"Where is my eldest daughter, wife?" King Robert asked, as he stared out of
his western bedroom window. His wife, Queen Athena, named after the
original Athena, was standing at the door of their bedchamber, having just
come up to tell him the news.
"She has gone, my lord."
"Gone? Gone where, may I ask?" Robert turned and looked at his wife with
confusion. "Don't tell me she has run off again."
"I am afraid that is why I came to you. I went to wake her and she was not
there. She left a note this time, sire," with that Athena handed him a
small piece of light blue paper.
"Her private stationary," The King mused to himself. Then he sniffed the
note. "It smells of roses. Leave me to myself for a few minutes so I can
read and think on this," he turned back towards the window, looking out at
the sea.
"As you wish, my lord, I will be in the hall, awaiting your call," she
turned and left the room, closing the door softly behind her.
As the door closed behind her, King Robert was already busy reading
the note written in a light but swift hand.
My dearest Mother and Father, I must leave the palace for a while. Do not worry; I will not go as far as you may think. My soul is restless, I cannot stay. I believe that I am traveling to Middle Earth; I have heard many stories of this place. I have been writing to a 'hobbit' there for a few months now. I first knew of him from the eagles. They told me many stories of hobbits and elves and wizards. I have longed to see these things with my own eyes. Please do not be mad at me, I have gone to rest my soul but I will be back. I will be back within a year, and if not a year then you will receive word from me by a large eagle. Please do not worry; I can take care of myself. You have trained me well, Father in the art of survival and you mother in the art of determination and control. I love you dearly; please watch over my cat and my things. Love, Courtney
"My eldest child, my most precious child. She has left but has said that she will return," speaks to himself as he runs a finger across her name. "I will wait for your return with a light heart, child." Robert looked up from the note, out his window, to see a maiden on horseback riding away from the castle. As he watched she turned and looked straight at him it seemed. "Farewell, fair daughter, until we meet again." He held up his hand and flicked his wrist, their special good-bye to each other. He was rewarded by the maiden lifting her hand and doing the same thing. As she set off again he recognized the horse as Faith, who wasn't a real horse at all. Faith was a cross between a horse, a unicorn, and a horse with wings. He chuckled to himself as silver wings unfolded from Faith's sides and both, maiden and horse, were lifted from the ground and quickly flew off into the morning sky. "My lord," Athena said quietly having stolen into the room unnoticed. "I have seen my daughter. She has only just reached the boundaries of our land, my love," his voice was soft and heavy with an emotion that Athena could not place. "She has taken Faith has her steed," Athena stood beside her husband and looked out the window. She felt a strong arm slip about her waist. "Yes. I have seen our daughter, on Faith. They left our lands flying, flying, love, flying!" He turned and looked at Athena, his eyes shining. Athena knew then the emotion she had heard earlier, lust. "I believe you are right. Faith and Courtney always did get along better than with any other horses, or people for that matter," as she spoke she had been slowly turned to face her husband. "This I know of also. Faith will take good care of our daughter, love," he trailed off leaning down to kiss her affectionately.
~ ~ ~
"Isn't this wonderful, Faith?" I asked as we flew over the land. I am Courtney Isadora, eldest daughter of King Robert and Queen Athena. I am running off, this time, to a place called Middle Earth. (I am running away because my soul is restless and because I seek the one who will love me in return.) I have been conversing with a young hobbit there, Sam. He is very sweet, though I do not believe his is the one for me. I found out about Middle Earth and the hobbits and all that from my eagle friend. I cannot pronounce his name in the English tongue and I do not speak of it in any other tongue. My father and mother are wary about other languages and people. I am part elf and part sorcerer, so I have learned the elven tongue from my mother. I have been learning of more languages from Sam, who has many stories to tell. I will explain all that later. My eagle friend came to my land by accident; he had been caught in a bad storm and crashed through my bedroom window! It was all very touching and we became fast friends. He told me of Middle Earth, and hobbits, wizards, evil, and alas! elves of many kinds! So with my companion, Faith, my winged horse, I am traveling by the directions of my eagle friend to Middle Earth. "This is grand, isn't it, Faith?" I sighed with pleasure and looked all about me. "It is very beautiful, princess. I am very glad that I chose to come with you this time." "I am glad too; I could not have gotten to Middle Earth without you." "I believe that you could have found some way, but you are safer with me." "Don't lecture me, Faith," I said with a laugh. "I know that my father and mother will rest easier knowing that you are with me." "I do think they will, Courtney." "That is the first time you have called me by my name since we met, Faith," I said with surprise. "I know, I also know that we will be together for a long time and I thought it best to call you Courtney instead of Princess in case someone meant to harm you. You understand, of course." "I do. Thank you, Faith," I lapsed into silence as we flew ever closer to, Middle Earth.
* * *
My dearest Mother and Father, I must leave the palace for a while. Do not worry; I will not go as far as you may think. My soul is restless, I cannot stay. I believe that I am traveling to Middle Earth; I have heard many stories of this place. I have been writing to a 'hobbit' there for a few months now. I first knew of him from the eagles. They told me many stories of hobbits and elves and wizards. I have longed to see these things with my own eyes. Please do not be mad at me, I have gone to rest my soul but I will be back. I will be back within a year, and if not a year then you will receive word from me by a large eagle. Please do not worry; I can take care of myself. You have trained me well, Father in the art of survival and you mother in the art of determination and control. I love you dearly; please watch over my cat and my things. Love, Courtney
"My eldest child, my most precious child. She has left but has said that she will return," speaks to himself as he runs a finger across her name. "I will wait for your return with a light heart, child." Robert looked up from the note, out his window, to see a maiden on horseback riding away from the castle. As he watched she turned and looked straight at him it seemed. "Farewell, fair daughter, until we meet again." He held up his hand and flicked his wrist, their special good-bye to each other. He was rewarded by the maiden lifting her hand and doing the same thing. As she set off again he recognized the horse as Faith, who wasn't a real horse at all. Faith was a cross between a horse, a unicorn, and a horse with wings. He chuckled to himself as silver wings unfolded from Faith's sides and both, maiden and horse, were lifted from the ground and quickly flew off into the morning sky. "My lord," Athena said quietly having stolen into the room unnoticed. "I have seen my daughter. She has only just reached the boundaries of our land, my love," his voice was soft and heavy with an emotion that Athena could not place. "She has taken Faith has her steed," Athena stood beside her husband and looked out the window. She felt a strong arm slip about her waist. "Yes. I have seen our daughter, on Faith. They left our lands flying, flying, love, flying!" He turned and looked at Athena, his eyes shining. Athena knew then the emotion she had heard earlier, lust. "I believe you are right. Faith and Courtney always did get along better than with any other horses, or people for that matter," as she spoke she had been slowly turned to face her husband. "This I know of also. Faith will take good care of our daughter, love," he trailed off leaning down to kiss her affectionately.
~ ~ ~
"Isn't this wonderful, Faith?" I asked as we flew over the land. I am Courtney Isadora, eldest daughter of King Robert and Queen Athena. I am running off, this time, to a place called Middle Earth. (I am running away because my soul is restless and because I seek the one who will love me in return.) I have been conversing with a young hobbit there, Sam. He is very sweet, though I do not believe his is the one for me. I found out about Middle Earth and the hobbits and all that from my eagle friend. I cannot pronounce his name in the English tongue and I do not speak of it in any other tongue. My father and mother are wary about other languages and people. I am part elf and part sorcerer, so I have learned the elven tongue from my mother. I have been learning of more languages from Sam, who has many stories to tell. I will explain all that later. My eagle friend came to my land by accident; he had been caught in a bad storm and crashed through my bedroom window! It was all very touching and we became fast friends. He told me of Middle Earth, and hobbits, wizards, evil, and alas! elves of many kinds! So with my companion, Faith, my winged horse, I am traveling by the directions of my eagle friend to Middle Earth. "This is grand, isn't it, Faith?" I sighed with pleasure and looked all about me. "It is very beautiful, princess. I am very glad that I chose to come with you this time." "I am glad too; I could not have gotten to Middle Earth without you." "I believe that you could have found some way, but you are safer with me." "Don't lecture me, Faith," I said with a laugh. "I know that my father and mother will rest easier knowing that you are with me." "I do think they will, Courtney." "That is the first time you have called me by my name since we met, Faith," I said with surprise. "I know, I also know that we will be together for a long time and I thought it best to call you Courtney instead of Princess in case someone meant to harm you. You understand, of course." "I do. Thank you, Faith," I lapsed into silence as we flew ever closer to, Middle Earth.
* * *