The Reluctant Princess - a Novella

Chapter 6 - The Blue Trail

"You did say you were not a good rider..." he teased as he adjusted her stirrups.

She tilted her head to one side and gave him the most annoyed look she could muster.

"I said find me a tame mount," she pointed out, gesturing to the placid horse she was currently sitting atop, "this horse is barely breathing."

He chuckled and his eyes crinkled at the corners with mirth.

"Safety first, darling," he mocked with a ccheeky glint in his eyes,and made to move towards his own horse, who looked about a foot taller than hers and not exactly docile.

"He looks like the devil's spawn!" she murmured, feeling a little apprehensive as Henry mounted the sleek beast effortlessly, and the creature immediately reared, making her heart skip a few beats.

Henry handled the horse with calm composure, murmuring under his breath to it until it calmed down and she could not pry her gaze from the scene before her. He looked confident and strong as he walked the horse around the stable courtyard a few times, until the animal calmed down considerably.

"On second thought," she said once he returned to her side, "I think I will enjoy riding buttercup here..."

Henry nodded his approval and leaned in to pat her mare's head, but when he spoke his eyes were on Elizabeth.

"Good girl..." he said softly, and the words sent a warm, tingling sensation down her spine, even though she knew perfectly well that he was addressing her mare.

They set off at an easy pace down the path that led to the wooded area of the grounds and Henry began to explain how the different paths were laid out, each marked by colored ribbons to denote difficulty level.

"White is the beginner path" he said, turning toward the two trees marked by the white ribbons "Black is for reckless fools like me. Blue is somewhere in the middle..."

She scoffed.

"I said I was not experienced; I didn't say I was disabled, Henry. Can we not at least take the blue path?"

He shook his head and continued down the white path.

"Baby steps, darling," he insisted, "You strike me as the type to do something reckless just to irk me. White path it is, follow me."

She rolled her eyes, but followed down the meandering path, trying to enjoy the stroll, even though she was pretty sure he was purposely trying to aggravate her. She became increasingly restless, but managed to keep her impatience in check, until they reached a clearing that stretched for several hundred yards. Seizing the opportunity, she urged her mare forward and, to her delight, the little thing responded and set off at a brisk trot and surprised them both when she passed him on the path.

When she incited her mount further and the beast set off at a respectable speed, she let out a cry of delight, and when her bonnet flew off and her dark curls came loose, whipping in the wind, she felt giddy. She could not repress the grin that split her face and when she looked back, she saw Henry easily gaining on her.

"Slow down, you little fool!" he called out, and she knew he was trying to sound stern, but there was amusement in his voice, because they both knew that if he really wanted, he could easily overtake her and her pitiful horse in two strides.

Begrudgingly, she did slow her horse, as they were nearing the edge of the forest and she knew enough not to burst through the foliage at high speeds without previous knowledge of the terrain.

He came up beside her and took her reins.

"How you managed to light a fire under this old tub of lard, I will never know..." he said, tugging her horse towards the trees by the bridle.