Disclaimer: I don’t own them, and I’ll put them back safely when I’m done!

Lessons on Horses

   Lady Eowyn, Princess of Ithilien, was in both physical and mental discomfort. The physical discomfort stemmed from that fact that her new, relatively untrained horse, Flieg, had just bucked her from his back onto the sandy riverbank. The mental discomfort was being caused by a tiny hobbit, who looked terribly like a childish Peregrin Took. He had come running to her right after she had fallen, and was currently clutching her head to his chest and sobbing.

    Now, Eowyn reasoned, there was no way that this child could be Pippin. For one thing, he was much too tiny, more like a large doll than a child. For another, Pippin was a full-fledged adult, and this child was just that-a child. Then, with a flash of sudden insight, Eowyn knew exactly who he was.

   “Here now, you can let me go now, Faramir,” she said soothingly, reaching up to disentangle his arms from around her head. “I am quite alright.”

   Faramir Took released her head, but kept a firm grip on her jacket. His green eyes were large and tear filled, and his lower lip was trembling.

   “You’re not hurt?” he whimpered. “I thought you were dead! The big horse threw you, and you lay still!”

   Eowyn gingerly pushed herself upright, wincing at the sore spots that would be bruises tomorrow. Seeing that young Faramir still looked distraught, she reached out and ruffled his curly hair, and pulled his into her lap.

    “Do you know who I am, lad?” she asked, noting out of the corner of her eye that Flieg was returning, head low, demeanor sheepish.

    The hobbit nodded and wiped his eyes. “Yes, you’re Lady Eowyn. You and Cousin Merry slew the Witch-king.”

    Eowyn nodded. “That’s right. Now, tell me where you came from. I have not met you before.”

    Faramir seemed calmer now, and he smiled sunnily up at Eowyn. “We came with the guards from Minas Tirith-Father and Cousin Merry and I. Everyone else is coming tomorrow, you know. I went exploring right as soon as we arrived, and I saw you fall, and that’s how I came here.”

   Eowyn nodded. She was not far from the house at Emyn Arnen, and where she lived with her family, and if she paused to listen, she could hear the unmistakable sounds of men grooming horses and unloading baggage. Doubtless, they were what had caused Flieg to spook.

   Thinking of Flieg made Eowyn look around for the horse. He was quietly standing near her, watching them sheepishly. Faramir Took followed her eyes and gasped.

   “Oh, no,” he whispered. “Help!”

   “What’s wrong?” Eowyn asked, frowning curiously.

   Faramir clung to her jacket, pale with terror. “I’m afraid of horses!”

   Eowyn nodded. Such a thing was not unheard of, but it always perplexed her, daughter of the Rohirrim that she was. “Don’t worry, my lad, he’s just as frightened of you as you are of him. To Flieg, you are just the size of a small, yappy puppy.”

    Faramir smiled weakly. “Flieg?”

    “The horse. That it his name,” Eowyn explained. “Here, I’ll show you that he’s not as terrifying as you think. Stand up.”

   “Stand up?!” Faramir squeaked. “Why?”

   Eowyn set him on his feet and knelt next to him. “So that he can get to know you. You’ve been sitting on my lap, so you smell like me, and Flieg trusts me. He’ll trust you once he smells you, and then you’ll be one of the herd.”

   Faramir considered this, small face screwed up, and nodded. “Alright. Do I just stand here?”

   “Yes,” Eowyn said, and whistled. “Here, Flieg. Hold still, Faramir.”

   The horse came forward, and the tiny hobbit lad gasped and stood stock still as he was snuffled all over. Eowyn grinned, watching him. Flieg nosed Faramir’s chest, then whuffled in the hobbit’s hair, clearly accepting him. Faramir giggled, then shyly reached up to pet the horse’s nose.

    “He’s nice,” he said, grinning over at Eowyn.

    Eowyn grinned back. “Yes, he is. He only shied because he’s young. Would you like to ride him?”

    Faramir nodded and Eowyn lifted him onto Flieg’s back. Then she bounded up behind him, and nudged the horse in the direction of home.

    “Father is going to be so surprised I met you!” Faramir told her, fingers buried in Flieg’s mane. “He and Cousin Merry tell me loads of stories about you. I’m so glad that I finally met you!”

    Eowyn laughed and gave the lad a one-armed hug. This child would certainly be an interesting houseguest.