The first meeting of Eowyn and Faramir, and it is not in the Houses of Healing enjoy

"Eomer!"

An eight-year-old Eowyn stormed down the hallway of the Golden Hall fire burning in her eyes. Her breeches and shirt were soaking wet, bits of straw were caught in the tangles of her blonde hair and mud was streaked across her face. As she stomped down the hallway, puddles of murky water formed in her boots' wakes.

That is the last time that she would walk through a doorway without checking above for a bucket filled with water.

She came to the heavy door and swung it open full force. As it slammed into the wall, the men in the Golden Hall looked up, them including the twelve-year-old Eomer. The boy smiled at his sisters' disheveled appearance. Obviously his gadget had worked.

"Hello Sister. Did you slip and fall in the mud again?" he spoke with an innocent grin. "You have been so clumsy these days."

"Eomer! I am going to KILL you!" she screamed before taking off after her older brother. He laughed and ran away from the guards he was standing with and took off across the hall.

An amused King Theoden watched as his niece sprinted after Eomer with a burning passion for revenge in her eyes. Glancing ahead towards his nephew he saw Eomer had a good ten foot lead on the girl, Theoden knew he wouldn't be that far ahead for long. He knew deep down that he should probably stop the children and teach them a proper lesson in manners for the hall, but he could not make himself do it.

Their mother had died only 10 months ago and their father two months earlier. Eowyn and Eomer were just beginning to function normally without them, he did not want to scold them while they were having some harmless fun.

Eowyn trapped her brother on one side of the table and glared daggers at him. "If I get my hands on you Brother, I swear, you will not be able to ride a horse for weeks!!"

Eomer laughed, "You know Eowyn, I did not think you were so thickheaded to fall for such a simple prank—twice." and then darted to the left. "But apparently I was wrong!" he called back after her.

Eowyn responded quickly to his dash and chased after him only a few feet behind. She was faster than her brother was; she knew it. Seeing an opportunity, she dove, grabbing Eomer around the waist and tackling him to the ground. The siblings landed on the stone floor with a thud and Eowyn wrestled to stay on top of him. Struggling to hold down both his arms she viciously bit the hand that was trying to pull her hair. Eomer yelped in pain, letting go of her gold locks. Eowyn then cried out as suddenly she was lifted up in the air.

"Hey!" she cried. Thrashing in her captures' grasp she turned around to see her cousin Theodred holding her away from Eomer long enough so he could get up. "Theodred!" she yelled at the man in his late twenties. "You let him get away! I was winning!"

"Hello to you too little one." Theodred spoke smiling. He had been in Gondor for the past few weeks, sorting out trade routes with the steward. Slowly he put Eowyn's feet back on the ground and laughed. Her bottom lip was stuck out in a pout and her wet hair was hanging in her face.

"I am not little either." She scowled.

Theodred laughed. "No you are not little. For I swear you have grown since I last saw you." He bent down to her level and said. "I do hope Eowyn, that you will not be angry at me for long. For I have brought guests back from Gondor with me, and it would be most embarrassing to have my cousin mad at me during their stay."

Eowyn perked up a little. Though she was shy at times, she did like to meet people from different lands. "Who came with you?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

Theodred brushed some of the wet strands out of her eyes and smiled. "The sons of the steward have decided to come to Edoras to finalize some trade routes with my father."

Eowyn pouted again. "So I won't get to play with them? Cause they are grown-ups?"

The older man laughed. "We shall see Princess. Maybe I will take you riding with us when I show them the plains."

Eowyn's face lit up at the mention of riding. Her favorite pastime besides using the sword. "Really?"

"We will see." Theodred said as he rubbed the top of her head as he stood. Looking down at her he sighed and said, "Well, I was hoping to introduce the sons of Denethor to a little lady, but you will have to do I suppose."

Eowyn giggled and for the first time noticed the two men standing a few feet away from her cousin. With a goofy smile on her face, she stood next to Theodred as he said. "Eowyn, I would like to introduce to you the Sons of Denethor. The eldest is Boromir." He said pointing to a tall, muscular man with maple colored hair. Looking to Eowyn he whispered, "He is rumored to be the best swordsmen in Middle Earth, maybe he will teach you a thing or two." Eowyn bobbed her head as the tall man nodded and gave a little smile.

"And the other is Faramir, he is four years younger than his brother, just like you are to Eomer." Theodred said. "And this, men of Gondor, is my cousin Eowyn." He said with a pat on her head. The brothers smiled and gave their hellos.

Eowyn grinned and nodded her head in respect to the older men. Turning to Faramir she said, "Older brothers can be a pain, can't they Faramir?"

King Theoden then stepped forward. "Eowyn—"he scolded. "Use the proper titles."

Eowyn bit her lip in shame as she caught her mistake. Bowing her head to the ground, she said in a whisper. "Forgive me my Lord Faramir, I did not mean to offend you so." Her face blushed with embarrassment as she dragged a toe across the stone floor.

The man called Faramir stepped forward with a smile on his face. His hair was fairer then his brothers and there was great kindness in his eyes. Kneeling on the ground before her he spoke gently. "Nay my Lady Eowyn. For no offense has been taken, you may call me Faramir."

Eowyn raised her chin and gave a little smile. "Well, then you must call me Eowyn." She said.

"Alright then." Faramir said with a grin. "We shall use no titles." Going to stand back next to his brother, he added, "And to answer your earlier question Eowyn, yes, older brothers can become a pain once in a while."

Boromir turned to his little brother and grinned, "Not as annoying as little siblings are I can assure you."

At this point King Theoden went over to the sons of Gondor to greet them. As his father talked Theodred bent over and whispered to Eomer and Eowyn. "Dinner is going to be served soon, for there is a feast in honor of the lords Boromir and Faramir of Gondor. You two should go to your rooms and get ready."

Eomer nodded and took Eowyn's hand as they made haste to be ready for the feast that night.

TBC ----soon