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Racing Alassiel
Racing Alassiel
"I just love racing, mother!!", 18 year old Alassiel cried. "It's just so wonderful to feel the power of the horse beneath you, the wind in your face, the tears in welling up from the horses mane in your eyes, it's the most wonderful feeling in the world". Alassiel and her mother were out on a trail ride. Her mother on a very pregnant Aranel, who needed the exercise, Alassiel rode Bellethiel, her 18 year old gray Arabian/Andalusian cross race Mare, whom she rode in Middle Earth competitions. Bellethiel would soon be retired soon, to become a broodmare. Alassiel was pretty sad about this, but her mother said that she could have Aranel's next foal to train for her next racehorse. Bellethiel would be bred to Alassiel's friend Santiel Undomiel's racing stud, Nithron. Alassiel couldn't wait until Bellethiel's foal was born.
"I know, dear," Maralina, Alassiel's mother said, "I was the same way when I was your age." Maralina used to race, but now she stands from the sidelines and watches her daughter. It was because of a race that Maralina had Alassiel. Alassiel's father was the famed, Legolas Greenleaf.
"I'm going to ride over to Santiel's when we get up to the fork. She just got back from Gondor and I want to see her. I want to hear her summary and hear what she did," Alassiel said. "Ok, dear, Have fun!! Don't stay out too late," Maralina said.
"Here's the fork! Namarie mother!! See you back home," Alassiel Cantered off into the woods and went to Santiel's home. Santiel and Alassiel met through Horse Racing. They hit off immediately and became friends. Santiel owned her horse, Nithron, a black Arabian, and raced him too.
Santiel’s horse was fast, but not fast enough for Bellethiel. Nithron was a quiet and gentle horse, Bellethiel was strong and fast with high spirits. These were great characteristics for an outstanding race horse and Alassiel hoped that their foal would be the next Middle Earth champion and carry on all the characteristics from it’s parents. Secretly, Alassiel hope that the foal would be a steel gray filly.
Before she knew it, she was at Santiel’s. She was happy to see her friends trotting Nithron around in front of the house. “Suilad Santiel!!,” Alassiel called. “Suilad Alassiel,” Santiel called and cantered over to where her friend was mounted on Bellethiel. “I haven’t seen you in such a long time!!!!”, Santiel said. “I was hoping you’d stop by!! I thought that we might be able to discuss race schedules in the barn! It’s going to be really important to pick good races, since it will be their last ones”. Santiel loved horses and racing just as much as Alassiel. Her Black hair contrasted with Nithron’s coat. Alassiel had light brown hair with blonde mixed in. Her hair wouldn’t be contrasting with Bellethiel’s light gray coat for awhile.
Alassiel and Santiel too on all the Middle Earth competitors, whether men or dwarves or fellow elves and sometimes hobbits! There weren’t very many girls into racing, so Alassiel and Santiel got picked on by the men. The girls didn’t pay any attention to it. They always came out on the top; many of the men admired them for their toughness in such a rough sport.
The girls went for a quick ride and un-tacked their horses and gave them some hay and water and put them in stalls. They went to the supply room and sat on the hay bales and chatted about what races they were going to enter. Alassiel decided the Elrond Handicap and the Evenstar Stakes would be good for Bellethiel. Santiel decided on the Dwarf Runes Stakes and the Evenstar Stakes for 18 year old Nithron.
They chatted happily about their decisions. Santiel was going to meet Alassiel at the gates in the morning at sunrise to ride to the other side of Rivendell, to register for the races. All too soon it was time for Alassiel and Bellethiel to head home.
Alassiel saddled Bellethiel and said “Namarie” to Santiel and cantered out for the short journey home. When she arrived home, she cooled out Bellethiel and untacked her and put her in her stall along with fresh hay and water.
Alassiel made her way up to her house and got ready for bed. She went to say good night to her parents, then went to her room and went to bed.
The next morning Alassiel awoke and went out to the barn. She fed Bellethiel and went up to the house to get a slice of lembas bread. She wrapped several slices and wrapped them in mallorn leaves, and stowed it in her saddle bag.
She went back out to the barn and saddled Bellethiel and rode out to meet Santiel. She found Santiel waiting for her by the gate to register. She hopped off Bellethiel and ground tied her. “What took you so long?” Santiel asked with a hint of impatience.
“Come on Santiel, I wasn’t that late. I brought you a snack.” Alassiel handed her friend the mallorn- leaf packaged lembas. “Hannon le, mellon,” Santiel said gratefully. They walked up together and signed up for their races.
When they were through, they walked back to where their horses were grazing and mounted and galloped back home. “Namarie!!,” Alassiel called. “Noro go hûl, bado go Eru!!!( Run with the wind, go with God),” Santiel replied and the two girls went their separate ways. When Alassiel got home, she cooled out Bellethiel and went home and went to bed.
One week Later..........
“I’m so excited!! Today is the Elrond Handicap!!!”, Alassiel said excitedly to her mother. “I know, dear, don’t get nervous”, Maralina said fondly. Her daughter’s excitement reminded her of her own when she was young. Maralina had had her share of racing and was now content to watch from the sidelines and breed and train the fantastic horses that were on the track.
She and her mother were getting Bellethiel ready. Bellethiel was used to all the excitement, this was usual for her. She watched intently around. Alassiel had changed into her riding outfit, In which she looked every inch a competitive rider and jockey.
“Oh! There’s the starting horn, I had better go and line up!!”, Alassiel said happily. “Alright dear, be careful!”, Maralina said. Maralina had had her share of injuries while working with horses, and she wanted her daughter to have as little as possible. “I will mother. Namarie! See you after I win!”, Alassiel said with confidence.
Alassiel and Bellethiel warmed up with all the other horses. They went to the starting line. The announcer called out the names and when they were all in position, the announcer shouted “Go!!!” and 14 powerful horses surged out onto the field.
Alassiel and Bellethiel jockeyed for position on the inside of the circle. Alassiel’s eyes started to burn from the tears coming into her eyes from Bellethiel’s long, elegant mane. They were coming up towards the finish line. Alassiel asked Bellethiel for more and the courageous mare gave it, and they were in first place.
They were pulling away from the rest of the horses and Bellethiel was pouring her heart into this race. She was still pulling away from the field. Bellethiel slowed her pace, just like Alassiel asked. Alassiel’s mother came up to her,” What an amazing race, dear!!! If she races like that again, she’ll have a great foal, what a match, Nithron and Bellethiel.”
“I know, mother. She will definitely be an outstanding broodmare.” Alassiel said to her mother.
Suddenly, an 20 year old boy came up to Alassiel. “Suilad!” He said. “That was a great race, What’s your mares’ name?” Alassiel recognized him as Sellion, another jockey from that race. “H-Her Name is B-Bellethiel, I-I raised her from a-a filly”. Alassiel managed to stutter out the words. She realized that she was talking to the top male jockey! Sellion!!! She had beaten Sellion!!!!
“You’ve got an outstanding mare there”, Sellion said coolly. “I guess you’re planning on racing her in the Evenstar Stakes.”
“Y-Yes, I am p-planning on it.” Alassiel stuttered again. He was a great jockey and he was also very handsome. She had raced him before, but he had always beaten her. She was guessing that her skills and her hard training had paid off. “I guess I’ll be racing you then. I have to go now, Namarie!” He flashed her a smile and walked off.
“Do you know him?” Her mother asked. “Y-Yes, I just beat Sellion, the top male jockey that always beat me,” Alassiel managed. “WHAT?!” her mother cried. Apparently, her mother knew who he was. “That’s great, dear!!! I’m so proud of you, I’m sure your father will be too”.
Alassiel quickly walked over and claimed her trophy. “Thank you,” she said to the judge as he handed her the trophy. “A great mare you’ve got there, you both deserve it,” said the judge.
Alassiel walked over to her mother who was holding Aranel and Bellethiel. They were ready for the easy ride home. Aranel was about to foal any day now, she was very heavy with foal. Maralina was starting to get excited like a kid about Aranel’s foal. She couldn’t wait, neither could Alassiel.
Alassiel mounted up and the walked home, enjoying the scenery as they went. Bellethiel was tired from her race, but that didn’t stop her from arching her neck and prancing most of the way, as if she knew she had done well.
Bellethiel was cooled out so Alassiel took off her tack and put it in the storing room. When she carried the saddle, only then did she realize how tired she was. She gave Bellethiel her hay and water then walked up to the house and changed and fell into bed, going to sleep almost as soon as her head touched the pillow.
The next morning Alassiel awoke with a start. She had over slept!! Why had her mother let have done that!! The horses needed to be fed.
Well, I guess I’ll get a lecture she groaned silently. Alassiel has always wanted to have a breeding a training farm. If she was going to have one, she would have to get up early to feed and take care of the horses.
She smelled the wonderful breakfast lembas bread her mother was cooking. She then realized how hungry she was. She had been too tired to eat supper after the race. She walked down the stairs into the kitchen. “Good morning, dear! Did you sleep well?”, her mother asked cheerfully. “Yes, mother, sorry about the oversleeping”, Alassiel said. “I know you needed me at the barn”. “Oh, you were fine, you needed your rest anyway.”
Alassiel grabbed for the piece of bread before going out to the barn. Her mother took her shoulders and steered her towards the table. “You are going to have a nice sit down breakfast this morning. It happens all too much that you grab something and go. You need to relax more!”, her mother said.
“Alright, mother”. Alassiel groaned inwardly. She had wanted to spend extra time with the horses and now she was caught and was having to eat a sit- down breakfast of her mother’s wonderful lembas.
“How was Aranel? Is she getting closer to foal?”, Alassiel asked, trying to get her mother to talk some. “Her time is near. I am going to spend the night in the barn tonight. Would you like to join me?”, her mother asked with a twinge of hope in her voice. “I would like to have you around to help me.”
Alassiel jumped at the chance. She always liked to spend the night with her mother, especially if it meant that Aranel’s foal was being born. “Sure mother, I’d love to go!!” Alassiel said excitedly. “Could Santiel come? She wouldn’t get in the way or anything.”
“Sure, Santiel can come.” Her mother said. “The Evenstar Stakes is in three weeks. I was going over to Santiel’s so we could train.” Alassiel said “I could tell her then.”
“Alright dear, Have fun and be careful!!” Her mother said. “I will Mother!” Alassiel said, racing out the door to the barn. When Alassiel arrived, she tacked up Bellethiel and went on her way to Santiel’s. When she arrived, Santiel greeted her with a “Suilad” and Alassiel replied with “Im gelir ceni ad lín!!!(I’m glad to see you again).”
“Well, are you ready to start training towards the Evenstar stakes, how about we warm them up at the trot, and then take the horses over the hills and build up their stamina?” Alassiel suggested. Since the Evenstar was a long race, she knew their horses would need the stamina to have enough steam left in the stretch. “I don’t know, I’m pretty confident with his stamina, he doesn’t need it.” Santiel said.
“How can you say that?! His stamina is horrible and you know it, you just don’t want to fix it. You don’t want to shoot for your dreams, you don’t care anymore, Well, if you’re going to be that way, you won’t have my training expertise!!!!!” Alassiel exploded, she was even a little surprised at herself for her blow out. But, She and Santiel, would dream and dream about getting good, but now Santiel had gotten there and she didn’t even want to give it a shot!!
“Well, then, be that way.” Santiel said. “Hannon le, for the trouble you caused”, Alassiel grumbled. Alassiel remounted and galloped over the hills. She was taking Bellethiel out for a stamina ride, whether Santiel was with them or not.
Alassiel galloped Bellethiel for several miles before stopping to give her a rest and time to drink. Alassiel was very disappointed with Santiel. Alassiel knew that Bellethiel was in better shape than Nithron, and Bellethiel wasn’t even in peak condition. “Well, if she comes in last, I tried to stop her,” Alassiel muttered to herself.
After Alassiel mounted Bellethiel, she started home. Se decided to stop by Santiel’s. After all, she should apologize. When she got to Santiel’s, she was awed at the scene she saw. Eruadan, an old friend, that they used to ride with was holding hands with Santiel. Oh, no wonder she isn’t training, Alassiel thought. Eruadan was a former horse back rider, but after being thrown he gave up horses.
He kneeled before Santiel and offered her a beautiful ring, that looked like Galadriel’s Nenya! He placed it on her left ring finger and he said a good deal about loving her. Santiel said yes and then she kissed his cheek.
Alassiel stood frozen in anger and mounted Bellethiel and whirled around and galloped home before she did something stupid. A flutter of questions entered her mind; How long have they been courting?, When did they decide this?, Why didn’t she tell me? And the more and more Alassiel thought about it, the more emotions she felt. Should I tell mother about this?
Alassiel stopped Bellethiel on the hill; Now she understood! Santiel had given up racing in order to marry Eruadan! Alassiel felt sick. What was going to happen in the Evenstar stakes? What was going to happen to all their big dreams about training Nithron and Bellethiel’s foals? Right now, more than ever, she wanted someone to confide in. She nudged Bellethiel with her heels and they trotted home. Well, I don’t guess I can do anything now. The only thing Santiel can decide to do is to go after her lifelong dreams, or let her dreams die as she begins her new life with out horses.
Story Continued
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