I galloped across the fresh, grassy field, enjoying the crisp Spring air as it smashed against my face. The only sounds I could hear were the winds howl and the loud thudding of my hooves against the ground. It was a far cry from the frantic maids and my father's looming voice that I heard constantly at home.
Suddenly, I noticed a set of thuds that were not my own, growing louder and louder until a light weight tackled my body and a sweet voice graced my ears.
"Mornin' Cass!"
My smaller friend giggled as I tumbled from his full force barge into me, my heavy legs kept me upright as I regained my balance.
Although Alair was built for plowing fields, he couldn't push me over, though he still tried every morning to do so. My heavyweight build was simply too much for his mildly stocky body to topple.
"Morning Alair."
I chuckled, grabbing my friend around his slim waist before pushing him back.
The smaller taur dug his hooves into the soft earth in an attempt to stop my force on his body while his arms pushed at my chest. But even with his efforts, my strong body pushed the cob back with ease, until a small cry forced me to stop.
"Ow ow ow Cass stop!"
Alair huffed in a pained tone, causing me to instantly pull my arms from around him and instead, place my hands on his waist.
"I think I pulled a muscle in my neck."
He giggled, trying to laugh off the obvious pain he felt while roughly massaging the crook of his neck.
I sighed and pulled my friend close to my body, giving him a caring cuddle before apologising for my roughness.
"Sorry."
"Don't be, I should know not to try'n fight off a Royal."
He mumbled with a cheeky grin while nuzzling into my body.
Before I knew it, Alair reared up and wrapped his thick legs around my waist. Giving me a loving hug while his hooves dug into my back lightly. His head rested on mine, his soft breaths slipped through my dusty black locks and tickled my scalp, his slim arms wrapped around my neck while his delicate hands buried themselves in those same off black locks.
I never get hugs like this from anyone... Only Alair...
I couldn't resist, I tackled the cob to the ground while holding his waist tight in my arms. We both fell down with a gentle thud before the sound of Alairs sweet giggles made me chuckle myself.
I love him so much, I could hold him like this all day.
"I was waiting for you to do that, but you'll get your cloak dirty."
My smaller friend huffed, petting my head gently with one hand while the other dusted off the grass from my black over garment.
I had a habit of dragging Alair to the ground when I wanted to cuddle, it was comfier to lay down than to stand up, so it's no surprise that he expected it.
"Sorry."
I sighed with a chuckle.
"But I can hold you better like this."
My friend giggled into my hair while combing it with his delicate digits, making me feel amazingly relaxed before the young taur staggered to his clunky hooves and galloped off. Leaving me on the ground, baffled by how quickly he got away from me.
A playful smirk curled my lip before I pulled my heavy body from the ground and threw off my royal attire. I sprinted after the cob, though I knew I wouldn't catch up to him. He's like a barrel rolling downhill when he starts running, the only thing that'll stop him is an obstacle he couldn't avoid. In this particular case, said obstacle turned out to be the lake. Though it really did amaze me how he managed to dodge every tree that was packed densely around the water.
I trotted up to the waters edge and stared down at Alair, chuckling as he shook himself off, drenching me in the process.
"You need to learn to stop yourself Ali, you can't keep diving head-first into the lake."
I laughed as I helped the smaller taur to his feet.
"I know! I try but my legs get all tangled!"
He laughed in response, making funny hand gestures before getting up and taking hold of my hands. He began backing up slowly and pulling me into the water, which I had no issue with.
Once we both became half-engulfed by the clear water, I expected Alair to start jumping around and splashing me with water, but he didn't. Instead, he kept hold of my hands, gripping them tighter than usual.
"So Cass..."
Alair mumbled in a sweet tone, looking down at our reflection in the water.
"Yeah, Ali?"
I smiled, chuckling at the sweet nickname he'd given me.
Alair hesitated for a moment before looking up to the sky, his long blonde hair draped gently over his back as he did so.
"We'll be together forever, right?"
Ali's voice made me smile as he uttered that simple sentence. However, my heart couldn't help but throb a small bit...
"Alair..."
I sighed, wanting to promise my friend that we'd never be apart.
My father would never allow it...
He looked at me with the sweetest expression, staring into me with those glowing blue eyes. Alairs heart could be viewed through his eyes, he was so full of love that it was difficult to miss.
Which is why I can't break his heart...
I used the grip we had on each others hands to pull him closer to me, so close that our chests touched. Alairs face blushed crimson before I continued.
"Like I've told you, you'll be my bride one day."
I pray that that day will come...
"That's what I like to hear."
Alair chuckled in the most gentle tone, sounding so content with what I said. His head fell into my chest before his hands slipped from mine and instead, hooked themselves up and around my back, resting cupped around my underarm and shoulder.
A crooked smile grew on my face before I hugged Ali back and gave him a gentle kiss on his pale scalp. I sighed into the taurs beautiful blonde locks...many would think I'm cruel for lying to him, but I genuinely held the hope in my heart that I'd be able to choose my own bride one day.
So to me, it isn't lying...
My skin suddenly began heating up at the feeling of warm lips pressing against my chin, making my silent doubts disappear in an instant.
D-did he really just do that?
A light tension grew between my shoulder blades as I found myself flustered from Alairs gentle kiss. I felt his voice vibrate against my skin as he let out a light chuckle.
"Gimme a sec Cass..."
Alair sighed happily before quickly pulling away from me and galloping off into the forest, leaving my body feeling cold and empty. I lay down in the water and waited for my prince to return.
Alair returned a little while later holding an absurd amount of flowers and greenery, I looked at him confused as he gestured me to the waters edge. I staggered to my feet and walked over to the beige coated cob, upon getting closer I realised that the flowers and greens in his hands were actually items. Alair placed the flowers on his head like a crown, the sight of which made my throat go tight. He then shuffled towards me and wrapped a long green leaf around my neck, knotting it loosely into a bow.
"What're you doing?"
I asked curiously, wanting to know what my friend was doing.
"Give me your hand"
Alairs hooves trotted on the spot in an excited manner, making me smile as I gave him my hand.
What Alair did next had me too flustered for words. My eyes widened in shock and my throat grew even tighter.
He took my hand gently before slipping a ring on my finger made from a single, tiny forest daisy. He repeated the same action on his own delicate hand. Then, he clasped our hands together, tight, and pulled another long leaf from his back. Using his free hand he wrapped the leaf around our fists, binding us together. Lastly, Alair placed his hand on our grasp, looking up at me as he did so. I knew what he wanted me to do. I placed my hand atop of his, solidifying the sacred bond he had just created between us.
I closed my eyes and sighed with a gentle smile on my face.
I love him so much...
However, a sudden warmth on my lips knocked me out of my thoughts and into reality. I opened my eyes to see Alairs gorgeous blue eyes looking into my own brown ones deeply. Its amazing how his eyes, so cold in colour, can hold such an amazing amount of warmth and comfort.
"Y-you...y-"
I stuttered, trying to push my words out in disbelief.
"I kissed you Cass."
Ali giggled before giving me another peck. Our hands still rested in one another's grasp, they were the only things stopping our bodies from touching...
I gently unbound our hands before lunging at Alair and pulling him into the biggest hug I could muster.
"I love you, Alair."
I mumbled into his hair with a red face, hoping that he could hear me.
Alair hummed.
"I love you too, Cass."
I sighed both with happiness and relief at Ali's words as I fell to the ground, pulling my future mate with me.
Being with Alair in a place so far from the business of the castle, it made me feel at ease... It made me feel normal. My wish was to build a home one day right beside this very lake, so that Alair and I could spend out lives together without any interference...
But that seems like such a childish dream...
-------------------
We lay close, side by side at the waters edge as dawn turned to dusk. Alair had his head nestled in my side while my arm lay around his waist and my hand played with his thin, beige summer coat. Everything was silent, the only thing to be heard was the occasional splash of water coming from the fish in the lake. I smiled while watching the cobs lightly freckled nose twitch as the wind tickled it, I just wanted to pinch it to stop it from moving.
"Cassius!"
I suddenly heard a stern, familiar voice yell, the loud sound cause Alair to jolt awake and panic slightly. His arms tensed up tight against his chest as a natural way of protection.
"It's just my Chaperone Ali, calm down."
I whispered gently, taking hold of Ali's wrists lightly and pulling his arms from his chest. I don't like seeing him scared.
"I have to go home."
I sighed.
"I-i know."
Alair stuttered in response with a smile.
I took Alairs hands in mine and got us both to our feet.
"Young prince you must not leave such expensive garments in the mud. Your father could have my head for this."
My personal guard spoke as he approached the lake, his golden armour shimmering in the waters reflection. I simply nodded to the large Taur and reluctantly let go of Alair, giving him a gentle smile before I was escorted home.
"Come here tomorrow Cass!"
The cob shouted as we got further away, my heart skipping a beat.
As Always, Alair...
----------------
{Alairs POV}
Deep brown eyes, long sooty black hair with a gorgeous coat to match. Tall chunky body, soft black feathers, grey dapple from dock to withers, flowing all the way up to the neck.
Why is he so perfect.
I wiggled in my bed of blankets at the thought of Cass...my future partner...
I loved him so much, just the thought of him made my heart race and a smile grow on my face.
I clambered to my feet and gave my sleepy mama a kiss goodbye before galloping off to the lake, hoping that Cass would already be there.
--------------------------------------------
I lay there growing sleepy as I waited, all day. No Cass. He never just didn't turn up, he always came and told me if he couldn't stay for long, so the fact that he didn't even appear worried me. I needed to find him.
"Hey Alair!"
A sweet voice yelled from behind me as I walked back into the village. Loo, a Bashkir Curly, came trotting up beside me with her hands behind her back.
"Hey Loo."
I sighed while trotting through the market, my eyes scanning around for Cass. She instantly stopped me in my tracks at the sound of my voice.
Loo stood in front of me with a stern look on her face.
"What's up?"
She huffed, her long, white wavy locks bounced as she nodded her head slightly.
"Nothing."
I smiled.
"I'm just looking for Cass."
"Oh!"
She giggled.
"I saw him by the castle gates. Apparently the head of the next kingdom over is here with his family, so he's probably being held hostage by his father."
I sighed at Loos words, Cass hated that kind of stuff. But with him being one of the heirs to Noren's thrown, he has to shadow his father whenever something important happens.
"Thank you Loo, I'll go rescue him."
I laughed before galloping off.
I managed to spot Cass outside his home, looking rather timid. I was about to gallop up to him when a young Taur, around our age trotted out from behind a very big, very well dressed Taur. A girl...a shire, just like Cass. My pace slowed to a steady walk as I hesitated to approach Cass and the mare, though I didn't need to take another step. Cass spotted me and instantly started towards me, but the girl grabbed his arm and hugged it tight, stopping him from coming to me.
A strong pain emanated from my chest at the sight of someone other than myself holding Cass in such a way. Then an overwhelming amount of jealousy flooded my stocky body as the girl took hold of Cass' hand and kissed his cheek. My heart dropped...
W-what...?
I turned on my hooves and ran, I didn't even think. My arms tensed up tight against my chest and my eyes began to sting. It was a kiss, just a kiss... meaningless...
Right?
As always, i was galloping too fast for my body to stop, my hooves attempted to get a firm grip of the earth beneath them, but they couldn't. I flew face first into the lake that I had come to on instinct, I pulled my soaked head from the water in tears, my arms still completely paralysed.
"Oh my god!"
A high pitch voice suddenly cackled in a cruel tone. I glanced behind me to see the mare laughing at me, while Cass stood staring at me, looking shocked as he tried to catch his breath.
"Who are you?"
I growled, holding back the screams and cries of frustration that I so badly wanted to release.
The mare smiled in such a cocky manner, I wanted to kick her in the chest.
"I'm Merra, Princess of Oln. I'mPrince Cassius' future wife!"
She smirked, taking a strong grip on Cass' hand.
I couldn't move, not just my body, but my lungs seemed to paralyse themselves, along with my heart. Cass told me that I was his and I knew that he'd never lie to me... Well, I thought he wouldn't.
"Ali!"
Loos sweet voice suddenly graced my ears as her adorable face came into view. She trotted past Cass and the mare, ignoring them completely and coming straight to me. She dropped to my level and attempted to pull my arms from my chest, but they were frozen, completely stiff. Instead, she stood me up slowly before wiping the loose tears from my cheeks.
Loo gave Cass an extremely dirty look before whispering to me.
"I'll take you home."
I nodded in response while trembling slightly, my hooves felt too heavy to carry as I turned around to go home. Despite my best effort to stop them, my eyes gravitated to Cass, but what I saw wasn't my Cass....
His head was nestled tight between his broad shoulders, fists clenched and face turned to the floor, trembling. He was upset, I could tell, I wanted to ask what was going on, what happened, but I knew that if I opened my mouth, nothing but abuse would spill out.
Loo took me home, my mother was worried sick when she saw the state of me. I stayed curled up with her all day....I just wanted to be close to someone who loved me...
I can't believe it's been so many years since then...what happened Cass, to this day you still haven't told me. Then again, that's probably because...
I haven't stood face to face with you since that day...
{End}
TBC