Friends of Nimrodel: Tapestry of Dreams

[mark12_30]

"Hold him still. Steady! No. Make him stand. Make him stand!"

"I'm trying! He's too big!"

"He is not. That's what the bit is for, " Ædegard said. The big chestnut jigged and shied, dragging Ædegard's little sister Theolyn several feet before Ædegard turned to the horse and roared, "Stand!" More wide-eyed than ever, the horse stood fast, trembling, snatching at the bit. Theolyn gave him a little more rein, and he began to relax. Ædegard glared at him, and then at Theolyn, and resumed struggling with the stiff girth on the second horse: an aged bay mare, who stood immoving except for the occasional flick of a tail.

A soft voice spoke. "Not starting off on the best of terms with him, are you?"

"He's young. He'll settle down once we get going," Ædegard said as his frown deepened.

The young man, a rider in his late twenties, nodded at Theolyn. "We?"

Ædegard snorted. "No, Freawine, she's not going. Just me and the horses."

"How far?"

"Don't know."

"What for?"

"Crazy blacksmith."

"Ah. A rescue mission."

Ædegard could not tell whether the last was spoken in mockery or not, so he turned and met Freawine's eye. There was friendship there, and a trace of admiration. Ædegard softened somewhat.

"Won't you need a third horse once you find him, " Freawine observed.

"Father can't spare any more. He can hardly spare these, or me."

"That girth needs oil. It'll rub him bare, as stiff as that."

"It's old. This saddle doesn't fit anyone else, and she's been out to pasture."

"You should oil it."

"I don't have time!"

A large hand landed on Ædegard's shoulder, and Freawine said softly, "He's on foot. But you don't want to be on foot, do you? Take care of your mount."

Ashamed, Ædegard met Freawine's eyes and blushed crimson. Freawine held his eyes, and then said, "Loosen it. I will return."

Ædegard loosened the girth while Freawine walked away, and then he busied himself checking his supplies. He was missing a few things. Muttering, he held both horses and ordered his sister to fetch several things. He looked over at the Inn, and shook his head, with a sinking feeling that this was going to take a while. Freawine was right of course; carelessness at the beginning of a journey did not bode well for the end of it.

The old bay put her nose against Ædegard's chest, and Ædegard said softly, "I'm sorry, old girl. I owe you better than that."

He tried not to fret, but he hated waiting. Freawine returned with the oil, and together they stripped the saddle from the old mare and softened it. Meanwhile, Theolyn returned with the forgotten items. With a soldier's efficiency, Freawine helped Ædegard re- pack, and soon Ædegard was in the saddle.

"Have you said farewell to your father?"

Ædegard nodded, and then shrugged. "This won't take long. I'll be back soon anyway."

Freawine laid one hand on Theolyn's shoulder, and raised the other in farewell. With a nod, Ædegard gathered the reins of the bay, gave the chestnut a firm pull on the lead-line, and turned the horses north.