𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐁𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐄 | ✎

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟏

I cautiously approach the horse and pet it, feeling the smooth texture of its fur beneath my fingers. "Tally?"

The princess nods. "My mother named her after my late grandmother, Talia."

My heart sinks a bit when she mentions her mother and grandmother. "I see. How old is the horse?"

"Four years old," Elena responds. "Do you want to ride her?"

I stiffen at her question and remember my duties as her bodyguard, not her acquaintance. "Actually, Princess, we should really go ins—"

She interrupts me. "Okay, so that's a yes. Get on her." At the same time, she heads toward a smaller horse that has a brown coat with white spots.

I sigh, hesitantly approaching Tally. The beautiful creature turns around to face me, and I can almost feel her gaze drilling into my soul. I take a deep breath and slowly put one foot in the stirrup, then the other. As I lift myself onto the saddle, I can feel Tally's muscles bunching and unbunching beneath me.

I take a moment to compose myself before grabbing the reins and urging the horse to move forward. Elena leads her horse towards mine, and when they are side by side, she holds out her hand to me, her eyes sparkling. "Let's go."

I take her hand, and she leads me out of the stable and into the open field beyond. The cool night air feels good on my skin, and the stars shine brightly overhead. As we ride, the horses' hooves clatter on the ground, but I feel a sense of worry growing within me.

As the moon rises higher in the sky, casting its light on the field, Elena suddenly turns her head to look at me, her eyes sparkling. "You know, you're not as bad as I thought you would be."

I roll my eyes. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

She laughs. "It is if you want it to be."

When I see a smile cross her lips, I grit my teeth and grip the reins tightly. "Princess, I cannot afford to get distracted on a nighttime ride. What if some bandits happen to pass by?"

Elena raises an eyebrow and narrows her eyes. "Bandits? Seriously? We're literally in the safest area in the country—the palace."

I roll my eyes and take a breath. "Even if this area is safe, it is my duty to always be alert. Just because there is no immediate threat does not mean I should let my guard down."

The princess bursts out laughing, looking completely unbothered by my stern warnings. "Okay, okay. I get it. You're a serious person, Alex."

I sigh and loosen my grip on the reins, trying to relax a bit. "I'm just doing my job, Princess. It's not a matter of being serious or not."

She simply ignores my statement, instead tapping her horse's sides, urging it to pick up the pace. I follow suit, and we ride in silence for a while, listening to the sound of our horses' hooves hitting the ground.

I feel a growing sense of anxiety. I know that this nighttime ride is growing more dangerous by the minute, and I need to stop it before it's too late.

"Princess, we need to turn back now. This is getting too risky," I say firmly, leaning forward in my saddle.

Elena doesn't listen. She continues to ride faster and faster, her laughter echoing across the field.

I grit my teeth, realizing that I have no choice but to yell at her. "Princess, I'm serious. We need to go back now," I repeat, but this time my voice is louder.

The princess finally slows down her horse, bringing it to a stop. But as I pull up beside her, she doesn't look at me, focusing instead on the ground beneath us.