Episode 82
In the spot where the carriage usually stood, a familiar horse was proudly waiting.
“Isn’t this your horse, Duke?”
“Yes, it is. This is my favorite horse.”
“What’s its name?”
“Elberd.”
“Elberd, that’s a cool name. Hello, Elberd!”
I approached Elberd with a big smile and greeted him.
Neigh.
Elberd let out a short sound, as if he understood me.
“It seems he likes you, Madam.”
“Really?”
“Yes. You can pet him here.”
Lloydin slowly petted Elberd’s neck.
“By stroking his neck like this, you can bond with him.”
Nodding at his explanation, I cautiously reached out to Elberd’s neck.
“Now, gently.”
Following Lloydin’s instructions, I stroked the horse’s neck.
“He’s so soft.”
“Keep petting him and look into his eyes.”
As I continued to move my hand up and down, I lifted my head and looked at Elberd.
I met his large, moist eyes.
“Elberd, let’s have a good day together. Okay?”
His eyes sparkled, as if he understood my words.
“Shall we get on now?”
“Yes, I’d like to try.”
“Alright, step onto the mounting block here.”
A small mounting block was placed on the ground to make it easier to get on the horse.
“Place your foot in the stirrup, hold the reins and the mane, and then get on.”
Following Lloydin’s instructions, I moved my body to mount the horse.
With such a great teacher, I managed to get on in one try.
“Wow, I did it!”
I felt a rush of excitement, thinking I had accomplished something I had always wanted to do.
“Well done.”
“It must be because you taught me so well, Duke.”
“You did well because you’re a quick learner, Madam.”
“Really?”
I answered with a big smile, feeling even better from his compliment.
“Yes. Now, I’ll get on behind you.”
As I moved slightly forward to give him room, Lloydin swiftly mounted the horse and settled behind me.
When I felt his firm body against my back, a wave of nervousness hit me.
Moreover, when he reached for the reins, he was in an embracing position.
“Are you ready? Shall we go?”
His low, pleasant voice near my ear made my heart start pounding.
“Yes? Yes, let’s go!”
I unconsciously raised my voice, worried that he might hear my heart beating.
“Then, let’s go.”
I heard a soft chuckle from behind, and then the horse started moving vigorously forward.
We left the duke’s residence and headed toward a wide-open field.
Wildflowers bloomed in abundance on both sides of the path, swaying and spreading their scent in the wind.
Lloydin and I freely rode through the place, feeling the breeze.
Caught up in the feeling of flying, I began to hum a tune.
“Are you enjoying yourself?”
“Yes, I really am.”
How could I explain my feelings?
Saying it was good wasn’t enough.
Such a simple word couldn’t fully express what I was feeling now.
When was the last time I felt this free?
No, had I ever felt this way before?
I felt freer than ever.
As long as he was solidly supporting me from behind, I was no longer the old me.
I didn’t have to be helpless and weak in the face of illness anymore.
‘I need to say thank you.’
I must thank him for giving me freedom and a new life.
Meeting him was the greatest blessing and fortune of my life.
So, before the day ends, I will thank him.
As always, and hopefully in the future too.
* * *
After riding for a while, the horse stopped in front of a zelkova tree.
Lloydin dismounted first and extended his hand to me.
I naturally leaned into him and got off the horse.
“Where are we?”
The zelkova tree was situated at the top of a small hill.
I quickly surveyed the surrounding landscape.
Behind us, a large mountain loomed in the distance, and in front of us, the fields we had crossed stretched out as far as the eye could see.
“This is a place I come to ride sometimes.”
“You, Duke?”
“Yes.”
“I like it here.”
“I’m glad you like it, Madam.”
“It feels so peaceful.”
“That’s why I come here whenever I return to the capital.”
Lloydin spread a blanket under the tree.
“Let’s rest here for a while before heading back.”
“Yes, let’s do that.”
“Please, have a seat.”
“You sit down too, Duke.”
We sat side by side on the blanket, looking out at the view.
“The sunset from here is incredibly beautiful. I wanted you to see it too.”
The sky was slowly turning red as the sunlight faded.
As he said, the setting sun beyond the horizon was creating a magnificent scene.
“It’s really beautiful… If I had known about this place first, I would have wanted to come here with you too.”
I murmured, lost in thought.
“Thank you for bringing me here.”
“It’s nothing. You also took me to your favorite place.”
“Oh, the pond at the Anaitz Duke’s residence?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Then we’ve shared our cherished places with each other?”
“It seems so.”
We looked at each other and smiled warmly.
“Are you cold?”
Lloydin asked, draping an extra blanket over me.
“Well, it’s a bit chilly, but I can manage.”
It was a season where the days were warm but the temperature dropped sharply after sunset.
Besides, I might have been feeling a bit chilly because I had been sweating while riding the horse.
However, I didn’t want to leave this picturesque view just because I was a little cold.
Determined to endure it, I curled up slightly, and suddenly, Lloydin’s large body enveloped me from behind.
“This way, you won’t be as cold.”
He spoke in a calm voice, his legs on either side of me, encasing me.
But unlike him, I wasn’t calm at all.
I felt his warmth rapidly spreading through me, making my body heat up.
“Um… I’m fine. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, Duke.”
“I’m fine too. Don’t worry about it.”
“…Okay.”
In the end, I stayed nestled against him, watching the sunset.
“Is it warm?”
“Yes, it’s warm…”
As I said that, he seemed to hold me even tighter.
I tried to focus on the view to avoid feeling more awkward.
“Ah…”
I soon became completely absorbed in the endless sky and the red sun setting the land ablaze.
“It’s so, so beautiful. Right?”
I turned to get Lloydin’s agreement and met his gaze.
“Yes, it’s very beautiful.”
He whispered softly, not taking his eyes off me, and my heart skipped a beat.
‘Ah…’
What is this? Is he talking about me?
It felt like he was calling me beautiful, not the sunset.
And his intense gaze made me believe it wasn’t just my imagination.
My heart began to pound hard.
“Um… well, uh, mm!”
Caught in the strange atmosphere, I was about to say something when his lips suddenly covered mine.
Lloydin kissed me urgently, one hand cradling my head, the other gently caressing my cheek.
It was a sudden kiss, but I quickly got lost in the delightful sensations he brought.
Liveliness, warmth, freshness, and excitement all mingled together, stirring me up.
He was someone who made me aware of so many different feelings.
Desperate to be closer to him, I turned around and wrapped my arms around his neck.
Sensing my desire, Lloydin pulled me even tighter into his embrace.
We shared warmth through our lips for a long time, losing track of time.
“Haa…”
Eventually, Lloydin broke the kiss when he noticed I was starting to have trouble breathing.
As I caught my breath, I looked into his eyes, now filled with passion.
Seeing that, I felt even more restless.
So as soon as my breathing normalized, I kissed him again.
The sky, which I briefly glanced at, had turned from red to dark.
After spending quite a long time under the zelkova tree, we finally rode back to the mansion late at night.
Since that day, Lloydin formally taught me how to ride, and we went riding together whenever we had time.
Riding with him was safe and fun, but riding alone had its own joy.
Though I was still only at the level of a slow walk, I enjoyed it immensely.
I especially liked that I could choose where to go myself, rather than having someone else hold the reins and decide the direction.
I spent my days happily, looking forward to the day I could ride vigorously on my own.
Really, it is so romantic and beautiful!