Avadis - A legolas story (slow moving!)

Chapter 21 - Why ride when you have wings

It was decided that the group was to return to Rohan, and reluctantly Theoden agreed for Avadis to join them, much to the delight of the hobbits whom she had become particularly fond of. With both Gandalf's insistence and Aragorns kindness, Avadis had decided to accompany them, which was all to the good because the following morning Theoden came to her and offered her a horse.

"This is Roheryn, she is a fine horse who will serve you well," he said, handing her the reigns. "You have ridden before, yes?" His voice was stern. 

"Thank you, my lord, I will figure it out I'm sure" Avadis replied, trying to remain polite despite his obvious distaste towards her. After he had walked away, Avadis looked up at the horse and quietly whispered to her, "between you and me, I have no idea what I'm doing, so go easy okay?" Roheryn brayed softly at her, which she took to mean she agreed with their pact. 

"Would you like some help?" Legolas asked from behind her, making her jump and almost drop Roheryn's reigns. "Sorry, I did not mean to scare you" he apologised, obviously amused. 

"No no my lord, don't apologise, my ears do not work nearly as well as my eyes" she laughed. "But uh, asking for a friend, how would you get on a horse?" Legolas looked at her a moment with confusion before he understood fully what she had meant. 

"Well you may tell this... friend, that you would probably use stirrups here to push yourself over the horses' back" he moved around next to Roheryn and pointed to the footholds on the side of the saddle. "And then hold the reigns like this, and use your arms and legs to steer." He paused a moment before looking back at her, "and perhaps, if this 'friend' has wings, they would prefer this back part to be pushed downwards like this." He pushed a large packaged area on the back of the saddle down to make more room. Avadis smiled at him, "thank you my lord" she said gratefully. He nodded his head to her and walked away chuckling quietly. 

Right, I can do this, Avadis put one foot on the stirrup and pushed herself up and over the horse, who surprisingly did not move an inch, given there was a large amount of feathers that was thrown in her face during the process. She smiled with triumph before quickly turning her face back to being stern, she did not want the others to think that was her first time. 

"If you are to be my horse" she whispered, leaning down to her ear, "then we shall have to learn together, for I have not left this forest with anyone but myself before. Will you keep me company?" Roheryn brayed softly and shook her mane. "Thank you, friend" she said, patting her side. 

"Off we go" Gandalf announced from Shadowfax. Avadis let the rest of the group depart first, and looked one more time around the clearing before she turned her horse. I'll be back soon, she reassured herself. Or at least she hoped she would be. All she had managed to pack with her was her weapons and the small notebook she always kept in her back pocket. She figured she did not have much else that would be fitting for the grand halls of Rohan. Roheryn stamped her foot impatiently and Avadis clicked her feet together, telling her to go and catch up with the others.

They travelled for almost half a day before they stopped to rest. During this time Avadis had stayed mostly at the back, simply enjoying the fact that she was actually riding a real life horse. Her mother would be so proud, and probably extremely concerned, all at the same time. Roheryn seemed to be a slower horse, perhaps Theoden knew this when he gifted her to her, but she did not mind. 

After lunch, Avadis had begun to zone out from the rhythm of riding when she saw a horse from the front pull back next to her. "I see you are a quick learner" Legolas said looking over at her. Avadis smiled and looked back infront, "there is always something new to learn I suppose" she replied.