'Where now the horse and the rider?'
Prequel to 'Rain on the Mountain'.
Before the storm clouds of war gathered.
Before the growing shadow in the East took form.
Before the Riddermark knew the choking hold of a wizard's malice.
Before the illegitim...
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Chapter 5
"I forbid it."
Théadain stared at her father in disbelief, her stomach tightening as if in response to receiving a blow, her fingernails digging into her palms as her hands clenched into fists. "You forbid it?" She hissed through her teeth, her blood suddenly thrumming unbearably hot in her veins as her frustration bubbled to the surface. "Father you cannot-"
"I will not allow you to go charging off into the woods with a guard patrol." Théoden snapped, "You do not know this land."
"How will I learn if you do not allow me to go? Is this not why you brought me here?" She cried, gesturing to the hallway they stood in; "To learn of lands beyond my home?"
"I certainly did not bring you here to have you play at being a solider."
"Is that what you think this is? Play?" She demanded; "Can you not see that this is not a distraction- I do not treat the defence of lands as a passing fancy, father!"
"I believed you were content here!" Théoden snapped in the face of his daughter's raised voice.
"I cannot spend my every hour wrapped in velvet with a book in my hand, do you not know me?" Théadain's voice climbed in volume as she met her father's cold gaze; "Did you believe I had changed so completely? That I was suddenly content to submit to the life of some fine lady? Father I am a Shieldmaiden – that is all I have ever wanted to be and still you try to divert me down paths that I cannot bear to follow!"
The King of Rohan flinched internally at her words, though refused to show any waver in his resolve, "Théadain I will not be swayed; you are not to ride out from this valley."
"And if I do? What shall my punishment be?" She cried in the face of his stony words, "You say that I am no longer a child, but you will not let me choose how to spend my days."
"I am your King Théadain, and I have given you an order!"
She froze at the harsh roar that ripped from her father, her chest heaving as she released a breath of what might have been another yell of defiance as she stared into his face, reddened with frustration though his eyes still held her gaze firmly, unwavering and cold.
Swallowing thickly, she refused to allow herself to look away, knowing it would signal defeat; "You said it yourself, my King, I am no soldier." She hissed icily; "Make your orders as you will – I have no rank to fall into."
Turning on her heel, she stormed from the corridor, bursting out into the courtyard it led to with a growl of frustration. As the Spring rainstorm that had raged alongside her emotions swiftly soaked its way through her clothes, she buried her hands on her hair, sending a single scream of fury up to the sky. As she stood there, letting the cool rain run over her cheeks and soothe the fire in her veins, she felt that burn settle into resolve.
