Broken Horse Kneels Before Millionaire at Auction, Begging to Be Bid On—Then, They Become Unbeatable

he was a millionaire who thought he could own anything even greatness when Roy Calder buys a scarred Wild Mustang that bows to no one he believes he's found his next unbeatable racehorse at first they dominate every competition until hermy starts resisting forcing Roy to confront a truth he refuses to accept was it ever his victory or was he just along for the ride as Roy pushes harder he begins to lose not just races but himself in the end he must face the ultimate question is true power found in control or in knowing when to let

go before we dive into the full story let us know in the comments where you're watching or listening from horses have incredible stories what's yours share it in the comments so others can be inspired like and don't forget to hit subscribe your support motivates us to share more impactful stories Roy cder tapped his polished leather shoe against the wooden floor his patience thinning with each passing minute the air of the auction house was thick with heat and expectation but none of it excited him he had come to find a champion a horse worthy of the

cder name yet every stallion that paraded before him felt unremarkable the auctioneer's voice droned on selling dreams to desperate men Roy barely listened he had already passed up a Sleek Andalusian too delicate a towering fan too heavy even a bloodline perfect thorough bread hadn't excited him he wanted something different something that made his pulse Quicken something legendary instead he found disappointment he exhaled irritated the bourbon in his crystal glass sat untouched his appetite for celebration fading fast what was the point of being here if there was nothing worth buying dressed in a custom-tailored black suit

he stood Out Among the rough ranchers and seasoned breeders he wasn't like them he didn't toil in dust and sweat he commanded his raven black hair slick back with Precision framed sharp intelligent features and his cold blue gay eyes assessed everything with an air of superiority Roy Calder was a man who won in business in racing in life and this auction was wasting his time the announcer introduced yet another stallion a chestnut Arabian with impeccable lineage the crowd murmured with interest Roy rolled his eyes more of the same beautiful predictable boring he leaned back in

his seat lifting his paddle almost out of habit when something stopped him at the far end of the auction house a horse stood apart from the others it was small scarred and wild its Dusty Gray coat marred by Old Wounds The Ridges of healed Cuts traced its flank each one A Story of Survival its man long and Tangled whispered of Untamed roads unlike the other horses it did not shift restlessly it did not fight against its tether it simply stood there watching Roy narrowed his eyes something about this horse made his stomach twist the auctioneer

barely spared at a glance lot 49 wild caught Mustang unbroken no papers $200 starting bid silence Roy's lips curled what did they expect no one wanted a horse like that it had no pedigree no training no value it was a ghost of the Plains a relic of a bygone era the kind of creature that belonged under an Open Sky not beneath the hands of a master his fingers drummed against the glass he should look away he should leave then the Mustang moved slowly deliberately it lowered itself onto one knee head dipping low in a controlled

almost reverent motion it bowed Roy's heart stopped for a moment the sounds of the auction house vanished the walls blurred the voices dulled and suddenly he wasn't here anymore he was a child again standing at the edge of a sprawling Ranch watching his father's warhorse a towering Black Stallion named Titan bowed the exact same way his father's voice echoed in his memory a horse like that doesn't bow to just anyone's son it bows to those who carry honor in their bones his father had been a man of unshakable principle a man who lived and died

by loyalty and sacrifice and yet Roy had left all of that behind after his father passed he had sold the ranch he had chased Fortune not legacy he built an Empire turned dirt into dollars and proved to the world that he was more than just his father's son but now in a room where everything had a price a wild horse a creature that should never have known such an Act was bowing to him and Roy Calder a man who believed he had everything felt something in his chest crack open his fingers twitched he should ignore

it he should walk away instead he raised his paddle 5,000 he said his voice steady but strange the Rune froze heads turned a few men chuckled their disbelief thick in the air the auctioneer blinked sir the starting bid is 200 Roy's jaw tightened I know what I said the gavl slammed down sold to the gentleman in Black a murmur of amusement swept through the crowd as the handlers led the Mustang away Roy sat there staring into the now empty space where the horse had stood his chest felt tight as if something had shifted inside him

something he didn't understand something he wasn't sure he wanted to understand he had come here for power for victory for Prestige instead he had bought a broken thing and yet as the Mustang disappeared behind the Gates a whisper of his father's words drifted through his mind once more a horse like that doesn't bow to just anyone for the first time in years Roy wondered what kind of man he had truly become Roy stared at the Wild Mustang in the stall arms crossed irritation flickering across his face you ever going to name him buck asked from

behind amused Roy exhaled sharply glancing at the horse's dust colored coat the scars along his flanks the way he stood still completely unbothered by the world around him something about him felt Untouchable Hermes Roy said almost offhandedly fastest God there was the Mustangs ear twitched Buck smirked hope you can keep up with him the first time Roy rode Hermes it wasn't in an empty field with patient training it was inside the practice track at Calder Ranch under the skeptical eyes of his stable hands your going to try riding him bucket asked leaning against the fence

arms crossed Mustang ate the same as a show Pony kid you don't break them the usual way Roy had ignored him with a sharp grip on the reins he mounted waiting for the inevitable resistance the fight the Bucking but it never came Hermes didn't fight him he didn't bolt or rear or throw Roy off he simply stood still watching waiting then when Roy nudged him forward he moved smoothly naturally like he had been waiting for the command all along and that was the moment the first dangerous seat of arrogance where Roy thought maybe I really

am that good Roy didn't waste time two weeks later he entered Hermes in a low stakes qualifier race it wasn't meant to be a real challenge just a small endurance run a warm-up event for lesser known Riders looking to move up the circuit he entered at the last minute more as a test than a serious attempt at winning but then Hermes ran and the world stopped to watch Roy barely had to guide him the Mustang devoured the track his strides powerful his Hoops eating up the dirt like he had fire in his blood the other

horses prized trained pedigreed struggled to keep up and Roy he sat there barely needing to touch the rains barely needing to push Hermes forward it was like riding the wind itself Hermes won by 10 lengths the other jockeys didn't even know what hit them they had trained their horses for years this was just some Wild Mustang it didn't make sense when Roy stepped off grinning hands still gloved in fine leather Buck was there shaking his head that horse ain't normal Roy only smirked brushing dirt off his jacket or maybe I just know how to pick

them after that there was no stopping them Roy entered Hermes in every competition that mattered Sprints endurance circuit steeple chases each time people expected him to finally lose each time he won the first few victories people called it luck a fluke but then Hermes kept winning effortlessly the Mustang never tired never faltered he could run for Miles without breaking Rhythm outlasting even the best trained thoroughbreds in Sprints he was Unstoppable his strides powerful and fluid and Roy Roy let it go to his head reporters swarmed him desperate to know his secret Training Method you see

Roy would say standing in his perfectly tailored suits adjusting the gold cufflink s on his wrist a great Rider makes a great horse it's all about control discipline and knowing how to bring out the best the words tasted good in his mouth because he believed it he was the reason Hermes was winning wasn't he the racing Community didn't know what to do with him they ran blood tests nothing illegal they examined Hermes Hooves muscles breathing nothing out of the ordinary they studied Roy's writing techniques no one could explain it some people called Hermes a freak

of nature others claimed Roy had found some secret Training Method that defied everything they knew about racehorses the truth was simpler Hermes was just that good and Roy Roy let himself believe he was even better the praise was intoxicating he started dismissing his Rivals belittling them in interviews when a fellow jockey asked for advice Roy barely spared him a glance some people have talent some don't when reporters praised Hermes Roy would correct them it's not just the horse it's me and he believed it he had to because if it wasn't his skill if Hermes was

just winning on his own then what was Roy really worth one evening after yet another Victory Buck found Roy standing outside hermes's stall watching the horse through the wooden slats the Mustangs stood quiet and still gazing out into the distance staring past the fences you ever wonder why he's winning for You Buck asked Roy barely glanced at him because I trained him buck chuckled that right Roy felt his irritation Spike you don't think so Buck leaned on the stall shaking his head I think that horse ain't running for you he's running cuz he wants to

big difference Roy scoffed you're saying he just decides to win I'm saying Buck said voice steady you ain't steering him that horse don't need you kid you ever notice you think you're guiding him but he's reading the track he's reading the pack he's the one winning the races Roy bristled you're just trying to take away my credit Buck Shrugged believe what you want then he nodded toward Hermes but I'd start wondering why a wild horse lets a man ride him at all Roy clenched his jaw none of it mattered tomorrow they' win again this story

took us a lot of time so if you're enjoying it subscribe to our Channel it means a lot to us now back to the story the first mistake was small hardly noticeable to anyone but Roy it happened during a mid-tier Sprint race one of the easier competitions leading up to the championship circuits they had won races like this before without even trying but this time Hermes hesitated it was just a fraction of a second a momentary misstep in the second turn the kind of thing most Riders wouldn't have caught but Roy felt it it unsettled

him still they won barely after crossing the Finish Line Roy let out a slow breath forcing a grin as the cameras flashed as the crowd cheered but beneath it his mind was already running calculations what had happened he replayed the race in his head was it the track the weather had he pulled the rins too late or had Hermes ignored him the thought made his skin prickle no that wasn't possible he was in control it was nothing a fluke a bad step so Roy dismissed it but then it happened again and again and then they

lost it wasn't a major loss just a second place finish barely a fraction behind the lead horse but to Roy it felt like humiliation after months of domination of crushing his competition of walking away from every race untouched someone had beaten him the reporter smelled blood in the water Roy called her just a lucky streak was it the horse not the rider after all has the wild Miracle lost his magic Roy slammed the newspaper down on his desk his fingers curling into fists lucky streak they thought he wasn't responsible for the winds that it was

all the horse he could feel his pulse hammering in his ears no they were wrong it wasn't luck it wasn't magic he had made Hermes a winner and he would prove it he started training Hermes harder pushing him in ways he hadn't before longer runs faster starts more discipline he wasn't going to let a wild horse dictate the rules Roy was the rider Roy was in control except Hermes fought him at first it was subtle small resistances moments where the Mustang refused to obey a command then it became clear Defiance when Roy ordered him left

he went right when Roy tried to slow him down he refused when Roy pushed him harder he dug his Hooves in and stopped not in fear not in exhaustion in refusal Roy saw the way buck and the ranch hands watched him saw the way they whispered when Hermes ignored him the humiliation burned he couldn't lose control not over this hermes's move but the mustang didn't his muscles were coiled strong ready but he refused to take another step Roy's patience snapped he gritted his teeth grabbed the reins harder and kicked his heels into hermes's sides the

Mustang reared back violently Roy had to grip the saddle his heart lurching into his throat as Hermes spun Hooves slicing through the air a normal horse would have panicked bolted thrown him Hermes just stared at him eyes burning silent untamed and in that moment Roy finally saw it he wasn't breaking Hermes he was losing him that night Roy sat alone in his study staring at the championship trophies on the Shelf the golden plaques the engraved names the endless reminders of how powerful he had been but now the victories felt different had it really been him

or had it always been Hermes the thought terrified him because if he wasn't in control if he wasn't the reason they had won then what was he the headlines cut Deep Roy Calder a lucky streak or a fraud the fall of the wild miracle is this the end for Hermes Roy threw the newspaper across the room his jaw tightening as the pages scattered across the floor fraud fraud like he was some nobody who had just stumbled into greatness like it hadn't been his skill his discipline his genius that turned Hermes into a champion the losses

had come faster than he could process at first Hermes had just resisted subtle missteps moments where the Mustang seemed to hesitate when Roy gave a command but now now Hermes wasn't running at all and Roy had no idea why Try Again Roy ordered gripping the reins tightly as he sat on hermes's back in the middle of the training track his breathing was ragged his patience razor thin the ranch hand stood in Silence by the fences watching judging Whispering Buck leaned against the rail arms crossed maybe it's time to quit kid Roy shot him a glare

I don't quit Hermes hadn't moved the Mustang stood stock still muscles tensed ears flicking slightly as if listening to something Roy couldn't hear Roy gritted his teeth move damn it nothing I said move he kicked his heels into hermes's sides the Mustang didn't budge Roy could feel heat rising in his face the embarrassment settling into his bones what was happening why was the horse his horse refusing him hermes's head turned slightly his dark eyes locking onto Roy's something passed between them something Roy didn't want to understand the Mustangs gaze was calm steady not wild not

Not Afraid not angry just waiting as if testing Roy and Roy hated it he yanked the rain sharply frustration bubbling over you think you get to decide when we run you're nothing without me nothing the second the words left his mouth he regretted them a silence fell over the track the ranch hands turned away pretending they hadn't heard Buck let out a long sigh and shook his head and Hermes the Mustang closed his eyes it wasn't submission it wasn't Defiance it was disappointment Roy's grip loosened on the rains for the first time in his life

he felt small he slid off hermes's back his boots crunching against the dirt he stood there staring at the Mustang as if looking at him for the first time hermy simply turned his head toward the open land beyond the fence staring past it past everything Roy followed his gaze out there Beyond The Ranch the land stretched endless and free the golden Fields rolled into the Horizon where the sky met the the mountains for the first time Roy understood Hermes wasn't just resisting him he was rejecting the life Roy had forced on him a life he

had never chosen that night Roy sat alone in his study staring at a bottle of whiskey he hadn't touched his trophies lined the walls shining mockingly under the dim light you're nothing without me he had said that like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum he thought about how Hermes had looked at him not with anger but with sadness Roy ran a hand through his hair exhaling sharply what had he become the next morning Buck found him by Hermes stall arms crossed staring at the Mustang like a man standing at the edge of a decision you

know what you got to do buck said simply Roy didn't answer right away instead he opened the stall door and stepped inside Hermes turned his dark eyes meeting Roy's the Mustang didn't back away he didn't move forward either he just stood there waiting Roy swallowed hard I can't force you to stay Hermes didn't blink you weren't meant to be locked up not by me not by anyone his voice was rough uneven the words felt right even though they hurt Roy took a breath and made his decision I'm letting you go this story took us a

lot of time so if you are enjoying it subscribe to our Channel it means a lot to us now back to the story the drive to the Prairie was silent Roy sat behind the wheel of his black truck hands gripping the steering wheel tighter than necessary the sun had just begun to rise casting Long Shadows across the endless Fields stretching beyond the windshield the only sound was the steady Rumble of the tires against the dirt road and the occasional rustling from the trailer hitch to the back Hermes Roy hadn't told anyone he was doing this

not Buck not his trainers this was something he had to do alone the Mustang hadn't fought when Roy had led him into the trailer that morning no resistance no Defiance just that same quiet unreadable expression like he already knew what was coming maybe he did Roy clenched his jaw and pressed the gas a little harder the Prairie stretched wide and open Untouched by fences or man-made roads this was Mustang land the kind of place where Hermes should have been all along Roy pulled the truck to a stop dust swirling up in the early morning light

for a moment he just sat there gripping the wheel staring out at the vast empty ahead then with a slow breath he stepped out and walked to the back of the trailer he hesitated before unlatching the gate his fingers hovered over the cold metal and for the first time in a long time doubt crept in could he really do this was he making a mistake then he looked back at Hermes the Mustang stood completely still inside the trailer his dark eyes locked onto Roy's no fear no hesitation just waiting Roy swallowed hard and unlatched the

gate for a long moment nothing happened Hermes didn't bolt didn't charge into the open land ahead of him he just stepped down slow and deliberate his Hooves crunching against the dry Earth then he turned to Roy and just stood there the weight in Roy's chest tightened go on he muttered waving a hand you're free now Hermes didn't move Roy exhaled sharply frustration and something dangerously close to pain tightening his throat isn't this what you wanted his voice Rose slightly ly rougher than intended this whole time you fought me ignored me refused me well now you

don't have to anymore hermes's ears flicked forward listening Roy let out a bitter laugh and rubbed a hand over his face hell maybe Buck was right maybe I was never the one in charge maybe I was just lucky enough to ride you for a while he looked away swallowing down the lump forming in his throat you don't belong to me he admitted you never did still Hermes didn't move and that's when it hit Roy Hermes wasn't leaving not yet not because he was waiting for permission because he was waiting for Roy to understand Roy felt

his hands tremble slightly as he let out a slow shuttering breath this wasn't just about letting Hermes go this was about letting himself go letting go of the idea that winning made him worth something letting go of the pride that had blinded him letting go of the fear that without control he was nothing for the first time in years he didn't feel empty he felt at peace he turned back to Hermes and took a single step forward the Mustang lowered his head just slightly not a bow like the first time not submission acknowledgement then finally

Hermes turned Roy watched his heart hammering as the Mustang broke into a trot then a full Gallop dust kicking up behind him as he disappeared into the Horizon Roy stayed there long after Hermes was gone staring out at the empty Plains and for the first time in his life he didn't feel like he had lost something he had given something and in doing so he had finally won Roy Calder had spent his life chasing noise the Roar of a crowd the Thunder of hooves pounding against dirt the clinking of whiskey glasses at Victory parties the

hum of reporters firing off questions microphones shoved toward his face demanding to know how it felt to be unstoppable now there was only silence it stretched across the ranch like a heavy fog thick and uncomfortable Hermes was gone it had been 3 days since Roy had let him go 3 days of waking up expecting to hear hoof beats in the morning 3 days of glancing toward the Stables only to remember there was nothing there 3 days of feeling something inside him ache but not break he had done the right thing hadn't he Roy poured himself

a drink leaning against the wooden porch railing staring out at the open land Beyond The Ranch the sky was painted in deep purples and oranges the last hints of daylight Fading Into The Hills Somewhere Out There Hermes was running free Roy should have felt peace should have felt lighter instead he just felt Hollow not regretful not exactly just waiting for what he wasn't sure he tipped the glass to his lips letting the bourbon burn down his throat he had spent so long thinking winning was everything that without it he wouldn't know who he was but

now with nothing left to win who was the ranch had grown quiet without Hermes the stable hands still did their work the horses still trained but there was a weight in the air even Buck usually full of smart remarks and Gruff wisdom hadn't said much Roy wasn't sure if he was Greatful or if the silence was driving him insane he set the glass down running a hand through his hair maybe he should go back to the city maybe the ranch was too damn big too empty maybe a sound broke through the still ESS a sound

Roy hadn't expected to hear again goof beats steady purposeful Roy froze heart slamming into his ribs for a second he thought he was imagining it then slowly he turned and there standing at the edge of the pasture just beyond the last wooden fence was Hermes Roy couldn't move the Mustang stood bathed in the Dying Light Of Sunset his coat catching the last golden Rays making him look almost otherworldly he was different not in body not in form but presence Hermes looked wilder than before as if 3 days had Stripped Away the last traces of captivity

leaving behind something Untamed something Eternal and yet he had come back Roy's throat tightened Hermes had a choice he had always had a choice and still he had returned Roy stepped forward his boots crunching against the dry Earth you're back the words felt small compared to the moment Hermes didn't move didn't step forward just watched him Roy let out a slow breath his chest tight with something he couldn't name you don't want to stay do you he asked softly silence Hermes shifted his weight slightly but made no move to leave it wasn't about staying it

wasn't about leaving it was about something else and then Roy understood Hermes wasn't coming back to be owned he wasn't coming back to be ridden to be caged to be controlled he was coming back for Roy not as a possession as a partner Roy let out a soft laugh shaking his head you stubborn bastard Hermes flicked his ears forward Roy exhaled looking at the vast land behind the Mustang then back at the Stables then back at Hermes a silent question passed between them one last ride one last chance to get it right Roy took a

slow step forward Hermes didn't back away another step closer now this wasn't about control it had never been about control all right Roy murmured letun do this right this time he reached out fingers brushing against Hermes M for the first time the Mustang leaned into his touch and in that moment Roy called her once a man obsessed with winning with power with proving himself finally understood the difference between owning and belonging Roy woke before the sun he hadn't set an alarm didn't need to his body just knew something was different for the first time in

his life he wasn't waking up thinking about winning he was waking up thinking about Hermes the house was quiet as as he pulled on a worn flannel shirt leaving the buttons undone at the top he stepped into his jeans laced up his boots and grabbed his hat off the hook by the door out in the pastures the world was still gray the first hints of dawn stretching across the land the cool air smelled like fresh Earth Dew covered grass and possibility and at the edge of the fence Hermes was waiting not in a stall not

in a paddock just standing there watching Roy no saddle no Bridal just him in the open land behind him Roy swallowed hard you came back he murmured stepping forward guess that means we start over Hermes flicked his tail but didn't move didn't resist this wasn't a horse waiting for orders this was an invitation Roy exhaled stepping closer heart hammering slightly in his chest not from fear not from doubt but because for the first time he was about to do something without trying to control the outcome all right he said softly no Saddles no ropes no

rins hermes's ears twitched we do this on your terms Roy continued you tell me what you need I'll listen he meant it and Hermes knew it training was unlike anything Roy had ever done there were no bits no crops no bridles there was no shouting no forcing instead Roy spent his days in the field learning to read the Mustangs body language if Hermes moved left Roy moved with him if Hermes slowed Roy waited if hermy stopped Roy stopped at first the the ranch hands watched from a distance murmuring they had seen Roy Calder break stallions

before now they were watching him learn Buck leaned against the fence one morning watching Roy work the old cowboy took a slow sip of coffee before saying ain't never seen you move that slow before Roy didn't look up ain't never had to before Buck smirked guess you're finally figuring out you ain't the smartest one in this partnership Roy didn't argue for once he agreed the first time Roy rode Hermes again it wasn't for a race it wasn't for competition for money for trophies it was just a ride Roy climbed onto the Mustangs back without a

saddle without a bridal without any of the things he used to think made him a rider Hermes didn't bolt didn't fight didn't hesitate because this time Roy wasn't taking he was trusting and Hermes for the first time he trusted Roy too the final test came naturally Roy wasn't looking for it but the moment found him anyway a letter arrived that afternoon an invitation a legendary endurance race one of the hardest in the country miles of treacherous terrain steep hills Rocky passes rivers that needed Crossing Only the strongest Partnerships survived it Roy stared at the invitation

for a long time he looked out at the field where Hermes stood grazing Wild and Free and whole then he folded the letter shoved it in his pocket and walked outside Hermes lifted his head ears perked forward Roy smirked one last Last Ride Hermes didn't move didn't resist and then with the ease of a river finally finding its course he stepped forward this story took us a lot of time so if you are enjoying it subscribe to our Channel it means a lot to us now back to the story the morning of the race was

cold and sharp the kind of air that bit at your lungs when you breathed in too deep the sun had barely risen casting golden streaks across the sky the world caught between night and day hesitation and motion Roy stood at the starting line Hermes beside him beb Bridal free the other Riders threw in looks some amused some confused a few downright irritated a Mustang without a saddle without RS competing against some of the finest endurance horses in the country the official called for Riders to mount Roy didn't rush he placed a hand on hermes's neck

feeling the solid strength beneath him you ready Hermes flicked an ear Roy took that as a yes with practiced ease he swung himself on a Hermes back no rope no bit just trust the other horses pranced and tossed their heads the energy around them crackling with tension Hermes he stood still waiting the gun fired and the world erupted hes lunged forward dirt kicked High into the air Hooves thundered against the earth a stampede of raw power surging ahead Roy didn't yank the rains there were no rains to yank instead he leaned forward hands resting lightly

on hermes's neck letting him him decide and Hermes ran faster than Roy expected faster than any of them expected the wind howled past Roy's ears whipping at his clothes his heart hammering with a mixture of exhilaration and something deeper something sacred this was not a rider commanding his horse this was a horse carrying his rider the first few miles were steady a warm-up Roy watched the other horses watched their meticulous pacing their cautious footing it was a long race endurance mattered the terrain shifted from Open Fields to rough Trails sharp turns thick patches of trees

the first real test came at a narrow pass where Riders had to maneuver through a steep descent Roy sat deep in his seat loosening his grip on hermes's man he let Hermes handle it the Mustang picked his way through the trail with instinctual Precision moving in a way that told Roy he had navigated land like this before Roy's competitors weren't so lucky a few horses stumbled some hesit ated Riders jerked at Reigns demanded too much one horse refused to move altogether its Rider shouting in frustration Roy didn't look back he and Hermes were already ahead

halfway through the race Roy could feel the strain settling into the other Riders they had pushed too hard too early their horses labored under the effort chests heaving strides shortening but Hermes Hermes was just getting started Roy could feel it the steady Rhythm of the Mustangs breathing the smooth efficiency of his movements he wasn't tiring he was calculating and then without warning Hermes changed course Roy felt it the shift in weight the decision happening beneath him A New Path a better path Roy had a split second to react the old him the one from before

would have fought it would have forced Hermes back onto the marked track would have tried to control the race but not now Roy let go go he murmured and Hermes went he through the terrain like water finds a riverbed following a Hidden Trail that no other Rider had noticed Roy didn't question it didn't doubt it for the first time he wasn't leading the race he was part of it the final stretch loomed ahead a brutal incline leading to the finish line on the other side the last push the deciding moment Roy and Hermes surged forward

the other Riders scrambling to match their Pace hermes's muscles coiled his breath strong and steady but the real test wasn't the climb it was the final jump a river cut across the path too wide to stride through the only way past was to jump or slow down the other horses hesitated their Riders pulling at Reigns calculating risks Hermes did not hesitate Roy barely had time to grip his man before Hermes launched into the air it felt like flying for a brief perfect moment they were weightless suspended between land and Sky between past and future and

when Hermes a Hooves touched Earth again they were ahead they had won Roy didn't hear the cheers at first didn't hear the announcer calling his name all he could hear was the sound of hermes's breathing steady strong not exhausted not spent because this wind wasn't about proving anything it was about understanding something Roy slid off hermes's back his legs shaky his hands trembling with something he hadn't felt in years not dominance not control gratitude he reached up brushing a hand along hermes's neck you knew the way all along didn't you Hermes flicked his tail Roy

laughed softly yeah guess I just needed to learn how to follow the night after the victory Roy couldn't sleep The Ranch House felt too big too still the trophies the newspaper headlines the congratulatory messages on his phone all of it felt Hollow he stepped outside the air cool and quiet the moon hanging low over the hills the wind carried the scent of damp Earth of grass of something old and Untamed something was different The Stables were too quiet Roy's chest tightened as he walked toward hermes's stall his boots crunching softly against the dirt the moment

he reached the door he already knew the stall was empty no broken Gates no struggle Hermes had simply left for a long time Roy just stood there staring feeling something deep in his chest shift stretch then settle he could have panicked could have sent out Riders to track him down could have chased after him but he didn't instead he just breathed because this time he understood he walked for Miles not because he expected to bring Hermes back but because he wanted to say goodbye the Prairie stretched endlessly before him golden in the Moonlight the Wild

Horse herds had begun to stir their Shadows moving across the hills like spirits and then at the highest Ridge he saw him Hermes standing alone silhouetted against the sky Roy's breath hitched the Mustang turned his head slightly dark eyes meeting Roy from across the distance and then slowly deliberately he bowed not submission not obedience respect gratitude a silent acknowledgement of what they had been to each other Roy felt his throat tighten his hands curl slightly at his sides he lifted his chin and bowed back for a moment everything Stood Still then with one last flick

of his tail Hermes turned and ran faster than Roy had ever seen him run free Wild gone and Roy he SM smiled because for the first time he didn't feel like he had lost anything he had let go and in doing so he had finally won thank you for listening don't miss out subscribe now for more captivating stories coming your way tomorrow