Royal 2 (Book two in my Selection series)

Chapter 15

We were going horse riding. Which, in fact, I'd never done in my entire life. I held my breath as Tina covered my face in a thin layer of foundation and powder.

"Why so scared, darling?" She asks me.

"I've never even rode a horse before. I'm going to look stupid." I sigh as she finishes my simple makeup with thin eyeliner and mascara with just a dab of blush and eyeshadow.

"Oh no you're not. It's really not that hard either. Just don't hurt the horse and turn the reigns to move. He'll help you I'm sure." She tells me and helps me stand. "Just don't worry about it okay?"

I nod and breathe outwardly. I stand up and pace the room until there was a knock at the door.

I slowly walk and open the door to meet Will in similar attire that I wore. He was in jeans and a button up top with boots.

"I'm guessing you've already figured out where we are going?" He asks.

"Yeah." I laugh a little. "I've always liked horses, but I've never actually rode one." I say as we walk down the hallways.

"Then I'll teach you. I figured you hadn't rode one in a long time. Besides, the palace horses are really well trained." He tells me.

"That's good." I say, but I was still scared to death. We walk out into the gardens and passed the gardens into the stables. There were horses lined in wide open stalls with plenty of room to move around.

"Come look over here." He says to me. I look over to where he stands and peak my head over the stall door. There was a small, dark brown horse with black hair that couldn't be more than a few weeks old.

"It's so adorable." I breathe out like I might disturb it. "Why is it so cute?" My red seemed glued to the small creature.

Will shrugs and laughs at my obsession with the animal.

"Which one do I get to ride?" I ask and turn on my heels to admire the fully grown horses.

"I'll put you on Ali. It's one of Caroline's horses, but she doesn't ride her anymore. She's very calm though so it'll be good." He says and makes his way to another stall. He pulls open the door and brings out a beautiful Palomino.

"Woah." I say in surprise. She was smaller than some of the other horses but looked gentler. "She's beautiful." I mutter and smile as I go up to her.

"You're right." He agreed as he puts a saddle over her back and put her reigns on her. "Okay so to get on there just put your left foot right here." He motions to the stirrup.

I follow his directions and then look up at him. "So This isn't going to kill me?" I ask with an amused laugh.

"Nah I won't let her kill you." He laughs with a glint in his eye. He puts his hand on the back of my back and I felt some sort of chill go through my spine. I couldn't help but wonder if he felt it too. We were both silent for a few long, drawn out seconds and then he speaks again. "Okay so sling your leg over to the other side and you're all set."

I hold my breath as I follow his instructions and then sit up on the horse.

"Look, I didn't die." I smile down at him and he laughs. He turns and brings another dark, sleek horse from a stall and was sitting on its back way faster than I had done mine.

After a bit more instruction and learning how to cue her to walk, trot, or run, we were riding outside the stable and through a meadow.

"Come this way." He says to me from a few feet away on his own horse. I follow him through a wide path in the trees. The path leads to a small opening where the sunlight escapes through the canopy of leaves and the trees were adorned with red fruit.

There was only one word to describe what the setting felt like to me. Romantic. But maybe it was just my imagination playing tricks on me.