Chapter Six
In the days that followed Candria spent her time walking around the halls and gardens of the city, her head held somewhat lower and here eyes cast downwards as though in a daze. She visited Moreaui in the stables where he pawed and nipped her, unaccustomed to being abandoned for so long without a run.
"Oh Moreaui, that I did not have to bear such a burden. I see now how I am a threat and a blessing to these people. If my touch can heal, as Thranduil said, then my touch can destroy. I wish I had not these troubles to wear, for they are too heavy for my heart. But listen, I have been sulking for long enough. Come Moreaui, let us stretch your legs and let you fly in the sun." Moreaui seemed to hear what she said, for he began to neigh excitedly and he pranced about on the ground as she gathered her skirt to jump upon his back.
Candria leapt upon him and without a motion he shot off like an arrow. She grasped his mane and laid down on his back, allowing him to run at his leisure. The air split across her face and pulled the folds of her dress into the wind, causing her slender white calf to appear from the lengths of her dress in the brilliant morning sun.
As they rode into the fields surrounding the city, Candria forgot all her worries and all of her troubles, casting them on the wind that sped them far away from her. The beauty of the trees and the smell of the earth filled her to overflowing and for the first time since she left Lorien, she laughed and began to sing in the sunlight. All around her the world flew by and she did not care, time was racing to the sound of Moreaui's hoof beats as they tore across the soft earth.
After a time Moreaui came to a walk and Candria began to look about her at where she was. The palace was no longer in sight, but she could still hear the sound of busy footsteps around the city miles away. They came to a small glen where the trees above knitted into an umbrella of lace that cast shadows that danced across the small patch of earth. Candria jumped off of Moreaui and walked into the small ring of light. She removed her leather gloves and looked at her hands in the shadows of the trees. Upon the bark of the trees small flowers were growing, each a tender pink color, delicate and beautiful.
She regarded the flowers and then looked at her hands again. With fear shaking her body she moved her finger towards one of the tender blossoms. Just was she was a hair's breadth away from the delicate petals, she heard the sound of approaching hoof beats. Candria quickly slipped her hands back into her leather gloves and turned around.
Arriving from the same direction she had come, was the young servant she had met the night Thranduil had summoned her. He was atop a white steed of lesser breeding than Moreaui, but with the most amazing snow-white body that Candria had ever seen.
"My Lady," He threw his leg over the horse's neck and dismounted, bowing to Candria, "I come at the command of Thranduil. There is a small band of elves making a day's journey into the woods to hunt orcs that have been seen near the city. My Lord asks if you would care to join, knowing your skill with a bow and your passion for hunting." Candria smiled at him, glad to have the opportunity to ride in the forest and explore its secrets. She accepted and jumped atop Moreaui to make her way back to the palace and change into her hunting clothes, for she couldn't ride through the forests of Greenwood in a dress and cloak. The servant was turning his horse towards the city when Candria stopped him.
"Just a moment. This is the second time I have seen you, and I have yet to learn your name." He smiled bashfully and replied:
"My name is Halafin."
"And you parents? Who are they?" His face grew still and his smile slowly faded to a dull gaze. Candria felt ashamed that she had embarrassed him; after all, she had not always had a mother and father that she had known of.
"I do not know of my mother or father, Thranduil found me in the forest left on a bed of leaves. He believes me to be special, and thus keeps me in his courts for what he believes will be a 'higher purpose' someday, although I do not see it," at this his smile returned as he looked again at Candria, "But then again, we do not see all ends, or our importance until the time is right, don't we?" Candria smiled as well and pulled Moreaui next to Halafin's steed.
"No," she replied knowingly, "we don't."
In the days that followed Candria spent her time walking around the halls and gardens of the city, her head held somewhat lower and here eyes cast downwards as though in a daze. She visited Moreaui in the stables where he pawed and nipped her, unaccustomed to being abandoned for so long without a run.
"Oh Moreaui, that I did not have to bear such a burden. I see now how I am a threat and a blessing to these people. If my touch can heal, as Thranduil said, then my touch can destroy. I wish I had not these troubles to wear, for they are too heavy for my heart. But listen, I have been sulking for long enough. Come Moreaui, let us stretch your legs and let you fly in the sun." Moreaui seemed to hear what she said, for he began to neigh excitedly and he pranced about on the ground as she gathered her skirt to jump upon his back.
Candria leapt upon him and without a motion he shot off like an arrow. She grasped his mane and laid down on his back, allowing him to run at his leisure. The air split across her face and pulled the folds of her dress into the wind, causing her slender white calf to appear from the lengths of her dress in the brilliant morning sun.
As they rode into the fields surrounding the city, Candria forgot all her worries and all of her troubles, casting them on the wind that sped them far away from her. The beauty of the trees and the smell of the earth filled her to overflowing and for the first time since she left Lorien, she laughed and began to sing in the sunlight. All around her the world flew by and she did not care, time was racing to the sound of Moreaui's hoof beats as they tore across the soft earth.
After a time Moreaui came to a walk and Candria began to look about her at where she was. The palace was no longer in sight, but she could still hear the sound of busy footsteps around the city miles away. They came to a small glen where the trees above knitted into an umbrella of lace that cast shadows that danced across the small patch of earth. Candria jumped off of Moreaui and walked into the small ring of light. She removed her leather gloves and looked at her hands in the shadows of the trees. Upon the bark of the trees small flowers were growing, each a tender pink color, delicate and beautiful.
She regarded the flowers and then looked at her hands again. With fear shaking her body she moved her finger towards one of the tender blossoms. Just was she was a hair's breadth away from the delicate petals, she heard the sound of approaching hoof beats. Candria quickly slipped her hands back into her leather gloves and turned around.
Arriving from the same direction she had come, was the young servant she had met the night Thranduil had summoned her. He was atop a white steed of lesser breeding than Moreaui, but with the most amazing snow-white body that Candria had ever seen.
"My Lady," He threw his leg over the horse's neck and dismounted, bowing to Candria, "I come at the command of Thranduil. There is a small band of elves making a day's journey into the woods to hunt orcs that have been seen near the city. My Lord asks if you would care to join, knowing your skill with a bow and your passion for hunting." Candria smiled at him, glad to have the opportunity to ride in the forest and explore its secrets. She accepted and jumped atop Moreaui to make her way back to the palace and change into her hunting clothes, for she couldn't ride through the forests of Greenwood in a dress and cloak. The servant was turning his horse towards the city when Candria stopped him.
"Just a moment. This is the second time I have seen you, and I have yet to learn your name." He smiled bashfully and replied:
"My name is Halafin."
"And you parents? Who are they?" His face grew still and his smile slowly faded to a dull gaze. Candria felt ashamed that she had embarrassed him; after all, she had not always had a mother and father that she had known of.
"I do not know of my mother or father, Thranduil found me in the forest left on a bed of leaves. He believes me to be special, and thus keeps me in his courts for what he believes will be a 'higher purpose' someday, although I do not see it," at this his smile returned as he looked again at Candria, "But then again, we do not see all ends, or our importance until the time is right, don't we?" Candria smiled as well and pulled Moreaui next to Halafin's steed.
"No," she replied knowingly, "we don't."