The Elven Princess

    A lone figure stood looking into the horizon as the sound of wings and horses’ hooves sounded in the distance. The figure was a slender young woman, so slim that her bones gave her the appearance of being fragile; she was stronger than even she knew. The coming days would test and prove that fact many times over. As the sounds slowly grew closer and gradually got louder the young woman began to see shapes taking form on the horizon. Confusion crossed her face so fleetingly that it could be said the emotion was never there in the first place; soon however her ethereal features showed what could only be described as exasperation. She looked to the large horse standing just a few paces to her left greedily tearing at the lush green grass under their feet. “They truly never give us any peace do they Mari?” this question she spoke to the horse, her soft melodic voice reaching his ears and causing him to perk his head and look to her. She reached a delicate hand up to her long brown hair to smooth it down from where the wind had blown it about, she then held her hand out to her horse and called him to her with his bridle in her opposite hand. He obediently came to her side and allowed her to gently put his bridle back on, before moving to his side and expertly mounting him and settling into his saddle. She gently asked him to walk on, shortly after asking him to move into his graceful rocking canter, she knew who she had seen on the horizon and knew with utter certainty that the trouble she had already gotten herself into would undoubtedly only get that much worse if she kept them waiting a moment longer than she needed to. She rode down the side of the gently sloping hill she had been standing on and towards the forest, she knew there was a clearing in there that they would expect her to meet them at, as she rode into the start of the forest she heard a roar sounding through the air and knew they must be close. She urged Mari into a bit of a faster gait, there was a large downed tree ahead that they soared over with practiced ease. Mere minutes later she reached the clearing she knew she was meant to be at, she dismounted and removed Mari’s bridle once more knowing he wouldn’t wander far before hanging it on a low hanging branch and waiting. She only had to wait a moment before the first of the riders came into view. In one hand he held his horse’s reins and in the other was a large flag decorated with a golden horse and rider with a dragon above on a purple background. Shortly after she saw two more horses behind him both had riders in armour sitting rigid and upright in their saddle; stopping just inside the ring of the clearing the guards stopped their horses on either side of the flag bearer and the now party of 4 looked up. The group of them looked up and watched as two dragons slowly descended to the middle of the clearing; the larger of the two dragons was breathtaking, he or she was a soft but eye catching gold with a faint shimmer of blue and purple whenever the light caught his scales. The smaller dragon was the one everyone was watching however, seemingly less eye catching in color this dragon was a deep blue, almost to the point of appearing black. Finally both dragons landed directly in front of the lone rider, the smaller dragon crouched closer to the ground and allowed a lithe figure to slide off her back before landing gracefully on the ground without making a sound. Upon closer inspection of the dragon rider one would presume she was an ordinary person, though the air around her and the way she held herself would suggest otherwise. The two women approached each other and it was clear as day there was some sort of relation between them even before they happily embraced each other, both women had dark hair and pale blue eyes the only signs of age to tell them apart were a few strands of silver hair. When they drew apart the older woman spoke first “Hello my darling, seems you’ve escaped your escort yet again for a few moments of peace with you dear Mari” she stated softly her voice holding a tinge of laughter as she lifted her eyes to look at the large black horse who had wandered over, so close his soft white nose brushed Raella’s leg as he grazed. As Raella opened her mouth to respond she felt and saw Mari start to quiver, she and the other woman reached out their hands and stroked either of his shoulders to calm him; moments later she heard the telltale baying and howling of hunting dogs. Raella laughed softly before saying “I suppose he’s still afraid of dogs, you would’ve thought he would’ve grown out of that, I haven’t tried to take him out hunting for some years now after that horrible first incident.” The older woman shook her head, a smile forming on her face “He’ll never change, that is what makes horses such steadfast and loyal companions. They find their person and remain loyal to them, they’ll never change.” She stated sounding happy and a faint fondness touched her tone. “I know he’ll always be by my side, he’s always been the only animal I could count on. “ Raella said, she turned and went to the tree to grab Mari’s bridle before going back to the other woman. A guard walked up to the two women bowing to each and said to the elder woman “Queen Emmera we must move on soon, they’re waiting for us.” Emmera nodded and turned to Raella “That will soon change dear one.” The queen stated matter of factly before turning and going to one of the guards. “Come along Raella, we must be going. They’re not to be kept waiting.” Raella quickly bridled and mounted Marievy watching as her mother mounted a very large white horse. As one the dragons flew up, just above the line of the trees and the horses and their riders all moved forward at an easy walk moving out of the clearing and back into the forest the way the Queen and her entourage had come.