The One... Or Two?

Attitude

The group raced along, Moiraine leading the way at a very fast pace. Eventually, they slowed when the path they were on was narrow, one at a time, and the sides raised up two feet. Lan led, then Egwene, Mat, Secily, Moiraine, Rand, and Perrin took up the back. The air was depressing, something Secily was familiar with. Bored, Mat suddenly started singing. "We walk the footsteps of our fathers/The trail blazed by our mothers"

Secily smirked over at him before joining in. "They bought the land with their blood/Long ago/Long a a go"

Perrin joined in with the downbeat. "Oh, sing"

"Sing of the Manetheren," the main three singing started again.

"Oh, weep"

"Weep for the blood of Aemon"

"Oh, cry"

"Cry for Manetheren/Long ago/Long a a go"

Moiraine and Lan had a few expressions and glances during the song and the woman finally spoke about the song. "It's good to remember Manetheren."

Secily's head fell back. "Oh, shite," she grumbled, defeated.

Mat clearly agreed as he snipped, "It's just a song. No idea who Manetheren is, anyway."

And the woman explained. No one asked, but she told the tale of Manetheren, the betrayal of their allies, the loss of their leaders. And she mourned the long dead so deeply it rang in Secily.

But she wasn't good at deep so she changed the subject. "That was a fun song. Now it's just depressing." She looked over her shoulder. "You're good at that." She clicked her tongue and got her horse to step up on the bank, trotting alongside the walkway until she was far ahead and she slowed back down. She ran her finger along the inner-finger of her , thinking as she rode. When she pulled away, anyone could see the indent showing she did so often.

Her horse suddenly stopped then threw back its head. "Oh, you're kidding," she breathed down to him. He threw his head back again. "I told you to go before we left!" He gave a little hop. "Yes, you did have to go then!" she argued. He spun in a circle, facing the way they came. He stepped back a little shakily. "You're just gonna have to get over it," she said plainly. He kicked up and the poorly secured redhead fell back. She let out a gasp and reached for the reins, but they slipped away as she fell. She landed on the ground hard and groaned lowly. When she opened her eyes, he was facing her, his muzzle in her face. "I get the point." He spun when he jumped this time. His side faced the now standing redhead. She brushed herself off and unlatched his saddle. "Open." The second the saddle was off, she tossed it to the side and the horse faced her, holding his teeth open so she could remove the bit and pulling the bridle free. She gestured dramatically. "Well, go on!"

Gleefully, the horse took off. Standing on the bank, the redhead bent down and picked up the saddle. She kept walking, holding it until the others caught up.

"Did your horse just abandon you?" Mat called from his steed.

"Arthur?" Secily introduced. She shook her head. "Nah. He'll be back. He's new to this whole... people riding him thing."

"You haven't ridden him before?" Egwene asked.

Secily shrugged. "Never needed to before the Blue Beauty and her White Knight showed up. He mostly wandered the woods with me. He knows how not to trip. He'll be fine." She started whispering under her breath, likely repeating the mantra as she walked, easily keeping ahead of the horse-riding group. She was still whispering some time later, and a few of them were alarmed for her..