Dragon Rider in Middle Earth

XXV

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Refugees begin streaming out of Edoras. Inside Théoden's chamber, the king prepares to leave.

-I am ready, Gamling. Bring my horse- he tells the knight that stands at attention at his door.

Gamling turns to leave, but is stopped by Théoden.

-This is not a defeat. We will return- the king tells him.

Gamling leaves, leaving the king to himself.

-We will return- the king whispers to himself under his breath, trying to convince himself.

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In the halls where the men were preparing for the trip to Helms Deep Arya unsheathed her sword and held it to the light, its smooth blade giving off a metallic shine.

She swung it in an arc in front of her body, the blade making a low ringing noise as it swung through the air. She twirled it with one hand above her head, the double handed hilt feeling slightly more weighted than it would handling it with two hands.

Earlier on she had ad a talk with Gandalf asking if she could tell Argent to come out of hiding already. The old wizard had cautioned her against it and explained to her the history that Middle Earth had very bad feeling about large flying and fire breathing lizards.

-This is ridiculous- Argent groaned as he flew over the mountains for the second day in a row, already growing tired.

-I know but it's necessary- she muttered between gritted teeth. She kept swinging her sword expertly not noticing Gimli and Legolas approaching her.

-Just remember to call me if anything and I mean anything, goes wrong- she groaned as the dragon cut their connection. She swung her blade behind her making Legolas and the dwarf back away hastily.

-Careful lassie- Gimli held up his hands as he stared cross eyed at the blade that was now being pointed at his face.

-Sorry- Arya chuckled slightly and slides Echo back into the scabbard, the balde going in as noiselessly as always.

She threw a quick glance at Legolas and then looked away quickly to observe the soldiers who had stopped packing to stare at her the moment she had pulled out Echo.

-Let's go- Arya took Legolas' and Gimli's forearm and shoulder respectively to their heights and gently drove them out of the hall to the horses that were waiting outside.

-What na- Argent going na ceri (What is Argent going to do?)- Legolas asked her in Sindarin.

Arya had been getting better thanks to the constant elvish chatter between Legolas and Aragorn.

-Darth-, like ho has done or- until hi (Wait, like he has done up until now)- she responded rather grumpily.

Arya was brought a dark stallion that shuffled nervously from side to side. Arya reached out with her mind before her hand and touched the animal's own consciousness. It was wilder than other horses' but much more noble.

The beast calmed down instantly beneath her touch and he even leaned his nose a bit into her hand.

Legolas watched as Arya put her foot in her stirrups and pulled herself onto the saddle. She smiled down at him and his stomach fluttered making him look slightly flustered as he and the dwarf besides him watched her lead her horse to the front of the now forming file.