Aislan rushed out of the castle after Calimiel, Andreth, and Alearindu, and came just in time to see Calimiel thrown from a rampaging Midnight. Aislan flinched as she saw Calimiel hit the ground with a loud thud and crack. Midnight, crazed with fear, galloped over to a fallen Gandalf.
Aislan was silent, and stricken with shock and fear. Not knowing where her uses would help anymore, Aislan did the only thing she thought she’d be able to do: Calm Midnight.
Rushing over to the frantic stallion, Aislan tried to comfort the horse. Calling out phrases like ‘Midnight, still! Everything is all right!’ and, ‘Stay calm, boy!’ seemed to do no good. The horse reared up on its hind legs and kicked the air with his front. Aislan lifted her arms to brace herself from a kick, but Midnight only brought his feet hard upon the ground. Lifting them again, he continued to paw at the air and bring his hooves to the ground with a great thump. The whites of his eyes could clearly be seen.
“What are you afraid of?” Aislan wondered aloud, and tried to calm the stallion. When Midnight finally stopped rearing, Aislan tried to calm him down and pat him, but the horse continued his deep, quick breathing and his head swayed.
As Nardol occupied himself with Maladil, Midnight began to breathe regularly again, but Aislan could feel the fear in the animal as she stood next to him. Aislan tried to see if Calimiel had brought any wounds to the horse, but Midnight was skittish and would turn his head and glare at Aislan any time she tried to see if he was all right.
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...Come down now, they'll say. But everything looks perfect from far away - Come down now! But we'll stay.
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