I ran through the trees, laughing as I heard my brother approaching. Soon, I was knocked over and landed sprawling on the ground. I flipped quickly, but he was no longer behind me.
"Cala," a voice called from the trees. I picked up a stone very slowly from the ground next to me, weighing it in my hand. A tree branch shook, and I chucked the stone hard as I could. I was rewarded with a small 'thump' and a very grumpy elf falling from the heavens. Randir, my brother, landed in a rather ungraceful heap on the forest floor.
"Caladhiel!" my brother scolded. I concentrated on making my face a mask of innocence, but my mirth was barely contained; that is, until I turned to call to our horses and found that a rock was being hurled in my direction. Crouching quickly, I dodged the pebble; my brother's look of disappointment was not lost on me. I walked off, barely able to breathe, laughing too much.
"I've got Marin and Andante with me, Rand," I called when I had recovered, having traipsed through the forest looking for our horses. Thankfully, the two hadn't gone far; I didn't enjoy venturing into the darker areas of the woods.
"Caladhiel! Randir! There you are!" screeched our mother as we arrived home. "Dress in your finest. We are expected at the court shortly." She then proceeded to disappear in an array of red silk and golden locks pulled into an elegant design. I blanched at surrendering my hair to that kind of torture and hurried to prepare for a visit to a place I seldom frequented.
The palace had always been a fair piece from our home, one of the reasons I was not found there often. It took a good half-hour by horseback and longer by foot. I also tended to avoid the stifling propriety of the king's halls. I mounted my mare and urged her into a canter.