Making her way to argent, Kat stood in front of Argent's stable, calling out softly to him. He responded with a gentle whinny, his eyes brightening as he recognized her voice. She opened the stable door and stepped inside, feeling a sense of calm wash over her at the sight of the horse.
She came to stand beside him, gently patting his neck. The horse's mane was unusually moist, almost as if he'd been standing in the rain, though the sky was clear. She found a towel and wiped him down, but his mane remained damp. Shrugging it off, Kat spoke to him softly, "Looks like you've been in a bit of water, boy. It'll dry out soon enough."
After tending to him, Kat decided on a whim to take him for a ride. "How about we go for a ride, Argent?" she asked. Argent whinnied softly, and followed her lead willingly as she guided him out of the stable.
As they passed Night's stable, Lucian's black mare nickered loudly, almost as if in protest. Kat glanced over, noticing the horse's agitated state. "What is it now?" she muttered under her breath. "Ignoring me earlier and now acting like she cares."
Kat paid little mind to Night's antics and focused on getting Argent ready for their ride, as she steady the saddle on his back. Once outside, she mounted him with ease. Patting his neck one again, she mused aloud, "Where should we go today?" She paused, then decided, "I know the perfect place."
They trotted towards the castle gates, where the guards stopped her. "My lady, where are you going?" one of them asked, looking concerned.
Kat smiled politely. "I want to take argent for a ride, I will be back in a while."
The guards exchanged uncertain glances, they didn't want to get on the ladies bad side but they had no clue if she was allowed outside. "We haven't received any word from his majesty about you leaving, my lady," one of them said, clearly hesitant to let her go.
Kat waved off their worries with a casual hand. "Don't worry, I'll be back in no time. I'm just heading to the beach near the castle."
One of the guards cleared is throat, "you must be talking of Harthrown beach my lady"
" Oh yes that is it" she confirmed
"Perhaps, you should let one of us accompany you" they offered, but Kat declined insisting she wanted to ride alone.
Reluctantly, the guards stepped aside, allowing her to pass. "Please be careful, my lady," one of them called after her.
Kat nodded and urged Argent forward, heading towards the beach where Josie had taken her before. The ride was relaxing, the wind in her hair and the rhythmic motion of Argent's stride soothing her thoughts. She felt a deep connection to the horse, as if connection to him in some way.
As they reached the sandy expanse of the beach, Kat slowed Argent to a walk. The sun was beginning to set, casting a golden glow over the water. The beach was quiet, save for the gentle lapping of the waves. Kat savored the moment, speaking softly to Argent as they meandered along the shore.
"Josie was right, I feel really calm already just arriving here," she said, patting his neck, "I love the sight, I'm sure you love too boy"
Argent seemed to listen intently, his ears twitching at her words. They walked slowly, taking in the peaceful surroundings.
---
Meanwhile, back at the castle, Lucian and sabastain had returned to the castle few minutes after kat left, everywhere was unusually quiet, Lucian thought to himself, he had started to get accustomed to kat bustle around the castle. She was often the source of some mischief or other, filling the castle with her presence. Perhaps she was reading.
Sabastian also noticed the unusual silence, but said nothing.
As they walked, walking passed a maid, who was coming from the direction of Kat's bathroom, she quickly bowed and hurried on her way. Lucian stopped her. "Where is Katherine?" he asked.
The maid's body shook, slightly but she held her voice steady. "I don't know, your majesty. I haven't seen her since noon, in the garden. I thought she might be in her room, but she wasn't there my lord. "Useless" Lucian uttered in annoyance to the maid.
Sabastian dismissed her with a nod, Lucian turned back walking back the way they came, when they came across a guard Sabastian asked the whereabouts of Kat And the guard informed that she had gone out with argent few minutes ago.
Lucian's expression darkened. "Where did she go?" His voice cold an empty, making the guard's sweat on their spot.
One of the guards stepped forward. "My lord, she mentioned going to the beach, not far from the castle."
Lucian's demeanor shifted immediately, even darker than it was before. He murmed under his breath "That girl is going to get herself killed." Sebastian expressions remained the same, and he left before coming back in a short while with Night.
Without another word, Lucian walked towards the horse. The guards watched in surprise as he mounted Night with swift efficiency. He leaned down to his horse, murmuring something to the horse.
Night responded instantly, and with a powerful leap, they were off, galloping out the castle gates going towards the beach. The guards and some servants who passed by could only watch in worry, the king was angry they had let the lady go out, they might all be killed today if anything were happen to the lady, sabatian dismised them to get back to their duties.
Kat, unaware of the impending chaos, continued to walk along the beach with Argent. The calm, beautiful scenery contrasted starkly with the tension that was building back at the castle. The evening was quiet, with only the sound of the waves and the soft whispers of the wind.
Kat felt a deep sense of peace, but little did she know that danger that awaited her.
She felt a deep sense of peace, but the sudden tension in Argent's posture told her something was wrong.
Argent's ears perked up, and his eyes grew wide as he stared intently at the water. Kat followed his gaze, and the hairs on her neck stood up. She could feel that something was wrong - a unknown, dreadful feeling washed over her instantly.
Kat's serene moment was abruptly shattered when Argent suddenly bolted towards the water at full speed. Startled, she instinctively tightened her grip on the reins. "Whoa, Argent! Stop! What's wrong?" she called out, her voice rising in panic.
Argent's response was wild and unrelenting. He charged ahead, his hooves pounding against the sand as he headed straight for the water. Kat tugged desperately at the reins, trying to steer him away from the shore. "Stop, Argent! Please!" she pleaded, but the horse seemed deaf to her commands, driven by an unseen force.
The closer they got to the waves, the more frantic Kat became. The wind whipped past her, and the spray from the surf began to mist her face. She glanced down at the rushing water and realized that if Argent continued, they would soon be engulfed by the sea. Her heart raced as she considered her options. Jumping off at this speed seemed too dangerous, the risk of injury or being thrown into the rocks too high.
As the edge of the surf drew nearer, Kat made a desperate decision. She attempted to dismount, to leap off Argent's back before they plunged into the water. But to her horror, she found that she couldn't move. Her gown and feet felt inexplicably stuck to Argent's sides, as if something had glued her to the horse.
"What the....?" she gasped, pulling frantically at the fabric, trying to free herself. But it was no use. The connection between her and Argent was unyielding, and the water loomed closer with every gallop.
"Argent, stop!" she screamed, her voice nearly lost in the roar of the waves. But the horse kept moving forward, only then did kat get a quick glance at the horse's eyes, his whole eyes had turned black with no trace of white, his eyes fixed and unblinking, at the water if he were under a spell.
Panic surged through Kat as they hit the surf. The cold water splashed up around them, soaking her dress and chilling her to the bone. She pulled harder at the reins, her knuckles going pale with the effort. "Please, stop!" she cried out, her voice breaking. But then, something even more terrifying caught her eye.
Argent's body had began to change.
Kat watched in horror as his sleek white coat darkened, taking on a sleek, almost glossy appearance. His mane, once flowing and white, now seemed to merge with the water, becoming darker and more fluid. The familiar form of the horse she knew was twisting into something otherworldly and terrifying.
"What the hell!!!" Kat exclamed, her voice trembling with fear.
His eyes, usually gentle and bright, now glowed with a deep, eerie intensity. As the transformation continued, his legs elongated, becoming more sinewy and powerful, with webbing appearing between his hooves. His entire form seemed to meld with the water, his movements fluid and serpentine.
"Let me go you freak!! What the hell do you want with me"
To make matters worst as the creature plunged into the sea, the water churned around them with increasing intensity. What began as a calm surface transformed into a swirling vortex, much like water spiraling down a drain. Kat could feel the pull of the current growing stronger, dragging them deeper into the turbulent embrace of the ocean.
"Stop!" she screamed, her voice swallowed by the roaring waves. Her hands were clenched around the reins, but the creature continued his relentless charge into the vortex. The water swirled violently, creating a spinning whirlpool that seemed to reach out and grasp at them.
She felt the cold seep into her bones, the force of the water pulling her down. Kat felt like the world tilt around her. The pull of the swirling water became overwhelming, pulling her down into its depths. She gasped for breath, but the water was rising too fast, swirling around them like a living entity.
The light of the sky faded as her face was fully engulfed in the water. Kat found herself struggling to breathe, let alone swim, as she was dragged deeper into the water. The creature's hooves bore down on her shoulders, each press feeling like a series of small, sharp blades slicing into her skin. The cuts felt agonizingly precise, not deep but numerous, spreading a burning pain across the cut areas. Yet, even the sharp pain was overshadowed by the sensation of the water itself, suffocatingly chipping away her strength and will.
Kat tried to fight back, but the creature's strength was overwhelming, pressing down on her chest and making every breath a struggle. Her vision began to blur as she was pushed deeper, the light of the surface fading into darkness.
Back on the shore, Lucain had arrived, riding straight for the water. He could see the scene of the swirling water and cursed under his breath. Without a moment of hesitation, he stripped off his coat and grabbed a sword from the saddle. Lucain stood steadily on Night as she rode closer to the water, the horse's hooves galloping into the surf with powerful strides. As they reached the edge, Lucain launched himself into the water, using the momentum of the horse to propel him forward.
Kat's eyes had begun to close, giving in to suffocation, when she caught a faint, blurry figure swimming toward them. Her mind was too fuzzy to see clearly, but she recognized the silhouette of the person - "Lucain," she tried to mutter, but it only caused her to suffocate more.
Lucain spotted the creature plunging Kat deeper into the abyss. Her struggle was weakening, her body limp, and her eyes losing their focus. She stretched out her hand to him, as if trying to call for him. Without waiting a moment more, Lucain's eyes changed to a deep blood-red color as he stabbed the sword into the creature's back, causing it to immediately release Kat. It let out a painful cry as Lucain struck the creature again on the side of its neck. When the creature caught sight of him, it stared as though frightened, kicked, and swam away from Lucain, and didn't seem to care about kat anymore.
Lucain wanted to go after it but caught sight of Kat already sinking and swam over to her, pulling her by her waist and swimming back to the surface. The creature had fled the moment it caught sight of Lucain.
As Lucian emerged from the swirling depths, his dark hair plastered to his forehead, his usually crisp shirt clung tightly to his sculpted frame, soaked and transparent from the seawater. The wet fabric accentuated his broad shoulders and defined muscles, giving a glimpse of the powerful physique beneath. Kat, equally drenched, lay limp in his arms, her own clothes sticking to her like a second skin, her breaths coming in shallow, ragged gasps.
Lucian's expression remained stoic and composed, his steely grey eyes betraying no emotion despite the urgency of the moment. He glanced down at Kat, relieved to see her chest heaving slightly, a sign she was still alive.
With a careful yet swift motion, Lucian mounted Night, balancing Kat securely in his lap. He draped his discarded coat over her shoulders to shield her from the biting wind. As she had began to shiver the moment they emerged from the water, ensuring she was safely nestled against him, he spurred Night into a gallop, racing back to the castle.
The ride back was swift and relentless. The sound of Night's hooves thundered through the evening air as they approached the castle gates. The guards, upon seeing their approach, hurriedly pulled the gates open, their expressions quickly shifting from routine duty to alarm at the sight before them. Lucian's presence, usually commanding and composed, was now showed a little urgency.
Sebastian was already waiting by the entrance, his face etched with concern. The sight of Lucian carrying an unconscious Kat, soaked to the bone, sent a ripple of shock through the passing servants. They had never witnessed their king so closely intertwined with another, his protective grip around Kat starkly contrasting his usual detached demeanor, perhaps she really was the king's lover.
The servants, too, were taken aback, but they dare not stare or have there eyes gorged out of thier sockets, Ignoring everyone and whispers of the servants, Lucian dismounted with Kat cradled in his arms. he walked straight into castle, carrying her straight to her room while sabastain followed behind him.
Upon reaching her room, Lucian gently laid Kat down on the bed, her wet hair spread across the pillow, some stands also sticking to her face.
Her wet clothes clung to her frame. He stood there for a moment, his expression still unreadable, but his actions spoke volumes. The king, who had never before shown such intimate concern, had personally seen to Kat's safety, ensuring she was out of harm's way, she was valuable and he couldn't let her die now.
"The doctor is on his way,but he won't be here until a while and I have informed the maids to tend to her. It would be good for you to change your clothes, my lord," Sebastain advised, bowing. Lucain didn't say anything but walked out of the room, and Sebastain followed behind him.
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Author's Note:
The mysterious creature that appears in this chapter is known as a Kelpie, a mythical being from Scottish folklore. Traditionally, Kelpies are depicted as malevolent and dangerous shape-shifting water spirits with a fondness for human prey. They're said to lure victims into the water with their enchanting voices and beauty.
In folklore, In folklore, Kelpies are said to target children and adults alike,but in most cases children, using their enchanting voices and captivating appearance to lure them into their clutches. Legend has it that Kelpies can shape-shift into various forms, including horses, men, or even women. When they take the form of a horse they appear with saddles, enticing people to ride them, only to stick to their backs and drag them underwater to devour them.
In my adaptation, I've added a few details to the Kelpie's attributes to fit the plot of my novel. If you're interested in learning more, feel free to explore additional resources.
As you read through my novel, you'll encounter various mythological creatures from different cultures. I hope this sparks your interest in exploring the rich world of folklore and mythology. Each time a new creature is introduced I will be adding a brief explanation about the creature, for more understanding.