Well seeing as how we can play as children River Hobbits in LOTRO now I present to you:
My fun lil head cannon is that our young Loremaster ventured far and wide in her never-ending search for knowledge.
Sneaking away from home was easy enough. Getting to Cardolan on the other hand, a little harder.
She travels many miles over hill and stream until at last: Tharbad
Unfortunately its when she tries to cross the Greyflood that things go wrong for the young Loremaster.
With the majority of her gear gone Idared is cold, tired and trapped on the far side of the river.
But as fortune would have it: The city of Tharbad was not quite as abandoned as she was told, and better yet: a friendly face.
A man named Meneldir, who reminds Idared of the Rangers in Bree she's met. Though Meneldir insists that he is no such thing.
Nevertheless, Meneldir decides to watch over the child as she insists on studying the ruins.
And thus begins a long and unorthodox friendship.