Disclaimer: Wait let me check. Nope, I have not become J.R.R. Tolkien since last updating.
Thought in italics.
"Speaking in quotes."
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Author's note: This is important, chapter six picks up approximately a year after Haldir has left. I hope I don't confuse anyone. There are also some things in parenthesis () for the sake of the people who are not sure what I mean exactly, mostly horse stuff.
Thanks for the reviews thus far into my story. I am happy to read that others are enjoying it as much as I am writing it. I have a few days off so I will try to post again shortly. Please keep reading and reviewing. Thanks so much for the comments! You are great!
Chapter 6
One year later - ish…
The barn was alive with the work being done inside and out. Grooms working for Lord Gaealis rushed about cleaning stalls, washing tack, and caring for horses. Elegain stood in the stall next to her beloved Eclipsian brushing his shiny coat after their workout. No one heard her quiet murmurings to the gelding as she pulled a burr from his long tail. Elle often found solace in the barn, even when it was busy. She loved talking to her Eclipsian; he had a great ear for listening. At the moment, she was telling him about the visit the Lorien elves would be making anytime soon.
"Daddy says they should be here any day now." Elle ran her hand through the black tail searching for any tangles she might have missed. Satisfied, she exchanged brushes and walked to his shoulder to lean against him. "Haldir is coming back this time." She whispered to him, but also to herself, "He said about a year. It's actually been over a year. He should have returned for my birthday, but that was last month. He'll be here this time." Eclipsian turned his head around to look at her and pushed against her leg. It broke her daydreams. "Oh, I'm sorry. I know he isn't you." The horse turned his head back to his hay contentedly as she returned to her brushing.
A half hour later, Elle gathered her grooming supplies and headed up to the manor to wash for dinner. She stopped by Pharaohirrim's paddock and called to him through the fence. The colt held his head high at the sound of her and trotted over to the fence.
Elle leaned over the fence to give him a tender pat, "You did well today my beautiful king."
Elle had been working with the colt nonstop since Haldir had left. The first time she had worked with him, she had sat in Nagia's paddock waiting to see if his curiosity would get the better of him. It had. The colt had walked up to her and pushed against her to see what she would do. By the end of the day, he had allowed her to walk up to him and stroke his neck. Things had progressed since. Elle was working the colt on leading and lunge lining. (A horse working in circles around a person holding a long rope in the middle.) He now accepted voice commands for walk, trot and canter both directions of the working circle. His manners were excellent, but the colt did not like the barn. Elle had written Haldir about this and he had written to tell her elven horses do not like enclosures. Lord Gaealis had to build a special paddock for the colt including an open barn so he could find cover in case of bad weather.
Pharaohirrim had changed considerably in just a year's time. He was only a year and three months old, but he was bigger than a four year old horse would be. His light gray coat had become silver and he seemed to have a light glowing effect in waning light. The glow was not as strong as Nimrohspell's had been, but it was noticeable. The colt also had a personality close to that of a human. It surprised Elle to find out how smart elven horses could be.
Elle came out of her thoughts to hear her mother calling from the front of the manor steps.
She brushed her fingers along Pharaohirrim's whiskered chin, "Good night sweet king."
XxXxX
The next morning Elle decided to talk to her father about allowing her to begin working with Pharaohirrim with a rider. She knew she would have to approach the subject carefully as the colt was young; technically speaking, he was too young to start training to ride, but his growth spurt may allow him to handle the extra weight sooner. Elle dressed and headed towards the dining hall for breakfast. She had just reached the hall when she heard voices coming from her father's study. Elle was about to continue on to breakfast when she heard something that made her stop and listen closer. Her eyes widen and she turned to run back to her room to change when the door opened and her father came into the hall, followed by Haldir.
"Elegain! I wondered when you would join us." Lord Gaealis pulled the study door shut and led his guest towards the dining hall.
"Lady Elegain, it is nice to see you again." Haldir bowed to Elle. "Lord Gaealis, I do believe your daughter becomes more beautiful every time I visit you."
"You flatter me my lord." Elle tried with all her power not to blush. "It is nice to see you again." You're better looking than I remember to.
"She takes after her mother, but that is lucky for her." Lord Gaealis chuckled at his own joke.
Haldir looked over to Elle, nodded in silent agreement and then smiled at her. "Don't think I didn't see that!" Lord Gaealis proclaimed laughing again. "Come, let's get something to eat." He led the way down the hall to the large dining room.
Elle sat down next to her father and across from Haldir. She looked up several times as the Lorien elf, but he always seemed to catch her. Stop looking so long and he won't, Elle chided herself.
"Elle, why don't you tell Haldir what you have been doing with that colt of yours?" Lord Gaealis piled some eggs onto his plate and then pushed the bowl to Haldir. "Eat Haldir, she will probably asking you questions your entire visit."
"I saw your colt when we arrived earlier this morning Elle. He has grown considerably."
Elle saw her chance, "Yes my lord, he has. I wanted to know if it would be possible to start working Pharaohirrim with a rider. I know he is not very old," she saw her father wanting to interrupt, but continued, "but he has the build of an older horse. I don't think it would hurt him."
"Elle, you know a trainer has to be careful with a young horse." Lord Gaealis looked at his daughter with some disapproval.
"Daddy, look at how big he is and he is just over a year old. I think some early work wouldn't harm him." Elle defended her idea, "Haldir what is your opinion on the matter? He is part elven, when do elven horses begin training?"
"That's a little complicated Elle." Haldir thought back. "Why don't we go and see your colt after breakfast? It is not unusual for elven horses to age differently than regular horses." Haldir was trying to stop an argument before it started. "I will know more once I get a closer look at him."
"I better head out to the barn then. I want him to be presentable to elven eyes." Elle grabbed a slice of toast and stood up. "I will see you soon."
They watched her walk quickly to the door, and heard her break into a run in the hallway. Lord Gaealis turned to Haldir with a large grin and said quietly, "If he isn't ready, you can break it to her."
XxXxX
Elle called to Pharaohirrim from the gate of his paddock. The colt turned to look at her from where he stood, but made no move to join her. That's unusual, Elle thought to herself. She pulled the gate closed behind her and walked to where the colt stood riveted. She looked in his direction and saw the elven horses eating grass in the field. Pharaohirrim usually enjoyed the attention Elle lavished on him, but today his attention was elsewhere. She pulled a rope halter over his ears and led him to the fence to tie him for grooming. She wasn't too worried about it, the colt stayed clean even on muddy days. Dirt could not cling to him for some reason. Elle pulled her supplies under the fence and began to run the brush over his already shining coat. As she worked on him though she noticed a difference in him.
Pharaohirrim pulled at the rope that held him to the fence to look around towards the open field to his right. He called to them and pulled at the rope more. Elle watched as the elven horses lifted their heads and called back.
"Pharaohirrim," Elle was trying not to get upset, "stand still. You'll step on me." The horse quieted, but continued to look out into the field. She thought, maybe, if she talked to him he would revert his attention back to her. "Pharaohirrim, Daddy and Haldir will be watching us today. We might be allowed to do some more interesting things if you show them you are well behaved. Wouldn't that be nice?" The colt, usually so attentive, continued to gaze into the field. Elle tried to ignore it as she tacked him up with the normal gear. She finished just as her father and Haldir came out the manor door.
"Elegain, how does your colt fare this morning?" Lord Gaealis leaned over the fence.
"He does not seem interested in me this morning. He is looking at the elven horses."
"He has not seen them in some time Elle. Do not worry so." Lord Gaealis glanced over into the next field. "Lets see how he works."
Elle nodded and moved the colt around her on the lunge. As much as his attention had been diverted only minutes ago, Pharaohirrim was all business now as he worked beautifully for her. He performed ever movement as asked without hesitation. His ears occasionally flickered towards the field, but he never faltered. When they finished their demonstration Elle walked him back to the fence. As soon as she tied him, Pharaohirrim went back to looking at the elven horses.
"Lets measure him to find out exactly how big he is now." Lord Gaealis entered the paddock and stood next to the colt. As soon as Lord Gaealis entered the paddock Pharaohirrim turned his full attention to him.
"Lord Gaealis, be careful. Elven horses usually pick one master." Haldir spoke for the first time. "He might allow you to approach him, but he does not know you very well."
Lord Gaealis nodded and held his hand out to the colt. Pharaohirrim watched with interest and breathed in the smell of the man coming towards him. Lord Gaealis slowly walked up to the colt and patted him gently on the neck.
"Easy now. I can see why my daughter is so obsessed with you. You are quite a noble looking animal." The compliments seemed to do it and the colt looked back to the elven horses. Lord Gaealis began to check over the colt. When he stood next to Pharaohirrim's back, Lord Gaealis looked surprised. "He is big for his age! He must be close to sixteen hands!" (Horses are measured in hands which equal four inches each.) Elle noticed Pharaohirrim still paid attention to where Lord Gaealis was at and glanced at Haldir to see his reaction. Lord Gaealis continued to look the colt over then turned to where Elle and Haldir stood by the fence. "Haldir, what do you think?"
Pharaohirrim turned for the first time to look at the group next to his paddock at the mention of the elf's name. Haldir held the colt's gaze.
"I feel he would like the new activity. Elven bred horses like to learn and be busy. I do not think it would hurt him either. He has grown as an elven horse, I can see it in his build and looks." Haldir spoke as though to the colt. Elle felt a shiver run down her back as the two continued to look at each other. Several long seconds passed before both looked away from each other, at the same time. Pharaohirrim looked back to the elven horses and Haldir turned to where Elle stood next to him. Elle felt herself lost in his intense gaze, "First of all though, we need to see if he will accept a rider at all."
Lord Gaealis broke the spell, "How do we find this out?"
Haldir moved to look at Lord Gaealis, "I need to speak with you first my lord." The connection between Haldir and Elle had ended.
Elle blinked and felt as if she was coming out of a trance. She didn't feel muddled by what had taken place surprisingly, but exceptionally clear. It felt as though she was in tune with everything around her. She cold see the elven horses munching on distinct blades of grass even though they had to be a quarter of a mile away. Her hearing, sense of smell, and sense of touch were sharper then she had ever felt before. There was another feeling though, a feeling of knowing and understanding. The experience lasted briefly, only a second or two. Elle felt like she would swoon. She steadied herself on the post, but only Haldir noticed her grip tightening around the post. She looked back to Haldir and saw him looking at her, but the feeling did not return.
"Lady Elegain, I will speak with you after I talk with your father."
Elle watched her father and Haldir walk back to the manor. She then turned to remove the tack from Pharaohirrim. The colt turned to watch Haldir leave. After she had released him, he crossed his paddock to continue his watch of the elven horses.
Elle went to Eclipsian's stall to go for a ride and think. What happened between Haldir and Pharaohirrim? What did Haldir do to me?
XxXxX
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