Promise This (English Version)

58. Again

"I think I found my match!" She exclaimed once she could open her eyes.

Hamdan chose to ride a brown horse named Radjash. They took the horses out for saddling and Albert insisted on getting Barney Roy ready for her. Once her horse was all set, she jumped on his back and commanded him to trot around so they could get a feel on each other. After the accident, people kept asking her if she was scared of horses, but the last thing she remembered from that day was riding Princesa during training. She had no recollection of falling or being afraid, and even if she did, she knew that she would end up getting back on the horse. Literally.

"How is he?" Hamdan asked, sitting on Radjash's back.

"Great!"

"Do you realize this is the first time we ride horses together?"

"Well, since you're retiring from endurance..."

"I'm not retiring." He corrected.

She wiggled her eyebrows. "Prove me wrong, champ!"

Sarah followed Hamdan through the breathtaking British countryside, the mist had stopped and the sun was fighting to make his way through the clouds. Unlimited extension of green landscapes everywhere she looked, until they made it to an open field, perfect for a race. She made Barney Roy casually canter next to Radjash.

"What?" Hamdan asked in a suspicious tone.

"I bet my horse is faster than yours." She challenged.

"Sarah, you should take it easy." He advised.

"Up to that hill!" She dared, pointing with her finger and pressing her heels against Barney Roy.

"No! Wait!"

She heard Hamdan's voice fade in the distance.

Sarah had yet to discover a feeling that could compare to the thrill of riding a horse at full speed. She felt her cheerfully beating heart while the fresh wind was blowing on her face. She looked back and Hamdan was getting closer, a short distance left to the top of the hill. She pushed her horse for extra speed and lowered her torso.

"Come on, boy." She whispered.

They came to a halt as they reached their goal and soon Hamdan and Radjash were next to them.

"We won!" She beamed.

"You cheated!"

"No, I didn't!" She protested, chuckling.

Her laugh dissipated when her horse made a turn and she saw a rundown group of buildings in the distance surrounded by a field of purple flowers. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Radjash and Hamdan walk next to her.

"What is that?" She mumbled.

"I don't know... Care to explore?"

She bit her lip excitedly and they trotted down the hill. The field of flowers, that turned out to be lavender, was actually on the back of the property.

"Are those stables?" Sarah wondered squinting her eyes to get a better look.

"Looks like it." He replied.

The brick and stone walls were covered in green moss due to the humidity. Roofs did not look in such a bad shape, giving her some hope that the interiors would not be too damaged.

As they went around to the front, the same questions kept going around in her head.

What is this place? Who used to live here? Why was it abandoned?