The Lord of the Girl

How Dare She! I Woner if She Likes Horses?

"How DARE she speak to me like that! She has no right to yell as she did, nor make any of the accusations she made!" I realize after I had already said it, that I had said practically the same thing she did.

"Ugh!! I can't get away from her. She's in my thoughts and she won't leave them." Anger pulses through my veins, slowly my thoughts move to her once again. Wondering about her likes and dislikes. "What do you say Callisto? Hm? Do you think that she would enjoy riding you? I know you would. She is quite beautiful, and I know that you have a soft spot for the ladies."

"Your Highness?"

"Yes Ansel, how may help you?"

"Your lesson is to begin shortly. I'm afraid that you must put Callisto away and follow me."

"And what lesson am I running late for?"

"Your Public Speaking Lesson. You are supposed to be working on your Coronation Speech."

"Oh, I see." I don't plan on going to my lesson. I've already memorized my speach and recited it to the whole staff of the castle. I am not in the least bit worried. "Jeffery." I wait until the stable boy comes over, "Prepare Callisto and Kenna for an afternoon ride, I'll be here with a guest before dinner."

"Yes, your majesty." I turn away and stalk off. Why must I always act like a pompous buffoon? I turn around and act as if I'm going to the palace for my lesson, but in reality I head to the gardens the farthest from the castle. They are the most serene place I've ever been. I find my Secret Place and think about my actions. Why did I raise my hand against her? What do I have against her? Yes she made me furious with her words. But I admire her bravery. No one has ever spoken to me like that before. The looks on her servants faces were more than astonished. The old wooden swing hanging from the giant oak tree creaks invitingly. Smiling sadly at the memories of my nurse maid I sit and gently sway in the breeze.

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An hour or so has passed and I feel that I should probably begin heading to the dining hall. I have no doubt that I will have a lengthy discussion with father tonight. He will most likely yell at me for being lazy, for not attending my lesson. But I don't care. He has no more sway to my thoughts.

I take my time with walking back to the Palace and take the opportunity to stop by Faye's room.

Her long dark brown hair fanning out behind her head on the pillow. A large dark spot covers the space beside her eyes, which are red and puffy in the brightly lit room. She wears a normal outfit, consisting of a pair of skinny jeans and a white v-neck t-shirt. I consider waking her, but even though her eyes and her pillow show evidence of her tears she looks so beautiful and peaceful, with the underlying fire hiding beneath her skin.

Admiration and wonder for the girl before me cause me to step out of her rooms and close the door to knock. Pounding on her door, but not necessarily rudely, I wait for her to wake up. I hear a groan and a few incoherent mumbles before the door opens slightly to show Faye's sleepy face. Her expression turns from anger from being awakened, recognition, and finally rage that simmers beneath the surface.

"Hello my prince. Already cashing in your booty call? I'm afraid that it won't be as pleasurable as you might think because I am currently wearing what the doctors called a cast. And it's rough and rather bulky." She brings it from behind the door and pouts at it. "I don't like it at all."  I chuckle gently and remember what she had said before and my smile becomes forced.

"No, I don't come to 'cash in my booty call' as you so elegantly put it. But I'm here to tell you that you are to be attending me on a journey. I'll have a small dinner sent up to you. It's best to eat lightly for this type of adventure." I feel my smile relax. Horseback riding actually is best on a full stomach. But then I realize that it might hinder her enjoyment and I frown. I mentally correct myself and open my mouth to speak again but find Faye giving me a strange look.

"Are you just going to keep staring at me?"

I shake my head. "I apologize. I was lost in thought. Did you say something?"

She sighs. "Yes Your Majesty. I said, and I quote, 'Doesn't that go against your punishment for me?'"

"Yes. But it is I who made this punishment, so I can do whatever I like to you." Faye stiffens and I realize what she might be thinking. "Do you really think so little of me? Yes I regret what I did during our first encounter and I never should have raised my hand against you, but I am deeply offended that you think I just want to have sex with you. I am a prince after all.

The fire beneath her skin sets ablaze in her ocean eyes and she walks through the door and squares her shoulders to me. Trying to match my height even though she is still a good five inches shorter than me. "I have every right to believe that you would do that. You may regret hitting me so hard that I have a bruise on my face as big as a horses hoof, that with every pulse of my heart I feel it in my cheek. And even after that you proceeded to punish me even more. So I have no evidence whatsoever that you might have any sort of morales."

I drop my gaze. Shame coats my words. "I am sorry. I was in the wrong. You out me in my place and it terrified me. That's never happened to me before. My father tries to do that now but his opinion doesn't matter to me anymore. So to hear it from someone I never met before really threw me off." I look up and see that the fire in Faye's eyes has dimmed. The thoughtful look on her face pulls at my heartstrings. I don't know why though.