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...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
📍 Camelot
⏳July, 505 AD
Keratin crushed flakes of grass with thunderous pounds as Dallas blazed across an enchanting green field; his lungs synchronised to the rhythm of his powerful strides as he blew out oxygen with every stretch of his body. I remained as out of the way as possible while standing on my stirrups, my legs gently pressed against each side of his ribcage to maintain a steady speed and my fingers tangled in his mane while my arms followed the movement of his neck.
Riding him is a spiritual experience, revitalising in every aspect. Our hearts beat as one, pumping out adrenaline and endorphins. The epitome of being alive.
The whistling of the wind followed us, trying to keep up with the Thoroughbred's mighty speed as we galloped past farmhouses, crop fields, and cattle. I could see the towers of the castle in the distance, peeking out in between treetops; the stone shining in an almost metallic manner under the drizzling sky and the faint sun rays that illuminated it.
As the open valley began to transform into forest, I slowed my horse down to a trot so that it would be easier to navigate the maze of trees, and I loosened my grip on his neck-rope even more, allowing him to stretch down his neck and relax as we both worked to regulate our vital signs again.
"Good boy, Dal," I praised in between pants while rubbing his neck.
I used the sleeve of my hoodie to wipe at my face, trying to get rid of the mix of sweat, raindrops, and splashes of dirt that stained it. Then I tilted my head towards the sky, figuring that the rain could help me get rid of the grime.
We trotted all the way back to the castle and I finished cooling off Dallas around the paddocks before dismounting, untacking him, and returning him to his herd with a kiss to the muzzle.
As the adrenaline began to wear off, I started to feel the after-effects of a ride in the rain and I grimaced as I remembered what had happened the last time I was in this state – I got sick. What are the odds of that occurring two times in a row, though? Especially considering that I was incredibly stressed that time; whilst I'm perfectly content right now.
Actually, on second thought, I wouldn't mind getting sick so that I won't have to hang out around the intruders. Visitors. Whatever. Though it would also mean having to keep my distance from Merlin and Arthur... Y'know what? I'll leave it to the big man upstairs.
I pulled on my hood and kept my head low as I made my way towards my room, wanting to get by unnoticed. The corridors were agonisingly crowded with strangers and it made me momentarily miss my Uncle's farm; where I was usually alone, save for the horses and Juan.
I sighed in relief when I reached my room without any unpleasant encounters and I rapidly entered. My plan was to head straight for my bathroom, start heating the tub (which I'd filled up before my ride), and get a change of clothes from my closet. However, that idea was forced to be cast aside when I noticed something unusual atop my desk: a bouquet of pretty light blue flowers.
