“Hi Stark.” Yeeun greeted as she pets the black stallion.

The black stallion greeted Yeeun with gentle nudge against her arm.

Yeeun giggled, “I missed you too. Have you been well? Changjo has taken wonderful care of you.” She continued to pet his mane.

The stallion gently huffed and stomped his feet.

“I bet your ready for a ride, aren’t you?” Yeeun picked up her saddle. “We’ll feel the wind against our skin soon, so give me a moment.” She continued to set up her saddle.

It didn’t take long before everything was set. Yeeun smiled, “Wonderful. Let’s go Stark.” She pulled herself up onto the stallion. She gave the reign a light pull, and he started to walk towards the open door of the stable.

“Took you long enough.” Sehun grinned as Yeeun join him and Changjo in the open field.

“I just had a little chat with Stark, that’s all.” Yeeun smiled as the black stallion huffed in response.

“He sure does misses you.” Changjo commented.

“I’ve missed him as well.” Yeeun patted his mane. “How about we race? It’s been a while since we’ve done that.”

“Aren’t you going to be sad if you lose, Yeeun?” Sehun smirked.

Yeeun laughed, “What are you saying? Are you that confident?”

“I sure am. I won’t lose to you.” Sehun sent her a wink.

“Stark and I won’t lose to you. We won’t lose to Changjo either. Aren’t I right?” Yeeun looked down at Stark, who nodded his head.

“If that’s the case then we won’t lose either.” Changjo grinned.

“Alright,” Yeeun straightened her back. “We’ll race to our usual spot.”

“And what do the losers do?” Sehun asked.

“Clean up after our horses?” Changjo suggested.

“Oh,” Yeeun nodded. “I do like that idea, but it’s been a while, so I want to take care of Stark.”

“Well, if that’s the case then we’ll have to do something else.” Sehun chuckled.

“How about doing laundry?” Changjo grinned.

Yeeun shook her head, “Oh, no thanks. That isn’t very appropriate.”

“Why? Are you afraid of us looking at your undergarments?” Changjo smirked.

She narrowed her eyes at him, “Yes, I am. I’m afraid what you two might do with it.”

Sehun laughed, “You’re crazy!”

Changjo shook his head with a big smile on his face. He was happy to have his best friends back and the world seemed to look brighter with them around.

“How about promising each other that we’ll get through this together and be happy?” Yeeun suggested.

Sehun and Changjo softened hearing her suggestion.

Yeeun looked between her best friends, “I know that I’m asking a lot out of you two to do this with me and I can’t thank you enough. I really am grateful to have you two with me and without either of you, I probably wouldn’t have made it this far. Let’s promise to get through this and be happy.”

Changjo and Sehun moved up next to her with smiles on their faces. They exchanged a look before they each pinched one side of Yeeun’s cheek.

“Of course, we’ll get through this together and be happy.” Changjo grinned.

“We won’t let you down.” Sehun chuckled.

“Ow.” Yeeun yelped as she pushed away their hands and rubbed her cheeks. “You two are annoying.”

Changjo and Sehun laughed.

Yeeun rolled her eyes as she grabbed ahold of the reigns, “Alright, Stark. We’re going to win this. Hiya!”

The black stallion raced off leaving behind dust.

“HEY!” Changjo and Sehun shouted swatting the dust away.

“Hiya!” Changjo squeezed his heel into his horse’s flanks, who started running.

“Oh boy.” Sehun shook his head as he followed.

Yeeun was in the lead and she was enjoying the ride. The wind blew through her hair as she continued to pick up speed. The pace that she was going at was giving her an adrenaline rush and she loved it. She loved the speed and the feeling.

She felt free and there was no one to tell her what to do. It was the freedom that she craved and only when she rode Stark, did she feel free. It was the perfect way of pushing away her duties as a princess.

“We’re almost there, Stark.” Yeeun giggled as she tightened her hold on the reigns.

“Yeeun!” Changjo called having Yeeun turn her head back.

“Well, I think we have to go a little bit faster.” Yeeun smirked as she squeezed her heel causing the black stallion to go faster.

“Don’t go too fast now!” Sehun called out with a laugh.

Yeeun shook her head, “I don’t think so. We’ll win this, Stark.”

The black stallion bobbed his head in agreement as he continued to run at top speed.

“There Stark! There!” Yeeun shouted in glee as she leaned in to pick up more speed.

“YEEUN!” Changjo and Sehun shouted as Yeeun crossed the invisible winning line.

“YES!” Yeeun cheered as Stark slowed down coming to a complete stop. “Good job Stark. You did wonderful.” She patted his mane.

“You little cheater.” Sehun grumbled as he stopped besides her.

“Shame on you.” Changjo shook his head with a frown on his face.

Yeeun laughed, “I win!”

“That’s because you had a head start.” Changjo snapped.

“Whoa there. You two know that you guys lost because Stark is amazing.” Yeeun leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Starks neck. “You’re the best, Stark. Wonderful. I wouldn’t know what to do without you.”

“We were just going easy on you.” Sehun huffed still not happy that he lost the race.

Yeeun straightened up as she looked between her best friends, “Whatever. Don’t be such sore losers.”

“We just don’t like that you cheated.” Changjo explained.

“Oh, that’s too bad. I won, so you two have to keep the promise. Do you hear me?”

“Yes, Princess Aleena.” Sehun and Changjo replied in unison.

Yeeun smiled proudly, “Wonderful.”

“I’m sure after that race, we should give the horses a rest before heading back.” Sehun hopped off his horse.

Changjo followed suit as did Yeeun.

“This place never changes.” Yeeun looked around as they stopped by a stream.

The horses began drinking water.

“It doesn’t.” Changjo smiled.

“How was the ride?” Sehun asked as he bumped shoulders with Yeeun.

“It was wonderful. I missed going on rides like this. It really does help me clear my head.” Yeeun replied with a smile.

“That’s right, you’ve always felt better after a ride.” Changjo nodded in acknowledgement.

“So, is your head clear now?” Sehun asked with a gentle smile.

Yeeun nodded as she curled a strand of hair behind her ear, “It’s all clear now. I feel like I can defeat the whole world.”

Changjo wrapped an arm around her shoulders, “That’s wonderful. I’m glad that you were able to clear your head.”

“Since your head is now clear, we can follow the plan with no regret.” Sehun stood on her other side and wrapped arm around her shoulder on top of Changjo’s.

“Can you guys not do this?” Yeeun tried shrugging off their arms, but they wouldn’t budge.

“No can do.” Changjo sang as he tightened his arm around her.

“This is always best.” Sehun chuckled as he, too, tightened his arm.

“Stop.” Yeeun whined. “I can’t breathe properly with you two taking up all the air around me.”

“Do you not like us as your best friends anymore?” Changjo cooed.

Yeeun wrinkled her nose, “That’s