Chapter 11: The Horses
A/N: Sorry it's been forever since I've updated. My friend's cat died, and we've been in mourning. I've edited some little things in all the chapters, so some things make more sense. Like in the second chapter I said that Arwen was living with Aragorn in Gondor, but the Fellowship hasn't even left yet. Stuff like that. I hope you like this next chapter!
Well I got my first flame. Amazing, since it wasn't until the 10th chapter. Okay, I don't know if you will read this, but "the-burglar" I have a few things to say to you.
1) If you bothered to read my profile(which I doubt you did), it says that I hate Orlando Bloom with a passion. I also think that he made the movie Legolas dumb. Sorry for anyone who likes him.
2) Yes, I have read the books, and they are much better than the movies. Maybe I just felt like referring to some things as they are in the movies instead of the books? Is that such a crime?
3) In the summary, I said that this was going to be a Mary-Sue Legomance. If you had an ounce of sense you would think "This is a Mary-Sue. I will not read it, because I don't like Mary-Sues." So don't tell me to "end this Mary-Sue madness", because in a Mary-Sue, YOU SHOULD EXPECT MARY-SUENESS!
Personally, I think flames are just a waste of finger muscles. I mean, do you think that anyone would change their story (especially if they already have 10 chapters) because some people don't like it? People can write whatever they feel like, and it's no one's place to tell them they shouldn't write Mary-Sues or slash, just because they don't like it. I, personally, don't like slash, but I just don't read it, instead of telling the person I don't like it and they should change it. Why should they care if I don't like it? It's their story. And telling people they have horrible writing skills, that's just harsh. Some people just don't have the same skills as others. Some people love to write, but totally suck at it. We shouldn't go around telling them how bad they are. How would we feel if someone did the same to us? It's just wrong.
Heh heh sorry about that I just wanted to get that out in the open. Thanks to all of you who actually like my story!
Disclaimer: Never have, don't now, and never will.
Elerina woke with a start to a light tapping on the door. She blinked several times before saying a little weakly, "Come in."
"Good morning, Lady Rina. I hope you had a good sleep," Alassiel said as she came in the room with a tray.
"Yes, I did… why are you bringing me breakfast in bed? That's not normal," Elerina replied. She though about her dream. She needed to talk to Legolas.
"Almost all of the guests are at the Council Lord Elrond is having, so there is nothing to do. I also wanted to talk to you," she said as she set the tray down on a table.
"Oh, all right. Let me get dressed really quick, okay?" Elerina got out of bed and walked to her wardrobe. She picked out a simple white gown with a gold belt. She stepped into the restroom and changed quickly. She threw her nightdress onto the bed and sat down. "Come, sit down on my bed and tell me what's on your mind," she said to Alassiel.
"Well… what do you do when you're sad?" Alassiel asked when she had seated herself on Elerina's bed.
"I suppose it depends on what I am sad about. What's wrong?" she replied.
"Eruaran was my brother. He was slain by the Orcs who attacked Thorontur, Lithaldoren, and him. I guess right now the main sadness hasn't come yet. I'm sort of in denial. I mean, it just feels like he'll be home someday, even though I know in my heart he won't. I want with all my heart to go to Valinor so I can see him, but my sister and I are not old enough. We are only 30. My mother is as bad as Míriel, but she stays because of us. It makes me angry at my youth, since it's the only reason for my mother's misery," she explained.
(A/N: 30 years old is 12 to us. Like I said before, Elves mature one year in our 2 and a half)
Elerina thought for a moment, then asked "Do you have a horse in the stables?"
"No…" she replied slowly.
"Do you know how to ride?" Elerina asked.
"Not really… I never learned."
"I know of a slow, fat old mare that I could teach to and your sister to ride later. What do you think? When I have stuff on my mind, I just go for a ride and it pushes all the stuff out." Elerina smiled. Legolas could wait. She needed a good ride anyway.
"Well… I suppose so. I'd have to ask my mother, of course. I'll go find Lissë." Alassiel took the empty tray and walked out of the room.
Shortly after lunch, Elerina walked to the wardrobe and found the grey riding gown she had. It had a very loose skirt, wide enough to go over the back of the horse, and breeches underneath it. She walked toward the kitchen to find Erulissë and Alassiel just coming out.
"You guys ready?" she asked.
"I think we have riding gowns somewhere, so we'll meet you at the stables," Erulissë said.
"All right, I'll get the horses ready," Elerina replied. She walked down the hall and outside. She breathed the brisk morning air, and started in the direction of the stables. It was starting to get a little cooler, but it felt good to not be so hot. She walked into the stables and was greeted by several nickers from some of the horses.
She reached into her pocket and drew out a sugar cube as she reached Faun's stall. She fed it to the old grey mare and retrieved her halter from the wall. She let herself into Faun's stall and quickly slipped on the halter.
(A/N: Faun means Cloud in Elvish. Don't ask about the cloud thing, I just liked the name Faun)
"Come on, old girl. I'm gonna exercise you today whether you like it or not." She opened the stall door again and proceeded to lead Faun out. The stubborn mare planted her feet firmly and stayed where she was. Elerina sighed and patted Faun's neck. "Come on, girl. Nice and easy. Come on. Don't make this hard for me." She took the loose end of the lead rope and lightly flicked the horse's rump with it. Faun yawned lazily and nuzzled Elerina.
"Oh you lazy thing, I'm not gonna give you another treat until you move your big fat behind!" Elerina laughed. Faun snorted indignantly and proceeded to grab some hay from the net beside her. Elerina sighed again, then thought of an idea. She moved her hand down the lead rope until it was at the very end, and walked out of the stall. Faun tugged on the rope, but Elerina held tight. She reached into her pocket and pulled out another sugar cube.
"Come on, girl. Come on. Look, it's sugar," Elerina said, trying to coax the old mare out. Faun's ears pricked, but she didn't move. Elerina stamped. "Oh, you're so frustrating! Just come out, okay?" Faun yawned again. Elerina went back into the stall and unhooked the lead rope from her halter. She walked out, but left the stall door open.
She walked down the aisle towards Wingfoot's stall. Wingfoot was a big bay stallion that Legolas had let her ride. She became attached to him, and Elrond let her take care of him for as long as she stayed in Rivendell.
(A/N: For any of you who don't know about horses, bay is dark reddish brown with a black mane, tail, and legs)
Alassiel and Erulissë came in the stable, both dressed in riding gowns, and walked to where Elerina had led Wingfoot out of his stall and was grooming him.
"Sorry for the wait. We had a little… quarrel over whose riding gown was whose. See, Lassi wanted the grey one, but I told her it was mine and that the green one was hers. But she insisted that since I always wear green, it had to be mine. So we tried them on, and the grey one fitted Lassi. I still think this green one shrunk…" Erulissë explained.
"Well, I don't really think it matters what color your riding gown is. Here, do you want to help me?" She handed them each a curry comb. "You use these in a circular motion over his body. After you do that then I will come with this brush and brush his hair back in the way it lies."
The girls chatted while they groomed, and after a few minutes Alassiel felt Faun's warm breathe down her neck. She squealed and twirled around to find the old mare nuzzling her pockets.
"Ah, I knew you would come out eventually," Elerina said as she grabbed the lead rope and clipped it onto the horse's halter. She got another sugar cube out of her pocket and fed it to the mare.
"Are we gonna ride her?" Alassiel asked.
"Yes. Trust me, she's stubborn in the stable, but once we get into the field, she'll do what she's told. Why don't you two groom her while I fetch their saddles," Elerina suggested once she had tied Faun next to Wingfoot.
The girls agreed, and Elerina went to the tack room to get the saddles. They saddled the horses, and Elerina taught them the basics she knew about riding. Erulissë and Alassiel's mother needed them in the kitchen before it got too late, so Elerina quickly untacked and groomed Faun. She then decided to take a ride alone before dinner, so she again mounted Wingfoot and rode off towards the woods in the late afternoon sun.
(A/N: I'm going camping over Thanksgiving, so I might have another chapter up by Wednesday and I might not. Please review with comments and suggestions!)