see you in my dreams [open][scotland]

He tossed and turned, head tilted back and eyes shut tight against the week, wan light that peeked through the curtains. His breathing was labored and harsh, not at all like someone having a peaceful sleep. He mumbled, incoherent things and twisted once more, from his back to his side to his other side, like he just couldn’t find a comfortable spot. To people who didn’t know him, they would just think he was a restless sleeper, but to those who did, they would know something was bothering this man who was not easily bothered by things. Dark hair fanned out on the pillow, long for a man, but not too long and luscious in its looks, something that would cause women to want to touch when they saw him, not that he ever let anyone touch it. Still, the dark lord seemed unable to find peace in his dreams as things flashed before his closed eyes, brilliant colors and vivid sounds rocketed through his mind and yet, they bothered him, things he had long ago suppressed so that he would not have to remember them, but his dreams did not always listen to him more often than not, they haunted him.

Midnight hued eyes opened slowly and gazed up almost unseeingly at the canopy overhead. Releasing as slow shaking breath, he sat up slowly, the sheet falling around his naked waist as he brought his hands up to scrub at his face. This was getting out of hand, he needed to chill, find something better to do with himself then let his mind get eaten away at by things he could neither change nor fix. With a humorless laugh, the man rose from his bed with an easy shove of his hands into the mattress and the upward push of his body. Raising his arms over his head, he arched his back as he stretched, shutting his eyes and groaning loudly at the popping sound that resonated from him. Dropping his arms down to his sides, he stared towards the window for a moment, eyes seemingly lost in a time long ago. Sebastian was too old for this anymore. He had lived a long life, a life filled with misadventures and pain. Maybe it was time to disappear again and then his mind wondered to what he would do with all the things that he had that he would be leaving behind and sighed.

Standing there, at the edge of the bed, he allowed his mind to go blank and his thoughts to drift away slowly, one by one. For once though, it didn’t work and he felt his frustration building higher with each passing moment. Turning swiftly, he walked with a long, easy and seemingly confident pace, even if he wasn’t anything, but confident, to his dresser where he opened his drawers and grabbed everything he would need to go riding. He couldn’t to be cooped up any longer and thus; he pulled on his clothes with quick efficiency. His boots were the last thing to get pulled on and with long fingers, he combed his hair into some semblance of order and walked out of his room and exited the house. As Hades walked, he passed the kennels with contained the wolves that he bred and raised, but two of them were lose and raced towards him only to be sent back with a flick of long fingers, a gesture that caused them to pause, look at each other and turn back and once more, he was alone as he walked towards the stables where his peace of mind could hopefully be found once more.

Sebastian entered the stables and sucked in the sweet scent of hay and the musky scent of horses and grinned, already feeling better now that he was here. Horses stuck their heads out, nickering sweetly and excepting the hidden treats he typically had in his breeches, but not today, he’d not have time to shove them in his pockets before he’d rushed out of the house, feeling the need to run over the moors. By way of apology, Hades gently stroked his fingers over each muzzle that was thrust out of the opening in the stall doors, giving them love, even if they weren’t his personal riding horses. Most of these horses were either boarded by others, shown by his riders or breeding horses, still, he loved each and every one of them and gave them the care and appreciation they deserved, even if they weren’t going to be there forever or if they were going to be sold as soon as they were old enough. Sometimes it was hard for him to watch those yearlings go, so full of life, but he always made sure they went to good homes. Always.

Walking down the lines, he felt a growing excitement bloom in his chest. He always loved riding; it always made him feel free and less shadowed. Sebastian’s smile grew and his pace picked up. He rounded a corner and there they were, heads out of their stalls and looking at him. Walking over to Romeo, he reached out a hand, stroking the stallion’s face with gentle fingers, watching the hulking beast settled under his heads. Normally, he would have taken the stallion on this run, but not today, today he wanted Singer, who was much easier to control seeing as she was a gentle natured mare. Turning from his stud, he looked at the mare, whose head was tilted to the side. Hades was quick to halter her up and lead her out to a grooming station where he was quick about brushing her and cleaning out her feet, then and only then did he tack her up and lead her from the barn. Once outside on the gravel road, he mounted up, swinging a leg over her back and settling into the English saddle. With a shift of his seat and a gentle tap of his heels and they were off at an easy trot.

They trotted, at ease with each other, passing cars along the road way and ignoring them for the silence of one another. He idly stroked a hand over the mare’s neck, causing her to arch her neck even more and tap her chest with her nose. Sebastian grinned and leaned forward ever so slightly, placing his outside heel against her side and pulling his inside hand back to get her on the right lead as they jumped from trot to canter, heading towards the cross country field a short distance from the ranch. It was a cool day, but thankfully dry and they went over as many jumps as they could until the mare was breathing hard. Without a thought, he decided that he needed to go to town and rather than go home and untack the mare and drive to town, her would ride her seeing as it wasn’t that far between here and there and she would more than likely enjoy it since she seemed to like wondering about compared to sitting around and thus, they were off, entering town less than an hour later, wondering towards the places that I needed to go, glad I’d thought to bring my saddle bags along.

• complete: yes • muse: good • comments: none • word count: 1211
[style=font-family: times; letter-spacing: 1px; font-size: 15px; color: #660000;]SEBASTIAN NIKKOS HADES GRYPHON