Very early the next morning, even before the sun had risen, Ariel was up
and out of bed. She had made her decision, and although it pained her to
think that she was disobeying her father, she would ride with the company
and fight alongside them when the time came.
She had decided the evening before as she sat in her bedroom by herself. She had told Iorwen, her maid, that she would not be going down to dinner and that she wished to have some time to herself. While all the servants were busy and after she had eaten some of the food Iorwen had brought up to her she started to get ready.
Very carefully she had taken some clean male clothing from some washing. From the kitchen's storehouse she took a few apples and a little of the dried fruits and salted meats that she had found. She also filled a leather flagon with water. All of this she packed into her pack and when she was back up in her room she hid it underneath her bed beside a wooden box.
Now, dressed in some of the male clothing, she knelt beside her bed and pulled her pack and wooden box out from under it. Carefully opening the box she took from it a sheathed sword. Standing up she fastened the belt around her waist and surveyed her reflection in the mirror. "Almost a soldier she said to herself and drew her sword. She looked at it for a moment and remembered when she was given it.
Aragorn had given it to her two years earlier on her sixteenth birthday and it had always been her most treasured gift. She valued it as much as her stallion whom she had named Wingfoot, after the name her father had been given by Éomer when they met in Rohan fifty years before. She lifted the blade and cut her hair so that it fell just above her shoulders.
Then satisfied with what she now saw she flung a cloak about her shoulders and grabbed her pack. She slipped down the stairs and as quietly as possible she made her way out into the streets and hurried towards the stables where her horse was waiting for her. He recognized her voice instantly.
"Well, Wingfoot, the time has finally come - we shall ride to war today," She told the horse and Wingfoot nuzzled her hand as if he understood. "I never thought that this day would ever come but now it is here," She said as she quickly saddled and bridled her stallion. Once he was ready Ariel led the horse to where all the men had already started gathering.
She had decided the evening before as she sat in her bedroom by herself. She had told Iorwen, her maid, that she would not be going down to dinner and that she wished to have some time to herself. While all the servants were busy and after she had eaten some of the food Iorwen had brought up to her she started to get ready.
Very carefully she had taken some clean male clothing from some washing. From the kitchen's storehouse she took a few apples and a little of the dried fruits and salted meats that she had found. She also filled a leather flagon with water. All of this she packed into her pack and when she was back up in her room she hid it underneath her bed beside a wooden box.
Now, dressed in some of the male clothing, she knelt beside her bed and pulled her pack and wooden box out from under it. Carefully opening the box she took from it a sheathed sword. Standing up she fastened the belt around her waist and surveyed her reflection in the mirror. "Almost a soldier she said to herself and drew her sword. She looked at it for a moment and remembered when she was given it.
Aragorn had given it to her two years earlier on her sixteenth birthday and it had always been her most treasured gift. She valued it as much as her stallion whom she had named Wingfoot, after the name her father had been given by Éomer when they met in Rohan fifty years before. She lifted the blade and cut her hair so that it fell just above her shoulders.
Then satisfied with what she now saw she flung a cloak about her shoulders and grabbed her pack. She slipped down the stairs and as quietly as possible she made her way out into the streets and hurried towards the stables where her horse was waiting for her. He recognized her voice instantly.
"Well, Wingfoot, the time has finally come - we shall ride to war today," She told the horse and Wingfoot nuzzled her hand as if he understood. "I never thought that this day would ever come but now it is here," She said as she quickly saddled and bridled her stallion. Once he was ready Ariel led the horse to where all the men had already started gathering.
