In One Day, I Promise (Legolas FanFic)

8. Small Talk

When I left Helm's Deep, I vowed to leave a part of it with me. I vowed to leave the weakest parts of me, the parts that were scared of the unknown, the parts that would cower at new oppurtunities. I vowed that I would be stronger, try and smile more and be braver.

Legolas and I rode swiftly over the plains of Rohan, as mountain ranges flanked us, and then disspeared with the rolling day, and rivers chatted noisily as they made there way slowly to the sea, where they would merge with the sea and wave onto the Grey Heavens.

I didn't speak much to Legolas, and he didn't try and talk to me much, I think he realised that I had to take everything in, had to process my thoughts before I could try and talk about the world with him.

"You know, not every horse can talk." he said, and I didn't hear him properly at first.

"Sorry, what did you say." I said, feeling guilty for not paying attention. He smiled slightly, and repeated himself.

"I just said, not every horse can talk. Or, they might, and we may never know." He said, and I wondered why he was telling me this. It had seemed obvious that Celeglim was special, otherwise I would've been drowned out by the hundreds of horses that accompanied us to Helm's Deep.

I realised what he was doing.

"Are you making small talk?" I asked, and I tried to add a hint of teasing to my voice.

In my perpendicular vision, I saw him smile slightly. He breathed out harder through his nose, almost breaking into a small laugh. But not quite.

"You are not Saruman's daughter." he said simply.

 I smiled and looked fowards again, because I realised that I had turned my head to watch him, without even realising it. I had watched his blue eyes looking ahead, the clouds reflecting in them. I had watched his body rise and fall in time to Inŵitho's walk, how elegant he looked framed against the deep blue sky. I hope my neck hadn't gone red.

We rode longer, and at somepoint I decided that I wanted to go faster. Something urged me on, the freedom of being able to perhaps.

Noro, Celeglim. Run.

Brandishing his chestnut mane, I felt his hooves leave the ground, as he kicked up dirt and grass. I pushed myself out of the saddle, and leant over, so my chest was above his neck. As he sped up, so did my heart. I felt like I was soaring, as we drew further away from Legolas, I felt like I was going to fly. At any minute, I thought that I would leave the earth.

"Guran glassui, Celeglim" I whispered aloud to him, and he winnied, and I could almost see his deep brown eyes glowing from the chase, feeling his feet gliding effortlessly accross the patched earth.

Surreal moments happen frequently, and this is the only was to describe what happened now. Because it happened so quicklly, and so smoothly, that time seemed to stop.

I heard myself shouting, both in my head and aloud, "Daro!". Stop.

Celeglim skidded to a messy halt, and tripped over his forefeet. Stumbling fowards, I was thrown fowards, over his neck and through the air, before hitting the dry earth, and rolling violently over about four times. When I finally stopped, I gasped, the air knocked out of me.

My shoulder felt like it was dislocated, and I could barely move, but I was up and running towards Celeglim, who was winnieing in panick. My breath rattled in my chest, and I remember hoping I hadn't re-broken any ribs. I grabbed Celeglim's nose, and pulled him to me, resting my forehead against his elegent nose. He pulled his head up and jumped slightly with his hind legs.