Title: Autumn Ride
Fandom: : Tortall (Immortals)
Rating: G
Length: 328 Words
Content notes: For the FFW prompt "seasons" and my advent challenge day 15 prompt, "Fall leaves."
Summary: Daine and Cloud go for a ride. Post-canon


Daine looked around as Cloud trotted down the path. It was a route they both knew by heart, and neither had to pay much attention to the route. Instead, they looked around at bare branches and the leaf-strewn ground that marked the changing of the seasons again.

Midwinter was almost upon them, and soon she would be expected back at the castle for all of the fancy parties and frippery that accompanied the season. Most years, Daine would druther stay at home with the children and their family's quiet celebrations than endure the balls and dresses and courtier double talk at the palace.

However, this year Kaddar and Kalasin were visiting from Carthak - the first time the royal couple had felt comfortable leaving their lands for a few weeks without the fear of rebellion in their absence. It was a testament to their leadership, and it would be a chance to Daine to see her old friends, and really, that was the reason she was allowing all the fussing and primping and whatnot to occur. Numair, of course, had fine clothes already picked out, but Daine had never been as fashion-conscious as her husband.

Cloud snorted her opinion of Numair's fashions and Daine giggled. The mare found human clothing to be a foible at best, and she found Numair's fashion worries exceedingly silly. Some days Daine was inclined to agree. And since she was about to be absorbed into that world again for the celebrations, she was taking the opportunity to enjoy this time in nature with her best friend. The local animals who weren't all hibernating had greeted them at the beginning of their ride, and now it was just her and Cloud, and the falling leaves.

Daine breathed in deeply, enjoying the scent of the season. Soon it would be too cold, and her belly would be too big again, to keep riding like this, so she and Cloud enjoyed the moment while they could.