Aragorn was behind me and Legolas ahead of me as we hiked to a clearing in
the forest. The weight, the bad feeling in the pit of my stomach got
heavier with each step I took, and as far as I could see we had no
destination or objection. I wasn't going to grumble out loud with
complaints- but inside my head, I sounded like a two year old who had lost
his lollipop and wanted his mommy. Only my mommy didn't want me. I rolled
my eyes at myself, at my self pity and changed the path my mind was
straying on.
Who does this happen to? I thought shaking my head vaguely as I let my mind wander. I could walk through the forest without having my full attention focused on where my feet were. I think. I was still convinced I was just a few miles away from the hotel, but...it was becoming more confusing. Some things just didn't add up. There were no spiders as huge the ones I had first seen, there were no glowing people with pointed ears, and everyone knew what a movie was. Unless these guys were the best actors I had ever seen, they *didn't* know why I was here and this wasn't a trick.
Maybe I was dreaming? That was a far more likely possibility, I thought sighing. That would explain a lot of things. I reached over and pinched myself, hard, and winced. Okay- not a dream, I decided as my skin flushed where I had wrung it tightly.
Just to double check, as I followed Legolas's unattainable path in the forest, I stood tentatively on a average size rock. If this is a dream, I thought sensibly, as anyone would, I can fly.
I sprung ever so stylishly *yeah, right* from the boulder into the air, and for a moment, relief surged through my body. I could fly! This whole -fiasco- was just a dream! "I can--" I began to say excitedly as I landed awkwardly, my left ankle going out beneath me as I crumpled to the ground. I caught myself just before I fell completely though, and straitened up weakly. "Never mind." I finished feebly, muttering almost to myself.
I felt eyes bear into my back in curiosity and when I looked up, Legolas was also staring blankly at me.
"What are you doing?" he asked finally.
I raised my chin a little higher and met his gaze with the same icy contempt he was giving me.
"Flying." I answered simply.
He stared for a minute longer before nodding faintly.
"Right."
I let out a puff of frustrated breath as he turned around back towards his path that only he could see.
I rolled my eyes and pressed on, but I soon felt Aragorn's breath on my neck and I started, snapping my head around.
My eyes looked straight into his clear silver ones, and he smiled, crinkly lines forming on his sun tanned face.
"Flying?" he questioned with an eyebrow raised.
I sighed. "Just call me Josephine." I answered cleverly, smiling with my little joke. I had never heard the song except on *Titanic*, where Leonardo Di Caprio sang parts of it, but it was only thing witty that popped into my head.
Of course, my joke was lost on the ranger.
"Why?" he inquired intriguingly.
"The flying machine?" I said, with an eyebrow raised. He stared and I let out a breath of exhaustion.
"Never mind."
Soon, Legolas stopped, his head cocked as he listened intently to whatever it was he heard. On my part, I heard nothing.
He let out two piercing whistles, pursing his lips together and blowing hard. He waited for a moment, and after a while I began to think Legolas didn't know what he was doing. But soon, I heard the distant sound of hooves.
Two horses appeared, camouflaged in the foliage of the thick forest. I was no expert on horses, but I knew this was not your ordinary, everyday donkey. These horses were elegant, poised-- and wild.
One of them was a stormy gray, his coat flawlessly and matching the colors of thunderheads high up in the deep sky. His dark eye was intelligent and unblinking as he caught me in his gaze. There was no a speck of white, or black for that matter on him, his the color value of his coat all spread evenly. His mane was thick, and long, and his tail was wavy and brushed his rear hooves as he pranced with excitement.
His companion was a deep bay, and his tail and mane was pitch black, matching the color of his eye. He blended in well into the forest, his sharp eyes catching a speck of light as he glanced at Aragorn. Each of his hooves had a ring of pure, untarnished white above it, and his tail swooshed gently over his hindquarters.
Quite simply, the more I gazed at the horses the more I felt an overwhelming urge to speak 7 awe-hushed words:
"I guess we're not in Kansas anymore."
I had been able to delude myself until now that maybe this was just some odd, random, mistake and that when i opened her eyes, or muttered some word, i would wake up back at my prom. But looking at these horses, and the way Legolas interacted with them, stroking their heads and muttered indistinct words to them, brought me crashing back down to reality.
I don't know why it was that moment when everything hit me, when I had already been attacked by spiders, mauled by an elf, and dragged through the wilderness in high heeled shoes- but it did. I swayed a little on the spot and things began to fade but I forced my mind to go back to reality and focus.
After a few moments, I caught Aragorn glancing over continuously at me, worry in his glance. I shook my head in reassurance. I was *not* going to black out.
I glanced back towards Legolas and the animals, and truth to be told-- he really was whispering to me, and seemed to understanding what they meant in reply. He seemed to be trying to convince them of something, of what I knew not.
Finally, the elf turned around and caught my eye, sighing.
"Tula," he motioned to me, the gray beast nuzzling his hand with his great head. I could see my reflection in the animal's eyes as I glanced at him, trying to understand what Legolas had just said. Why couldn't the guy speak English?
Whatever. I walked over hesitantly, and caught Legolas's eye. "Hold out your hand." He whispered to me in instruction, gesturing to his own outstretched palm in example. I did as I was told.
The horse leaned down to sniff my hand, blowing sweet air against my stiff palm, then finally gently nudging it in acceptance. I let out a breath of air I hadn't known I'd been holding, and Legolas nodded curtly, ignoring the feeling of awe I was trying not to show.
"Good; they will carry you now." He said satisfied when the gray nodded softly at me.
I stared at him. "*That's* what you were talking to him about?"
He rolled his eyes at me, but his gaze was firm when he locked it on mine. "They do not know you and our naturally wary of strangers. You are an extra burden for them to carry and they should trust you before they agree to." He snapped, reaching for the bay horse to give him a pat as they moved closer so we could mount up. He had one bridle and saddle in his hand and nimbly threw it on the horse.
I stiffened involuntarily at the words 'extra burden' and dropped my eyes from his, unwilling to let him see that the barb had reached its target, and well.
I tried to come up with a sarcastic reply, but on second though, paused and said nothing. I tried to keep my air uninjured but he knew that his words had found their mark.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him open his mouth, then shut it, and turn away, handing the reigns of the horse to Aragorn, who stood watching the exchange silently.
The ranger grasped the reigns tightly and held the horse steadily and, when he didn't manage to catch my eye, he sighed. "Krystal?"
I didn't look up. "What."
"Are you going to ride with me?" he asked gently, coaxing my eyes to meet his. I sighed with reluctance, not glancing at Legolas as I crossed the clearing. I leapt up into the saddle as easily as possible, trying to get comfortable. I gently stroked the horse's neck gratefully, muttering the word, "Thanks." He arched his neck proudly in reply.
Aragorn swung on behind me, and wrapped his arms around my waist, grabbing the reigns to guide the horse. Legolas was already mounted, and led the way on the now visible path through the forest.
The beast's strides were smooth and I felt almost as if I was on my grandma's rocking chair, swinging back and forth. I could barely remember my grandma-- I could sometime conjure to mind the smell of peppermint, which she always wore, and of course her rocking chair. And occasionally, if I tried hard, I could almost remember a pair of clear green eyes. Almost. She had died when I was 4.
The trees began to become less thick, and less frequent, and the underbrush began to retreat into the dark woods. The land evened out, and suddenly and abruptly the tree line ended, and we were faced with a long plain, dry and very repulsive looking.
I glanced at Aragorn over my shoulder. "What the fresh hell is this?"
"The wastelands," he answered softly in my ear, and the bay horse nickered underneath us.
Legolas turned and waited for us to pull along side him. I didn't look at him as he spoke to Aragorn in elvish, and then to the horses.
Before I knew it- I *was* flying, over the lands and bumps and crevices in the bleak wastelands as the horse soared with his long strides, I barely felt it when his hooves touched the ground, and his man flew into my face as his speed increased, and finally, I smiled.
Who does this happen to? I thought shaking my head vaguely as I let my mind wander. I could walk through the forest without having my full attention focused on where my feet were. I think. I was still convinced I was just a few miles away from the hotel, but...it was becoming more confusing. Some things just didn't add up. There were no spiders as huge the ones I had first seen, there were no glowing people with pointed ears, and everyone knew what a movie was. Unless these guys were the best actors I had ever seen, they *didn't* know why I was here and this wasn't a trick.
Maybe I was dreaming? That was a far more likely possibility, I thought sighing. That would explain a lot of things. I reached over and pinched myself, hard, and winced. Okay- not a dream, I decided as my skin flushed where I had wrung it tightly.
Just to double check, as I followed Legolas's unattainable path in the forest, I stood tentatively on a average size rock. If this is a dream, I thought sensibly, as anyone would, I can fly.
I sprung ever so stylishly *yeah, right* from the boulder into the air, and for a moment, relief surged through my body. I could fly! This whole -fiasco- was just a dream! "I can--" I began to say excitedly as I landed awkwardly, my left ankle going out beneath me as I crumpled to the ground. I caught myself just before I fell completely though, and straitened up weakly. "Never mind." I finished feebly, muttering almost to myself.
I felt eyes bear into my back in curiosity and when I looked up, Legolas was also staring blankly at me.
"What are you doing?" he asked finally.
I raised my chin a little higher and met his gaze with the same icy contempt he was giving me.
"Flying." I answered simply.
He stared for a minute longer before nodding faintly.
"Right."
I let out a puff of frustrated breath as he turned around back towards his path that only he could see.
I rolled my eyes and pressed on, but I soon felt Aragorn's breath on my neck and I started, snapping my head around.
My eyes looked straight into his clear silver ones, and he smiled, crinkly lines forming on his sun tanned face.
"Flying?" he questioned with an eyebrow raised.
I sighed. "Just call me Josephine." I answered cleverly, smiling with my little joke. I had never heard the song except on *Titanic*, where Leonardo Di Caprio sang parts of it, but it was only thing witty that popped into my head.
Of course, my joke was lost on the ranger.
"Why?" he inquired intriguingly.
"The flying machine?" I said, with an eyebrow raised. He stared and I let out a breath of exhaustion.
"Never mind."
Soon, Legolas stopped, his head cocked as he listened intently to whatever it was he heard. On my part, I heard nothing.
He let out two piercing whistles, pursing his lips together and blowing hard. He waited for a moment, and after a while I began to think Legolas didn't know what he was doing. But soon, I heard the distant sound of hooves.
Two horses appeared, camouflaged in the foliage of the thick forest. I was no expert on horses, but I knew this was not your ordinary, everyday donkey. These horses were elegant, poised-- and wild.
One of them was a stormy gray, his coat flawlessly and matching the colors of thunderheads high up in the deep sky. His dark eye was intelligent and unblinking as he caught me in his gaze. There was no a speck of white, or black for that matter on him, his the color value of his coat all spread evenly. His mane was thick, and long, and his tail was wavy and brushed his rear hooves as he pranced with excitement.
His companion was a deep bay, and his tail and mane was pitch black, matching the color of his eye. He blended in well into the forest, his sharp eyes catching a speck of light as he glanced at Aragorn. Each of his hooves had a ring of pure, untarnished white above it, and his tail swooshed gently over his hindquarters.
Quite simply, the more I gazed at the horses the more I felt an overwhelming urge to speak 7 awe-hushed words:
"I guess we're not in Kansas anymore."
I had been able to delude myself until now that maybe this was just some odd, random, mistake and that when i opened her eyes, or muttered some word, i would wake up back at my prom. But looking at these horses, and the way Legolas interacted with them, stroking their heads and muttered indistinct words to them, brought me crashing back down to reality.
I don't know why it was that moment when everything hit me, when I had already been attacked by spiders, mauled by an elf, and dragged through the wilderness in high heeled shoes- but it did. I swayed a little on the spot and things began to fade but I forced my mind to go back to reality and focus.
After a few moments, I caught Aragorn glancing over continuously at me, worry in his glance. I shook my head in reassurance. I was *not* going to black out.
I glanced back towards Legolas and the animals, and truth to be told-- he really was whispering to me, and seemed to understanding what they meant in reply. He seemed to be trying to convince them of something, of what I knew not.
Finally, the elf turned around and caught my eye, sighing.
"Tula," he motioned to me, the gray beast nuzzling his hand with his great head. I could see my reflection in the animal's eyes as I glanced at him, trying to understand what Legolas had just said. Why couldn't the guy speak English?
Whatever. I walked over hesitantly, and caught Legolas's eye. "Hold out your hand." He whispered to me in instruction, gesturing to his own outstretched palm in example. I did as I was told.
The horse leaned down to sniff my hand, blowing sweet air against my stiff palm, then finally gently nudging it in acceptance. I let out a breath of air I hadn't known I'd been holding, and Legolas nodded curtly, ignoring the feeling of awe I was trying not to show.
"Good; they will carry you now." He said satisfied when the gray nodded softly at me.
I stared at him. "*That's* what you were talking to him about?"
He rolled his eyes at me, but his gaze was firm when he locked it on mine. "They do not know you and our naturally wary of strangers. You are an extra burden for them to carry and they should trust you before they agree to." He snapped, reaching for the bay horse to give him a pat as they moved closer so we could mount up. He had one bridle and saddle in his hand and nimbly threw it on the horse.
I stiffened involuntarily at the words 'extra burden' and dropped my eyes from his, unwilling to let him see that the barb had reached its target, and well.
I tried to come up with a sarcastic reply, but on second though, paused and said nothing. I tried to keep my air uninjured but he knew that his words had found their mark.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him open his mouth, then shut it, and turn away, handing the reigns of the horse to Aragorn, who stood watching the exchange silently.
The ranger grasped the reigns tightly and held the horse steadily and, when he didn't manage to catch my eye, he sighed. "Krystal?"
I didn't look up. "What."
"Are you going to ride with me?" he asked gently, coaxing my eyes to meet his. I sighed with reluctance, not glancing at Legolas as I crossed the clearing. I leapt up into the saddle as easily as possible, trying to get comfortable. I gently stroked the horse's neck gratefully, muttering the word, "Thanks." He arched his neck proudly in reply.
Aragorn swung on behind me, and wrapped his arms around my waist, grabbing the reigns to guide the horse. Legolas was already mounted, and led the way on the now visible path through the forest.
The beast's strides were smooth and I felt almost as if I was on my grandma's rocking chair, swinging back and forth. I could barely remember my grandma-- I could sometime conjure to mind the smell of peppermint, which she always wore, and of course her rocking chair. And occasionally, if I tried hard, I could almost remember a pair of clear green eyes. Almost. She had died when I was 4.
The trees began to become less thick, and less frequent, and the underbrush began to retreat into the dark woods. The land evened out, and suddenly and abruptly the tree line ended, and we were faced with a long plain, dry and very repulsive looking.
I glanced at Aragorn over my shoulder. "What the fresh hell is this?"
"The wastelands," he answered softly in my ear, and the bay horse nickered underneath us.
Legolas turned and waited for us to pull along side him. I didn't look at him as he spoke to Aragorn in elvish, and then to the horses.
Before I knew it- I *was* flying, over the lands and bumps and crevices in the bleak wastelands as the horse soared with his long strides, I barely felt it when his hooves touched the ground, and his man flew into my face as his speed increased, and finally, I smiled.