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badgrammerlieshere · 1 month

Text

Someday

because I couldn't come to terms with what had happened to them and needed to get this out of me as fast as possible.

This is set 5 years after the end of season 3.....

The brush strokes against the horse's body were soothing, it was something she had always found almost meditative. Brush Brush Brush. The process was almost a symphony at this point. Brush Brush Brush. Sara hadn't been working at Hans stable for very long. Only for the last 2 years, after school and her own graduation had passed she found herself stuck. Nothing to do, no prospects. She wasn't dumb by any means she was just lost. Simon was off coasting the world with Willhim spending their summer somewhere warm based on the postcards she had received from Italy. Felice was preparing for the next stage in her life. A prestigious culinary school in America, and that left her home alone. Luckily an advertisement had been called to her in the morning paper and since then she hasn't looked back.

“Sara, could you come back to the office for a moment?” a voice called to her from the back of the stables. The voice belonged to Hans. The owner, her boss, and at the moment one of her closest friends. Hans was a kind man, old and short. He loved horses as much as she did, something that was apparent from the start. Usually, a level-headed person the franticness with which he was moving things in his office felt more than offputting.

“Ah, Sara” Hans outstretched his hands in a beckoning motion reaching for her shoulders.”I've good news very good news. One might say the best.” His eyes held more excitement than she had ever seen before

“Which is?” she asked

“We have quite the guest coming today, I need you to make sure every horse is looking their best, no mistakes.” Hans quickly let go of her shoulders with a pat. His body was a dancer walking around the room putting away any messes and papers that were out of place.

“A guest?” she questioned the farm often had guests. Mostly rich folk looking to buy, or new money trying to flaunt their wealth with the buying of a horse. All in her opinion were idiots. A guest of this caliber however must have been someone big. Never had she seen Hans get so worked up.

“Yes, yes, now hurry it up They are here soon enough” Hans shooed her out of his office handing her a small broom before she left. After a few hours had passed she heard it. With the sudden approach of cars, looking out a small window she saw two very expensive vehicles. The usual rich types. From the door stepped a woman who looked like a heaven on a platter. Long legs flawless skin. She oozed radiance. From the other side of the car stepped a man. Curly dark hair. Striking blue eyes that haunted her memory from time to time. Her posture was tenser than anyone she had ever known. August had just stepped out of the car.

“I see you've noticed our guests. Can you believe it, the king has come to look for a horse at my shop” Hans came to her side also trying to look through the window. She tried plastering on her most believable smile, attempting to hide the panic that coursed through her veins.

“How about you go and get the Annbell out, she's the calmest one.”

“Of course”

The process of getting the horse out was walled from her mind. Too busy thinking about what would happen if he saw her. It had been 5 years. A long time, and yet not quite long enough for her. She walked into the barn the backs of the couple faced her as Hans expressed his gratitude at their arrival

“Ah here we are, this is one of our finest mares.” Hans reached for the reigns that were in her hands which easily were taken away as august looked at her for the first time. From her standpoint, it looked as though the air had been sucked from his body. The woman standing next to him reached forward towards the horse.

“Oh, she's just beautiful! How perfect!” Her manicured hands clasped together giddy to be near the animal. “Oh August isn't she lovely” The woman was now reaching for the reigns that were in Hans's hand. Looking back toward August for confirmation, but he hadn't stopped looking at her.

“Yes, she's perfect.” His gaze was unwavering.

“How about we get you saddled up?” Hans smiled at the young woman, and she had to admit her eagerness was endearing in a way. Like that of a child. Walking away from the groups found herself a spot against the wall. There was no point in standing there unless she was needed. Why put herself through the burning of his eyes when she could avoid them?

She leaned against the wall watching them as August watched her. A game of looking that was becoming more annoying by the second. Before he began to walk towards her. The staring she could handle but the thought of a conversation made her palms start to sweat.

“Hello” His voice was deeper than she remembered, smoother in the way his mouth formed his vowels. She kept her eyes on the ground. Realizing he wouldn't be getting a repose he moved towards her spot and let his body rest against the wall next to her

He had the same smell. That was the first thing she noticed. That rich encompassing smell that often lingered on her clothes after she left. The only difference was that it was stronger now. Wasnt diluted by the water she often caught him filling into the bottle. He didn't need to resort to that now. He was going to be king. A king could buy as many lavish collages as he wanted, there was no fear of the money going dry. With him standing so close it felt as though she couldn't breathe. The last time they had spoken. Actually spoken to one another, she was sure she'd broken his heart. That memory flickered through her mind sometimes. His dejected eyes. Once so happy to look at her were red with tears. The way he had tried to reach for her when he first saw her. So eager to have her close even if it was just for a moment. She never wanted to make anyone feel that way again. She could feel his gaze on her head. Willing her to look at him. She stared straight ahead. Afraid that if she looked up that memory would no longer be a flicker but a burning picture in her mind.

“She's pretty.” The words had fallen out of her mouth before she could stop them. They were true, however. The woman who had accompanied him was beautiful. She had walked in with such elegance it wasn't hard to see why Augst had chosen her. He was always attracted to the richer things in life. Her elegance was however nowhere to be found as she attempted to month the horse.

“I suppose.” August's reply was dry, it was obvious he would rather talk about anything else than his companion.

“Where did you meet?” Her speech felt slowed like she was trying to make sure this was really happening.

“Nowhere. This is our third outing, the cameras will be here in a moment. Take some pictures, then take some more. It's very logistical.” His tone had reached its typical professional level it often sounded like on the TV and only then did she look up. He had abandoned looking at her face and it gave her a moment to take his in. Still skinny, eyes now seemed to hold more weight under them. A few wrinkles here and there that showed the years that had passed between them. He took a deep breath before looking down at her. His eyes creased in a small smile.

“You look well, I hope you are” His eyes seemed to jump everywhere on her face trying to take everything in all at once. She looked the same, she was certain of that, but the way he looked at her made her think she was someone different. Someone worthy of a second look.

“She doesn't see me. Not the way you do.” His words registered slowly in her head. She could feel the warmth of his shoulder more than ever, along with the slow inching of his pinky finger towards her hand. God she wished he would stop looking at her like that.

“Sara!” Hans's voice broke through the moment. “Come over here, help Mrs Andersson get to a trot” As she walked towards the horse she couldn't help a look back. August had resumed his tense position and had now plastered an almost cartoonish smile onto his face. From the corner of her eye, she saw a flash. The cameras had arrived. Logistical he had said and he wasn't kidding this moment felt as clinical as that word.

It continued like that for an hour she would walk the horse in circles, the people taking photos and moving others, as they saw fit. August and the girl together, August and the girl separate, leaning on the wall, with the horse. It never ended. Until suddenly they were done. Cameras were packed, people went to their cars, and Sara was given the reigns to take the horse back into its stall. Taking one last look behind her as August led the young woman he was with out of the barn towards the cars. He was done here too. Gotten his photos, and now he had bigger things to do. She almost couldn't believe she had seen him. August Horn of Årnäs, well not of Årnäs anymore but still. It didn't quite feel real.

Brush Brush Brush back to the regular meditative motions away from thoughts of him. Brush Brush Brush. Away from thinking of them.

“It never passed.”

Her hand stopped its path mid-motion.

“Excuse me” She turned and there he was. Standing in that ridiculous suit that cost more than the shoes she had on her feet.

“You said it would, and it didn't. Which honestly was a greater pain in itself. I wanted to forget everything about you.”

Augu-” She had moved towards him trying to push him back through the door

“No, please Sara. Please let me say this because I don't think I'll ever get another chance.” He reached his hands toward her. Sliding his hands around her waist, gently squeezing as if making sure she wasn't a figment of his imagination.

“You were right when you said I didn't see you, but I've spent every day trying. I've looked back on who we were a million times. I spent so long trying to achieve the crown it was all I could see, but when I had it….it didn't feel the same as having you look at me and actually know who I was.” His hand enveloped the side of her face, tracing the freckles that had appeared from time in the sun willing them into his memory. He closed his eyes, leaning his head against her own. Brushing the tip of his nose against hers.

“I'm not asking you to say anything back, I just needed you to know.” Sara felt August's body unwind as he finished his sentence, the tension that covered his arms vanished as he wrapped himself around her. They stood like this for a moment and with a sharp inhale he was gone from her body again. The warmth he had wrapped her in vanished, and he passed her one last look before she left the room. She stood there for a while longer trying to memorize the places his hands had touched. How rough they had felt against her face.

Hans entered the room as she stood motionless.”Nice folks.” His words made her snap out of her stupor.

“Oh yeah… definitely..” The brushing resumed again. Forget him her mind screamed.

“The man left this and said it was for you. A friend of yours?” Hans had flashed a small business card at her, a number engraved on the back.

She could feel the smile beginning to form on her face. August would never let her forget him. It wasn't his nature

“Maybe one day.”

#sara eriksson #sara and august #august horn #sara x august

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