Author's Note: Haldir and Eveslyn are approximately thirteen or fourteen years old in this story.
Chapter 3
Haldir and Eveslyn were very excited; today was a big day in their lives. Today was a right of passage to all young elves of their age. On this day, before the sun went to sleep in the curving earth, the elven children would find their horse friends. Of course the young elves had been around the animals before, but this was the day when one the horses would choose one of the children to be a master and friend. From here, the elf could then choose any horse, so long as it was willing.
A small group of young elves chatted eagerly as they walked the distance to where the horse herds grazed serenely. There was no need for warriors or adults to go with the kids; they were safe inside the woods of Loth Lorien. These elven horses did not yet have masters, but today might be their day as well as the nervous elves.
The great horses raised their proud heads at the small approaching group. They knew the right of passage was a big day for the elven children. Some of the older horses had had masters at one point, but they had fallen, and never again was another allowed to ride astride of that horse's back. A few had never taken masters at all, but choose to serve the elves in different ways. It was always an exciting time when new masters and friends met and bonded. It was a day of celebration, or it would be one very soon.
The children had been told about what to do when they reached the field, and the horses had known since the time they could communicate to their parents, no explanation needed there. Children began to break from the closely clustered, now silent, group making their ways to where they could be alone and wait for contact from their chosen horse.
A nervous Haldir and Eveslyn skirted around the edge of the herd together. They wanted to make sure they had room from the other elven children, but an open area where they could sit within thirty or so feet of each other. Haldir left Eveslyn by a flat rock and walked away from her. When he sat at the fallen tree, he made sure he could clearly see his friend. They looked at each other and smiled, now it was up to patience and the horses.
The sun was climbing across the sky slowly shrinking the shadows of the horses and the elven children. Very few of the children had moved, either to scratch their head or shift to a more comfortable position. The horses had to think carefully about the responsibility of taking a rider. They would be giving a part of themselves up to the chosen elf, and from that point on, would be dedicated to that elf for the rest of their life. There were advantages to this life, but it still had to be deeply thought about.
The first elf child was selected shortly after noon. All eyes of the spread out children watched in astonishment as a sturdy horse lowered her head and nuzzled one of the children. A powerful bond had been made between the two, and when the child lifted his hand to stroke the long neck, it became even more so. The two left the field side by side, the elf boy never taking his hand from the mane of his new friend.
Eveslyn looked at Haldir. 'Do not worry' he tried to communicate to her. The children turned their brilliant eyes back to the herd of horses. 'I wonder how they chose,' Haldir contemplated, 'how do they know who is right for them?'
A moment later, a golden color caught his attention. A slender built horse moved out of the herd and headed in Eveslyn direction. The beautiful light palomino mare stopped short of Eveslyn and looked at her intently. Haldir could see the concentrated looks on both of the faces. It looked as if the two were trying to see into each other's soul. Haldir could see the bond actually start and grow more intense with every second that passed. The mare took a step closer and leaned into Eveslyn's open arms. Eveslyn stood up, talking gently to the horse and headed away from the field.
Haldir smiled, Eveslyn would never stop talking about her new friend. She would probably talk the horse's ear off before they reached the next hillside.
Haldir waited. The sun was beginning to sink into the western sky. He still had plenty of time, but would be embarrassed if he had to come back another day. Maybe his horse was just not ready for him. Terrible thoughts began to cloud his mind, what if he was doomed to go through his life without a horse! Nah, he had ridden his dad's horse, Greenspeak, a number of times, he had never been cruel or unkind to him. Haldir respected all animals, and he loved his father's horse. Greenspeak! What if he told the other horses to stay away from him as a joke and they took it seriously, oh know, what was he going to do, he couldn't go back without a horse, that would be too embarrassing, what was he going to do...
Haldir was so busy fretting about what to do he did not notice the shadow that had fallen on him. A large velvety nose blew softly at his young face. Haldir looked up as the tears started to spill down his cheeks. The horse, sensing something was wrong, rubbed lightly at the young elf's face trying to rid him of his tears. Their eyes met, and in that moment they felt the exchange of their emotions toward each other.
'So that is how you know.' Haldir thought silently.
'Yes, that is how we know.' Haldir heard the answer in his mind.
Chapter 3
Haldir and Eveslyn were very excited; today was a big day in their lives. Today was a right of passage to all young elves of their age. On this day, before the sun went to sleep in the curving earth, the elven children would find their horse friends. Of course the young elves had been around the animals before, but this was the day when one the horses would choose one of the children to be a master and friend. From here, the elf could then choose any horse, so long as it was willing.
A small group of young elves chatted eagerly as they walked the distance to where the horse herds grazed serenely. There was no need for warriors or adults to go with the kids; they were safe inside the woods of Loth Lorien. These elven horses did not yet have masters, but today might be their day as well as the nervous elves.
The great horses raised their proud heads at the small approaching group. They knew the right of passage was a big day for the elven children. Some of the older horses had had masters at one point, but they had fallen, and never again was another allowed to ride astride of that horse's back. A few had never taken masters at all, but choose to serve the elves in different ways. It was always an exciting time when new masters and friends met and bonded. It was a day of celebration, or it would be one very soon.
The children had been told about what to do when they reached the field, and the horses had known since the time they could communicate to their parents, no explanation needed there. Children began to break from the closely clustered, now silent, group making their ways to where they could be alone and wait for contact from their chosen horse.
A nervous Haldir and Eveslyn skirted around the edge of the herd together. They wanted to make sure they had room from the other elven children, but an open area where they could sit within thirty or so feet of each other. Haldir left Eveslyn by a flat rock and walked away from her. When he sat at the fallen tree, he made sure he could clearly see his friend. They looked at each other and smiled, now it was up to patience and the horses.
The sun was climbing across the sky slowly shrinking the shadows of the horses and the elven children. Very few of the children had moved, either to scratch their head or shift to a more comfortable position. The horses had to think carefully about the responsibility of taking a rider. They would be giving a part of themselves up to the chosen elf, and from that point on, would be dedicated to that elf for the rest of their life. There were advantages to this life, but it still had to be deeply thought about.
The first elf child was selected shortly after noon. All eyes of the spread out children watched in astonishment as a sturdy horse lowered her head and nuzzled one of the children. A powerful bond had been made between the two, and when the child lifted his hand to stroke the long neck, it became even more so. The two left the field side by side, the elf boy never taking his hand from the mane of his new friend.
Eveslyn looked at Haldir. 'Do not worry' he tried to communicate to her. The children turned their brilliant eyes back to the herd of horses. 'I wonder how they chose,' Haldir contemplated, 'how do they know who is right for them?'
A moment later, a golden color caught his attention. A slender built horse moved out of the herd and headed in Eveslyn direction. The beautiful light palomino mare stopped short of Eveslyn and looked at her intently. Haldir could see the concentrated looks on both of the faces. It looked as if the two were trying to see into each other's soul. Haldir could see the bond actually start and grow more intense with every second that passed. The mare took a step closer and leaned into Eveslyn's open arms. Eveslyn stood up, talking gently to the horse and headed away from the field.
Haldir smiled, Eveslyn would never stop talking about her new friend. She would probably talk the horse's ear off before they reached the next hillside.
Haldir waited. The sun was beginning to sink into the western sky. He still had plenty of time, but would be embarrassed if he had to come back another day. Maybe his horse was just not ready for him. Terrible thoughts began to cloud his mind, what if he was doomed to go through his life without a horse! Nah, he had ridden his dad's horse, Greenspeak, a number of times, he had never been cruel or unkind to him. Haldir respected all animals, and he loved his father's horse. Greenspeak! What if he told the other horses to stay away from him as a joke and they took it seriously, oh know, what was he going to do, he couldn't go back without a horse, that would be too embarrassing, what was he going to do...
Haldir was so busy fretting about what to do he did not notice the shadow that had fallen on him. A large velvety nose blew softly at his young face. Haldir looked up as the tears started to spill down his cheeks. The horse, sensing something was wrong, rubbed lightly at the young elf's face trying to rid him of his tears. Their eyes met, and in that moment they felt the exchange of their emotions toward each other.
'So that is how you know.' Haldir thought silently.
'Yes, that is how we know.' Haldir heard the answer in his mind.