The Scent of Sweat and Sunlight
The Imperial Palace East Riding Ground was far larger than I had expected. Vast open fields stretched out before us. Low white fences lined the perimeter. A small forest stood in the distance, and beyond that, a lake shimmered faintly under the sunlight. I could hardly believe a place like this existed inside the palace. The breeze felt wonderful too. It was nothing like the cloying perfume that clung to the banquet halls or the palace corridors. This was the clean scent of grass and earth. And the steady sound of hooves pounding the ground.
I leaned my back against the wall of the rest area and watched the source of that rhythmic sound. It was Adel, riding a black horse. The stallion’s coat gleamed with a healthy sheen. It had a tall, sleek build, a long elegant neck, and a light, graceful gait. So even horses can be handsome, huh. True to its striking appearance, the black horse moved with impressive speed and agility. Its hooves kicked up clods of dirt, and its mane whipped wildly in the wind. Yet Adel remained perfectly steady atop it.
Whether the horse changed direction, surged forward, or leaped lightly over a low fence, her posture never faltered. Her back stayed straight as an arrow. The hands holding the reins were low and perfectly controlled. Her silver-gray hair had come loose in the wind, no longer arranged in its usual flawless style. A few strands clung to her cheek. The black horse completed a wide circle and slowed to a trot. Only then did she let out a breath.
It was short and shallow. The puff of air dissolved faintly into the cold breeze. A light flush colored her cheeks, and beads of sweat had formed along her forehead. One droplet traced a path down her temple, darkening the strand of hair that stuck to her cheek. Adel brushed it away lightly with the back of her hand. She tilted her head back slightly, steadying her breathing. Sunlight caught the line of her neck where it emerged from the collar of her cloak. Her sweat-dampened skin sparkled in the light.
I blinked. Why am I noticing that? Why is that the only thing I can see?
I quickly turned my head away. My own face probably looked just as red. I covered my mouth with the back of my hand and forced my thoughts somewhere else.
I’ve always been deeply skeptical about horses as a mode of transportation. They’re the very reason humans invented wheels. A living creature with its own will and opinions. Perfect control is impossible. It speeds up whenever it feels like it. And if it decides it doesn’t like you, it can throw you off without warning. The ride itself is miserable. You’re constantly being jolted—forward, backward, up, down. Your body stops feeling like your own. Your back aches, your thighs tense awkwardly, and your backside suffers in ways that make you question what crime it committed to deserve such punishment. The nobles who actually enjoy this must be deranged.
Adel gently stroked the black horse’s neck. The animal let out a soft snort. Her gloved hand moved slowly down its mane. Just that small touch was enough to calm the stallion completely. Then she lifted her head. That single strand of hair still clung stubbornly to her cheek. It was oddly distracting.
At that exact moment, her gaze met mine.
I whipped my head away again. Why did I do that? I had no idea. It just felt like the right thing to do. I kicked at the ground for no reason.
“Your Highness.”
Adel’s voice reached me. I kept staring down at the riding ground like an idiot and answered.
“Yeah?”
“Are you uncomfortable somewhere?”
“Why?”
“You’ve been looking at the ground the entire time. Are you not enjoying yourself? Should we head back?”
“It’s not…!”
I turned to face her. She was so close that our noses nearly brushed. Adel was looking at me with genuine concern in her eyes.
“…No, it’s not that.”
My voice came out smaller than I intended. I tried to act casual as I looked at her. Slowly, I raised my hand. With careful fingers, I brushed the stray strand of hair from her cheek. The damp lock clung briefly to my skin before falling away. Her skin was warmer than I’d expected. Even after riding in the wind, heat still lingered in her cheeks. A single droplet of sweat was slowly sliding toward her jawline.
I pulled a handkerchief from my pocket and gently wiped the sweat from her face. Adel didn’t move. She stared at me as if she had forgotten how to blink. A breeze passed between us. Her disheveled silver-gray hair brushed against the back of my hand. Between the warmth of the horse and the earthy scent of the ground, I caught the faint fragrance that clung to her. Cool, like scented oil. And beneath it, the subtle warmth of exertion.
“All done!” I said with a bright smile.
Yeah, that earlier feeling must have just been something bothering me. Now I felt refreshed. Adel, however, remained frozen. Then she cautiously touched the spot where my handkerchief had been. Her face gradually turned red. The flush started at her cheeks and spread all the way to the tips of her ears. It even reached the nape of her neck.
“Adel?”
She stepped back from me. She moved so quickly I almost thought she had turned into a horse herself. Then she crouched down, lifting the hem of her cloak to hide her face. Only her nose and eyes peeked out as she looked up at me. For some strange reason, my heart began to race. It tickled. The blowing wind made my heart flutter in the oddest way.
“Adel, what’s wrong?”
“……”
Adel didn’t answer. I slowly approached her. She quickly raised a hand in a desperate “stay back” gesture. I ignored it and kept coming.
“Your Highness.”
“Yeah?”
“By any chance…”
Adel started to speak, then stopped. She pulled her collar up a little higher.
“Did I… smell?”
“Smell?” I blinked. “What smell?”
“I sweated quite a bit. I was worried it might have been unpleasant.”
“Huh? Not at all.”
Had there been a sweaty smell? Actually, it was the opposite…
“It smelled nice.”
Oh no. I’d been acting for too long. Sometimes the words slipped out without any filter. Especially around Adel, it seemed.
“Hngh…”
Adel made a strange little noise and shot to her feet.
“Hehehehet.”
She let out an embarrassingly goofy laugh, clearly unsure what to do with herself. Then she shyly inched closer to me.
“Hehe. So that’s Your Highness’s preference.”
Her eyes sparkled with mischief. Her voice was playful. I pretended not to understand.
“…Preference? What do you mean?”
“I’ll keep that in mind for the future.”
“Keep what in mind?”
“It’s a seeecret.”
She sounded unusually excited, a hint of coquettishness slipping into her tone. Not that she seemed aware of it. Before I knew it, she was stroking the black horse again. As she adjusted the reins, she said,
“Your Highness.”
“Yeah?”
“Would you like to try riding?”
“I don’t know how to ride a horse.”
I looked up at the black stallion as I answered. Up close, it seemed even larger. The idea of climbing onto its back didn’t appeal to me at all. Adel gently ran her hand along the horse’s neck. The black horse obediently lowered its head at her touch.
“There’s no need to worry. I’ll ride with you.”
Those sparkling eyes of hers somehow made me nod before I could stop myself. With her help, I climbed onto the horse. The world suddenly became much higher. Much, much higher than I’d anticipated. The dirt ground looked impossibly far below. I wrapped my arms tightly around Adel’s waist from behind.
“…Your Highness?”
The smell of earth. The sound of snapping branches. The sky flipping upside down in an instant. Pain shooting up my back and arms. And someone’s voice.
Why was this happening? I thought I’d be fine.
My hands began to tremble uncontrollably. This time, it wasn’t an act. I clenched my jaw shut. I squeezed my eyes tightly closed. I couldn’t bring myself to look down. If I saw the ground—if I saw how high we were—I would become painfully aware of exactly where my body was.
Adel kept speaking to me, but I couldn’t respond. I couldn’t even hear her. Nothing she said registered at all.
“I’m scared.”
It’s so high. It’s shaking. It’s unstable. Why does this creature called a horse have to move like this? Can’t it just stay still?
Then a warm sensation spread across my hand. Adel gently covered it with her own.
“It’s alright,” she said in a low, soothing voice. “I’m right here.”
She added with a smile, “The strongest person in the entire empire is by Your Highness’s side.”
I didn’t answer.
“I won’t let anything put you in danger.”
“……”
“Would you try opening your eyes?”
Her calm voice somehow steadied my heart. Very slowly, I opened my eyes. Of course, I only cracked one open—just a cautious, narrow slit at first. The lake came into view. Sunlight shattered across its surface in long, brilliant streaks. It looked like silver fragments drifting along with the ripples. And there was Adel, smiling brightly. Sunlight poured over her shoulders. Her wind-tousled silver-gray hair swayed beside her face. I saw her before I saw the lake. I saw her eyes before I saw the sunlight. I felt the warmth of her hand over mine before I felt the breeze.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” Adel asked, her voice filled with excitement. “I really wanted to show you this.”
I looked at the lake. Sunlight scattered across the water. With every gust of wind, the silver light shimmered and broke apart. The shadow of the small forest stretched long across the shore, and the grass beyond the white fence swayed gently. It really was beautiful. Truly beautiful.
But.
“Yeah,” I answered softly. “It’s beautiful.”
I’m not sure whether I was talking about the lake or something else. The wind tousled her hair. She wasn’t her usual perfect self. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair was messy, and a smile still lingered on her lips. The black horse began to walk slowly. Strangely enough, it didn’t feel as terrifying anymore. And that was definitely thanks to the woman sitting in front of me.
On the way back, an unfamiliar voice suddenly called out.
“Is it true that northerners are such skilled riders?”