The horse quietly left the walls of Baldor Palace, before Adrian gradually increased its speed.
The sky was still submerged in pre-dawn darkness, and the three moons sent faint light over the stone road stretching toward the city.
They passed between the sleeping trees, while the cold morning breezes struck their faces, and nothing could be heard but the steady sound of the horse’s hooves.
No one knew of their departure.
Not the guards…
not the servants…
not even the king.
They were ahead of everyone to the city.
Arthur sat before his brother, his eyes moving in every direction, watching the dense trees, the distant mountains, and the starlight reflecting over the tree leaves.
Everything was new to him.
As for Adrian…
he didn’t look right or left.
His hands held the reins firmly, his gaze fixed on the road, and his mind thinking of only one thing.
Aria.
The minutes passed, and the horse continued steadily covering the distance.
And while Arthur was trying to resist sleepiness after a night in which he hadn’t slept, his eyes gradually grew heavy.
He kept resisting…
then closed them for a moment.
And before he knew it he had surrendered to sleep, his head slowly lowering until it rested against his brother’s chest, while the horse continued running.
Adrian felt the movement, and lowered his gaze toward him.
He saw his brother sleeping with calm features, as if exhaustion had finally taken him after everything he’d been through that day.
A small, warm smile formed on Adrian’s lips.
He slowed the horse’s speed slightly so the journey would become calmer, then wrapped his arm around Arthur carefully so he wouldn’t lose his balance while sleeping.
After a journey that wasn’t long, the scene before them gradually began to change.
The density of the forest vanished, and the stone road gradually widened, until the massive city walls began appearing clearly on the horizon.
And at that moment…
the first threads of dawn began splitting the sky, and golden sunlight flowed over the distant mountains, flooding the road and surrounding fields with its calm light.
The rooftops of the buildings shimmered under the light, and the city’s features began appearing more clearly with every step the horse took.
Stone towers rose above the walls, while white smoke rose from the chimneys of houses, heralding the start of a new day.
Adrian slowed his horse’s speed slightly as he approached the city’s main gate, and cast a quick glance at his brother.
Adrian smiled faintly, then raised his gaze toward the city again.
“We’ve arrived…” he whispered in a low voice, before continuing forward toward the gate as the sun began to rise.
Adrian crossed the main gate calmly, after the guards greeted him with a respectful bow, then entered the city with calm steps as he led his horse between the wide stone streets.
The sun had begun rising in the sky, but the city hadn’t fully woken yet.
There were only a few people on the roads.
Some shopkeepers were raising the wooden doors of their shops in preparation to start a new day, while others were moving boxes and goods and arranging them before their stores.
And in one of the alleys, a baker was bringing out the first batch of hot loaves, spreading the scent of fresh bread through the place, while a vegetable seller was carefully arranging baskets of fruit and vegetables atop his cart.
As for the cleaning workers, they were sweeping the streets of the previous night’s remains, while a cart pulled by a horse loaded with flour sacks passed by heading toward one of the bakeries.
The city seemed calm…
Adrian cast a careful glance around him, examining the street and the nearby market, as if trying to memorize the details of the place before beginning the search.
After a few moments, he took hold of his horse’s reins and stopped it before one of the wooden posts designated for tying horses, then dismounted calmly.
He turned toward Arthur, who was still resting against the horse’s neck, deep in sleep.
Adrian smiled faintly, then gently placed his hand on his shoulder and shook him slightly.
“Arthur…”
He didn’t respond.
He came closer and gently patted his head.
“Come on…
wake up.”
Arthur moved his head with a light grumble, then opened one eye with difficulty.
“…Hmm?”
He blinked several times trying to grasp his surroundings, then yawned long, and rubbed his eyes with his small hands.
“We’ve arrived?”
Adrian smiled and nodded his head.
“Yes…
we’ve reached the city.”
Arthur’s eyes widened immediately, and sleepiness nearly vanished from his face.
He began looking around in amazement, taking in the stone buildings, the shops that had begun to open, and the people moving in the streets in preparation for the start of a new day.
He got off the horse with enthusiasm, but remained standing beside his brother, turning his eyes in every direction, as if not wanting to miss any detail of this new place.
An elderly man approached with calm steps toward Adrian, a warm smile carrying old affection forming on his face.
He laughed lightly as he bowed respectfully.
“Ho ho…
it’s been a long time since you last visited us, Master Adrian.”
The moment Adrian heard his voice, a genuine smile formed on his face, different from the seriousness that had clung to him throughout the night.
“Master Noah!”
He approached him and shook his hand with full respect, then said:
“I’m glad to see you well.”
The old man smiled and patted Adrian’s shoulder tenderly.
“Me too.
You’ve grown even more since our last meeting, but it seems your habit of visiting the city’s people has vanished.”
Adrian laughed lightly.
“I’ve been a bit occupied…
and I apologize for that.”
Then Noah noticed the child standing beside the horse, who was looking at the city with clear curiosity.
He leaned slightly as he stared at him.
“And who is this little one?”
Adrian looked at Arthur then smiled.
“He’s my younger brother…
Arthur.”
Arthur raised his head quickly, then bowed politely as he’d learned inside the palace.
“It’s an honor to meet you.”
Noah’s smile widened further.
“What a polite child.”
Then he laughed as he looked at Adrian.
“He resembles you when you were young…
but he seems much calmer than you.”