The arrows slotted into the bag over my shoulder with a thud and I began the long trek back to the palace. As long as I followed the path I wouldn't get lost.
Why had I let Juniper run off like that? Now I was stuck walking all the way back.
After walking for only five minutes my legs were sore. These boots were meant for riding not walking. I pushed my palm against the closest tree, leaning my body weight against the truck and exhaling loudly as I took a moment to compose myself.
I closed my eyes and listened to the leaves swaying in the breeze, the soft sounds of nature quite relaxing.
The sound of pounding hooves against the ground had me pricking my ears up. The sound was getting louder and I could hear a horse racing towards me, but I couldn't see it.
The horse let out a neigh and I sighed with relief, it was only Juniper.
Juniper came galloping back down the path towards me, but with another rider, a man in a guards uniform. I couldn't make out the person straight away, but they were riding with confidence and they came to me in a matter of moments.
Then I froze.
It wasn't any Officer, it was the dark haired, dark eyed and tall guard, Officer Helton.
He looked just as surprised and uncomfortable as me as he reached me and got off Juniper's back.
"Excuse me miss, your horse came galloping out of the woods and I happened to be on duty. I came to return the horse to you." Officer Helton said briefly, clearly his throat before he did so.
I nod, "Thank you." I say meekly and take the reigns from him, patting along Junipers neck.
I stroke Junipers mane as I put the edge of my boot in the stirrup and pull myself up and over into the saddle.
Then I look down to the guard. I couldn't leave him here, could I?
"Get back on. I'll take us back." I say, nodding my head behind me for him to get on the horse.
Officer Helton steps back and shakes his head firmly, "I can't." His brown eyes leave mine.
"You can. I'm not leaving you." I say and motion to the spot behind me on Juniper's back.
"Prince Thomas doesn't want me coming near you." He states firmly, avoiding my gaze.
Thomas was being annoying. What was it to him that some guard saw me in my underwear? If I could get over it to help the man then I would.
Also, the prince had no right to be annoyed by this. It wasn't like I was spending all my time between my 11 or so boyfriends.
"The prince wouldn't want me leaving one of his guards in the woods would he? Now get on." I take my bow and arrow bag and move them out of the way so the guard has room to get on.
Hesitantly the Officer steps up to the horse and I take my foot from my stirrup to give him something to pull up on. He effortlessly manages to get on the horses back behind me, sitting close so not to fall off.
"I understand this may have put you in an awkward position but it was my fault. And we are going to need to get past it." I say and turn to take his hand, putting it on my shoulder so he can remain stable, he gives me a cautious look though.
"The prince wouldn't be happy about this though, he could take my job. I don't want to be on his bad side." Helton says behind me as I start Juniper at a slow trot down the trail.
I glance back at him briefly, "Don't worry, you've done nothing but do your duty correctly. If Thomas says anything I will make sure you keep your job." I nod and turn back to the trail, leading Juniper down the path more quickly now.
"Thank you miss." Officer Helton thanks me quietly.
I still feel guilty about the whole situation and turn at the slight change in direction on the path.
"You shouldn't be thanking me. I'm sorry Thomas had to be so serious, I had no idea he would talk to you about it. I only told him because he asked, and I didn't want to lie." I say and I see the Officer eyeing my bow and arrows.
"It's ok, he's a good man and is just protective over you. You can tell he likes you." Helton says, running one hand over the detailing of the bow and I can feel his gaze on my back.
"He likes all the girls here." I say and brush it off, focusing on steering my horse but she seems to know where she's going.
"He's different around you. I saw when we had ballroom dancing. You don't realise it but he's never looked at anyone else like that before, I've known him for years." Officer Helton said and I wondered if he was lying or not.
"Well there's still plenty of other girls here."
"Yet everyone knows the selection is hosted more for the public than for him. They draw it out for the publicity, even if perhaps the princes knows who he wants." The officer says, "I know who he'd pick if he had to choose a wife right now."
I blush, looking straight ahead so he can't see. Thinking about the prince wanting to marry me was a fantasy that was slowly creeping up to being a possible reality.
I didn't want to get my hopes up. Yet after this conversation with Officer Helton I had a greater sense of hope.
✿✿✿
Once we got out of the woods Officer Helton insisted he could walk back the rest of the way, and politely got off the horse. Although he still insisted he would escort me back to the stables.
"You don't have to escort me, I'll be fine on my own." I say to Officer Helton who holds Juniper's reigns and leads the horse towards the stables, me still sitting on her back.
"No, I should, even if the Prince doesn't want me around you, I know how he is about looking after the selected." Helton said firmly, guiding the horse along the oval as her hooves patted in the grass.
"Is he really that serious?" I ask, wondering if Thomas is really so persistent about safety and has briefed the guards about it.
I adjust the riding helmet on my head and pull my coat more around my chest, feeling the cold bite at my exposed skin.
"Totally, he had a serious chat with all the guards and staff about keeping you girls protected. And after what happened in your room he was devastated, angry even." The Officer said as he trekked across the oval on foot, his boots clinking against the ground and his hands gripped tight against the leather of the reigns.
"Angry? At who?" I ask and the guard slows, decreasing Junipers speed.
"Himself," I looked back and locked in eye contact with the guard, "I think he felt as if he failed to protect you. He didn't stop whoever did it. I suppose it was a guilt for bringing you here and putting you in danger."
I closed my mouth and kept it shut as it fell dry. It wasn't Thomas's fault at all.
Speaking of the prince, I spied him over by the stables talking to Merida the stable keeper. He hadn't seen us yet.
"Oh, there's Thomas now, you probably should go." I say and lift my leg over to face where Officer Hilton stands.
He offers me a hand to get down and I take it, about to step down when I see his eyes flicker behind him, "He's seen me. He's coming over here."
I panic and try to look to see him but slip from Junipers back, falling and crashing into the guard.
"Oh my I am so sorry, I panicked." I say as I quickly step away to check I didn't hurt the poor guy.
He brushes it off, "You're fine. A lot of people get flustered around the prince."
I go red from embarrassment and turn away from him, only to see Prince Thomas walking quickly over to me.
"Bells, are you ok? I saw you fall." The prince comes in front of me and softens his voice as he examines across my face with weary eyes for damage.
"I'm fine." I say and Thomas nods in relief. When he glances to the guard he does a double take.
"Officer Helton." Prince Thomas says stiffly to the man, and I can tell he's unhappy about this encounter.
"Your highness." Officer Helton gives a bow, and I can tell he's trying to cover up the fact he's nervous.
But he had right to be. Prince Thomas goes right up to him and frowns, "Officer, did you not understand what I told you the last time we spoke. I can have you fired-" His voice was getting louder and angrier so I had to cut him off.
"Thomas, stop." I moved so the prince could look at me and he does, quickly stopping his rant, "Officer Helton was doing his job. He helped me find my horse again, and for that I'm very grateful."
As the prince looks at me his eyes soften from the angry ones that had been looking at the guard.
Does he always look at me like that? Was that what Officer Helton meant before?
Thomas thinks for a moment before turning to the guard, "Fine. But I can't have this happening again, only if you absolutely have to."
The prince sent Officer Helton one last warning glance before sending him off to his post.
The guard glanced at me briefly with thankful brown eyes and I sent him a weak smile.
I take off my helmet and hook it back on its rack before turning to talk to the prince once more.
"Tom, you can't threaten to fire someone if they see me in my underwear." I say and the prince sighs and pulls me into a hug.
"I can and I will. It makes everyone uncomfortable, especially me. I don't like knowing he saw you like that." The prince admitted, his voice in total protective mode.
"But you wouldn't be bothered if half of the girls here have had heaps of boyfriends before this. Would it matter if I wasn't a virgin?" I ask, my voice high and I know I'm being dramatic, my arms flailing around and hitting his chest.
Prince Thomas sighs and runs a hand along my hair, "It wouldn't matter, I can't change what you've done before you came here. All that matters is you being here now. And I got to meet such a wonderful girl like you." His sweet voice and green eyes pull me into him, locking me in his Prince Charming trance.
I'm a virgin, not that I've really talked to Thomas about that kind of thing, but I did turn 18 this year.
It's only when his hand moves to my shoulder that he stops, his arm hitting the edge of my bow slung over my shoulder.
"Bells, what on earth are you doing with this? That's from the training room." He traces the lines on the bow, all the intricate silver details.
I sheepishly pull the bow off my shoulder and hand it to him, "Sorry, I borrowed it to practise some shooting, I was sick of training in that room. It's my favourite one."
Prince Thomas grinned happily, "Your favourite huh? Well this is my bow." He grips it in his hand and lifts it effortlessly, like he's probably done a hundred times before.
"Yours?!" I say, a shocked tone in my voice because I'm so surprised.
"Yeah, I designed it. Usually no ones allowed to use it but me. How did you get this out without someone stopping you?" Prince Thomas asked with a questioning brow.
I blush, "I may have threatened to shoot some of your officers." I duck my head as Thomas laughs.
The prince chuckled and took the bag of arrows from over my shoulder.
"I haven't practised in a while." He pulls an arrow out, the shiny tip glistening in the light. He sets up a shot and goes to shoot right at a wooden target leaning by the entrance to the stable on the ground.
As he shoot the arrow it flys gracefully, landing smack bang in the centre of the wooden target sitting on the ground.
It pierces the wood with a sharp thwack.
"Woah. You're good. So you really made that?" I say and motion to the bow he holds.
"I didn't make it myself, but I custom designed it. It's the best style for me, perfect hand hold, and I decided to make it after all the other bows I had used previously weren't to my liking." The prince explains, turning the bow over in his hands.
"That's so cool. It was my favourite designed one in the training hall." I say and Thomas smiles over at me.
"I didn't know you'd been in there, it's usually royals and guards who go in there." Thomas places the bow gently over his shoulder, along with the arrow bag so they rest on his work shirt.
"I happened to stumble upon it, been there a few times now." I say with a shrug and the prince gives me a proud smile.
"Well how about we head inside and get some dinner, and you can tell me how Officer Helton ended up with your horse."