Your Highness~ [Lumity Fanfiction AU]

[57]

November forty-second, fourteen twenty.

"Thank you for everything Parvati," Luz bowed. "I pray that we can reunite."

Parvati nodded slowly, ears slanting, "You'll..Be okay..Won't you..?"

Luz softened, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around Parvati. As if not hugging back would kill her, Parvati held Luz tightly, shaking. "If I'm not, this whole trip would have been for nothing. When we return, I'll be expecting my favorite!"

Parvati laughed through a sob, still tense, "Then I'll make it everyday." Parvati sniffled, squeezing Luz. "Please return soon.."

"We'll try our best." Luz rubbed her back. "And we'll be back before winter begins."

^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^

Luz held Gelato's reins, the stallion squealing softly and stepping over a chipped log. "Human, slow down. It's dark, we don't know where we're going." Gelato stumbled.

Paco slowed, wincing when Luz lightly kicked his side, jerking forward. "She's uneasy.." Paco nickered.

Amity stirred in her sleep, Luz tugging at Paco's reins, stilling him. Gelato stopped, Amity humming softly, returning to sleep. Luz glanced over, clicking her tounge softly, Paco walking forward. Gelato snorted, whinnying softly as he scraped his ankle against a bush.

He stilled, Paco stopping and turning, "Gelato, come." Paco huffed.

"I will not move while injured. I wasn't trained to be-- Abused-" He brayed. "I was free! I was free for six months before I was trained-" Gelato whinnied, jerking back. "I lost everything! And this human won't be taking away my Princess too!"

Amity gently brushed her hand against his neck, Gelato stiffening and turning his head. "Relax Gelato, we can't stop the night..But we trust Luz during this time, okay?"

Gelato glared, snorting, "Trusting her will get us killed." He turned his head sharply.

His reins slipped free from Luz's grasp, Gelato stepping back and going around Paco and Luz. "And I'm not allowing that to happen."

Luz pat Paco's neck, the stallion walking after Gelato. Amity looked over at Luz, the human alert, eyes scanning over the woods they walked through. Silently, they walked til the sun rose.

November forty-third, fourteen twenty.

Luz bandaged Gelato's ankle while Amity set up a place to rest, Paco returning with food. "How are you feeling?" Paco nudged apples to Gelato, lying down near him.

"Adventurous. Tell me, has our kind ever tried killing a human?" Gelato rose his head.

"Yes. And their entire bloodline was killed." Paco nudged the apples again. "Eat. It'll make you feel better."

Gelato huffed, leaning down and biting into an apple, raising his head and swallowing the apple, spitting out the stem. "Did the humans tell you that?"

"No." Paco lied his head down. "My mother did."

Gelato looked over, ears pinning back, "What happened?"

"She's alive, if that's what you're wondering." Paco glimpsed at him. "We were all brought in for training at some point during our first year alive, but my mother taught me the second I was born. Stand up straight, stay alert, don't look back, take the chance at death, eat well or get sick, never bite, kill for your rider." Paco exhaled. "Normal things."

Gelato shook his head lightly, "The human said if you die she does as well. One does not qualify, it is vile."

Paco frowned, "And you think you know everything don't you wise Mule?" He rose his head. "I am the last of my breed, the last one to be able to mate with the several other females of my kind. Should I die, they end Luz. They kill her family--" He stood. "And I kill the rest of mine. A seed for a tree, never just a branch."

Gelato cowered, lowering his head til his chin hit the dirt, "Forgive me for bleating, I did not mean to upset you.."

Paco huffed, kneeling back down before his bosom hit the ground. "Eat, Gelato..If you know what's good for you, you'd eat.." He nudged the apples.

Gelato kept his head down as he ate the apples, Paco standing again when Gelato finished. Paco walked away, into the trees, returning with a small basket and setting it down by Gelato. He nudged it over, several apples of different sizes rolling out. Luz returned with Amity, apples and berries in small baskets.

Luz set them down, nearing Gelato, unclipping his saddle. "Hold still you Mule." Luz removed his bit, gently feeling the bars of his mouth. "Forgive me for tugging last night, Gelato. I'm the only one on a time limit here, and I want to get Paco and Amity home before I can't.." Luz rubbed his cheek. "I hope you understand, but it's not an excuse either..I'll get you home too, along with your freedom.."

Gelato sighed, leaning into her palm and gazing at her, "Then you have my trust, Luz. As long as you trust me as well.."

Luz rose with his bit, lightly kicking off his saddle, unclipping his baggage. Paco turned his head, licking his saddle and removing the clip. He rose himself slightly, shaking off his saddle, lying down with a thump.

His ears pinned back, the stallion nodding quickly and opening his mouth. His rein slipped over his head, spitting his bit out and nudging it to Luz. "Good boy Paco." Luz pat his head. "I'll get your breakfast started."

^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^

Amity gazed at Luz, the knight catching sight of her before shaking her head. "We are not stopping so I can pleasure you."

"Why not??" Amity slumped, upset.

"Because if I don't clear my name, register once again to your kingdom, and in less than thirteen (13) days, I will be sent to war." Luz turned. "And you wish to stop so I can pleasure you?"

"Yes."

Luz glared, "For the love of-"

"And no one is around, so I don't have to keep quiet." Amity cut Luz off.

The knight paused, clicking her tounge and sliding off Paco's saddle. "You two go off, return here in twenty (20) minutes."

"Only twenty?" Amity pouted.

"Make that ten (10), Paco." Luz pat his neck.

"No wait-!"

"Come now Princess, I want to treat you tonight." Luz took her hand. "And horses are bad at time so if we don't hurry you'll have run out of time."

Amity slid into Luz's arms, the knight kissing her cheek and holding her up. Paco bit into something in Gelato's satchel, offering it to Luz who winked and walked off with Amity in her arms. "You know how to cover your ears right?" Paco looked to Gelato.

Tis, their adventure continues.