This chapter is dedicated to spellboundwriter because, well, she thought of a cooler name for The Viper than I did. I think that deserves some accolades, don't you?
Also, I love this chapter. It was one of those chapters that flowed so easily and is so pivotal to my story. I hope you like it half as much as I do. :)
Riding astride was so different from riding sidesaddle. Swaying with the rhythm of the horse’s easy gait felt much more natural and less like she would be dislodged and flung to the ground without warning. After a few minutes, she felt the anxious tremors disappear from her legs and she found herself enjoying the sensation of riding.
The afternoon was quickly becoming the hour early in the evening when the dipping sun paints everything in a golden hue. Small insects glinted as they flitted through the air around them while a gentle breeze ruffled the grass and the nearby trees.
King Daddy had always been careful that her nursemaids never tell stories with magic in them. He said that magic was something that ignorant people clung to. However, in the quiet rhythm of hoof steps and the bay’s steady breathing, she almost believed there was magic in the sunlight, saturating her hair and skin with its effervescent power.
Will was as silent as she, seeming to be drinking in the moments. Several times that day, he’d spoken of racing horses, of the wind whipping his face, of moving as one with an animal while the ground sped by in a blur. He wasn’t much for speaking in poems, so when he’d spoken like that, she knew he felt a connection that she did not understand, a spiritual connection of some sort.
Maybe it was curiosity, wanting to feel that alive, that did it. Perhaps it was just to do something nice just because Will would enjoy it. Possibly, it was a streak of recklessness. Gabby nudged the horse, urging him to go a little faster.
The bay picked up his feet, the thumping of his hooves on the ground beat a quicker rhythm and Gabby adjusted herself to move with him at this faster pace.
Faster, she nudged him. Her heart beat harder, pumping in rhythm with the hoof beats.
Again, faster. The bay began to trot, his hooves now beating a staccato, and Gabby bounced on his back. At first, she felt some fear returning as she struggled to regain her sense of rhythm and balance. Confidence. The word popped into her thoughts. She focused and after a moment, fell into an easy rhythm with her legs holding her steady.
Faster.
Faster.
Faster. The wind began to lick her cheeks and caress her hair; its coolness soothed hidden aches. Old worries began to disappear, brushed off by the stiff breeze and left behind on the grass behind her.
Faster. Cantering now, Gabriella had to shift again to move with the new gait. It was smoother, rolling, sweet in her stomach. In many ways, it was easier to ride at this bold speed than the conservative, almost tentative trotting.
She felt the horse responding to her as she responded to the horse in a cycle bordering on unity. Gabby knew he wanted to run, not just a jog, but really run. The kind of running that leaves everyone and everything behind, the kind of running that leaves you tingling and breathless. Running that made you feel powerful.
Gabby wanted it too. She leaned forward, concentrating, and gave the horse her signal. Yes. Let’s do this.
The bay opened up into a full gallop and Gabby had to contain a shout of exhilaration. Her skirts billowed behind her in a purple cloud, hair trailing like the tail of an auburn comet, as the horse’s hooves tore up large chunks of earth.
Below her, she could barely see how the grass became a blur because her eyes were prickling with moisture in the wind and some other emotion. Happiness.
After they could run no further, Gabby regretfully slowed the bay to a canter and eventually to a walk. The bay was sweating, foaming in the creases of his skin and wet under the saddle. Gabby was breathless, panting, as she held the reins in her hand. She’d never known she could do that and it felt powerful to know she could.
Reaching down, she stroked the bay’s wet neck. “Good boy. You are a very good boy.”
“That was amazing!”
Gabby jumped. She’d forgotten that Will was there. How had he even held on? Yet, there he was, staring open-mouthed at her and if he hadn’t had a frog’s lips he would still have had a grin wrapped from ear to ear. Aside from his outburst, he seemed to be unable to speak.
She, too, could not contain her smile.
The sound of an approaching horse made her look up and broke into the magic of the moment.
“Your Highness! Are you all right?” It wasn’t a page, but seemed to be one of the grooms a little higher on the equine totem pole, as he was dressed in a much nicer uniform. He was graying a little at the temples and wore an expression of unmasked worry. “We saw the horse take off and were so afraid that—“ he broke off.
Confidence. “No need to worry. I am fine. This horse is tired, though. Would you lead him back to the stable? I will walk back to the palace from here.” She could see that she was almost at the back doors of the palace, just to the east. They had come a long way.
Ignoring the groom’s astonished expression, she swung her leg back over the horse and lowered herself to the ground. She could feel that her hair was tousled as she stroked the bay one more time.
“I’ll see you soon, Liberazione,” she said, using the Italian word for Liberation. Gabby hoped that Will wouldn’t mind that she’d named the horse.
Liberazione nickered softly and nuzzled her cheek, his breath still coming in quick bursts.
Will hopped to the ground from the saddle, which seemed to puzzle the groom even more, and Gabby handed the reins over to the man. He continued to eye the frog. Apparently he had not gotten the decree about the princess’ new companion.
She’d only gone a few steps before remembering Isabella. Turning, she called out to the groom, “Will you see that my lady-in-waiting is brought back to the palace? I will wait for her in my chambers.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
He gaped after her, unable to move for a few moments. For once, Princess Gabriella Persephone Almondine Jane didn’t mind.
Silence reigned until Will and Gabby crossed the threshold into the palace. The spell was broken and suddenly words gushed out. They talked over each other in their excitement.
“I can’t believe I did that!”
“I can’t believe you did that!”
They both laughed.
“No, really, you were phenomenal. I thought you said you couldn’t ride very well.”
“I didn’t think I could ride very well. I’ve never done that before.” She brushed a few wisps of hair out of her face. “My riding masters never let me go faster than a trot. They said it was unladylike.”
“Ha! If there were more ladies who rode like you did just now, maybe there would be fewer mistresses at court.”
Gabriella laughed. It pealed through the elaborately decorated corridor and bounced off the stuffy faces in the portraits. “That sounded like a compliment.”
“Oh, it was. Definitely. I am very impressed. If I could hold reins with these things,” he gestured with his stubby, webbed fingers, “I would be racing you right now. I’m not even sure which one of us would win.”
“Well, maybe it’s best that you’re a frog then, because I’m pretty sure you would lose.” She was surprised by her words. They bubbled up from some unknown source and tumbled from her lips. However, though she was astonished, she did not regret them. No, not at all.
When Gabby and Will reached her chambers, The Viper was waiting, coolly embroidering. The room felt ten degrees colder than the corridors as she slowly fixed her icy gaze on them.
“Ah, yes, Princess. I was wondering when you would return.” She set her needlework down next to her and stood up. “It is past time to get you dressed for dinner.” She sauntered, her back broom stick rigid, to the doors of her dressing room and opened them. Then she looked over toward Princess Gabriella and waited.
Out of habit, Gabby had retreated to her shell again. She struggled against it, fighting for the effervescent warmth of assurance that had filled her only moments before. She was tired of the endless, subtle bossiness of The Viper, the way she laced Gabby’s corset just a little too tight, and pulled her curls into their braids and swirls.
Before today, she had swallowed it without comment, only occasionally lashing out with her own subtleties, never open rebellion. Today, however, she’d tasted liberation. Freedom. Confidence.
Somewhere, hidden beneath layers of jewels and tutors, she, Gabriella Persephone Almondine Jane, was capable.
Will’s words ran through her head, “Always keep your chin up. You can see further, anticipate problems, and conquer.” Gabby put her shoulders back, lifted her sternum, and raised her chin.
“Yes, I will get ready for dinner after I read my brother’s letter. Where did you put it?”
The Viper narrowed her eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. What letter?”
“I know you have one. This morning, Seniore Machiavelli intimated that letters had come today.”
There was a pregnant pause and Gabriella could see that behind her cold eyes, The Viper was quickly recalculating. “Oh!” She changed tactics, deciding that feigned ignorance was best, “There was letter for you, but I hardly thought it appropriate to pry and didn’t look at the name on them.”
She made a show of rummaging for the pocket in her skirt and finally pulled out a folded paper packet with Claudio’s wax seal quite visible on the back. She held it out for Gabriella, but did not move toward her.
Will had been following this exchange quite closely, ready for the usual passive-aggressive war tactics to start bubbling to the surface. He was tense. Though he had no problems teasing them to the point of anger, the underhanded manipulation really rankled him.
He watched Princess Gabriella to see what she would do. Would she once again revert back to the temperamental brat or do something new? He knew that old habits were difficult to defeat, but after her surprising revelations down at the barn, he found himself with a small sliver of hope that maybe her tantrum days were dwindling.
After the exchange with Liberazione this afternoon, Gabby found a striking difference between this out held hand and the one she had offered Liberazione. The Viper’s haughtily extended arm begrudged giving Gabby something that did not rightfully belong to her.
With this dichotomy, Gabby had a new revelation. She was better than wallowing in pettiness with The Viper. Power wasn’t something she could win by pushing someone else around, though The Viper had certainly helped her to think so. Real power came from the same secret, newly discovered place that opened when she galloped.
Whatever the machinations The Viper had devised for this letter—probably to hold it over her head until she’d been sufficiently punished for skipping her studies that day—Gabby was the one with the real strength and she decided that she was finished playing the game. Let The Viper do what she will, Gabby would not be pulled in.
Gabby took a deep breath and said, “Yes, I see that is my letter. Thank you for bringing it to me.” Then she walked as confidently as she could to the chair where she most enjoyed reading her letters, sat down, and looked at The Viper expectantly.
The Viper’s face flushed red from her neck through her ears and Will could detect a slight tremor in her hand that he was pretty sure was not connected to fear. It was more of the rage variety. Her movement toward Princess Gabriella seemed to take a lot of mental effort.
Finally, The Viper handed over the letter and her hand dropped to her side in defeat.
“Yes, thank you. I would appreciate it in the future if you would inform me immediately when letters arrive. This is not the first time you’ve made me wait, but it will be the last if you wish to remain in my service.”
Although Gabby then turned to her letter and did not see, Will watched The Viper grind her teeth in a very unladylike way. With her teeth clenched, her response, “Yes, Your Highness,” came out barely intelligible.
Then The Viper stalked to a couch on the opposite side of the sitting room and sat down, fixing her malevolent glare on Will as he finally hopped away from his hiding spot at the door.
He thought that was a bit unjust. He hadn’t told Gabby to say any of that (though he would have, if he’d had the chance and the brilliance to think of it).
What The Viper knew, though, was that until that slimy thing had arrived, her life was going pretty well.
“Oh! I forgot!” said Gabby, suddenly looking up from her letter. She looked over at The Viper and said, “I realized today that I don’t know your name. What is it?”
The lady in waiting looked as though she’d been handed candied fruit at a public execution. “Acantha,” she said, the syllables sounding awkwardly from her tongue.
Will was a little surprised. He remembered hearing it while studying mythology, but couldn’t remember what it meant.
However, Gabby remembered what it meant and it wasn’t flattering, “Ah, that’s a lovely name. It’s Greek, is it not?”
Acantha did not seem to see the same irony as her companion. “Yes. My parents are great lovers of classics.”
Then Gabby turned back to her letter. Will could see from her facial expression that it troubled her. With a sigh, she carefully folded it and put it in the velvet pouch she kept in her pocket.
“Well then,” she said to the silent room, “Let’s get me ready for dinner.”
Isabella returned while Gabby and Acantha were in the dressing room. She was a little breathless as she quickly scanned the room for occupants. She looked over at Will, where he was perched next to the open window.
“How bad was it?”
“What?” asked Will. “How bad was what?”
“You know,” she stepped a little closer to Will so she could drop her voice, “The cat fight between Gabby and you-know-who.” She whispered the last part, clearly afraid to be overheard.
“There wasn’t one. Well, not on Gabby’s side anyway.”
“What? No, really, tell me the truth. What happened?”
“I’m totally serious. I wouldn’t make a joke of this.” Will caught the expression on Isabella’s face. “Yes, I admit that I make a joke out of many inappropriate things, but not this. I’m still trying to manage my shock and awe.”
With a quick glance at the closed door to the dressing room, where she was supposed to be helping Gabby into her finery, she ran across the room and knelt next to Will. “Okay then. I want to know everything.”
“I don’t know what happened. I really don’t. It was like she was channeling Julius Caesar.”
Isabella raised an eyebrow at him.
“I really am serious. Something happened with her when we got on the horse and after we got off, she was this totally different person. She was trash talking with me.”
“No way.”
“I’m serious. How many times do I have to tell you that?”
“At least five more. This is absolutely the most unbelievable story you’ve concocted yet. Worse than the one about the magic buck in the woods.”
“That really did happen…minus the speaking thing. This time I swear I’m telling the truth.”
“Uh huh. Sure. Well, what happened then?”
“Well, Acantha was pretty mad, but Gabby just ignored it and was, um, well, regal about it. It’s like it didn’t even phase her.”
“What did she say exactly?”
“I can’t remember. It was pretty awesome, though.”
Isabella made a noise of frustration. “I came as fast as could be considered ladylike to stop a disaster and now I wish I’d run faster so I didn’t miss it. Give me details!”
“I just did! If you don’t like my details, you can take your questions to someone else. You’re like a one woman Spanish Inquisition. Anyway, they’re in there,” he gestured with his skinny green arm toward the dressing room, “but I think they’ll be done soon. It’s been long enough.”
As if on cue, the double doors swung open and Gabby entered the room wearing an emerald green dress with a daring waistline—the very latest style. Isabella’s jaw dropped. Gabby had always refused to wear that one. The dressmaker had been furious at the snub.
Behind her, still fuming, lurked Acantha.
“Oh, good Isabella. You made it back. I hope you don’t mind that I left without you.”
“No, not at all.” She smiled. Sometimes having good manners meant small fibs. “Are you ready for dinner then?”
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