The Untamed Princess

Chapter Ten: The King's Dilemma

In all honesty, Zhao Weisheng really need not have worried.  Ming Yue was in her element, letting Xun take the lead once she was certain he was aware of what she was asking of him.  By now, the four horses had entered the forest at the edge of the grassy plains.  Whilst it was now more difficult to see them with the naked eye, following the trail they left behind was easier due to the number of broken branches they left in their wake.

Also, the more challenging terrain would only slow the animals down, meaning that Ming Yue was confident that she was gaining on them with every second that passed.  For the most part, she put her trust in Xun's instincts, only guiding him occasionally with a gentle push from her mind rather than using the reins.

Before too long, they spotted the runaways.  The four horses had come to a stop under a large tree, breathing heavily.  Not wanting to spook them any further, Ming Yue pushed some encouragement towards Xun, and he let out a gentle neigh.

Recognising their fellow equine companion, the animals tentatively approached, and Ming Yue reached out to all of them with her mind, urging them to follow Xun back to the rest of the group, and trying to reassure them that it was safe.

Communicating with animals in numbers was always a bit more taxing, particularly the more intelligent ones, and she was starting to feel the strain, but it was still no more than she could handle.  The horses gradually surrounded her, and she waited to make a move back the way they had come until she felt that they were fully settled and open to her emotions, to the extent that she could quell any further instinct in them to bolt.

The newly formed group started to make its way back through the forest, with Ming Yue and Xun at the helm.  She gave her horse a gentle pat of appreciation and encouragement, and he tossed his head, a bit boastfully Ming Yue thought.

"Alright big guy," she projected. "You did well."

No more than twenty steps from the edge of the forest, Ming Yue and her convoy came face to face with a very anxious prince.  She immediately stopped and blinked in surprise.  Quite frankly, she had completely forgotten about anything other than retrieving the frightened animals.  It had never even occurred to her what the rest of the group would do once they saw her shoot off in pursuit of the runners.

Having recovered from the shock of seeing the young woman at the head of four very docile horses simply plodding along behind her without any form of tether, Zhao Weisheng let out an exasperated sigh.

"Trouble did not find you this time!" he said.  "You definitely went looking for it!"

Ming Yue pondered.  She couldn't really argue.  She had been the one to go haring off after the escaping animals.  Consequently, rather than defend her actions, she chose to shrug them off.

"No harm, no foul?" she said, hopefully.

Weisheng just looked at her.

She felt a sudden urge to fill the silence.

"So, we were just on our way back.  Care to join us?"

Resigning himself to the fact that he was definitely not the knight in shining armour of this scenario, he turned his horse around and settled alongside Ming Yue as they made their way back to the others.

***

When they reached the rest of the group, very little was said, and they continued on in relative silence.

Ming Yue took up her usual position behind the prince and Luo Jian, giving Xun a reassuring pat on the neck every now and again.

To be honest, the less that was said the better as far as Ming Yue and Weisheng were concerned, although the unspoken tension between the two of them seemed to permeate the entire group.