Niri in Dreams

It was the first time Niri had ever experienced freedom. She, and she alone, was in command of her life- of her choices. The thought was intoxicating. She could do anything!
For her, the possibilities were endless. She could finally travel anywhere she wanted, and her father could not stop her. She would go to cities and meet people. Endless seas of people that were said to be there. And her father had no say! No say whatsoever, because he was dead.
A childish giggle escaped her, but quickly subsided. A very small frown of doubt clouded her otherwise joyful visage.
But, she had reached the road, and the frown was gone. Replaced by indecision. Standing there at the edge of a disused two-track, she was a small figure in a large expanse of grassland. A nearby herd of deer rustled and crunched as they moved about grazing. As they moved they rather resembled a school of fish swimming through the vastness of the ocean.
The road ran north and south.
Glancing down, the young girl discerned the direction that the horseman had been traveling. South. So now the question; go in the direction of travel, or to point of departure? Which direction held more promise?
Niri closed her eyes and remembered the moment that she had heard the thunder of the hooves. The night had been warm, with a slight wind. The breeze seemed to have lifted the hoof beats to her, over the field and into the woods beyond. Echoing in their steady rhythm of urgency.
She felt compelled to follow the horseman. She would follow him to wherever he was going so urgently. Somehow, she wished to know who he was, and what was the reason for his swift travel.
I was as if by magic that one of the largest stags lifted his head and looked at her. From his place among his herd, he suddenly sprung away, leaping gracefully toward her. Niri turned and her breath stopped as she watched him bounding toward her.
She wasn’t sure what the stag would do. He came closer and closer, barely any distance now, and stopped. He looked at her quite steadily. She observed, quite breathless, that he was indeed a huge specimen of his kind. His thick shoulders supported a gracefully erect neck, which sported his noble head that was adorned with a pair of magnificently branching antlers. The breadth of his chest was almost that of a horse.
Niri blinked. She was hit by the realization that this stag was waiting.. for her. He was patiently watching her, and waiting.
Slowly, a smile crept into her lips, climbed her face as wonder and delight overcame her. He was going to take her!
The slight girl joyfully went to him, but hesitated at his side. Timidly she petted his neck. His thick coat was glossy and rough. He watched her with one dark brown velvet eye. She grinned at him. He righted himself as if to say, let’s get on with it.

Last updated June 10, 2019