 Morgana gave the grey mare her head as they broke out of the woods into the open field beyond. It was a frosty morning, the air was cold, and the breath of both horse and rider curdled into steam as the grass crunched beneath the mare's hooves. Morgana stood in her stirrups to ease Cèilidh's passage over the rough earth; another horse had been through before the frost , churning up the mud and the ice had preserved the damage. The wind was vicious, its harsh chill made her eyes water and caused her vision to blur. Morgana placed her trust in the horse. She could feel the animal's confidence as she flew over the ground, a creature triumphant in its own power and freedom. They pulled back to a halt at the edge of the cliffs and Morgana gazed across the silver beach to the swell of the sea. It was angry that day, a swelling mass of dark grey which beat its fury against the rocks and sent spray flying into the sky. It felt ominous.
Kraar and Chip, who had previously been circling above her head, landed on the branch of a nearby tree.
"Something isn't right, Kraar," Morgana muttered with a frown, "I just wish I knew what it was. I wish I could see." She had never imagined that she would have missed her precognitive powers. As a child they had scared her and as an adult had mostly resulted in confusion. They had however helped her to find her family, and they had always warned her when danger loomed near. Something inside her, whether it was instinct or a her subconscious, was telling her that something was amiss. She felt strangely vulnerable without her magic and the knowledge that if she or hers were in danger it would warn her. Her familiar ruffled his feathers; he could feel it too. Sighing Morgana reined Cèilidh around and galloped back in the direction of the castle. Kraar and Chip cast their shadows over the ground before her until their presence was masked entirely by the trees.
The stable boys had heard her coming. They were waiting for her at the lakeside, one holding a rug and the other a head collar. She jumped nimbly from the saddle and patted the mare affectionately on the shoulder.
"Be a good girl for the boys, Cay," she joked. The horse snorted in response as she pawed at the ground. Morgana chuckled, that was a no then. She unstrapped her twin long knives from the saddle and attached them to her belt instead as the boys led the grey away. Morgana turned and looked back across the lake. It was as grey as the sea, and there was something unsettled about its usually still surface. She wished she could shake the feeling of looming danger. It sent a shiver down her spine and she pulled her cloak more tightly around her shoulders.
Lost in her thoughts Morgana turned back towards the castle...and nearly collided with a woman jogging in the opposite direction.
"Sorry," the princess smiled, shaking her head, "I was miles away." The collision had caused the girl to slow and Morgana managed to get a proper look at her face. It caused a stirring of familiarity in the back of her mind but she couldn't place her.
"Forgive me," Ana said, her brows knitting together enquiringly, "but have we met before?"
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