The moonlight lit the road ahead, casting long shadows that flickered as the wind stirred the branches overhead. Serena kept her gaze ahead, her shoulders square and hands still firm on the reins. The night was silent but not unsettling, filled with the occasional chirp of crickets or the rustle of something small in the underbrush.
The ride was smooth for the most part. The mare had settled into a steady pace, hooves thudding against the earth in rhythm, her breath puffing visibly in the cool night air. Serena took it as a good sign, she was nearly home. Just a little longer.
She glanced to her left, watching the silhouettes of the trees as they passed, and for a brief moment, let her mind wander. Darius. Livia. Elen. Even Riven. They all floated in her thoughts like threads waiting to be tied together. It was overwhelming in a quiet sort of way. She hadn’t expected any of this.
A sudden crack to her right snapped her from her thoughts.
The mare reared violently, jerking on the reins. Serena’s grip slipped, her fingers scrabbling to hold on as the horse gave a shrill cry and kicked up its front legs. Panic surged through her as her body was thrown backwards, her weight tilting off the saddle.
"Whoa!" Serena shouted, too late.
She hit the ground hard, the wind knocked clean out of her lungs. The world spun for a moment, sky, dirt, trees blurring together. She rolled onto her side and coughed, dragging in breath. Her hands trembled as she pushed herself upright, grimacing as the ache in her ribs set in.
The mare was a few feet away, snorting and stomping at the ground, eyes wide and nostrils flared. A blur of movement darted through the trees again, a hare, small and white, bounding away from the path.
Serena gave a shaky laugh and leaned back against her hands. "Are you serious? This must be some twisted joke" she murmured to no one.
Her palms stung. Dirt clung to the hem of her dress and her right thigh throbbed from where she’d landed, but nothing felt broken. She ran her hands over her limbs quickly, checking for anything out of place. Sore, yes, but alive. The goddess must have cushioned her fall.
The mare snorted again and looked at her, then took a hesitant step forward.
"I am alright," Serena said softly, rising slowly to her feet. Her joints protested the movement but she pushed through it, limping over to the mare and grasping the reins gently. The horse let her, still jittery, but calmer.
"I suppose you were just as scared," she whispered, pressing her forehead lightly to the creature’s mane. "It is alright now. It was just a hare."
It took a few more calming strokes, but the mare stopped her nervous movements and stood still once more. Serena exhaled and tried to lift herself back into the saddle. It took two attempts, her muscles screaming, but she managed to climb up with a wince.
She adjusted her seat, gritted her teeth, and nudged the horse forward. The castle was close now, she could see the faint lights glittering through the thinning trees. Her leg throbbed with each bump, but the pain grounded her. She could almost taste the warmth of her room, the relief of a soft bed.
By the time she reached the castle gates, her eyes were drooping. The guards spotted her and quickly opened the entrance. One of them called out, but she only managed a wave before continuing through the courtyard and down to the stables. A stablehand rushed to her side and took the mare with a quiet greeting.
"Thank you," Serena muttered, sliding off the saddle with a wince.
"You alright, my lady?" the young man asked, brows drawn in concern.
"Yes I am," she said with a small smile. "Just a bit of a tumble."
She didn’t wait for a reply. Her legs protested with each step, but she was determined to make it to her room before anyone else saw her in this dishevelled state. Dirt on her dress, hair tousled, palms scraped, but nothing so terrible that it wouldn’t fade by morning.
The hallways were quiet as she moved through them, only the occasional flicker of candlelight casting shadows against the walls. She reached her door and pushed it open with a sigh, closing it behind her gently. The soft click of the latch was a balm to her ears.
Everything was just as she’d left it. Her room, small but warm, was lit by a dying fire in the hearth. She moved stiffly to the chair and began unfastening her boots. Each tug felt like it took a year off her life.
Finally, she stripped off her dress and placed it in the corner. The scrape on her knee throbbed, and she padded over to the washbasin. The water was cold against her fingers as she dipped a cloth in and pressed it to her hands, gently cleaning the dirt and blood away.
It wasn’t much, but it helped.
She changed into one of the soft nightdresses that had been folded neatly by her bedside. The fabric fell against her skin like cool relief. She moved to the bed, pulled back the covers, and sank into it with a groan.
Every muscle in her body cried for rest.
As she laid there, her eyes fluttered shut and her thoughts began to drift again, to the hare, to the horse, to the silence of the trail. And then to Darius.
His words still echoed in her mind. "I have not. My hands have been rather full these days."
It wasn’t an excuse, not really. But she understood it. It didn’t make the ache in her chest go away, but it gave it a reason to quiet.
She turned to her side, pulling the blanket over her shoulder. The pain had dulled now, a gentle thrum beneath her skin.
Tomorrow would be another day with its own problem. But tonight, she could rest.
Serena closed her eyes and let the quiet claim her.