I decided I would wear trousers, as I had no idea how to ride in a dress.
It was hard to be depressed in the beauty and sunshine of Rivendell, so I
decided to try and be as cheerful as I could.
I chose an emerald green silk shirt, which set off my eyes, and dark brown trousers with soft animal hide boots. I brushed my hair, and put it up into a loose bun at the nape of my neck. I grinned, but sobered up quickly when I though of Scarlet. Then I remembered the ring she had given me back on Earth, and it appeared on my finger. Now I knew I would always have something to remind me of her. I made the identical ring I had given to her appear on her finger.
Just then, Arwen knocked on my door. "Are you ready?"
"Yes. I'm just coming." I replied. I opened the door, and found her and Legolas waiting. I saw him glance at my shirt, and then at my trousers, as if he had expected me to wear a dress.
I raised one eyebrow questioningly. Legolas realised I was looking at him, and he flushed a deep red.
"I was just thinking how your shirt compliments your eyes beautifully, my lady." He said, recovering quickly.
"Thank you." I looked at Arwen. 'Oops! Her dress is right down to the ground, and has a high neckline!' I thought to myself. Well, I was comfortable in these clothes, and I was going to wear them!
"Shall we go outside?" She asked tactfully. "My father is waiting." We nodded, and headed out into the bright sunlight. There were three horses standing waiting.
A large, plump black gelding, an intelligent looking brilliant white mare and another mare, chestnut, with shining black eyes, who looked like she would do anything for her master.
Legolas introduced them to me: the gelding was Elrond's horse, called Tiuka, which meant fat in Elvish, although he was very good-natured. The white mare belonged to Arwen, and was called Kalina, which meant light. The chestnut mare was Legolas' own horse, one of the finest from Mirkwood, called Almare, which translated as bliss.
"Who am I to ride?" I enquired.
"You were to ride Falma (wave), but she has gone lame. You may ride my horse, and I will remain here." He said generously.
"That is the only horse you have? There must be another one."
"Only Runya (flame). He can be hard to control, and has been known to throw people off. He has even given me some bruises."
"I shall be fine." I told him. "We'll get on." He looked me up and down doubtfully, thinking I would not have the strength to bend him to my will.
I went round to the stables to see him, and my breath was taken away. He was a dark, rich, chocolate colour, with a flowing flaxen mane. His head was proud, and his eyes and his stance told me he wouldn't do anything he didn't want to.
I opened the stable door, and led him out quietly. He walked quite happily, his tail blowing in the light breeze. He looked longingly into the woods, but I turned him round to face me, and whispered to him softly, "Don't even think about it. I want to go for a pleasant ride, and if you do as I ask you, you'll enjoy it too."
He snorted softly, then blew down his nose, agreeing. Several stable hands came forward to hold him, looking nervous. I held the reins lightly in one hand, and then swung my leg over, and walked over to join the others, leaving a trail of amazed people in my wake.
"Did...did you see! Runya! He...he just went!" I smiled, and Runya tossed his head, as if to say, 'I'm not that bad!'
We trotted out and along a path, filled with bird sounds. I smiled, and it felt like the world where my best friend was dying was miles away. Suddenly, Runya whinnied and reared, lashing out with his front legs. I knew this wasn't him being mischievous, that he was genuinely frightened. I leaned forward and whispered reassuringly in his ear, and patted his neck. He dropped back to the ground again, but shifted his feet nervously, and kept glancing towards a bush.
I dismounted, and pulled my bow from behind my back, and notched an arrow. I crept towards the bush, and turned myself invisible. As I got closer, I realised it was the orc who had shot Scarlet. I sneaked up behind him, and stole one of his own poisoned arrows, before shooting him in the throat, and becoming visible again. As he writhed about on the ground, I spat on him, then walked coolly back to my horse.
I mounted up again, and found the others looking at me. I gulped and looked down, fiddling with Runya's mane. Arwen brought Kalina up beside me, and put one arm around my shoulders.
"It was the orc that shot your friend, wasn't it?" She asked me softly. I nodded slowly, and a solitary tear rolled down one cheek.
"I killed him with one of his own arrows." I said, a note of pride creeping into my voice.
"How did you do it without the orc seeing you?"
"I made myself invisible."
"I did not think your powers were that strong." She said, slightly in awe.
"I wasn't actually sure if it would work, but it did, or it was a very unobservant orc."
"I think we should perhaps head back." Suggested Lord Elrond firmly. We all turned around and headed back, Legolas keeping an eye on me.
I chose an emerald green silk shirt, which set off my eyes, and dark brown trousers with soft animal hide boots. I brushed my hair, and put it up into a loose bun at the nape of my neck. I grinned, but sobered up quickly when I though of Scarlet. Then I remembered the ring she had given me back on Earth, and it appeared on my finger. Now I knew I would always have something to remind me of her. I made the identical ring I had given to her appear on her finger.
Just then, Arwen knocked on my door. "Are you ready?"
"Yes. I'm just coming." I replied. I opened the door, and found her and Legolas waiting. I saw him glance at my shirt, and then at my trousers, as if he had expected me to wear a dress.
I raised one eyebrow questioningly. Legolas realised I was looking at him, and he flushed a deep red.
"I was just thinking how your shirt compliments your eyes beautifully, my lady." He said, recovering quickly.
"Thank you." I looked at Arwen. 'Oops! Her dress is right down to the ground, and has a high neckline!' I thought to myself. Well, I was comfortable in these clothes, and I was going to wear them!
"Shall we go outside?" She asked tactfully. "My father is waiting." We nodded, and headed out into the bright sunlight. There were three horses standing waiting.
A large, plump black gelding, an intelligent looking brilliant white mare and another mare, chestnut, with shining black eyes, who looked like she would do anything for her master.
Legolas introduced them to me: the gelding was Elrond's horse, called Tiuka, which meant fat in Elvish, although he was very good-natured. The white mare belonged to Arwen, and was called Kalina, which meant light. The chestnut mare was Legolas' own horse, one of the finest from Mirkwood, called Almare, which translated as bliss.
"Who am I to ride?" I enquired.
"You were to ride Falma (wave), but she has gone lame. You may ride my horse, and I will remain here." He said generously.
"That is the only horse you have? There must be another one."
"Only Runya (flame). He can be hard to control, and has been known to throw people off. He has even given me some bruises."
"I shall be fine." I told him. "We'll get on." He looked me up and down doubtfully, thinking I would not have the strength to bend him to my will.
I went round to the stables to see him, and my breath was taken away. He was a dark, rich, chocolate colour, with a flowing flaxen mane. His head was proud, and his eyes and his stance told me he wouldn't do anything he didn't want to.
I opened the stable door, and led him out quietly. He walked quite happily, his tail blowing in the light breeze. He looked longingly into the woods, but I turned him round to face me, and whispered to him softly, "Don't even think about it. I want to go for a pleasant ride, and if you do as I ask you, you'll enjoy it too."
He snorted softly, then blew down his nose, agreeing. Several stable hands came forward to hold him, looking nervous. I held the reins lightly in one hand, and then swung my leg over, and walked over to join the others, leaving a trail of amazed people in my wake.
"Did...did you see! Runya! He...he just went!" I smiled, and Runya tossed his head, as if to say, 'I'm not that bad!'
We trotted out and along a path, filled with bird sounds. I smiled, and it felt like the world where my best friend was dying was miles away. Suddenly, Runya whinnied and reared, lashing out with his front legs. I knew this wasn't him being mischievous, that he was genuinely frightened. I leaned forward and whispered reassuringly in his ear, and patted his neck. He dropped back to the ground again, but shifted his feet nervously, and kept glancing towards a bush.
I dismounted, and pulled my bow from behind my back, and notched an arrow. I crept towards the bush, and turned myself invisible. As I got closer, I realised it was the orc who had shot Scarlet. I sneaked up behind him, and stole one of his own poisoned arrows, before shooting him in the throat, and becoming visible again. As he writhed about on the ground, I spat on him, then walked coolly back to my horse.
I mounted up again, and found the others looking at me. I gulped and looked down, fiddling with Runya's mane. Arwen brought Kalina up beside me, and put one arm around my shoulders.
"It was the orc that shot your friend, wasn't it?" She asked me softly. I nodded slowly, and a solitary tear rolled down one cheek.
"I killed him with one of his own arrows." I said, a note of pride creeping into my voice.
"How did you do it without the orc seeing you?"
"I made myself invisible."
"I did not think your powers were that strong." She said, slightly in awe.
"I wasn't actually sure if it would work, but it did, or it was a very unobservant orc."
"I think we should perhaps head back." Suggested Lord Elrond firmly. We all turned around and headed back, Legolas keeping an eye on me.
