***
***Our... what?***
Gamling's head jerked up and he looked around.
No Dréogan... no Adenydd...
"They can't be far," he stated softly. "They were just here."
He heard her inhale through her teeth and mentally prepared himself for the onslaught. "If your stallion has done anything to my Wingfoot..."
"Believe me," he started dryly, "if Dréogan has done anything-"
"Dréogan? You named your horse ‘suffers'?"
Gamling reached and took the rucksack from her. "Aye. He makes me suffer!" he growled. He ignored Aefre's choked laughter. "He was harder than Morgoth's chains to break, is head-strong, refuses to neck rein-"
"Difficult beastie."
"Aye." Gamling reluctantly agreed. "Very difficult." He inserted his thumb and middle finger into the edges of his mouth and let out a piercing whistle.
"Just like his Rider," she muttered softly.
"I heard that," he growled back. He whistled a second time. This time, he was answered by a shrill whinny and almost immediately, both horses came over the rise and waited. Slinging the rucksack over his shoulder, he grabbed Aefre's hand and took off towards the horses.
"I picked his sire and dam myself, was there for his conception-"
"Just Gamling?"
"-was present for his birth. Made sure he knew the touch of my hand and the sound of my voice within a day!"
"Gamling?"
"I curried him, mucked his stall, fed him from my hand-"
"Gamling!"
"- and he makes me suffer!"
"GAMLING!"
The Horse Lord suddenly met with resistance as the woman he had in tow dug in her heels and refused to budge. Her yanking backwards caused him to stumble slightly and he turned on her in ire. "Woman-"
"Either turn me loose or slow down!" she shouted. "Your legs are longer than mine and I can't keep up!"
***Your legs? Would love to wrap them around my neck...***
He dropped her hand as if it had suddenly become a burning iron. "I'm sor-"
"Don't you dare apologize!" Aefre snatched her dropped hand up and began storming towards her horse. "Every time I turn around, you're apologizing for offending me, for misunderstanding, for dragging me through the dirt!" She stopped long enough to pull aside her riding skirt and stuck her grass stained boot into the sunlight in order to inspect it. "Next thing I know, you'll be apologizing for being a man," she smirked. "Béma forbid; we can't have that!" She turned on her heel, realizing that deep down, her feelings were hurt because he had dropped her hand instead of slowing down. She squashed the capricious thought and made a beeline for her frolicking mare.
Gamling watched her walk off, torn between the strange feeling that he had upset her and kicking himself for not just slowing down.
***Béma!***
Never had he been in such a state of confusion over anything-
***That's not true! Women do this to me all the time...Nay! Not all the time. Just this woman!...Doomed, doomed, we are both doomed. …omund's brats and Théoden maybe?... doooooomed....***
Gamling looked up from his inner musings and realized Aefre had covered quite a bit of distance. He had to hurry to catch up to her. Adenydd and Dréogan were playing; nipping and rearing, in constant motion. Aefre's hand moved to her belt pouch and she removed a pair of supple leather riding gloves.
"Come now, Adenydd. Stop playing with Dréogan and let's head home." She encased long, lean fingers into the soft hide, flexing them to ease the fit.
Adenydd nickered merrily and moved off.
Gamling snickered at the thought of her horse refusing to come to her mistress, but the grin soon faded when his well-trained warhorse did the same to him. For the following half hour, every advance the man and woman made towards the two horses, the horses pulled back, keeping a consistent distance between them and their riders. It was obvious that the four - legged animals considered it a great game - one they were winning.
"Gamling, unless they either stop or we figure a way to catch them, we will be hours walking." Aefre wasn't winded in the least -
*** Of course not! Her lungs get so much exercise bellowing at me!***
- but she was visibly irritated. "The sun will be setting soon and I do not relish being this far from Edoras on foot."
"Neither do I." Gamling noticed the horses had not moved further; they had seen the two humans stop their advance. He set the rucksack down and...
Smiling mischievously, he squatted down, opened the top and pulled out the last two apples. "My Lady, does your Wingfoot like apples or carrots?"
"Carrots." She smiled at the Horse Lord, seeing his ploy. "This is really mean."
"Do you wish to walk?" Handing her three long carrots, he stood up and began to toss one of the apples in the air.
"Not particularly."
"Dréogan!" The horse stopped his play with the grey mare and was now watching His Man warily, eye - balling the constantly - in - motion apple. "There are two things in all of Arda that Dréogan loves more than anything. One is stomping Orcs into the ground and the other is," he stopped in mid-toss and took a bite of the fruit, "apples. This one," he held it up for inspection, "is quite good." He addressed his agitated steed. "This is a distinctively fine apple, Dréogan! You don't mind if I eat the last one?"
Apparently, his trusty and faithful steed did mind. With a bellow, Dréogan charged the man, bearing down at an impossible speed, stopping just short of the Rider who seemed unfazed that he had come within a hair's breath of being run down by his own horse. As Dréogan snatched the apple from mid-air, Gamling calmly took hold of his bridle and reins. "Playtime is over, big fellow." He handed the horse the second apple and looked over his shoulder to see Adenydd happily munching on carrots.
Aefre put her arm around her mare and was speaking softly. "Can't resist a finely tossed mane now, can you?" She looked up and smiled -
***shyly? She's shy? Strange, strange little witch...***
- at Horse and Horse Lord. "He's got nice eyes too, Adenydd." She reached out with another carrot and whispered in her horse's ear. "His Rider is not so bad either - when he's acting civilized!" Adenydd nickered, almost a laugh and brushed her mistress's ear with her muzzle.
While Gamling had heard the compliment to his horse, he did not hear what she had said about him. He watched as Aefre came around and gathered Adenydd's reins. Feeling unusually gentlemanly, he called out, "Would you like a leg u-"
And was immediately graced with the sight of a long bare leg, being thrown over the side of the mare.
*** AAAAAAAAAH OOOOOOOOOOOOH!***
Aefre settled into the saddle and arranged her skirts around her thighs.
***legslegslegs long firm legs around my neck...***
Gamling clamped down on the teenaged voice in his head and asked quietly, "You ride astride, My Lady?"
"Riding sidesaddle is for dainty, delicate women, which is something I am not! Besides," she added blithely, "it's a good way to get killed! Would you want to ride side-saddle?"
Gamling went to the opposite side of his horse and pulled up.
*** I see leggings and tunics in your future, if you are going to insist on riding about...***
With a nudge and a light jab of their heels, Riders and steeds slowly made their way towards Edoras.
***
They traveled in comfortable silence, watching the sun prepare for its descent behind them. They had crossed the stream before she broke the silence. "Just Gamling?"
He raised an eyebrow to the obvious playful tone.
"I wasn't privy to the conversation this morning. What did Pippin do and why did Gandalf rush from Edoras with him?"
It was not a question he expected.
***Tell her? No? Yes? Would it... the truth shall come out soon enough...***
Aefre watched him battle with inner thoughts. His face never changed, but if one looked closely, you could the slight clenching of his jaw, beneath his beard. Several times, he opened his mouth to speak, only to clamp it shut. "If you would rather not-"
"Nay! It is all right." Gamling's jaw clenched one more time. "Gandalf has one of the seeing stones. The Hobbit decided to look himself and saw the Great Eye of Sauron."
"Poor Pippin!" Aefre moaned in sympathy for the little Halfling. "What a ghastly thing for him to see."
Gamling shoot his head ruefully. "Aye, but the worst is that Sauron saw Pippin and thinks he has the One Ring."
"The One Ring? It's been found?"
***HAH! Don't know everything, do you, my funny little witch!***
Quickly, Gamling told her what he knew: The Hobbits, the split Fellowship, the One Ring. Aragorn, the King of Gondor.
"Gandalf has taken Pippin to Minas Tirith, not only for safekeeping, but to prepare the way for the Ranger. He does not think the current Steward will be willing to accept Aragorn as King. When the time comes, he will have the beacons lit. Aragorn expects Rohan to answer."
"Expects?" Aefre gritted between her teeth. "Rohan must answer! The horde at Helm's Deep will be nothing compared to the armies of Mordor! If we combine forces with the other Nations of Men, we stand a better chance of defeating Sauron!"
Gamling stared at her in the setting sunlight, grudgingly respectful in his thoughts. "Pity."
"Pity?" She snorted. "What's a pity?"
***Somehow, this will come out wrong, I know it, she will take offense...***
"You grasp things quickly. ‘Tis a pity, you were not born a man."
Her jaw tightened; he could feel the tension, her muscles tightening. When she finally spoke, it was a dangerously soft whisper. "So, because I'm a woman, my thoughts and opinions are not as respected?"
*** I knew it! Damn it, I knew it! Damned touchy woman!***
"No, I didn't say that. You grasped immediately what …omer and I spent a great deal of time convincing the King of. I can only pray to the Valar that the Men of Belfalas, Langstrand, and other countries answer as well."
"The ‘men' of Belfalas?"
***uh oh. This does not bode well...Can I not say anything right?...***
"Yes. Men. If... when," he amended, "Gondor calls, the Rohirrim and hopefully other soldiers will answer."
"And no women will answer?"
***Women? Is this what this is...***
Gamling burst out laughing. He couldn't help it. The thought of a woman... her... in armor... fighting...
"What's so funny?"
"I'm... sorry... really, Aefre..." He tried to stop, but was finding it impossible. "You would... mess up your dress." He doubled over, laughing harder.
"You think I would not be a worthy opponent?" Aefre's voice was deadly soft and had Gamling not been laughing so hard from the absurdity of it all, it would have and should have worried him.
"Oh, aye, and a very worthy opponent! I'll leave the Orc-Hobbits to you and your not- so-paltry-dirk!" He chortled at his own joke. "Or... better yet! The ‘men' can use you as bait! You can recline and feign sleep on the open battlefield and wait for some unsuspecting Uruk-hai to bend over you so you may shove your foot up his-" Aefre turned her back to him and trotted off in a huff. "- Oh, come now, Aefre!" He bumped Dréogan on the side and caught up with her. "Aefre! You can't be serious!
She spun her mount around, fury very evident on her face. "You great lummox!"
***Ah! A new name! My command of the Westron language expands daily!***
"Does the term, ‘Shield Maiden' mean anything to you?"
Gamling shrugged good-naturedly. "A more antiquated title that-"
"ARGH! Béma save me from being saddled with a hard - headed, old - fashioned, ale - swigging, self- absorbed-"
"Lummox!" Gamling jovially finished for her. He took in her scowl. "Aefre! Surely, you are jesting!" It was a statement, clear and thorough, not a question in the least.
"Who do you think defends these lands when the ‘men' go off to war?"
"Aefre..."
"When Gondor's beacons are lit and every able-bodied Horse LORD rides off," she interrupted hotly, "who do you think defends home and hearth? The Ghosts of our Fathers? The infirm? The elderly?" Aefre was as close to hysterical as Gamling had ever seen. "I trained alongside my brother! I sparred almost daily with my husband! We fought Orcs, Mountain Men side by side! I have killed my share of invaders and not once did I faint dead away because I broke a nail! My husband trusted and respected my skill. Maybe if I had been with him, he wouldn't have-" She stopped abruptly and snapped her mouth shut.
Gamling eased his horse next to her, facing her, and placed his hand on Adenydd's mane, stroking the mare. "Wouldn't have what?" he asked softly.
She glared at him.
***furyfuryfurythefireburnssohot... how close have I come to the actual furnace? Finally?***
"Come, Aefre. I'm going to start thinking you do not finish what you start." Grasping Adenydd's bridle between her ears, he pulled the two closer. Adenydd did not shy back; in fact she seemed to welcome the closeness to Gamling's destrier. "Wouldn't have what?"
He watched her chew on her lip for a moment. "My husband wanted a bloody boar for the Yule Feast," she gritted between clenched teeth. "So, he, my father, and my brother went on an early morning hunt. They were ambushed by mountain men. My father and brother were killed; their mounts hacked. My husband wasn't wearing a helmet and took a blow to the head that should have killed him instantly!" She swallowed hard. "It didn't." She looked away for a moment, obviously collecting and repositioning her self control, before turning and staring Gamling in the eye. "I can't help but wonder.." She stopped and took a deep, cleansing breath. "I'm sorry," she finally continued. "I should not be divulging my troubles to you."
Gamling's hand moved up Adenydd's neck as he nudged Dréogan closer. His leg was now pressed against Aefre's knee, and his own leather - clad hand held her own.
"Finish. You can't help but wonder what?"
Her mouth opened once, only air escaping before finally - - - "I can't help but wonder whether, if I had been there, the outcome would have been different."
"What difference would you have been able to make, Aefre?" It was a simple question, not said to mock or hurt her cruelly.
This closeness to him was burning; something she was not prepared to encounter, much less deal with. She yanked her mount away from him; jerking away from him. "I would have watched his back!" With a disdainful sniff, Adenydd turned and walked off, taking her angry mistress with her.
***Ah! Another piece of your puzzle drops in place, My Lady! She doesn't want a husband! She wants an equal... with dangling parts!.... hothothothot oh the furnace is stoked! Dooomed, I say... we are both so doooomed... ***
Again, he caught up with her and cut in front of her.
"You still grieve."
"Grieve?" she spat. "What time was there for that? I had a household to run, my sister - in - law gave birth and she was totally inept at running a hall. I had to rein in staff, deal with Riders. I had people to feed, elderly to take care of. There was spring planting for both households. There were still raids from Orcs and Mountain Men." Finally, she slumped and sighed. "I grieved when I could - deep in the night, under the covers, buried under pillows when no one could hear me." She backed up and edged around him. "I grieve his loss no more. I simply want to put my own life back together and live as I will."
The next thought came unbidden and it shocked him in its simplicity.
***Respect. She wants respect. And control over her destiny.***
Deep sigh.
***I suppose I could give her that.***
With a nudge, he set Dréogan on an intercept course and soon pulled along side of her. "I am sorry." He watched her stiffen in resolution.
"You are the most apologetic Rider I have ever met." She whispered. "Damned annoying!"
"Yes, My Lady."
Aefre shook her head, biting off an angry retort. ‘Why in Arda does he insist on calling me that?' she thought to herself. "Ah," she finally gave over. "Pay no attention to me. I'm just a silly old woman."
Gamling heard the self- derision in her voice. "Silly? No. Old? That's debatable."
She stared hard at him for a moment before bursting out in laughter, immediately releasing the tension.
For several minutes, they walked in silence, each watching the other, how the other handled their horse.
***... she has a loose grip on the reins...***
***...he sits his mount well...***
***... at least she doesn't bob around like a novice...***
***... he is almost one...***
***... what a Rider she would be, she is one with...***
***... with his...***
***...her...***
***... horse...***
***...horse...***
Silence.
Comfortable for him.
Not for her.
***barebarebarelegs wrapped around...***
"So," Aefre finally spoke, interrupting his nefarious thoughts, "Your horse likes apples as much as he likes stomping Orcs? Must be fine sport, indeed!"
In the dimming sunlight, she saw a hint of a smile. "His second summer, Dréogan found a barrel of apples and ate every last one. How he managed to open his stall door is still beyond me." Gamling shook his head at the memory. "I walked this damn horse for a day and a half, to keep him from foundering! And what was the thanks I got?" He leaned forward, talking directly to Dréogan "I got a mule-headed, taxing beast-"
"You have a steed who is loyal to you as he is to none other."
***True.***
They continued on; the only sound heard was the clopping of Dréogan's and Adenydd's hooves. Aefre was not one for comfortable silences and she began to ask him questions, questions he grudgingly answered, questions about his family, his childhood, how his fathers had served the kings of Rohan. He in turn, asked her why she had named her mare ‘Wingfoot' and she responded by challenging him to race in the setting sun. Théoden was right - she rode like the wind and beat him soundly. He acquiesced with no lordly grace, stating clearly his steed was not only weighed down with heavy Rohirrim armor, she had also cheated-
"Cheat? Me? I never cheat! What an absolutely horrid thing to say!"
- by taking off on HER signal.
Eventually, she forgave him for his jokingly ungentlemanly remarks and he questioned her on her family. She regaled him with lively tales of growing up in the Wold, a loud, energetic household. She reiterated her schooling, her weaponry and riding training. Eventually, she got around to her husband; his family, his kin. Gamling slowly and methodically peeled her many layers away, exposing bits and pieces of her that she had kept hidden and protected for years. Again, she dwelt on her desire for independence, to not be a burden to anyone, as she felt like one to Eowyn. She talked about the wild beauty, yet unforgiving way of life in the Wold. Slowly, with a several well-placed questions, he pulled the conversation back to her husband.
Who her husband was. The fact he had no siblings.
Who her husband's parents were.
Their siblings. So very few.
The children of their siblings.
Names. Names and dates and places.
By the time they reached Edoras in full dark and guided by the lanterns lighting up the guard posts, Gamling had come to the clear conclusion that something was very wrong in Aefre's part of the Wold.
Very wrong indeed.
***
tbc
***