She couldn't wait. She had to venture forth into the wilderness, warnings be damned. At least she had waited until the sun had risen, enough that she could see clearly. The past few weeks had been a trial for her. With event after event after event, Darcie was growing tired. Exhausted even. Nothing, though, would stop her from having her morning ride.
It had been something she had started doing the moment she arrived in Regalia those many years ago. Insisting she use her allowance to purchase the needed stall to house her beloved steed and the other expenses that came with him. He was a big brute of a creature, mostly brown with white patches upon his flank and around one ear. A creature more accostumed to someone of a more larger and more muscled frame, but when one saw the curly haired, blue or sometimes purple garbed woman stop him, they understood just why the two were a pair. Like rider like horse as they say.
Darcie adjusted the reins in her hand, her gloves fingers tight around the warn leather. Her cloak hood thankfully kept her hair dry as there was a gentle snowfall and a breeze shifting through the wilderness. She clicked her tongue and snapped the reins, moving her her horse from it's slow pace into more of a trot as they finally began their morning ride.
Finally, finally she was alone with her thoughts. Her mind was able to wander freely to that thought and this thought, a small smile appearing upon her features. It would be a good day, she reasoned. It will be a good day. Darcie thought to herself, just a bit more sterner.
"I will make it a good day." She spoke out loud to herself, snapping the reins, urging her horse to go faster, farther. Away from the city, away from her responsibilities, away from the chaos and into the stillness and peaceful air that was the forest.
Tilting her head upwards, she rose slightly in the saddle, letting out a laugh as she was taken faster and faster, the horse beneath her huffing softly in the cold air and moving quickly through the snow that lightly coated the frozen over ground. She was in her element, she was invincible, or so she thought.
She never saw it coming… Could not explain what it was that spooked her horse, but one moment she was firmly in her saddle and the next she heard a sharp neigh and then there was blackness.
He had been searching for nearly an hour. Thankfully, though, he found her. Barely breathing and unconscious, a noticeable head wound and bleeding from various places.
Patrick, Darcie's runner, leapt down from his mount's back and moved swiftly to scoop the woman's almost lifeless body up into his arms. Her breathing was soft, but noticeable. Barely alive. Her clothing was wet with blood and snow and he moved to lift her up into the saddle and then himself.
The journey back to the city was a solemn but quick ride or as quickly as the Ailor male could move with his employer tucked against him, unconscious.
He would send for a phsycian, someone discreet. And then he would have to begin his duty, writing notes and delivering them promptly.
It had been something she had started doing the moment she arrived in Regalia those many years ago. Insisting she use her allowance to purchase the needed stall to house her beloved steed and the other expenses that came with him. He was a big brute of a creature, mostly brown with white patches upon his flank and around one ear. A creature more accostumed to someone of a more larger and more muscled frame, but when one saw the curly haired, blue or sometimes purple garbed woman stop him, they understood just why the two were a pair. Like rider like horse as they say.
Darcie adjusted the reins in her hand, her gloves fingers tight around the warn leather. Her cloak hood thankfully kept her hair dry as there was a gentle snowfall and a breeze shifting through the wilderness. She clicked her tongue and snapped the reins, moving her her horse from it's slow pace into more of a trot as they finally began their morning ride.
Finally, finally she was alone with her thoughts. Her mind was able to wander freely to that thought and this thought, a small smile appearing upon her features. It would be a good day, she reasoned. It will be a good day. Darcie thought to herself, just a bit more sterner.
"I will make it a good day." She spoke out loud to herself, snapping the reins, urging her horse to go faster, farther. Away from the city, away from her responsibilities, away from the chaos and into the stillness and peaceful air that was the forest.
Tilting her head upwards, she rose slightly in the saddle, letting out a laugh as she was taken faster and faster, the horse beneath her huffing softly in the cold air and moving quickly through the snow that lightly coated the frozen over ground. She was in her element, she was invincible, or so she thought.
She never saw it coming… Could not explain what it was that spooked her horse, but one moment she was firmly in her saddle and the next she heard a sharp neigh and then there was blackness.
He had been searching for nearly an hour. Thankfully, though, he found her. Barely breathing and unconscious, a noticeable head wound and bleeding from various places.
Patrick, Darcie's runner, leapt down from his mount's back and moved swiftly to scoop the woman's almost lifeless body up into his arms. Her breathing was soft, but noticeable. Barely alive. Her clothing was wet with blood and snow and he moved to lift her up into the saddle and then himself.
The journey back to the city was a solemn but quick ride or as quickly as the Ailor male could move with his employer tucked against him, unconscious.
He would send for a phsycian, someone discreet. And then he would have to begin his duty, writing notes and delivering them promptly.
