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Athwen let Parith pick his way carefully down the muddy slope of the hill. She avoided that place where the battle was fought the evening before, passing it some distance to the right. She came to a stop where the ground became level and while Parith showed his eagerness to run by turning himself in a wide circle, she studied the land to see where would be the best way to run. Then she brought Parith to a stand still. He lifted his head , scenting the air with widened nostrils. And then he pawed the ground and his head bobbed down and then back up again. Athwen smiled.
‘Go,’ she whispered. ‘Run. Run until the wind whistles in our ears.’
The horse needed no other bidding. With a fierce neigh he plunged forward, leaping immediately into a wild gallop. Athwen bent forward towards his neck until the flying black mane swept her face. The wind made her eyes water, but she kept them open and fixed between his ears.
She wanted to run on and on, allowing Parith to gallop until his feet led them back to their home, the way every horse would. But she didn’t let him run for quite a quarter of a mile. She stopped him abruptly and he slid to a halt. They stood there, then, as still as a statue. Their eyes turned towards where home once was, Parith with his head up, his neck arched, and nostril’s quivering, Athwen sitting upright, the wind gently stirring the damp curls about her face.
With a imperceptible sigh, Athwen lowered and turned her head. Her hands moved slowly as she pulled the reins over Parith’s neck. She felt the reluctance in her steed as he moved his shoulders but lingered with his face towards the East. Finally, he too turned his head away.
They only walked back towards the hill on which the company awaited. Not once did Athwen turn to look back. Her face was set forward and she had made up her mind never to look back. A single tear escaped. One tear to represent the untouchable, unregainable past.
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Athwen reached the crest of the hill where the others were still waiting in little over ten minutes. At the outskirts of the camp, she slipped silently off of her horse and drooped his reins over a hanging branch. She left him standing and went towards the others, wondering if they had decided if it was time to continue yet, and if not, how long until they were ready.
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