"My Princess-" Duke started. Before he could say anything else, Styll came back to them.
"Break is over, horses. Time to get on the road," he said shortly. The two horses were hitched back to the wagon. Styll climbed up to his spot. He whipped the reins. "Yah!"
Duke and Duchess took off at a full gallop. Styll instructed them to slow down slightly, so they could place themselves better, but they remained at high speed. The countryside blurred past them. For hours, they ran. Their breed's stamina and their bodily health meant that night turned to day, turned to night again before they started flagging.
Styll, who had taken a brief break from directing the horses but by now returned, lightly pulled on the reins. Duke and Duchess slowed to a trot. He directed them down a poorly maintained road.
"We will stop in Frederixbirg for the night," Styll said, to both the passengers in the wagon and the horses pulling it. After fifteen minutes more of travel, they arrived at Frederixbirg. It was a small town in the middle of the woods, with only one inn. The inn didn't have a stable, but it did have a small paddock for the horses to stay in overnight.
The Bravelles checked themselves and the horses in, then brought the horses to the paddock. Duchess panted as she was led to the gate. Every inch of her ached, from her ears to her hooves. She knew that before they left, she wanted to mate with Duke more. But her body was bone tired. She barely had it in her to drink and eat.
Duke was in a similar situation. He quickly passed out, after guzzling water and inhaling some grass and hay.
Duchess took longer to fall asleep. She was exhausted, yes, but her worries over just how exposed they were in the paddock kept her up. They didn't have much protection, should someone come by to take them. Other than the amulet, she quickly reminded herself.
Assuaged by this reminder, her weariness finally took over enough for her to fall asleep, standing right next to Duke.