2. 𝕽𝖎𝖘𝖊 • bbc merlin

𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔣𝔬𝔲𝔯𝔱𝔢𝔢𝔫

[trigger warnings : death, references to self-harm]

📍 San Antonio, Texas

⏳May, 2016

"This kid is simply magnificent, folks. Astraea Aphelion and Skylo take the Juniors' Easter Cup for the 3rd consecutive year; a feat never seen before!"

A thirteen-year-old Astraea rode into the show ring for the third time that day, head held up high as she stroked her horse's dark grey mane. She came to a stop in front of the president of the Texas Hunter-Jumper Association and grinned at him. The elder man approached the pair and hung a blue ribbon on Skylo's bridle before handing the young girl a gold-painted trophy. "Excellent work as usual, Ms. Aphelion," he congratulated her before moving on to the second-place finishers.

Smiling widely, Astra made eye-contact with Juan, who was the stable-hand that usually accompanied her to the shows – given her family's busy schedule. The hispanic man gave her a thumbs-up as he grinned. She waved at him and turned back to Skylo, rubbing his neck once again.

"You've done a nice job with him, señorita," Juan complimented the girl as they walked back to the trailer after the awards ceremony. The young brunette smiled as she looked at the dapple-grey Thoroughbred that walked calmly beside her with love in her eyes. "He's a great horse," she noted. 

Skylo had been her partner for three years. He was her first re-training project, a now nine-year-old horse who had retired from the races after he'd stopped making enough money to 'earn his keep'. She'd taken her time with him and turned him into an excellent hunter-jumper. 

"Come on, we can stop for some tacos on the way back," the stable-hand winked at the girl once Skylo had been loaded into the trailer. She smiled. "Sounds like a plan!" she said with a smirk. Some minutes later, Juan pulled up in front of a small, humble Mexican restaurant and promised to be quick before hurrying inside to buy the tacos and 'horchata'-flavoured water. 

That night, Astra went to bed with a big smile on her face, something that was becoming more and more unusual as she struggled in every aspect of her life outside of horses. But, as had become the norm in her life, the happiness wouldn't last for long.

Frantic knocks echoed through her room at 3:00, Juan calling her name desperately. "Señorita, you need to call the vet. Something's wrong with Leah!" he yelled through the door. 

Astra jumped out of bed and phoned Dr. Peña before rushing down the stairs and towards the paddock where her dad's old mare, Galileah, lived. "Oh, no, what's happening?" she asked Juan with tears in her eyes as she stroked the mare's black mane. She laid on the ground, struggling to breathe.

"Seems like a respiratory thing," the hispanic man replied, pacing around the field as they waited for the vet to arrive.

Galileah was old for a horse, at thirty-two-years-old, but she was perfectly healthy according to recent vet-checks. Astra paid special attention to her – perhaps even more than she did to Skylo, or her two-year old colt, Dallas. The bay mare and her father had been partners for over a decade. Granted, they didn't see each other much because Leah lived in San Antonio with Gustab and his family, while Stefano lived in Dallas with his. But still, the Quarter Horse mare was the closest thing that Astra had to her dad, which is why the thought of losing her terrified her so much.