Out of Time

Chapter 2

"Hello everyone!" Miriam greeted when she entered the barn. Several of the horses nickered back.

Aria's eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store. "Oh my gosh! They're all so wonderful!" Her attention immediately to a blue roan Andalusian stallion. "I've never seen one of these horses in real life before.... So beautiful..." She said as she stroked his face.

"He's very gentle, would you like to ride him?" She offered.

She jumped up and down, nodding her head. "Is that even a question? Of course I would like to ride him!" She shouted with absolute glee. "I can't wait to get on him!"

Miriam called a stable boy to saddle him up and another to saddle her mare.

She mounted the horse whom did not move at all when she did. "You're really a nice one aren't you?" She said patting his neck. "Hey, have you ever braided his mane and tail? They're really long." She said, running her fingers through his mane.

"I've never thought to, no. His name is Dancer, by the way." She told her as she mounted her horse.

"Well, we should do that sometime, he would look lovely with it." She said with a chuckle. "It is a pleasure to meet you Dancer, I hope you keep me safe as I plan on doing for you!" She said, giving him another pat. She turned to Miriam. "Let's go! I want to see what everything is like!"

Miriam clicked her tongue and her mate took off. "I know it all very well!"

Arianna watched as Miriam took off. Faster than a walk. "Oh, great. Well, this might hurt a bit. She said as she got Dancer to canter, trying to ignore the bit of pain in her upper body, she hunched over a bit.

Miriam began to lead her through the empty countryside. All of this was city when during her time.

She simply took in all of her surroundings, marveling at how untouched so much of it was. "Wow, this is so, beautiful. Peaceful...." Her eyes looked down in sadness. "What have we done to the world." She muttered.

She stopped at a stream to let the horses get a drink if they wanted it. "Tell me, what is America like!?"

She flinched back at how eager the girl was to learn about the country. "W-well. It is an interesting place, that's for sure. Um," she tried to think of all the history classes she took for a moment in this time, "the country is still recovering a bit from the Civil War that happened. However, the cities in the north and west have started to expand rapidly, they are hubs of industrialization and invention. The far west is still being settled. Is that the kind of thing you were looking for? Or, I can explain more...."

"Oh, it sounds exciting. If I wasn't caring for father, I would surely go." She decided with a sigh.

"I promise, stay with your father. He needs you more than the country does. Besides, you never know how you will be received there unfortunately." She said with a sad smile.

"Of course I'll stay with Father, I love him dearly." She said softly. "But it might be nice to visit."

"Then I would recommend going to one of the smaller cities. They are more...friendly." She explained to her. "I'm glad you would stay with your father."

"If your father was sick, wouldn't you stay with him?" She asked.

"My father personally? No, not at all. But, if it was a man who was kind, gentle, and caring, then yes I would." She told her with a smile.

"Your father is not?" She asked sadly. "I apologize, I am asking too much."

Aria laughed. "No, it's only natural that you would ask. I just generally don't like to talk about it." She thought for a moment, "Here, if I am going to stay here for a while, I will tell you alright?"