- The Winged Horse -

A few days later, the weather was lovely, and Soomi was on the way to the stables with Baekhyun. He invited her to accompany him on an outing since they had been cooped up in the castle all week. They planned to ride the horses into the small forest behind the castle. Since they had to stay incognito while passing through the capital, they wore commoners’ clothing and cloaks, hiding their faces under their hoods.

Three members of the royal guard would them just to be safe. Chanyeol, Sehun, and Junmyeon walked behind the prince and princess, their cheerful conversation making her smile. They were rambunctious at times but always fun to be around, and when push came to shove, she could trust them with her life. Baekhyun couldn’t have chosen better people for the royal guard.

“I will win if we do a race!” Chanyeol boasted loudly. Baekhyun threw him a dirty look over his shoulder, his gaze conveying what he thought of this claim.

“Forget it,” he countered, smelling a challenge.

“Only because you’re a prince doesn’t mean you get to win all the time,” Chanyeol replied and cheekily grinned at him. “I beat you last time and can do it again!”

“You keep forgetting that I’m here too,” Junmyeon cut in.

“And me!” Sehun added sulkily, glaring at the older knight. “You’ll eat my dust, Chanyeol. We’ll see who laughs last.”

Soomi giggled, finding their banter adorable. “What if I win, hm? Will I get a reward?” she asked.

“Well, if our lady wins, we should think of a good prize,” Junmyeon smiled.

She beamed at him and nodded excitedly. “Then that means I have to be the winner,” she gushed. “I’ll be faster than all of you. And this time, not even you will catch up, Baekhyun.”

He shook his head in amusement, watching her bright smile with fondness. “I won’t make it easy for you, princess or not,” he teased and winked at her. A pink hue flooded her cheeks and she quickly looked away, trying to ignore the amused chuckles coming from behind her.

They headed to the stables and prepared their horses, brushing their fur before they saddled them. Soomi visited Yumi, who curiously stuck her head over the edge of her box door, petting the foal between her ears like she loved it. Then, the princess mounted her tall white horse and followed the knights and the prince outside. The hooves clacked on the cobblestone, alerting some people in the castle yard of their arrival. They curiously glanced after the group of riders, trying to get a glimpse of their hooded faces. The group left the castle and rode over the capital’s busy streets. Baekhyun soon steered his horse into a less crowded alley, where they didn’t encounter many citizens. Soomi’s eyes wandered around in curiosity since she hadn’t seen this part of the capital before.

The sandstone houses lining up left and right of her looked cozy, some more sophisticated than others. Some had stained glass windows with beautiful patterns, and many residents put flowers on the windowsills of their homes. The loud hustle of the marketplace reached her Soomi’s ears, mixed in with the barking of dogs and the yells of merchants.

After the small group of riders passed the northern gate of the capital, they followed a trail leading through a large meadow. It was covered in wildflowers moving gently in the wind, their colorful blossoms sprinkled over the green grass. Soomi drew in a deep breath and enjoyed the beautiful sight. Leaving the castle behind made her feel unburdened, as if she was a regular person and not the future queen of this kingdom.

“It’s so beautiful here,” she said in awe.

Baekhyun rode next to her while the three knights followed them, surveying their surroundings. The forest appeared in front of them, dark pine trees casting shadows over the trail as they passed the treeline.

“So, are you ready for a race?” Chanyeol asked, his grin stretching over his face.

They didn’t even need a minute to agree on the finish line and spurred their horses to a fast gallop. The hooves thundered over the path, dust rising as the group of riders shot through the greenery. Soomi’s long black hair flew after her as she leaned over her horse’s neck, spurring it to gallop faster. A rush of adrenalin flooded her body, and she laughed excitedly, catching up to Sehun’s horse that was a tad slower than hers.

Trees passed by in a blur and she kept her eyes on the path in front of her, holding the reins loosely so her horse could move without restrictions. She left Chanyeol behind, hearing his complaints as she pressed on.

Now, only Junmyeon and Baekhyun were in front of her, but they were closing in on the finish line fast, so she had to hurry if she wanted to catch up. The lake in the middle of the forest marked the end of the race, and its glistening blue waters could already be seen between the trees.

Her horse’s speed increased as it gained ground on the others, and soon, Soomi was riding next to Junmyeon and Baekhyun. She was having fun, and the two men looked serious compared to her and didn’t think about giving up. Eventually, Baekhyun’s horse slowed as it grew tired. Junmyeon and Soomi overtook him. They reached the lake a few seconds before him and stopped right where the water lapped against the grass.

“That was amazing!” she laughed as Chanyeol and Sehun arrived as well, looking disappointed but amused at her excitement.

“Who won? I couldn’t see it from afar,” Sehun asked before he dismounted, taking the reins in his hand.

“It was Junmyeon,” Soomi answered. “He was really fast!”

The older knight smiled good-naturedly, shaking his head. “No, the princess was a little faster than me. She’s the winner.” Junmyeon winked at her, before he continued to speak, “And as we decided, she will get a prize.”

She blushed when she noticed four pairs of eyes resting on her. “What kind of prize?” she asked, leaning forward in her saddle.

Junmyeon exchanged a glance with Baekhyun and they came to a silent agreement. “It’s a surprise,” Baekhyun answered. “You have to be patient, my princess.”

She held in a groan as he dismounted his horse and walked over to her, lending her a hand. Sliding off the saddle, she landed on the ground safely and smiled at him in thanks.

They let their horses drink from the lake before they tied their reins to a tree where they could rest for a while. In the meantime, the four of them walked around the lake, enjoying the fresh air in the forest and the quiet surrounding them. The scenery was beautiful and vibrant, the lush green of the plants reminding Soomi of Caelum’s woods, which she hadn’t seen in a long time. One day, she wished to return there, but as for now, it wasn’t possible.

“Do you come here often?” she asked the others.

“We used to, but we haven’t had the time lately,” Chanyeol explained. “Since hardly anyone visits this place except for us, we’re usually alone and don’t have to worry about anything.”

“That’s nice,” she smiled. “I can see why you like this place.”

“We can come back here soon if you like it that much,” Baekhyun suggested, taking her hand while they walked. He squeezed it lightly and grinned when soft pink dusted her cheeks—she was easy to fluster, and he loved teasing his princess. Her endearing reactions were worth it every time.

“I would love to return,” she smiled. “It’s so much fun to go horse riding!”

“You know what? Why don’t we bring some snacks for a picnic next time?” Junmyeon asked.

“Couldn’t you have suggested this before we left?” Chanyeol complained. “I wouldn’t mind a snack now.”

“You glutton, didn’t you steal a muffin from the castle’s kitchen before we left?” Sehun commented with a sly grin.

“No, I didn’t. Where did you hear that?” Chanyeol sulked. He tried to play innocent, but it was apparent he was guilty.

“Are you doing this often?” Soomi chucked. “I heard the cooks complain about a supposed ‘ghost’ that steals their pastries. Maybe that ghost is actually a knight with a sweet tooth?”

“The ghost story seems more likely,” Chanyeol said nervously, prompting her to giggle.

After returning to the castle and caring for their horses, Chanyeol escorted the princess into the main building. Baekhyun, Junmyeon, and Sehun excused themselves in a rather suspicious way. Obviously, they were planning something but didn’t want to tell her what it was, so she could only guess it had something to do with the surprise Junmyeon mentioned.

Reaching the large entrance hall, Soomi spotted Lisa wal