8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)

Chapter 14

The Duel

"Down."

Anayah heard the warning and reacted to it without question or hesitation as she threw herself down and forward and for some moments clung to the side of her horse's neck as some object passed, hissing, over where she had sat in the saddle only moments before. Quickly pulling herself erect, she turned her head and upper body to the right, trying to see what it was that had almost killed her and saw as a blue ball of fire hit the trunk of a nearby tree then disappeared.

She uttered an unladylike curse before she said, "Thank you, my friend." Patting Elias's neck, she gave thanks once more for her friend's heightened senses and quick warning. "That was a close one."

Elias tossed his head in agreement as Anayah peered sharply into the darkness and was throwing her own heightened senses outward in an attempt to detect her attacker when Elias spoke to her once more.

"The creature comes, my Lady. Be careful for he is very strong."

She loosened the leather safety catch on her scabbard and pulled the sword slightly upward to where it would be within easy reach of either hand. Then, tying the ends of the reigns into a quick knot, she looped them over the saddle horn so that her hands would be free and unencumbered. Shifting herself in the saddle, she adjusted her feet in the stirrups and corrected her posture then, as her last act of preparation, she pulled her sword from the saddle scabbard and placed it in her left hand. She was as ready as she could possibly be for the fight with whoever had just attacked her. All thoughts of her previous mission were put out of her mind as she quickly switched to battle mode.

The ground trembled as the unseen enemy rode swiftly towards them and in the short moments before her adversary came in to view, Anayah ran through some of the things Gandalf had taught her about fighting someone who used magic as a weapon. He told her to remember that true strength came from the heart and mind and while this statement also included dark natured beings, the strength of the one who fought on the side of light would always have the blessings of the Valar and could not then be easily defeated. Not to mention the spells the grey wizard had taught her.

"Naur dan i dúath!" (Fire take the shadow!)

She whispered the words of the fire spell and immediately felt the palm of her right hand start to tingle and after making a fist with her right hand, she sat quietly and patiently, waiting for the enemy to appear. Elias danced, feet coming off the ground as he threatened to rear, ready and very much willing to enter the battle.

"Steady, Old Man! Not yet." She spoke quietly and the black stallion settled himself.

Then a steel-grey stallion with black mane and tail appeared from out of the darkness, riding towards her at a gallop. Of the being who rode him, Anayah could tell nothing, for she could see no features beneath the hood of its cloak and so his identity remained a mystery. She did, however, get the sense that whoever or whatever it was that drew near was evil, heart, body and mind. She kicked her horse into a gallop, then drawing her right hand back, she threw it forward, releasing a ball of orange fire that flew towards the oncoming rider. Though he was able to avoid her first attack, she sensed that he realized he had underestimated her and was much surprised that she had countered his attack with magic of her own.

The other rider attempted to draw his sword but the forward momentum of the big Black lessened the distance too quickly for him to accomplish this task. When they had almost drawn abreast of the grey stallion, Elias threw his shoulder into the Grey, sending it off-stride and almost to its knees, while at the same time that Elias had skillfully executed this maneuver, Anayah drew a vicious, backhand arc with her sword. If the enemy rider had been a moment slower in ducking, he would have lost his head.

After a short distance, both riders managed to slow their horses, then wheeling their mounts, and with swords drawn, prepared to meet each other in deadly combat. Again and again, the two combatants struck, steel blade meeting steel blade, sending sparks flying outwards to land on both horse and rider. When their swords did not meet, one stallion would attack the other, biting and striking with teeth, shoulders and hooves.

The lathered horses slowed to a halt as once more, their riders met sword to sword but while both riders managed to partially deflect the blow, their swords met - and locked. If the stalemate could not be broken quickly, the victory would go to the stronger of the two. When Anayah felt her sword lock with the other, she rolled her wrist from left to right, which served to free her sword and allowed her to complete the downward slash she had begun moments before.

As her sword bit deeply into the shoulder of her enemy, she sensed his arrogance turning from surprise to fear, then he spurred his horse to the right and into a run, clearly indicating that he meant to break off the attack and leave the field of battle. Before he left, however, he slashed at Anayah a final time, connecting with her upper arm and opening a deep gash from shoulder to elbow.

The burning pain in her arm surprised her and when she saw her enemy leaving at a dead run, she prudently decided not to give chase, for to follow him in the dark, over uncertain terrain and while wounded, was a risk she was unwilling to take this night. She knew in her heart, though, that they would meet again.

Anayah stopped long enough to see how badly Elias had been hurt and to care for his wounds as well as her own. All previously made plans would now have to wait long enough for her to recover from this attack, and deciding this, she wisely chose to return to Imladris. Uttering a silent prayer of thanks to the Valar for letting her survive, she then turned her thoughts to Mithrandir, hoping the grey wizard would somehow sense her need and come to her, for she now felt in great need of his guidance. She sighed, for she knew that at her present pace, she would reach Imladris about dawn. It was going to be a long night.

TBC