Crunching an apple in his hand, Cassius lounged lazily on a high branch of one of the trees near the stable entrance, one leg swinging idly while the other braced his weight. The evening air around the stable was always thick with the scent of hay and damp earth, mingled faintly with the musky odor of horses. Though he was a King, he didn't mind the scent, after all today he was going to witness something so incredibly fun to watch.
A single lantern swayed from the beam above the stable, while the sound of the neighing horses rang from inside the stable.
Cassius tilted his head slightly, watching especially to a young stableman at work. The boy was perhaps no older than twenty, his sleeves rolled up, his forearms smudged with grain and straw.
Though horses were hardly used much anymore, especially with how all of them had been cursed to stay within the castle proximity, to his quiet surprise, this particular stablehand performed his duty with an almost reverent dedication.
