Horse Riding

The next morning, Lucian woke earlier than everyone else. To be precise, he had barely slept at all, waiting for the night to pass so he could see Erin.

Since no one else was awake yet, he headed to the stables, where his horse was being cared for. Although the stable hands were looking after it, Lucian felt compelled to tend to the animal himself.

The previous day, he had ridden for hours through the forest, trying to sort out his thoughts—figuring out what he wanted and how to achieve it. In the process, his horse had shared in his exhaustion.

"Has he eaten?" Lucian asked one of the stable caretakers as he gently patted the horse.

"Yes, my lord. He seems a little tired, but he's fine," the caretaker replied.

As Lucian stroked the horse's mane, something caught his attention—a rider in the distance. He recognized the figure instantly, even from afar.