Chapter 14
Legolas left the tavern and slept in the inn across the street. The room was small and the bed hard, but he wouldn't have gotten any sleep anyhow.
Legolas always thought there were only three reasons to kill. One, for self-defense. Two, for revenge for a loved one. Three, to gain. Legolas had killed only in self-defense before. These men had been corrupted and learned to kill there own blood only to gain and satisfy there greed. Legolas felt a desperate urge to strike something in anger. This was no way to live. One shouldn't go about being a cowardly, greedy, selfish bully. They had their wants and desires mixed up so badly, Legolas felt as though he could kill them all.
Legolas managed to get through the night with nothing but ruffled sheets and a well-used pillow. He paid the innkeeper and left silently.
As Legolas was leaving the village, he passed by a stable yard. He paused for a moment to watch the young men bring out a horse. Legolas was surprised by its massive size. It was at least a foot taller then himself.
The stable boys lead out the bay steed. It tossed its head angrily and swung around. One of the boys let go of the rope while the other struggled to hand on as the animal swung around. Finally, he was thrown to the ground and the horse pranced back towards the door. However, someone still in the stables shut it and the horse kicked angrily. It started galloping around the corral at top speed. The two stable boys chased after it, yelling and grabbing at the ropes. The horse kicked, bit and charged at them until they were finally driven out of the pen. Legolas smiled and crossed the street towards them.
'Trouble?' he asked. The horse pranced toward the other end of the pen, snorted and stomped its hooves.
'We don't need your help.' said one of the boys.
'Who says I was offering it?' both the boys turned to glare at him. They were both as tall as him, but thinner and more deshelved. Legolas set his arms up on the fence and watch the horse prance and neigh violently. 'Who did you buy him from?'
'We didn't. One of our stable boys found him in the wild and managed to bring him here. He's obviously wild, or else we'd be riding him by now.'
'How long have you had him?'
'Two years.' Legolas nodded, still staring at the horse. His mane was long and uncut. His coat gleamed in the sunlight as though it was just washed and brushed. 'We've brought him out in ropes everyday but nothing will break him. The stable master wants to get rid of him.' Legolas nodded.
The horse reared and kicked at the fence, which wobbled but held fast. He repeated this again and again and the stable boys had to leave him.
They had the horse's ropes and were pulling back violently. Legolas let his arms fall to his sides and began to circle the pen. He walked clockwise towards the horse and the boys. He was putting up an ugly struggle that resulted in his falling. Legolas continued to pace himself around the pen. The boys let go of the rope as the horse picked itself up. Legolas was nearly face to face with it now. He locked eyes with it.
The horse suddenly went rigid and stared back. Legolas could see now that the horse was healthier then any he had ever seen. His bay coat was even and beautiful and his eyes bright and vivid. They stared for a moment then Legolas started walking back in the other direction. The horse followed slowly, still keeping his eyes on the disguised elf. Legolas stopped and faced the horse once more. He reached up slowly and rubbed the bride of his nose. The horse took in the petting with content, blinking slowly.
The two stable boys stared in amazement at the apparent man and the horse. Their eyes were wide with shock and surprise.
'I'll take him.' said Legolas. 'And any tack or equipment that he is fit to bear.'
'What?' asked a hopeful voice behind him. Legolas repeated without turning. 'I'll take him. I care not the price.' He now turned and faced a tall slender man with stringy black hair and stubble decorating his thin face.
'I would give that beast away to anyone who will take him, but since you offered payment, I will accept. Give me six gold pieces, the price for a young foal these days. He's worth no more, no less.' Legolas produced the gold from inside his robes and handed it to the man. The man nodded to the stable boys who headed inside the stable. They returned outside again, giving Legolas the horse's bridle, saddle and blanket. Legolas held the bundles in his hands as the stable boys lead the now calm horse of the pen. Legolas lead it to a nearby post and tied it there.
Legolas then broke out in a sweat. He didn't know why he bought the animal. He could feel the wild in him and knew he wouldn't be able to ride it. He stood a lot taller then himself and he would need to climb a step of some kind before being high enough to mount the steed.
Then he realized he didn't even really need one. He could easily make it to the southern part of the Wold before the day ended. It was still early morning so he'd be there by midday.
So, Legolas went and sold the saddle and bridle for twenty bronze coins to a merchant heading through town and lead the horse onto the plain that stretched on for miles until it reached the Misty Mountains. Rocks protruded here and there, and a small forest could be seen in the foothills. Legolas then took the halter off his face and dropped it on the ground.
'Go.' he said. 'Be free.' the horse hesitated, not really realizing that it was standing unbound in a field instead of being tied down to a stake all day long. 'Go!' Legolas yelled, slapping the animal's rump. The horse pranced high, then bolted off in the other direction.
.
Just to Clarify, it was Legolas's elven powers that calmed down the horse, but the people in that village just think he's some horse whisperer. I kinda needed something to delay what's going to happen next so I decided to throw in a new character... yes, we will hear from that horse again! The next chapter will be longer... and angsty... and actionated... if that's a word. Things won't be looking too good for Legolas.
Legolas left the tavern and slept in the inn across the street. The room was small and the bed hard, but he wouldn't have gotten any sleep anyhow.
Legolas always thought there were only three reasons to kill. One, for self-defense. Two, for revenge for a loved one. Three, to gain. Legolas had killed only in self-defense before. These men had been corrupted and learned to kill there own blood only to gain and satisfy there greed. Legolas felt a desperate urge to strike something in anger. This was no way to live. One shouldn't go about being a cowardly, greedy, selfish bully. They had their wants and desires mixed up so badly, Legolas felt as though he could kill them all.
Legolas managed to get through the night with nothing but ruffled sheets and a well-used pillow. He paid the innkeeper and left silently.
As Legolas was leaving the village, he passed by a stable yard. He paused for a moment to watch the young men bring out a horse. Legolas was surprised by its massive size. It was at least a foot taller then himself.
The stable boys lead out the bay steed. It tossed its head angrily and swung around. One of the boys let go of the rope while the other struggled to hand on as the animal swung around. Finally, he was thrown to the ground and the horse pranced back towards the door. However, someone still in the stables shut it and the horse kicked angrily. It started galloping around the corral at top speed. The two stable boys chased after it, yelling and grabbing at the ropes. The horse kicked, bit and charged at them until they were finally driven out of the pen. Legolas smiled and crossed the street towards them.
'Trouble?' he asked. The horse pranced toward the other end of the pen, snorted and stomped its hooves.
'We don't need your help.' said one of the boys.
'Who says I was offering it?' both the boys turned to glare at him. They were both as tall as him, but thinner and more deshelved. Legolas set his arms up on the fence and watch the horse prance and neigh violently. 'Who did you buy him from?'
'We didn't. One of our stable boys found him in the wild and managed to bring him here. He's obviously wild, or else we'd be riding him by now.'
'How long have you had him?'
'Two years.' Legolas nodded, still staring at the horse. His mane was long and uncut. His coat gleamed in the sunlight as though it was just washed and brushed. 'We've brought him out in ropes everyday but nothing will break him. The stable master wants to get rid of him.' Legolas nodded.
The horse reared and kicked at the fence, which wobbled but held fast. He repeated this again and again and the stable boys had to leave him.
They had the horse's ropes and were pulling back violently. Legolas let his arms fall to his sides and began to circle the pen. He walked clockwise towards the horse and the boys. He was putting up an ugly struggle that resulted in his falling. Legolas continued to pace himself around the pen. The boys let go of the rope as the horse picked itself up. Legolas was nearly face to face with it now. He locked eyes with it.
The horse suddenly went rigid and stared back. Legolas could see now that the horse was healthier then any he had ever seen. His bay coat was even and beautiful and his eyes bright and vivid. They stared for a moment then Legolas started walking back in the other direction. The horse followed slowly, still keeping his eyes on the disguised elf. Legolas stopped and faced the horse once more. He reached up slowly and rubbed the bride of his nose. The horse took in the petting with content, blinking slowly.
The two stable boys stared in amazement at the apparent man and the horse. Their eyes were wide with shock and surprise.
'I'll take him.' said Legolas. 'And any tack or equipment that he is fit to bear.'
'What?' asked a hopeful voice behind him. Legolas repeated without turning. 'I'll take him. I care not the price.' He now turned and faced a tall slender man with stringy black hair and stubble decorating his thin face.
'I would give that beast away to anyone who will take him, but since you offered payment, I will accept. Give me six gold pieces, the price for a young foal these days. He's worth no more, no less.' Legolas produced the gold from inside his robes and handed it to the man. The man nodded to the stable boys who headed inside the stable. They returned outside again, giving Legolas the horse's bridle, saddle and blanket. Legolas held the bundles in his hands as the stable boys lead the now calm horse of the pen. Legolas lead it to a nearby post and tied it there.
Legolas then broke out in a sweat. He didn't know why he bought the animal. He could feel the wild in him and knew he wouldn't be able to ride it. He stood a lot taller then himself and he would need to climb a step of some kind before being high enough to mount the steed.
Then he realized he didn't even really need one. He could easily make it to the southern part of the Wold before the day ended. It was still early morning so he'd be there by midday.
So, Legolas went and sold the saddle and bridle for twenty bronze coins to a merchant heading through town and lead the horse onto the plain that stretched on for miles until it reached the Misty Mountains. Rocks protruded here and there, and a small forest could be seen in the foothills. Legolas then took the halter off his face and dropped it on the ground.
'Go.' he said. 'Be free.' the horse hesitated, not really realizing that it was standing unbound in a field instead of being tied down to a stake all day long. 'Go!' Legolas yelled, slapping the animal's rump. The horse pranced high, then bolted off in the other direction.
.
Just to Clarify, it was Legolas's elven powers that calmed down the horse, but the people in that village just think he's some horse whisperer. I kinda needed something to delay what's going to happen next so I decided to throw in a new character... yes, we will hear from that horse again! The next chapter will be longer... and angsty... and actionated... if that's a word. Things won't be looking too good for Legolas.