Chapter 03 CHARLIE
“The storm’s timing may hit earlier than we anticipated. We can expect snowfall in the viewing area around 4:30. We are asking that if you don’t need to be out, please stay home and let the ILDOT workers do their jobs,“
the meteorologist said as I stood in front of the TV, putting on the vambraces Sadie’s team sent me.
I wore a full suit of 3D-printed armor. It was lightweight, which was fantastic. The plastic would probably stay a little warmer than if it was made from metal. I had put on a thick, fleece-lined long sleeved tee underneath it, hoping that would stave off some of the below-freezing chill.
A knock at the door had Beau going wild, so I set down the other vambrace to answer. I smiled and stepped back to let Sadie in while Beau excitedly wagged his tail so hard, his butt wiggled with it.
“Come on in. I love those coveralls,“
I said as I walked to the kitchen. “I just made some coffee. Would you like a cup?”
“Please. That would be amazing,“
she replied.
“Does your crew need any help getting ready for the shoot?“
I poured her a cup and handed it to her, then pushed the cream and sugar toward her across the counter.
She stirred her coffee as she contemplated. “No, I don’t think so, but thank you. How are you feeling about this shoot?”
I shook my shoulders out. “I’m very nervous. This is so far out of my comfort zone, but I trust you.”
“I appreciate that,“
she chuckled nervously. “When I saw your application, I had so many ideas. I can’t wait,“
she said, taking a sip of her coffee. “Do you need help with the rest of your outfit?”
“Ah, no, but thank you.“
I finished tying up the other vambrace, then poured myself a cup as well.
We chatted for a little longer as Sadie played with Beau. He was in heaven with all the attention. There was another knock on the door, and Sadie began rushing me out to the set. It was a little early, but she wanted me blindfolded before my partner got here.
The horse accompanying me for this shoot was named Pythia, and I hid a smile behind my hand. If they only knew. She was a Friesian, and she was stunning. I’d never really cared about horse breeds since I hadn’t grown up around them, but she might’ve been the most beautiful war horse I’d ever seen. The handler helped me up onto her, and we were led to the set.
Pythia was staged between tables with goblets on their sides and coins overflowing to spill out and off the tables into the grass. There were skulls in piles at the bottom of the tables, and swords were strategically sticking out of the ground. How the staging crew had gotten them into the frozen ground, I had no idea. I was going to trust the process, though my anxiety about new things was telling me to run.
The most beautiful part of the entire set were the brightly colored red plants: red twig dogwoods, holly, and daphne. The dogwood twigs were set up like wreaths, and there were wands sticking out of them, completing the four suits.
A storm was definitely brewing across the overcast sky, and the scent of frost in the air mingled behind the scent of Pythia and the flowers to my sensitive nose. I hoped we could get through this shoot before the storm hit so everyone could get home safely, but I was too distracted by the scents surrounding us.
Pythia’s handler placed the blindfold in my hand before grabbing my leg to steady me, and I stared at it in confusion before I realized I was supposed to put it on. I set my helmet atop my knee as I tied the blindfold, breathing deeply to find my equilibrium, then nodded and gave a quiet “thank you“
to the handler. She’d told me her name, but I was infamously bad with names unless it was an animal.
My other senses expanded as I lost my eyesight. I stroked Pythia’s mane, noting just how soft she was as she let out a snort. I smiled to myself. A car door closed, then another one. The noise came from behind the house, which probably meant that was my other half. I clenched my thighs around Pythia, suddenly dizzy and nervous again.
A loud laugh tore me out of my panic. It was so familiar, a bright and bubbly sound, but I couldn’t figure out where I’d heard it before. Sadie hushed the woman who’d laughed with a giggle, then asked the staff to take their places. I sat up straighter in the saddle as the sounds of feet crunching through frozen grass neared. The armor was too tight, squeezing around my chest like a vise. I couldn’t get enough air, but I tried not to let it show on my face. I pulled at the collar of my shirt, then tried to self-soothe as I rubbed at my neck. Everything would be okay.
“Okay, my knight. I’m going to have your princess take a step up on a stool to your left. You’re going to reach out your hand as if you’re trying to pull her onto the horse in front of you. We will, of course, not be putting two humans on the back of a horse. Please don’t worry about trying to lift her to you, okay? Your princess will then grab your hand,“
Sadie said, and then quieter, she gave directions to my princess.
Fuck, this is really happening. What was I thinking? Can I safe word out of this?
I dipped my hand down, trying to make it look graceful as she placed her hand in mine. As her hand grasped mine, my mind calmed.
I think I blacked out for the rest of the shoot as I focused on her touch, as if it could ground me in the moment. I followed Sadie’s directions as much as I could, but I was on autopilot.
Before I knew it, I was helped off Pythia and directed down on one knee, my helmet on my knee again as we were about to do the big reveal. My fingers trembled as I tucked my thumb underneath the blindfold, waiting for Sadie’s direction. I was desperate to see the woman whose touch convinced me not to bolt.
“Three, two, one,“
Sadie said, and I pulled off the blindfold with a quickness. Torches were lit, and my vision was temporarily spotty, but as I looked up, I was convinced I was seeing things.
“Shana?”