Chosen

Chapter 36

"What a perfect day," I sighed, closing my eyes and tilting my head to the sun.

I sat atop Salem and Finn rode next to me on Thunderstruck.

"It is," he said, but when I looked over he was looking at me.

"Will you tell me where we are going now?" I asked for the tenth time.

We had been riding for about ten minutes in a direction I didn't recognize.

Inhaling deeply I could have sworn I could smell salty air from the sea.

"Are we going to the beach?" I said excitedly.

"You aren't very good at this whole surprise thing are you?" Finn laughed.

"Well I've never really been surprised now that I think about it," I said rubbing my chin.

"Then you better get used to it," he said and turned Thunder down a trail to our right.

After a minute it broke out onto a cobblestone road that we turned on. A few more minutes and I followed him down a more narrow road that branched off the main one. Another five minutes and I could hear waves in the distance.

"How about a hint?" I asked, too excited to wait anymore.

"Two more seconds," he laughed and motioned in front of us.

We turned around one last bend and there it was.

The most beautiful house I had ever seen. With gray stones and a light wood accent, it was so homey and cute. The house was big but not huge and had big bay windows on each side of an elegant front door.

Wildflowers grew around the front, green ivy snaked up the sides, and rose bushes were under every window. The house looked so perfectly a part of the nature around it yet still clean and manicured.

"Finn," I whispered loudly as he watched me take in the house. "You didn't tell me we were visiting someone! I would have put on something nicer and done my hair!"

I had on riding pants and a white lace tunic, cute, but not ideal for meeting noble people, and my hair was still messy from my nap.

Finn chuckled and dismounted Thunder. He tied his reins loosely to a post in the yard and walked over to me.

"We aren't meeting anyone," he said like it should be obvious.

He helped me dismount Salem and tied her next to Thunder.

"Come on," Finn took my hand and led me to the door. "Oh, almost forgot."

Without a word, Finn swept me off my feet and picked me up.

"What the-," I gasped in shock.

He laughed at my surprise and carried me inside, through the front door.

I was so confused.

Why were we breaking into some random house that he had to carry me through?

"Now then," he sighed with a smile, set me down, and took my hand again. "What do you think?"

Finn gestured to the living room we stood in. It was gorgeous. Everything was so light and aerie with cream woods and white furniture. It felt very unlike the palace with its red and gold and heavy velvet. I preferred this greatly.

A massive window on the back wall had a stunning view of a back porch with a gentle sloping yard that led right to... the beach?!

I literally ran over to it and gazed out.

Gasping, I pressed my nose to the glass.

It was so gorgeous I wanted to cry.

Finn chuckled behind me and I spun around to him.

"You can see the ocean from this house's living room! I didn't know that was possible!" I exclaimed looking back to the ocean.

Finn laughed again and took my hand back.

"Come see the rest," he said.

"But the ocean," I groaned and pointed at it.

"You'll be seeing plenty of it, I promise," Finn pulled me along.

First, he took me over through the living room down a hall that had two massive bedrooms in the same style as the living room, another room that looked like a nursery, and one more that was smaller with a desk and tons of books.

Then back to the living room and through a huge dining area and through to a smaller hallway off to the side.

At the end were two double doors with elegant wood designs. Dropping my hand he opened both doors at once and gestured for me to go first.

I gasped at how beautiful it was. The room was gorgeous with a huge bed in the middle. It had white fluffy everything- blankets, big pillows, and little pillows. It was canopied by a sheer white drape that could be pulled close. I walked over and ran my fingers over it.

"That is so you can sleep with this open," Finn said from the other side of the room where two huge double doors made of glass stood.

I walked over to him curious and he opened the doors and stood back like before.

The sun was so bright it took me a moment for my eyes to adjust as I stepped out onto a private porch with a spectacular view of the ocean. That wasn't all though, there were tons of wildflowers set up all over the porch. On every surface and scattered on the floor with a clear circle in the middle.

I walked out into the clear middle and looked around beaming.

"This is so beautiful," I gasped, taking in everything.

"So you like it then?" Finn asked, still standing inside. He was watching me admiringly.

"How could I not? It's the most gorgeous house in the world!" I laughed looking back at the ocean.

"Good," Finn sounded relieved and it confused me. I looked back at him and he stepped out to join me in the middle of the wildflowers. He took a deep breath and smiled at me.

He looked... nervous?

"Is everything okay?" I asked, looking at him more fully.

Finn reached and took both my hands into his.

He looked at me and his expression worried me more, he suddenly looked pale and positively panicked.