street. "No, I think I want to go back home too. Let's go." They both turned and jogged off at a leisurely pace towards their homes. The rain came down harder, and the wind picked up, whistling above the roofs of the houses.