The beating sun wasn't a nice thing to walk under.
Sweat beaded at his temples and his hair stuck to his face, breath was almost a pant and his horse had her head ducked down, a slow lop of her hooves to move. " C'mon girl. We're almost to a river. See?" Valerian leaned against Freya, pointing ahead of them to a small trickle of water to which the black horse perked up and started up at a faster pace. Valerian let go of her reins and watched as she trotted to the river to drink.
Luckily, the river was at the beginnings of forest, which meant that there would be some shade to rest in. They'd been wandering for a day or so now, of course neither were hungry - Freya stopped and snacked on whatever was handy when she felt like it - and Valerian had dried food in a pack on his shoulder. Dried food, an extra pair of clothes and a knife at his hip.
Should have gotten a hat too but, oh well.
Once he got to the little river, little because it was shallow and not all that far across, he went up stream and removed his loose white shirt and backpack before bending over the river again, splashing it on his face and chest. Getting his hair wet and slicking it back to keep it from sticking to his face, rubbing at a few of the deeper scars on his chest, like where a practice sword went through his side on the left, he bunched his shirt on his lap and layed down in the grass in the shade of a tree, closing his eyes.
Freya drank her fill and moved to nibble on grass beside his head, his hand petting the underside of her chin. " I hope you like this better than home." Valerian opened his eyes, the dark brown of them at high contrast with his bright blonde hair and slightly tanned complexion. " I don't." He looked around, not at all impressed with this life style. He liked having a bed to sleep in. He liked having maids bring him food.
The pressure for home was too much though, he'd break under it. His wings were still clipped. He knew that. " Just have to wait until they grow out, right Freya?" Speaking aloud after his mental dialogue. Freya snorted at him, making him chuckle and turn away from her face. " At least you can eat grass." Valerian was no scout, so it hadn't occured to him to look around for anyone. No scout and not paranoid in the least. " We going to camp here tonight? It's late afternoon, y'know. It'll only get colder and we might not find another river anywhere." Freya snorted. " Yeah... I'll get some fire wood in a few." Fingers scratched at her cheek and Valerian looked up at the tree.
