The King's Queen

Athena Dacoury

I woke up to the sun shining on my face. For a while I lie in bed thinking of yesterday, of the prince. He was anything but what I had imagined. In my head I had thought of him as a selfish and rather unpleasant person, I have no idea why. But he was so different. He was a nice person that I would have liked to spend time with. Which I now have the chance to do when we stay here for a while.I hear a knock on the door and pull the blanket over my body.

-"Come in!"One of the servants, who I think was named Josette, enters the room.

- "My lady, I bring clothes and a letter from Prince Calavan"

- "Thank you very much, you can put it by the bedside" She does as I asked her and then leaves the room. 

Before I read the letter, I put on a long, white blue dress. The dress was a gift from the king. I open the letter and start reading.

-"Athena, I would love to take you out for a walk in the Royal Garden or maybe a ride around lunchtime. Best regards Calavan" Smiling, I leave the letter and leave the room to look for Calavan. 

I find him in the long corridor.

- "Good morning Prince Calavan"

- "You can call me Cal or Calavan, Athena"

- "Okay, Cal. I would like to go on a horseback ride with you, then I have the opportunity to see more of the area around here"

- "So, do you want to ride right away or do you have something you need to do before?"

-"We can ride right away" 

When we come down to the stable I look around, horses have always fascinated me. The big animals were beautiful.

Calavan walks away towards Castor, the stallion I had decided the name of the day before.

-"You named him, you can ride him."

The stallion snorted contentedly when I patted him on the neck.

Calavan went to another white stallion, who was a little bigger and started to saddle him.When we were done with the horses Calavan helped me up before he himself also jumped up.

We rode on a path through the forest.Halfway into the forest we came across a horse and cart and Calavan stopped.

- "Calavan, I see you have found a woman?" He smiles before shaking hands with a tall man, around 40 years old.

- "She's not mine yet, but soon" He turns and smiles at me.

We stood and talked to the man, whose name I was told has Mattheus Diarneus for a while before we continued the ride.

- "So Athena, tell me a little about yourself"

- "My favorite color is red, my mother died at my birth, I have an older brother and an older sister. My first horse was named Juniper and died when I was 13. All my life my father has tried to marry me off, but it has failed as you probably understand "

- "Why did you not get married? I'm sure you had several sensible choices"

- "I'm not getting married to get rich, I'm getting married for love. Your turn to tell me a little about you Calavan"

- "My favorite color is probably black, I am my father's only heir. My mother died in battle when I was 10. Throughout my life I have loved horses, and I got my first when I was 6, Castor is the last one I bought "The horse I ride now is called Pozier and I have had him since I was 14. I also have 2 hunting dogs named Alonzo and Chiero."

- "So I guess we are both fond of animals"

- "Yes, Do you have your own animal right now?" I sighs.

- "No, my father has several horses and dogs but none that belong only to me."

- "Marry me and you will get whatever you want" He say it jokingly but there is also a certain truth in it.

- "Maybe I will"

We are quiet for most of the ride until we return to the castles and are welcomed by my father and the king.

- "How was the ride my son?"

- "Just good father." After Calavan quit himself, He help me off.

- "Athena, What do you think of the stallions? They are purebred Lusitano stallions"

Calavan roll his eyes at his father.

- "They are amazing" His father smiles at both of us before Calavan start walking towards the stable with me close behind him.

- "You can excuse me father, he likes to hear other people's opinions about things"

- "Your father is a very nice man, so it does not matter"

We fix and set the horses in silence.

A few weeks pass and i and my father still stay in the castle. We have come close to each other, me and Calavan. He has aroused an interest in me.

But Calavan, you can't fool me that easy