Well another week, new chapter. Own nothing, but oc's. Enjoy.


Chapter Seven Up and Around

Ayria passed by the big mountain, it wasn't that hard, she went right around. She wondered if the white city was right inside of it. There were people she though inside it, which didn't make much sense. She didn't like this road, because there were no trees like the night she had camped outside, to hide them.

Apples had taken to sleeping most of the days in her bag the witch had given her. He was eating a lot more to. She had moved the food so he wouldn't eat it all either. He was disappearing during the night, running off across the fields.

It was midday again when she came across one other person who was traveling on the same path. He was driving a great big cart with baskets all in the back, that she was sure were full of bright red apples. Pebbles caught a whiff, as he broke out into his canter to keep up with the great rumbling of the cart. It had huge wheels Ayria noticed.

Ayria made him go on, as he did plodding right beside where a great big man sat in the high seat, driving one big dark brown horse in front of him. He had a long dark grey beard that reached down to his knees, and was wrapped in the same sort of worn grey cloak. His grey hair almost reach to the tip of his back as well, wild and unkempt as he kept staring down at her with the bushy eyebrows.

He was wearing a very silly hat, that was pointed at the tip and matched the same grey of the cloth he wore. It was in great folds like the witch she had met by the river side. He had great big walking stick pulled up beside him, with a funny looking stone on the very top. He must be very old Ayria decided as she looked at the many wrinkles on his face.

"Scuse meh!" Ayria called up as the man pulled on the reigns of the horse, "But dah yah know how tah get tah Ivendell?"

The man pulled up tighter so the horse almost stopped short, but he let it go at a walk.

"Rivendell?" He called down to her as Ayria shook her head no.

"Ivendell!" She yelled up cupping her hands around her mouth like she had seen Byrm do, it always made his voice louder.

"Well I don't know where that is?" He shook his great head, as he sat back with the reigns, "But if its anywhere near Rivendell, your going to keep on this path. But when you get to the forest, go to the right and head up around the mountains."

"K." Ayria answered as she made to move on.

"Hold on girl." He reached down and caught the collar of her dress, as he did stop the cart this time. Ayria pulled Pebbles to a stop to as the old man climbed down from the cart. The horse just stood chomping on the bit, and glancing around as to why in the world they had stopped.

Pebbles gave a friendly neigh, but there was no way Ayria was going to let him near. The old man had gone to the rear of his cart, as he gestured for her to follow. She dismounted and led Pebbles over.

"I'll give you a ride." He told her, as he put her right on the back, "No need for you to get lost."

Ayria held onto Pebble's lead, as the old man took that to leading it over a peg that was sticking out of the side. She leaned on the backboard of the wagon, as Pebbles shook his mane. The old man walked back around to the front of his cart, as he climbed up and gave a snap of his reigns.

Ayria felt the jumble of the cart, as she glanced at what could be in the baskets. The red she had seen weren't Apples, but brightly color packages. She wondered what kind of trader he was, not be carrying any kind of actual goods. She wondered if Apples would be alright, in the side pack.

She stared out as the field stretched out behind them, the tall grass blowing softly back and forth in the wind.

…..

Yenna the tall and brave as she ran across the wide plains the angry men yelling out after her.

"Run! Run!' the ground was telling her.

"Run! Run!" The sky told her. As she flew on her great white horse, up and down and all around, leading them on. The bandits she had escaped was no worry for her, but now their enemies were going to slaughter her.

She raised her sword, as she called the great spirit of the river to chase them away, far away as she could force them. They scattered like the dust in the wind, as her own horse gave a great rumbling neigh and reared almost tossing her back.

But she was able to hold on as it turned wild, turning around as it ran the other horses into the ground.

"Onwards! Onwards!" She screamed to it as it responded.

"Here you are girl." The old man pulled the cart up to a full stop again. He came around to the back, as he lifted her up and out. He undid Pebbles lead putting it back into her hand, as she swung herself into the saddle.

"Your devoted to finding Ivendell? 'he asked her, looking down at her, patting the top of Pebbles once. He liked his touch letting him rub one of his ears as he nuzzled into the old man's robes.

"Quite the creature you have here girl." He began, "What did you call him?"

'Pebbles." She answered as Pebbles shook his mane at him.

"Odd name.' He began, "Girl where do you hail from?"

"Myerscroft."

He sighed as he tried again, "How long have you been traveling?"

"Four sets of full moons." She answered,"We were in dah middle of dah planting month."

"How old is your pony?" He asked

"I dunno." She shrugged as he seemed to gaze out past her at the white mountain she had left behind. She wondered if he was thinking about something like Da did, he always stared outside on long winter nights.

"You got a good pony here girl." He told her as he rubbed Pebbles forelock once more, "Don't let him go."

She jumped on Pebbles back, as she turned the pony away. The old man stood by his cart though as he called after the pair of them. He turned back walking to the front of his wagon, "Then may your path stay free of dangers that the wild have to offer."

Ayria waited for him to drive on the cart, as she turned Pebbles on the other way down the path. Pebbles swished his tail that didn't exist as they carried down the other way. It wasn't hard to see where the path was leading, off the main road that was. She pushed Pebbles on who set out into a very fast trot.

The road curved here, leading this way and that, but didn't leave much room for to pause. She followed where it led slowly, as the trees kept to the side of the forest. Pebbles plodded slowly, now taking his time now they weren't in a rush to anywhere in particular.

She let him now, pausing as the sun was still high in the sky as she climbed off letting him pace around as he grazed, nibbling at the grass and swishing his small stub of a tail. She wondered if she should wrap it, she had seen some horses in town with their tails wrapped when they were to short.

She opened her bag, as Apples was wrapped up in her old dress, blowing out small tuffs of smoke.

"Your good." She nodded to herself, as she shut it again, reaching over to the other bag, as she pulled out a strip of meat. She hadn't found any of the apples that seemed to have been in the bag before. She didn't bother to try and dump it out. Apples small head popped out as his tiny teeth locked around the strip before he ducked back inside the bag.

Ayria sighed as she sat on the ground. They had climbed off the road now, staring down at it. The sun was moving past the high point of the sky, but the clouds were just so they didn't beat high down on them. When they did move again, Pebbles did it with a slow plod no longer wanting to canter. It was as if he could see or know something she didn't.

Ayria gave a great yawn as she felt she could sink off the saddle any moment, but Pebbles carried on. It was desolate out here, the land was becoming more barren, more lonely. At least in the forest they had other animals that watched them, but here she could hear nothing but Pebbles hoof beats.

She wondered about the strange grey man, but when night came she put all the silly thought out of her mind. There was no where to lay besides in the open of the field which she did not like, but she had no choice.

Apples had escaped the confines of the bag and was out no likely for scouting his meal. She was stretched out her legs, pulling the blanket around her, as the wind began to hiss anyways. It was going to be a bitter winter, she thought to herself as she scooched against Pebbles stomach. The beat of his large heart.

"Good night. "She murmured.


When Ayria awoke. She noticed first she was not alone anymore. There were a great many horses gathered around her.

They nudged her a dapple grey was busy trying to munch on her hair. A chestnut stallion was nudging by her packs. They didn't have saddles, but some had worn rope halters and a few had nicer leather ones. She rubbed a black ones nose as he snort shaking his head and flicking his back his ears.

She wondered where they had all come from, maybe they had risen from the ground. She dug around in her packs as Pebbles had already risen. He didn't mind the extra friends as he began grazing. She shrugged off the extra dirt from her blanket carefully rolling it up.

The horses stepped around from where her packs were thankfully. Apples popped his head out from the leather pack. He gave a wide kind of grin showing off his pointy white teeth. He must have had a good hunt, she hadn't even heard him come back last night. She waited setting down the brig brown bag as she dug out a hunk of bread. She nawed on it as she pulled the water skin next, she had almost forgotten she had it.

The horses glanced at her, but she shrugged. They nudged her back, as a black mare with a white stripe on her foreleg. She sniffed around the packs, as Pebbles turned showing off his teeth. The mare took notice as she stepped back into the crowd. Ayria shook her head at him.

"Pebbles. Be nice." She scolded him as the pony went back to working on eating before she put on the saddle.

The second thing she noticed were these horses belong to a great many people sitting in high wagons far away from where the horses grazed. The people were dressed some like her and some in fine clothes that she had only heard about in the stories. They sat apart from the people dressed like her, in tight little groups.

No one seemed to worry about the horses and how they were so far away. Their must be people watching them. Da did it when they let the big horses out to graze in the forest, always keeping one eye on them. But they depended on each other, and knew better than to wander off where the wolves might get them.

They were getting ready with the high rise of the sun. She saddled Pebbles herself, as Apples was tucked back away in his pack ready to start sleeping for the day. She put back on his saddles and his blankets, as she swung herself up, and made him trot as the horses stepped away.

The horses followed as Pebbles plodded away. A few called to him, but he gave a snort. He didn't feel like answering their calls to stay. There were no ponies she had seen that were his height besides, he would stick out like a stubbed toe.

No one paid her any mind as she moved away from the camp, they were to busy talking amoungst themselves.

She followed herself up a great hill and didn't stop until the horses and people were far away. There were more horses than she had first seen when she was around them. The people were far greater in number as well, probably more than anyone in the village all together as the harvest time. Pebbles paused again, as he sank to the grass.

Ayria clambered of him. She knew he was tiered as she rested against his side. He stood up as he began to graze again. Apples peered out of the bag, disturbed that he wasn't being rocked back and forth. He was such a silly little dragon as he clambered out with his four sharp claws making his way to her.

He sat on her shoulder, wrapping his tail around her neck. They watched together as the orange sun began to rise up over the plains. The grass became alive. The people moved slowly, gathering their supplies on top of the wagon. She could hear some laughter of children, but there must not have been many her age.

"What do yah think of it?" She asked apples as he jumped into her lap blowing out another tuff of smoke.

"I know." She answered, "I don't know who they be either."

The morning passed very quietly, Pebbles had fallen asleep by the time the sun rose high up in the air. The people on the plains didn't seem to be in a hurry. They made small fires in some places, as the smell of meat filled the air. They must have been making meals for the days travels and possibly the night.

Da used to do it the same thing when they had to go farther into the woods and they didn't want the wolves finding them. Just cook the meat while they still had it and then made it easier to travel. The sun had set almost to early morning when the people began to get ready.

She waited until they set out, they looked as if they would follow the river to. They held strange banners in the sky, with a great white tree but encased in a circle. On other there was something that looked like a star in the sky with four long points. The colors of green and blue hung on the first two banners and then red and yellow.

They fluttered on three long poles carried by three different men who all rode on great horses. Their saddles polished in the sun, they wore clean clothes and heavy cloaks. They didn't carry swords that she could see, but other men did. They rode with the wagons with people packed onto the backs. Mostly women, but a few had their own horses that they rode on the front.

In the back, to the people who looked like her, walked in groups, or some of the older folks rode in wagons with the youngest of children. There were more horses among them, but not as pretty as the ones in front. They all seemed to be walking together like one large mass. She had heard stories, that in plights people ran freely about, but they didn't seem very happy like the in the stories. Pebbles shook his great head like he wanted to go follow them.

But Ayria didn't like that idea, as she tried to turn him. He gave a yank of his head. She decided he could win this one time as he trotted down the hill quietly. The men and women still did not pay any mind to them. They were to busy talking to each other about the weather, abut the days doings. They all had very strange accents, the way they talked.

She had to watch for the other horses, but they bobbed their heads. They looked at Pebbles as he snorted back at them, but otherwise they were like their rides, ignored them. A few of the horses from the morning were riding by them, as they called out to Pebbles again. He gave a quiet neigh this time.

She looked at the men in front, they wore amour. Not like the men at the inn, but rather more polished. They seemed to glimmer, covered in silver.

She nudged pebbles to go closer, as the horses pricked their ears at her. Pebbles seemed to agree, that they shouldn't go nearer the men as he trotted away heading nearer for the wagons. Ayria didn't fight him as she let Pebbles had his way. She stared at the nearest man to her. His horse was a brown mare, but her legs and her neck were as thick as a tree trunk.

The way she carried her tall proud head and swished her long tale. She looked rather pretty, despite being the carrier of the man in all his amour. She looked closer to see a tree embalmed on his chest. They all had trees, she wondered why as the mare yanked at her bridle. Pebbles snorted digging his nose into the ground as if he was bashful of the mare's stare trotting on by the wagon.

Pebbles flicked his ears back again, he really was shy of her. The wagon was wide, but in the back it was covered in thick black furs. It must have been all bears. A few people sat inside, mostly ladies in fine dresses but they were not paying attention to her. They were to close to the front holding things in their laps. They all wore thick cloaks as well with the hood pulls up so their faces where hidden.

Ayria let Pebbles fall back as an older stocky pony fell beside him. It was a pretty grey stallion, with a long white strip on his nose. He flared his nostrils and shook his head, with Pebbles gave a swish of his tail.

"Hi."

Ayria jumped as she stared at the stallion, but then turned to its rider. A boy maybe a winter older than her sat on its back. He was wearing a thick green tunic and wool brown birches with the heavy leather boots that were polished. He wore a great cloak around his shoulders that looked almost too big for him. On his pony's blanket the white tree was embroider on the flap.

He had the prettiest red hair, like girls only cropped at his neck and tied back with a length of cord.

"Hi." Ayria whispered as she stared at him," Who are yah?"

"Ern Windfall." He answered, "Well our family name at least. My Ma says we'll take my sister's husbands name when we reach Rohan and take a proper last name."

"I be Ayria of Myerscroft." She answered, "Who are all dah people with yah?"

"Oh." He shrugged, "Part of our clan. Those are mah sisters in dah wagon. Behind us is the other three clans."

"What about the silver men's?" Ayria asked as she glanced around, "Why they so shiny?"

"Their from the white city. Their giving us safe passage to the boarder." He shrugged.

"Yah had to leave." She stared at him,"Why?"

"Ma says war is coming." He answered, "That the black lands will take the white city."

Ayria didn't like the sound of a war. What ever that was. Ma had told her that war was what happened when there was no food left and everyone ended up dying. If Ern had to leave his home that sounded sad. She didn't know what a clan was, but it must mean they had a really big family. She couldn't imagine how many aunts, uncles, or cousins he must have? Or where they were all going to live?

"Why are yah travelin this way?" He asked as Ayria shrugged.

"I got to up the mountain." She answered.

"Oh we'll pass that by the nights end." He nodded, "I'll show you the way."

"Thank yah." She nodded. They rode quietly, for now. The adults were very chatty, Ayria noticed. Ern shifted his pony away from the crowd, as Pebbles followed right behind him. They broke outside the train line, it wasn't hard for Ern as which ever hose was in front of him slowed to let him pass as Pebbles kept right beside him.

They rode like that, simply side by side until the train had become a little distant. Ern didn't loose sight of them he couldn't it seemed. Ern seemed lonely they way he shrugged his shoulders. Ayria wondered why no one noticed he was gone, but it wasn't that unusual. Adults never noticed if she ran off with Byrm, especially on harvest days.

As long as they were all back by sun down Ma never got mad at least.

The grass was very lush as Pebbles nose bobbed to pick up bits and pieces of it. He kept flicking his ears back as Ern's pony did the same. Ayria wished there was time to let them simply graze together. Pebbles could use a break they had been traveling since being rudely awaken by the horses.

His head was digging into the ground again. Ern noticed it. The train stopped about midday, as he left her and disappeared back to the wagons. She wondered if he was mad at her then. She waited with Pebbles again as she clambered of his back once more. He stopped and grazed picking at the grass. Stomping his hoof.

She wondered why he hadn't taken to the other horses, maybe it was because they were all so bigger then him. He seemed all right with Sir ed though, but it was probably because the bigger horses always liked to have him around. He seemed to know where all the shade was in the summer.

Apples again climbed from the pack when he realized they weren't moving. Ayria had learned when they rested for breaks the dragon couldn't sleep. He didn't like not being bounced around. Maybe it had been from all his time in the little side pack with the two strange men from the inn, he must have bounced all the way while in the egg. She wondered how long he had been inside or traveling with the two men.

To bad apples couldn't tell her himself as the small dragon lay curled on her lap.

"I wonder what they talk about." As she peered at the wagons. No fires, just talking. She wondered if they had to rest this often or if this was one of the days when they needed to rest. Da talked about it, he said he used to have to travel like the men and women did now. A long, long time ago when the winters were much more harsh and food was scarce.

She liked Ern, whoever he was, he seemed to be important having his own pony to ride. He was pretty, she had never thought a boy could be pretty. Byrm said there were was one or two merchants sons who were pretty, Tulan was pretty to a lot of the girls in the village. She liked his pony even more, the way it carried its head, and trotted quietly around.

She already missed their company, as Apples dug his nails into her knee bringing her back. Her stomach growled, but she didn't feel like eating. There was something in the air, how the wind moved today on the plain. Pebbles nose nudged her neck.

"Hi." She whispered as his lips chewed the back of her hood quietly, "I'm not be the grass."

He gave a snort moving back to the blades.

"You be cute." She clicked at him as he shook his head.

Apples jumped onto his forelock as Pebbles tossed his head shooting the bangs out his head. His little claws dug into Pebbles head as he crawled down his neck, jumping finally onto the saddle, where he sprawled out quietly. Pebbles turned to stare at him, but he didn't try to roll or buck.

Apples seemed quite content on the back of his new guest.

Ern came back, breaking away from the wagons again on his pony that came up at a fast canter. It's mane shook in the wind as it tossed its head as he leaned forward in the saddle. He had something in his lap, as Ayria quickly glanced at Apples. The dragon seemed to know someone new was coming as it dove for the bag. Pebbles glanced again seeing his new companion was gone.

Ern paused sliding off his pony as it went to rest by Pebbles who nudged him. Pebbles gave an angry snort as Ern's pony tossed his head. He paused by the side as Pebbles relented and quietly munched for their lunch. Ayria turned back to Ern who was rocking back and forth on his feet.

"I um." He thrust something forward into her arms, "Here."

She stood up as she unfolded the first thing. A great green cloak, with a fur rim on the hood and the inside collar. It was so very pretty as she touched the white fur with her hands. He handed her a pair of boots, that also had fured lined on the inside. She had never seen anything so fancy, as she touched the white fure again. On the outside was the sleek polishd leather that looked as fine as a whole tanned cow.

"Warm.' She murmured as she grinned at him as he smiled back, "Thank yah. But why?"

"They were my sisters. She's in Rohan now. Ma was bringing them along to give to her, but she own't need them." He answered with a small shrug.

"Oh well." Ayria shrugged, as she folded it back up and sat down on the grass, "Can yah stay?"

"Not long. We're changing course, heading through the forest roads where we can avoid the rangers."

"Who are the rangers?" Ayria peered at him.
"They were cloaks like night and wear masks on their faces." He answered, "So you can't see them before they stab you."

"Really?" She answered

"Yeah.' He raised his brows as he rocked back and forth on his feet, as he sat beside her. He spoke of a lot of things, thigns she didn't understand. He talked of his sisters in the wagon, his Ma's worries, his Da's training. He talked about his pony and how high it could jump. He talked about the river and the forest and how Rohan wouldn't have those things. He talked off wanting to stay in the white city, but the families had decided to join away from the black gate. Most of all he reminded her of home. Ayria had long ceased to think about her own Ma and brothers, but with Ern it seemed to spring back in her mind, like a fresh wound.

She told him of the winters, of apple picking, of Byrm, Tulan and her youngest brother. She told him of the horses and the chickens with their pegs. She told him of her Ma, and her Da, and the nights spent wrapped in the quilt as the hound would howl. She told him of the wolves in the forest.

She told him of harvesting, of working in the fields, of swimming in the river. She told him most of all of the village and its grand market.

"I miss it dah most." She answered, "Da was comin back when ah left. He'll be missing me."

"Why'd yah leave?'
"had tah."

"What's that?" He asked as she pulled out the tree pendent and her length of cord, "That looks like our tree."

"I dunno." She shrugged, "Byrm said it be good luck."
"That tree is usually only given to the bravest of our warriors, or to those who need to pass without harm anywhere." He answered as he yanked her forward as he clung to the pendent, "Its real pretty."

"Thank yah."

"Silver?" He murmured, "Whoever owned it, must have been highly honored."

She thought of the dead man. He was an honored dead man then which made it all the more important she get the letter to Ivendell.

He grew silent as they say together a while more. She asked him about his pony who he called hooves. He didn't say way but she liked the name anyways. He talked about getting a bigger horse when he was older, he said all his sisters knew how to ride and to fight. The sister in Rohan was as wild as a stallion on the plains.

Ayria didn't know what that meant but it made her smile.

He talked of getting clothes, and how his sisters liked to dress him and play with his hair. He talked of the lords and ladies in the city who he sometimes saw when his Da took him up to pay respects. He talked of the soilders in their gleaming suits of amour, and the honor they did serving the white city. He said his family was old lines.

Ayria knew Ma talked about family sometimes to, she talked about how she would never see them again even if they begged her. She knew Ma had a fancy gown that shimmered, that reminded her of some of the ladies she had seen in the wagon line. Ma never ever wore it though. She chided Ayria the two times she had caught her looking at it.

They talked until the wagon line was starting to move again, as the sun was lopsided in the sky marking it halfway done for the morning and soon to be the afternoon.

"I don't want to go, but I should. Ma wants me back with the wagons or she'll send the gaurds after me."

"Oh." Ayria dropped her voice as she stood up, "I wish I could give yah something."

She had nothing in her pack that he would want, she thought of what Tulan used to give girls when he nothing to give at all. She glanced at Pebbles as he swished his great tail. She scrambled up to him as she caught the short thing holding it still. She yanked on it, but it didn't come loose.

Ern stood as he pulled out a small daggar from a side pack handing it to her. Ayria grinned as she quietly swiped off a chunk of his hair from the top. She handed the daggar back to him and then the pile of hair.

"Thank you." He answered as he clutched it, 'Where I come from to give someone part of your horse is giving a part of you."

"Oh well the witch liked it so much I thought you would to."

He pulled away blushing as he whistled for his pony. It raised its head turning and leaving pebbles. He grabbed its halter hopping on.

"Goodbye Ayria." He waved as he mounted again leaving her with Pebbles. She watched him go, rather sadly as he rode away. Pebbles didn't say anything about it, as he nudged her back. He was saying they couldn't follow. Ayria knew that as she slipped on the new boots instead.

They were warm as her feet suddenly burned as she scrunched her toes. Her old boots seemed to worn and loose compared with the new ones as she tucked them away in the saddle bag. They were still good, but she wanted to wear Erns. She wasn't cold or brave enough to try his gifted cloak yet, as she buried it away for Apples to sleep on.

Pebbles laid back in the grass again. It seemed they wouldn't be getting very far today, as the Pebbles didn't seem to want to go anywhere else.

"Silly pony." She told him, as she let him rest until the wagons had disappeared over the hill. The sun was hanging even further down in the sky. She decided they would have to make it the edge of the forest and then find the way up the mountain.

She finally did jump into Pebbles saddle as he shook his great head setting him on down toward the mountain. They traveled well into the night, until she saw a small path leading up. The mountain was even scarier in the night light illuminated by the stars. There would be no where to hide from men or creatures once they started. She led Pebbles to some under brush taking off his saddle.

The pony sank to the ground as Apples peered out, hoping down and around. He didn't stop to play as he ran off toward the woods.

"Night Apples." Ayria called to him as she dragged out some dinner. She was to tiered to even keep her eyes open or bother for a fire. She wrapped herself in the blanket curling up on Pebbles stomach as he had already laid down for the night.

She thought of Ern now and his pretty red hair.


And yet again a new adventure awaits