The stallion bearing the elven prince and his sapphire-eyed lover came to a halt at the brink of a yawning chasm, bridged only by a frail, trembling web of rotting hemp and creaking timber suspended across the abyss.
Gareth slipped from his saddle, cautiously advancing toward the precipice as the mountain wind made the bridge sway from side to side like a dying serpent.
"Be careful..." Melissa murmured, her breath catching.
The elf met her gaze with a tight, reassuring smile, setting one boot upon the ancient planks to test their strength. Slowly, carefully, he shifted his full weight onto the structure.
"Gareth..."
He glanced back over his shoulder, his eyes steady. "It is old, aye, but it will bear us. We will be able to cross."
Swinging her leg over the saddle, Melissa dismounted with his aid. "You will lead the horse across first," he instructed firmly, "then I will follow."
