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I think you are hitting the hurdle we have all hit, faced and found a way around. I didn't want to speak in years so I started speaking in seasons. She was just twelve summers old. This for me personally had the appropriate ring. I also made up my own measurement - she knew it was late because the thirteenth bell had already sounded. Makes no real sense but it to the reader (and to this writer) it maintains a sense of time without bringing it into our time. You continue the "feel" of that medieval or fantastical world. Find something which suits you i.e make it up but don't overdo it where people feel they have to keep notes to understand the times frames. For distance I found it easiest on my sensibilities to speak in time. In other words...."Brittelbury is just a two week ride from here" etc. Again, means nothing but the reader keeps that sense of olde worlde. I think days and nights work fine. So you could say, Hatten Town was a two day walk away. Hours and minutes. Yes, tricky. Hours still work but you might be best off creating your own clock (i.e. the bells I use) or fall back on the other tried and trusted....e.g.midday, noon, dusk, twilight, dawn and so on. For seconds...your idea for heartbeats is spot on...as is moments, etc.

Oh yes, the other measurement I used was moons. I'd say for example....it had been four moons since they had married. Now to most that means months but it sounds so much more appropriate in my medieval style setting.

Don't feel overwhelmed. Every fantasy writer I promise has reached this juncture and found their most comfortable way around it. You will too. F