Please play this instrumental song as you read the story! It is one of my favorite songs and it inspired me to write this!
I sat under a sakura tree, feeling the breeze on my skin. Isolated with nothing but my thoughts. I had felt alone for a while, and the feeling was slowly consuming me. Even though I was healthy and safe, isolation was getting the best of me. A single tear left my face, a tear of longing.
Then, as if by magic, I heard a whinny from behind the tree. There stood a tall, muscled Andalusian mare, white as snow. Like out of my dreams. She was proud and had a spirit about her that was calm yet warrior-like. Her mane and tail resembled miles of white silk, curled ever so gently. She was a horse fit for a queen.
I reached out my hand to her, and somehow I found myself able to stand. With my new mobility, I approached her calmly and tenderly, so as not to spook her. When she saw me inching ever closer, she stretched out her neck, touching my hand with her muzzle. Using her touch for balance, I was able to make my way closer to her. She looked at me intently as if to say “I’m here for you, you’re not alone anymore“.
We were eye to eye, and she lowered her head to rest her muzzle in my hands. Her nose lay against my chest, and the breath from her nostrils flared out onto my hand. She nickered softly, and a wide smile spread across my face. We rested together for a few moments, and I closed my eyes to revel in the calm. Suddenly. I could no longer feel her against me, the air brushed my flesh where her nose had been. I opened my eyes to see her backing away from me.
"Wait! Don't go, please, I need you!" I called out.
Another tear left my eye as I watched her, and I put my head down in sadness. In the present space I thought she was leaving and that I would never see her again, but my subconscious told me that wasn't true. Indeed, when I lifted my head, I saw the mare bowed before me, her right leg tucked underneath her, left front and two hinds shifted for support, and her mane draped around her lowered head.
My breath caught and eyes widened at the sight before me, I did not expect this out of the many possible ideas that raced through my mind of what the mare would do next. I was completely in awe and could not understand why she had done this.
I lowered myself to my knees to be at her level, still she continued to hold her position. She did not stir even with the sound of my shifting. The mare shone in the spring sun, and I contemplated whether I should approach the mare. My curiosity outweighed my sense of caution. I creeped toward her until I was able to stroke her forelock with my right hand. Her mane was as soft and silky as it appeared, and she licked and chewed in contentment as I ran my hand through it.
As I continued to pet the mare, I noticed that petals had fallen from the sakura tree nearby and began to float towards the mare and I. They swirled around us both, a shiny trail following their path. I let out a light gasp as my old clothes began to turn into something else. Peering down at my arm, my dirty shirt sleeves was traded for a blush pink cap sleeve adorned with real cherry blossoms. By the time I turned my gaze away from my arm, I was in a floor length blush pink gown covered blossoms. There was a breeze around my head, and I looked up to see the swirling blossoms created a flower crown to match my gown, and then descended to my ankles to make anklets as well. My dark hair cascaded around my shoulders and down my back in ringlet curls. The look was complete and the mare let out a joyful whinny at my appearance, A gentle grin crossed my lips at the sound.
She lowered herself all the way to the ground, and turned her head to look at her back, letting out another soft nicker. I thought she was trying to tell me to get on her back.
"Are you sure?", I questioned.
The mare nickered again and started to nod her head.
" Okay, I'm coming"
I made my way over to her back, petting her along the way, and slipped my right leg over. Once I was comfortably adjusted, the mare hoisted herself up onto all fours. The view from her back was amazing. I held on to locks of her luxurious mane for balance and she took off into a gallop. We rode through a beautiful forest, teeming with life and natural sunlight, past an overflowing stream lined with lily pads, and filled with fish that jumped about beneath the surface. The mare galloped on until we arrived at a clearing which housed a seemingly endless flower field. Roses, lavender, peonies, bluebells, sunflowers...they were all there and more. Surrounding the field stood tall oaks and willows, sparkling as the sun shone through them.
The mare trotted to the middle of the field and bowed again so that I could get off her back. Once I was safely on the ground she let out a long whinny, and trails of sparkles descended from the trees, just like with the sakura petals that gave me my dress. This time, the sparkles materialized into classical instruments that began to play a beautiful melody, one that immediately filled me with nostalgia.
"I love this song!", I exclaimed. Do you want me to dance with you?"
The mare let out a gleeful whinny in response.
"I'll take that as a yes." , giggling as I said those words
There was one problem, I had never danced before, or at least not with my whole body. I couldn't even stand or walk without support until the mare appeared from behind the tree. My thoughts must have been heard, because I saw the sparkles envelope my body, and I knew that somehow they would help me. This was my chance to finally do one of the things I always wanted. I closed my eyes and listened to the music, Then I knew what to do.
I faced the mare and curtseyed, to which she gave another bow. Picturing the way I wanted to dance in my mind, I let the sparkles help carry me as I moved. I was at last the ballerina my young self wanted so badly to be: sashaying, doing pirouettes, and leaping in time with the music. The mare matched my movements perfectly, cantering and prancing around me and letting out graceful flourishes of her body filled with joy, she looked like she was floating on air.
When the song ended, we were both face to face again. I threw my arms around the mare's neck and held her tight, Words could never express what I was feeling, but I knew I never wanted this moment to end, I felt at home with my face against her warm skin, and her breath against my shoulder. Unfortunately, night was falling and our journey had to end, The mare carried me back to the sakura tree through the forest, now glowing with bioluminescence under the moonlight. Fireflies flitting between the tall trees. I smiled the whole way home. Although only time would tell if the mare from my dreams would visit me again, this adventure of ours would stay in my heart forever.