Entering The Forbidden

Horse Talk

*Will*

We passed the stream and continued on. Skylar had somehow managed to fall asleep on the horse and Isadora was standing on her saddle picking leaves.
"Princess. What are you doing?" Raziel asked Isadora.
"Standing", she replied in a matter a fact tone.
"Sit down before you fall",Raziel stated as he rolled his eyes.
"I won't fall" she smiled gleefully as she jumped to get a leaf.
"I wish you did", Raziel mumbled.
"Let her be. At least she isn't making noise", I interrupted before Isadora had the chance to respond.
"I agree with that one", Isadora responded.
"Fine. I'm not stopping if you fall", Raziel.
"Which I won't" Isadora replied as she grabbed yet another leaf. Then sitting down crossed legged on her saddle she pulled her horse so it was right along side of Skylar's. Carefully she set a leaf on Skylar's stomach.
"What are you doing?" I asked Isadora earning a glare.
"At least she isn't making noise", Raziel said with another eye roll.
"Shut up both of you", Isadora said.
"Why should I listen to you?", Raziel questioned.
"We are getting close to other elves. I can feel them. Don't want to give us away do ya?", Isadora shot back.
"Whatever. Proceed", Raziel replied flatly.
Isadora then carefully started to stack more leaves on top of her friend. One two. Five. And Apple. A pine cone. Anything she could grab from passing trees. After about another mile she swung from her horse and started walking along the side of the road.
"Why do you find this necessary?" Raziel asked.
"I could have. A meal every foot and still be caught up with you", she replied grabbing a fern.
"Sorry we are to slow for you Princess", Raziel said.
"I never said that. But I'm going for a run", Isadora responded. Setting her fern on Skylar she grabbed her weapons, redid her simple ponytail and started stretching. After she was ready she jogged up ahead of the group. Slowly working into her run. Soon she disappeared behind a bend about a mile down the road.
"At least she's gone", I told Raziel as I shifted in my saddle.
"For now. Hopefully at least an hour", Raziel responded as he rummaged the the bag of supplies he had gotten from Viviana.
"Who knows", I responded looking at Skylar who was still asleep on her horse.
"I don't really care at this point", Raziel responded. Skylar shifted in the saddle. Not falling or knocking the stuff stacked on her.
"How does she do that?", I asked Raziel. Nodding in Skylar's direction.
"Here comes the Princess ask her", Raziel responded. Isadora slowed as she neared our horses. Not winded at all she swung up onto her horse.
"Isadora. How does Skylar sleep like that?", I repeated my question. She turned on her saddle so she could face my horse which was behind her.
"Well I guess there's many reasons. I'm glad she hasn't woken up yet. I got more stuff.
"Answer the boy's question", Raziel interrupted earning yet another glare. "Thanks for the glare."
"Your welcome. It's free", she responded.
"Can we focus. How is she not sore? Or falling off?" I asked.
"Oh she will be sore. But us elves deal with pain. We can do lots of stuff on our horses. Once we turn five it's tradition to get a foal. We start bonding with it right away. By ten we can ride sleep and do lots of other stuff with our horses. After your horse turns ten we retire them. Then we get new ones. Normally our new ones are three year olds. Us elves have special bonds with our horses", Isadora stated laying on her own saddle so her back was resting on the horses neck and then her legs were stretched over its back and into its behind.
"Wow. How old are those two then?" I asked.
"Prank here is going on five. And fawn I believe is six", she responded.
"Well that's cool. Why do you guys value horses so much?" I asked.
"They are a great friend. We are great warriors and we need to trust our horses in battle. In our province it brings great honor on your family if you go into the military even if it's only for a year", she responded lazily laying more leaves on her sleeping friend.
"Nice. So you guys always have a big military I'm assuming", I responded.
"Yeah. Just my kingdom has more soldiers than both of the high kings currently have. And those kings hate asking for our help. They are just hoping we don't revolt. We'd win", she answered.
"That not concerning at all", Raziel interrupted.
"It gives us control over them. It's great", she answered.
"Well that's great", I said.
"I know. Our horses are worth more than a small house. But when you join the military you get a free one that you can keep", Isadora said grabbing a rock from a small bag she had and putting it on top of the pile of leaves.
"I would join the military if I lived there", I said.
"Most do. It's great. And someday I'll get to lead all those people!", Isadora responded with a happy smile.
"I will regret that day", Raziel said.
"I have you know my people love me", she said eyeing Raziel.
"Are they brainwashed?", Raziel asked sarcastically.
"No they know I'm a great fighter and they love how 'daring' I am", she said using air quotes.
"What do you mean?" I inquired.
"They love my sense of adventure. They love how I disobey my father. They love how I dare to wear a 'man's clothes' as they say", she responded adding a fifth pine cone to Skylar.
"They love how you disobey and that you wear pants?", Raziel asked raising an eyebrow.
"They do. They like how I don't follow tradition by wearing pants. They also love how I don't listen to my father. They think when I take the throne I will have different views. They are sick of my fathers way of ruling. He rules just like my grandfather, and great-grandfather", Isadora said as she grabbed an apple to put on Skylar.
"Well at least you don't have a chance of getting assassinated. Yet at least" Raziel replied.
"Nah. No one that has brains would even think of that. Everyone has seen me fight and they know better", she said putting two acorns and three leaves on  Skylar.
"Well this turned into a happy conversation", I interrupted.
"Did you just use sarcasm?" Raziel asked in a surprised tone.
"No. I just made a observation", I said confused.
"Oh", Raziel said.
"Naïve", I heard Isadora mumble as she stacked yet more objects on Skylar. After she put three more apples on Skylar she stirred.
"Really Iz?" Skylar said in a disapproving tone.
"Yes! A new record!", Isadora shouted with glee.
"What is it now?" Skylar asked.
"57 leaves. 43 acorns. 13 pine cones. 19 apples. 20 rocks and 31 ferns", Isadora said. As Skylar brushed all the stuff off of her and into the path.
"Nice. How long did you let me sleep?" Skylar asked.
"One hour 45 minutes", Isadora  said as she turned to sit crossed legged facing front.
"You counted?", I asked.
"No. Another great skill of the elves. We have a great internal clock", Isadora answered.
"Nice", I responded.
"Well. What'd I miss?" Skylar asked.
"Nothing much. We talked about horses", Isadora said.
"Give away any vital information?" Skylar asked.
"No", Isadora answered.
With that the two elves bent their heads together and began speaking their strange language.