"You are going for a ride with Prince Nicholas today." Mother says as she passes me in the hallway. I was on my way to pay a visit to the library but I guess not.
I stop in my tracks and turn around, now all I can see is the back of her walking away. "Mother-"
"This is final!" She points a finger up without looking at me. I groan, throwing my head back. My day is already ruined. I hoist my blue dress up and angrily stomp back to my room to dress in something more equestrian like.
I put on my brown riding boots. They're a little above my ankle, with a heel. I tie the laces and bid goodbye to Estelle who just walked into my room.
Estelle doesn't necessarily have to come with us anymore, she explained. Mother had told her we are to be married so a chaperone is no longer needed when we're together.
I walk past his room making sure to not step on the creaking floorboard this time. If I'm there before he is, I can sneak away and mother won't know we went riding separately.
As Mrs Taylor opens the door for me I see Nicholas and his horse already awaiting on the square. I walk down the way too many steps of the white stairs and stop right on front of him.
For god's sakes.
"Good morning." I say rather annoyed.
"It is not." He murmurs, sitting on top of his horse. It's a beautiful big black horse, with long wavy manes. Nicholas is wearing black leather pants and overall with a white blouse underneath. He seems to be carrying his hunting gear. He thinks we're going hunting?
"What's his name?" I ask.
"Darius." he doesn't seem to like me question, but does he like anything? I don't even think this man has hobbies. Bothering me maybe.
"You're so beautiful." I say stepping forward to rub it's nose. Nicholas turns Darius' head away with a pull at his reigns.
"He does not like being pet." He grits, but his horse is already smelling me. Signalling me it's interested in me.
"Sure." I blow air through my nose in a snort. I grab his headset. And let my hand caress his cheeks. "Hello gorgeous." My voice automatically goes a few pitches higher. He responds by rubbing his head against mine. I giggle and brush his manes out of his face. "Yeah he hates it."
He scoffs, looking to another direction.
With that I quickly hurry inside to grab my hunting gear. I don't hunt, I just like practicing with my bow an arrow. I mean, you never know what could happen so you should always be prepared. Especially with him bringing his, I will not let him be the only carrying a weapon. He has shown me before he can get aggressive I need to be able to protect myself.
I put the strap of the arrow case around my shoulder and walk over to the stables. Which are on the left of the square Nicholas is waiting on me.
"Good morning Matthew can you fetch Willow for me please?" I ask.
"Good morning," he bows. "I already saddled her, she's ready to go." He smiles and handes her reins to me. I grab onto the them just above his hands and the side of mine graces against the side of his. My eyes trace up to meet his and a smile creeps up his face.
I clear my throat. "Thank you."
"Have fun Miss!" He bows. I turn back and nod as a silent way of saying thank you. I climb on top of Willow and feel his eyes on my back.
What was that?
We walk over to the spot Nicholas and Darius are, her hooves clicking on the stones. He furrows his brows in confusion, looking at something behind my shoulder. I turn to look back seeing Matthew still standing there. He then immediately turns around and walks back into the stables.
Willow and Darius starts smelling each other. Their contrast is so cute. The white horse and the taller dark horse.
"What are you waiting for let's go." We already trot away as Nicholas traces behind us with Darius. When he catches up to me, I start to ride a little faster.
I repeat this every time and this goes on for a while until I hear a cuss behind me and suddenly see him and Darius gallop at full speed past me. With this I signal Willow and we speed up to the same speed.
Of course a horse can only run for so long, so we had to let them rest. But then came the real challenge. Coming up with an idea of what to do now. I mean, we are not the conversation having kind together.
I pet willow on her back, she's now eating grass. Every once in while I awkwardly stare at Nicholas, who is standing to my right.
"What?" He sighs, looking up in annoyance.
"What do we do now?" I lean on willow with my head in a hug.
"How would I know."
Then I remember that we brought our bows. I love thinking of new games to beat him in. A smirk appears on my lips.
"What now?" He asks full of anticipation, immediately straightening up.
"We both brought our bows and arrows. Let's have a little contest." I pet Willow one last time and walk over to the direction of the forest. "Here, in the forest. We can choose a point we have to shoot, and whoever hits it in the center the most, wins."
"Alright," he chuckles in vain. "be prepared to loose." How his smugness manages to make me want to scream every single time. He picks up to me and is already walking multiple meters in front of me now. Why does he always walk so fast?
We reach the foot of the forest. "That tree." He points.
"Which one? You could mean like four different ones." Move closer to him to see where he's pointing at from his point of view. He closely watches me as I'm standing right next to him now. "Okay I think I got it." I say a little softer now and I take a few steps back.
I put the arrow in place and pull the bow string back as I raise it so the arrow is at my eye level. I take a deep breath to concentrate, just like my father taught me and then I let go. Feeling the string rip out from beneath my fingers and the arrow shoots with a high level of speed, hitting perfectly in the middle of the tree with a thud.
I turn to Nicholas and raise my shoulders in a mocking manner. He moves over to stand in front of me "Move." He comments. And I step aside because I don't feel like getting hit in the face with an elbow.
He raises his bow like I did, and when he let go the arrow flew so fast I couldn't even comprehend where it went. All I could hear was a creak and the tearing of wood.
When my eyes find the arrow I frown. He shot his arrow directly through mine, my arrow now split in half.
He let's out a condescending chuckle and goes to rip his arrow out of the three, and out of my arrow. I despise how he's better at certain things than me. I'm a good sport, but when he has to rub it in like that it makes my blood boul and that brings out another side of me, the one that wants to get back at him.
I don't know what had gotten into me but I lift my bow once more and aim it directly at him. He turns around and the smirk disappears from his face. "What are you doing?" He mutters monotone. I stay quiet, the ability to think clearly, far too clouded by all the anger he creates in me.
In a flash he raises his bow, I never saw it coming. "I shoot faster than you, I would drop your bow if I were you."
He's correct. His arrow flew into that tree with way more force than mine ever will. I drop my arms next to me body, still holding it tightly.
He lowers his too.
Suddenly I raise it again and shoot.
His eyes widen, but it was too late. He couldn't react anymore. The arrow flew right past his head, nipping his ear. With a powerful thud it goes in the center of another three trunk. I clench my jaw.
I was planning on grabbing Willow and getting out of here, but in a matter of seconds a strong hand clenches around my arm, higher up then the times before.
My head whips around, my hair flipping behind me. "You got the stop grabbing my arm."
"When you stop turning your back on me." He grits, the colour has left his face and his eyes are filled with darkness. He reaches up to grab his ear with his other hand and when he pulls his hand back, it's stained red. His fingers dig in my arm. "Just a few centimetres and you would've killed me."
"If I wanted to, you'd be dead." I scoff. "And you owe me an arrow. Now farewell my prince." I rib my arm from his grip and run over to Willow.
I jump onto her saddle and gallop home with all the speed she has.