Fanfic:The Ride

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The Ride
Author(s)
  • Lasse Jensen
Character(s)
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Urikanu was furious. Everyone at the Fortress knew it. The argument between the Lord of the Crystal Lake and his oldest son had been heard from the highest tower to the lowest cellar, from hall to stable. The now 17 years old Urikanu was as tall and powerful as his father, and with his well over six feet, lord Lukar was no small man. And the argument had been furious. No one really knew who had started yelling, but the voices had grown louder and louder, and in the end, young Urikanu had stormed off, banging the door behind him with enough force to break it's hinges. He had gone directly to the stable, his dark look combined with his black billowing cloak gave the distinct inpression of a walking thundercloud. The long, serpentine greatsword he had been gifted almost thirteen years ago was strapped to his back, it's long handle protuding over his shoulder.

Now the young heir to the Larithan estate was tightening the girth of his saddle. Thunderfoot, the huge black warhorse with the snowcoloured mane and tail, was waiting patiently while his master for once fumbled with the straps, his anger clearly visible. But unlike so many other spoiled nobles sons, he didn't take his frustrations out on the horse. Apart from it being able to crush him when being this close, the horse was the best friend Urikanu ever had, the only friend that had never faltered.

Suddently a light, musical laugh sounded from the door to Thunderfoots stable, and Urikanu sighed. The last he wanted right now was making himself look a fool who couldn't tighten a saddlegird before the eyes of Shirina. The tall girl with the auburn hair did always make his head spin when she was close, and she knew. But she didn't care. Right now, she stood leaned aginst the door, her bright brown eyes sparkling in the slight light.

"The winds blew strong today I heard? " she said with a grin and walked into the stable. "Enough to make the doors rattle... " She patted Thunderfoot as she passed his neck, and the horse pushed at her with his head in an affectionate way. Urikanu sighed. It was only him and Shirina the horse did that to. She stopped beside him and adjusted the last strap on the fighting saddle with a grin. "There my boy. Want me to help you into the saddle too? " Urikanu didn't answer merely glared furiously at her, and got a slap on his backside as he left the stable with Thunderfoot. It was beyond his comprehension how this selfassured, provoking girl could be the same as he had rescued from two of his fathers soldiers barely half a year ago, but she was. And she had changed. She'd found employment in the Larithan stables and had come to be well like and even respected by the stablehands. It was no secret that she took great pains to be where Urikanu was, but often it was no problem as the young man was almost always among the soldiers or the horses. Soon after he had left the stable and had mounted Thunderfoot, Shirina had led her chestnut coloured mare out, all saddled and ready. With an irritated glance Urikanu once again couldn't help but note that she was indeed beautiful. And without admitting to notice her presence Urikanu heeled Thunderfoot and galloped out of the Fortress, leaving behind a trail of dust.

Barely minutes after Shirina's mare caught up to Thunderfoot. She was light and built for speed, not for battle like Thunderfoot. And the girls grin was huge. "You know what Uri? I'll bet a Mark that your great mountain of a horse can't outrun Firewind here. " Urikanu felt himself grow angry again. Thunderfoot might not be the speeder that Firewind was, but he was fast nonetheless. And Uri was just in the mood for a challange. "Done! First to the High Meadows win. " And with that he heeled Thunderfoot sharply, sending the huge horse into a gallop, the ground shaking beneath his hooves. And he heard Shirina's delighted cry behind him as she booted her horse into a gallop as well. And then the ride was on. Out over roads, fields and vast, grassy expanses they flew, tails streaming behind the horses. Shirina's horse was the faster, but it faltered sometimes where thunderfoot merely ploughed on, scattering brush and stones, thundering through brooks and gully's, thundering over fields and roads. Leading position changed often, and Uri found his anger dissipating. The race was exhilarating, and as the terrain was not exactly smooth both rider and horse were forced to give their best. And then it happened, as they thundered out over a field and down a slope, that thunder broke overhead. Rolling between mountains and hills, the sound was like that of a huge gong. And soon rain began streaming from the clouds overhead, drenching the riders and their horses. On the raced, splashing through fast forming mudfields and water pools, now almost constantly upwards, the horses leaping obstacles as if life itself depended on it. And all the while, lighting continued to flash, with thunder booming around them, the horses flinching every time. Bu their riders were oblivious to that, only thinking of the goal ahead.

But things suddenly changed radically. A bolt of lightning struck the slope overhead and knocked a huge boulder loose, sending it thundering down towards them in the gloom. And Shirina didn't see it until it were too late, the sounds hidden in the howl of the wind and the peas of thunder.

With a cry, the horse tried to evade, but failed. The boulder struck it straight in the chest as it reared. And went down with a pained scream. And as lightning flashed, Uri saw Shirina starting to be dragged down. With a curse he urged Thunderfoot closer, the trained warcharger instantly obeying his signals. Swiftly it cantered closer, ignoring the other horses pained screams and leaning half out of the saddle, hanging on with only one hand, Uri gripped Shirina's arm. For a long, painful instant he felt himself getting dragged from the saddle, but then she came free of the saddle and Uri righted, heaving her onto the horse behind them and sending Thunderfoot bolting towards the shelter of a rocky ledge. Once there he followed it, taking advantage of his knowledge of the terrain to put as much distance between him and the dangerous heights as possible, and then raced for the Meadows where they had the breeding horses during the summer.

Time seemed to crawl as thy huddle atop Thunderfoot, drenched and cold to the bone, Shirina clinging to Uri and shivering. And after about ten minutes, the large field came into view, the solid stone house that sat in the centre standing like a beacon of safety. Once Uri had installed Thunderfoot in the stable at the end of the field, the two young people ran the length of the field and shut themselves in the hut as fast as possible, getting a fire blazing swiftly. Uri had completely forgotten his anger in the course of the race, and now held Shirina close as thunder continued to peal outside the hut. And there, in a small hut, far from the rest of humanity and under the chorus of the thunder and rain, Urikanu learned another point of life, a lesson all learn sooner or later...