𝕭𝖔𝖔𝖐 𝕿𝖜𝖔
𝔖𝔲𝔪𝔪𝔞𝔯𝔶: From trolls to dragons to foreign princesses, Astraea Aphelion grows stronger as she
continues to navigate medieval Britain using her wit and heart, standing unshaken beside Merlin and Arthur as they face every threa...
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📍 Camelot
⏳ March, 505 AD
The midday sun shone proudly over the legendary kingdom of Camelot, its warmth alerting all citizens that the end of winter was approaching as the heavens prepared to let spring reign upon the lands. Birds chirped as they raced each other across the skies, the grasslands shook off the last remaining traces of snow as they gathered the energy to show their colours again, and the animals in the forest ended their hibernation periods and skipped out of their dens and caves to explore the promise of a new cycle.
Life in the city was electric as the hopes of a prosperous season blossomed in the hearts of the people. Farmers were especially eager to get out onto their fields, blacksmiths worked merrily for the ambitious fresh men that passed by their forges, seamstresses shared in the joy of the new epoch, mothers allowed their children to run freely, no longer fearing the consequences of the cold... All in all, the people were happy.
Prince Arthur Pendragon was part of a crowd that had gathered at the far side of the castle, an atmosphere of curiosity settling in as spectators watched the Lady Astraea Aphelion carry out her recently appointed job of 'King's Horsewoman'. King Uther – with a little pressure from his son – had created the position for Astra as a reward for her successful re-raining of 'Cinderella', harbouring hopes that her unique connection with horses might serve to improve how knights function in hand with their equine partners; and, thus, bring in better tournament performances.
The nineteen-year-old girl had been quick to lay out her conditions, these being that horses would be trained without coercion and without the use of potentially harmful tools; and the Pendragons had agreed without argument. She has proven that she knows what she's doing, after all.
"Stop pulling on 'er, dude!" Arthur watched as Astra scolded Sir Leon while she bit down on her bottom lip, her eyes fixed on the knight's hands, which were tightly fisting the reins. A look of concern had taken over his features while his mare – a beautiful bay roan Iberian-style horse named Faye – fought against the side-pull bridle on her face.
"You're stressin' her out!" the brunette continued as she followed the duo closely, her hands visibly itching to stop the horse's anguish as they fiddled with the strings of her blue camouflage hoodie. "Loosen your reins! Use your voice!"
"How will it understand words?!" Leon questioned while sending the girl a quick glare. Arthur narrowed his eyes at that, not liking the roughness with which he was addressing her. "It is a horse!"
"She," Astra corrected through gritted teeth, "is trained to associate certain words with certain actions!"
"How!?" the knight cried. "She is just a dumb animal!"
It took the entirety of Arthur's will, and then some, not to step in and reprimand his knight's behaviour towards the Lady as he watched the two of them argue while Faye continued to grow increasingly more restless.
