Runhild

Runhild was born to a small, functioning family. Her mother was a seamstress, while her father was recognized as one of the éored. Her parents were both slightly older when she was born, so it was a pleasant surprise when she came along.

Her mother, ever the ambitious woman, immediately took it upon herself to raise her daughter up to be the wife of a horselord. She was quick to teach Runhild the duties and expectations of a woman by the time she was seven years old. Like most children that age, Runhild found the idea of marriage a far off, disgusting ordeal, and did not care much for those lessons. She would rather run in the streets with the boys, learn to ride horses, and steal pastries from the local inn whenever she could.

Of course, her mother was against it, but her father encouraged her antics. After all, she was just a child. Marriage was a long ways off. Why worry about it now? She would grow into it.

And so, Runhild grew to be considered one of the boys. It was not until she was eleven that she’d calmed down. By that time, she was a good rider, and has some minor knowledge of swordplay. During a kitchen raid one day, she overheard a bard playing in the common area of the inn. Aside from the occasional vulgar drinking songs her mother so despised, Runhild had no understanding of music. She was immediately captivated.

And thus begun her transformation. She took to her mother’s studies a year later to learn the art of being a “proper woman.” During those years she would also sneak away to the inn to listen to the bards. She never learned to use any sort of instrument, but she had jumped headlong into singing.


When she was seventeen, her mother decided that she had finished with her lessons. Runhild took up work as a seamstress alongside her mother. Around that time, Runhild had come to hear of some attacks in the villages closer to the borders of their lands. Worried that the attacks may come to Edoras, she took up lessons in sword play and defensive riding. It took a few years for her to be accepted as a shieldmaiden. She’s also hoped to join the éoherë under Eomer himself, but was turned down, saying that she was not to fight unless absolutely needed.