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littlemanpoet · 09-02-2008, 07:43 PM

Rowenna

“Why," asked Saeryn, "did you ask Eodwine if you could ride Flíthaf and not trouble me for my horse? He’s more fit for you, and can run faster than Flíthaf, I’ll lay my bet on it.”

"I think you don't give proud Flíthaf enough credit! Anyway, I'll not take your horse from you. Don't you want to be in the race?"

Saeryn looked off in the distance as if trying to decide. "Yes, I think I will race!"

"Good!" Rowenna laughed. "We'll show the men how well women can ride! But you asked why I chose Flíthaf. I just went to the stables and there was this grand horse looking straight at me, his ears perked up as if he wanted me to ride him! So I asked Léof who he was, and who he belonged to, and he said Eodwine's steed, Flíthaf, and that was that."

"What if there is only one race?"

Rowenna did not respond immediately, but tipped her head as if giving thought to a new idea, even though she had already thought through the whole matter to the last detail. Finally she looked at Saeryn seriously and said, "Then I will of course tell Lord Eodwine that I cannot possibly take his own steed from him." She turned her head. "Look! There go Aethelstan and Matrim, and Javan and Erbrand, off to the stakes! And there's Eodwine, heading for the stables! I had better go make sure! And you need to ready your mount! Let's go!"

The two young women ran arm in arm toward the stables and Eodwine; it just so happened that Lithor was with him.

"Lithor!" Rowenna called, "how many races will there be?"

"We will have one race," he answered.

"Oh!" Rowenna stopped and disengaged her arms from Saeryn's. She looked sadly at Eodwine. "Lord, I cannot keep your horse from you. You must ride him. I will step down from the race." She made a point of looking as crestfallen as she knew she would feel if she actually expected not to race.

"Nonsense!" Eodwine said, as gallantly as she expected, "You may ride Flíthaf today. I will ride another mount."

"Oh! Thank you!" She rushed up and gave Eodwine a hug and a peck on the cheek. Then she grabbed his hand and tugged. "Come! We must find a mount noble enough for an Eorl!"

Eodwine seemed reluctant to be pulled along to the stables.

"Saeryn! Help me! Grab his other hand before our lord decides not to race himself!"

09-02-2008, 07:43 PM	#259
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,072	Rowenna “Why," asked Saeryn, "did you ask Eodwine if you could ride Flíthaf and not trouble me for my horse? He’s more fit for you, and can run faster than Flíthaf, I’ll lay my bet on it.” "I think you don't give proud Flíthaf enough credit! Anyway, I'll not take your horse from you. Don't you want to be in the race?" Saeryn looked off in the distance as if trying to decide. "Yes, I think I will race!" "Good!" Rowenna laughed. "We'll show the men how well women can ride! But you asked why I chose Flíthaf. I just went to the stables and there was this grand horse looking straight at me, his ears perked up as if he wanted me to ride him! So I asked Léof who he was, and who he belonged to, and he said Eodwine's steed, Flíthaf, and that was that." "What if there is only one race?" Rowenna did not respond immediately, but tipped her head as if giving thought to a new idea, even though she had already thought through the whole matter to the last detail. Finally she looked at Saeryn seriously and said, "Then I will of course tell Lord Eodwine that I cannot possibly take his own steed from him." She turned her head. "Look! There go Aethelstan and Matrim, and Javan and Erbrand, off to the stakes! And there's Eodwine, heading for the stables! I had better go make sure! And you need to ready your mount! Let's go!" The two young women ran arm in arm toward the stables and Eodwine; it just so happened that Lithor was with him. "Lithor!" Rowenna called, "how many races will there be?" "We will have one race," he answered. "Oh!" Rowenna stopped and disengaged her arms from Saeryn's. She looked sadly at Eodwine. "Lord, I cannot keep your horse from you. You must ride him. I will step down from the race." She made a point of looking as crestfallen as she knew she would feel if she actually expected not to race. "Nonsense!" Eodwine said, as gallantly as she expected, "You may ride Flíthaf today. I will ride another mount." "Oh! Thank you!" She rushed up and gave Eodwine a hug and a peck on the cheek. Then she grabbed his hand and tugged. "Come! We must find a mount noble enough for an Eorl!" Eodwine seemed reluctant to be pulled along to the stables. "Saeryn! Help me! Grab his other hand before our lord decides not to race himself!"