Lord of the Rings: Beauty's Heart

Kayla liked the horse, she was a very gentle creature. She understood why Brenda was fond of her.

"Perhaps a horse is the best company," Kayla said, "but I daresay much less of a conversationalist."

"No, but they have personality."

Dr. Jamie Bondage wrote:Bella:

I glared at him. "When I asked if you were laughing, I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to my horse." I glared.

"Can we go?"

Brian chuckled. "Now, be nice. I'm Brian, and this is my sister, Isabella. Sorry to disturb you. Are you elfin?" he asked curious.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm going hunting now. If you two care to catch up with me, then yyou can follow!" I grabbed my horse and galloped off.

Brian:

He lauhged. "Sorry, my sister can be a bit...hot tempered." he smiled. "Would you like to hunt with us?"

Caedwyn stared after her a moment, then turned to the man beside him.
"No, I'm not elfin, but a ranger," he said, amused slightly by the womans, Isabella, he told himself, behavior. He had met people like her before. Smiling, he turned and grabbed Amenorin's tack.
"I would be honored to hunt with you, but I do not have a bow. My knives will serve me quite well enough," he said, saddling Amenorin. "Do we have to worry about catching your sister?"

Brian:

He laughed. "No. She's a good hunter. Better than I am. A better fighter as well." He grinned. "Bella...is unique. Sort of." He chuckled. "Come on, she'll find us when she's ready."

They both headed out.

"There she is. Bella! Over here!"

Bella:

I glared.

Why did he bring that stupid stable boy?! I sighed.

"Glad you could join us." I lied.

My brother laughed harder, which made me scowl more.

"I'm scoping ahead. If you two care to be serious, feel free to catch up."

I rushed off.

"Does she do that often?" I heard are guest ask, but I didn't here my brothers reply because then I was out of earshot.

Caedwyn, still smiling, rode with Brian out of Edoras, Amenorin easily keeping pace with his horse. He heard him call out to his sister, and she came riding up, looking at him with disdain. It didn't move him, he had seen that look before. She said a few words with her brother, and with another poisonous look at him, she spun her horse and rode off.
"Does she do that often?" I asked Brian, my amusement wearing thin.
He looked at me, still smiling. "Most of the time. She's stubborn when she's happy and impossible when she's not."
I nodded, then, with a practiced twist of my arms, released the knives from their sheathes and they fell into my hands. Sliding them into two sheathes attatched to my saddle for that purpose, I kicked Amenorin into a canter.
"I do believe she wants us to follow," I said, a smile on my face.

Kayla liked the horse, she was a very gentle creature. She understood why Brenda was fond of her.

"Perhaps a horse is the best company," Kayla said, "but I daresay much less of a conversationalist."

"No, but they have personality."

Brenda studied the elf, a thin smile on her face. Kayla looked to Brenda when silence fell between them. "You're subtly asking to be friends," Brenda said, cocking her eyebrow.

Kayla looked away, patting Mist and ignoring Brenda's statement.

"I'm not denying the offer," Brenda said, grabbing Mist's saddle. "I'd be happy to be friends, but now I feel bad when I say I'll be traveling onward. Maybe I'll just go for a hunt then...or you can travel with me?"

"Travel where?" Kayla asked.

"Wherever nature takes us," Brenda said with a shrug. "Of course, I haven't eaten since this morning either."

Brian:

He laughed. "Only if you can keep up. She doesn't like people who way her down. She's always been that way, sort of a nomad of sorts." he grinned. "My sister ladies and gentlemen. A pain in the butt when she's angry." he laughed again. "Shall we follow? Or let her have all the fun?"

He spurred his horse forward.

When they caught up to Bella, she had already killed several small creatures. "Don't you ever miss?" he teased.

Bella:

I glared. "No, of course not."

"Too much of a perfectionist, sis?" Brian continued.

"Do you want to be mounted on my wall as well?!" I almost screamed. I took a deep breath.

Breath in, breath out. I said in my head.

"Thank you for joining us." I said as politely under the circumstances to Caedwyn. "But, I'm afraid I know nothing about you. How old are you?" I asked politely.

Caedwyn frowned. "23," he answered slowly. "There's not much to tell," he lied, not wanting these strangers to know what only he knew.
Turning to Bella, he smiled. "Never miss, hmm?" he asked with a challenging air. "Neither do I."
With that, he pulled a knife from his sheath and, looking around for a moment, suddenly threw it at a bush. A squeal told him he had found the mark, and dismounting, he flipped the reins over Amenorin's neck and strode to the bush, bending for a moment and coming up with a rabbit.
"Shall we make it a game?" he asked Bella and Brian, raising an eyebrow.

Brian:
'
He laughed. "Count me out. I'm practically dragged along these stupid hunting trips. Keep this between you and my sis." He smiled. "And I beg you to let her win. I don't want to deal with her temper later."

Bella:

I snorted, furious. "Fine, then, sir. But I doubt you will beat me." I smiled coldly. "But you can sure try!"

I got my bow ready, and aimed. The wistling arrow was my favorite sound in the world. It connected with the target. "Perfect shot." I smiled, please. I loved hunting. It was so calming and relaxing. It was one way to get all my anger out. My face lit up, excited.

My brother always said he loved watching me hunt. I had no idea why, but I could tell I was glowing.

Smiling to himself, Caedwyn pulled hid knife out of the rabbit.
"Fair shot, lady," he said, bowing gracefully. "My turn, I believe."
Turning, he saw a fox sitting on a rock not too far away. Face flushed with the challenge, he sighted it, and with a small grunt he threw the knife. It twirled through the air, light catching on the blade as it flipped end over end. A sudden gust of wind threw the blade off balance, and it clattered on the rock, startling the fox and throwing up sparks from the impact. Seeing the fox running, Caedwyn drew his other knife. A moving target. He aimed slightly ahead of the fox, and threw. This time, the knife found its mark, sinking into the side of the running animal. Sighing, he turned to Bella.
"I believe you win, although by no fault of mine. What would you want as a prize? It is custom where I come from to give a gift to the victor in a contest."

Brian:

He suddenly stopped laughing. What was this guy aiming for?

"Bella, nice work. Maybe you should work ahead..."

Bella:

I rolled my eyes and blushed all at the same time.

"Um...well...I'm not used to getting gifts."

I thought. Then saw one of his knives. It was gorgeously crafted. I gasped. "Do you have an extra pair of throwing knives?" I asked without thinking. Then winced. "That was incosiderate. I'm sorry!" I quickly apologized.

Smiling, Caedwyn turned to Amenorin and flipped open a saddlebag.
"As a matter of fact, I do. I kept this set as a spare. They aren't as elaborate, but if you like when we get back to Edoras I can engrave the markings that are on my main pair. The weight is the same, and you can use these knives for anything, throwing, fighting, anything. Here," and he pulled out the promised knives, both in leather sheaths, and handed them to Bella. I turned to Brian.
"Sure you wouldn't want to join?" I asked teasingly, knowing he was surprised by what I had done.

Brian:

He smiled again, now relaxed. "You just saw my sister! I don't want to get in the middle of that. But, if that is your kind of prize, I'm envious of my sister!" he smiled as he saw Bella flush. "I may have to buy some from you. Where did you get them?"

Bella:

I was crimsom red. "Thank you." I managed. I was in awe! They were beautiful! And...I didn't deserve them. "But...I can't except these. I didn't win fair and square...how about another try? Hm?"

I was still red, but there was no way I deserved those knives! They were...exquisite! I loved knives. They were one of my favorite weapons. I was good at throwing, and killing with them. "Plus, I would probably never use them!" I teased. "They are worth far too much to be just giving away!"

Caedwyn laughed. "I make them myself. But I learned the art from the elves. Why, do you want some as well? They're actually very easy to forge, and almost as good as elven blades."
Turning back to Bella, he smiled. "No, you won fair. I should have taken the wind into account. I won't make that mistake again. Keep the knives, they're nothing special, really."

Bella:

I gasped. "Surely not! I...I" I was speachless and acting like an idiot, that's what I was! I could I be so stupid and tongue tied! They were just knives!

Because no one besides your brother has ever shown you such kindness! My headed taunted.

No big. I countered. It doesn't matter.

Yes it does!

To prove my head wrong, or more myself, I grabbed the knives and placed them in my saddle bag. "Thank you. Shall we try again?" I challenged.

Brian:

He looked at his sisster. What was going on with her? She was...stuterring? Since when did she stutter? He was shocked. What's up? He wondered.

"If you wish," I said, and walked to retrieve my knives, and the fox. The knife that had struck stone was fine, and I wiped the blade from the fox on the grass before taking my place beside Bella. "Knife, or bow?" I asked, now that she had the choice. "I must warn you, I won't make a mistake this time."