𝕎ℝ𝕀𝕋𝔼𝕋𝕆𝔹𝔼ℝ 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟛

SADDLE

A/N: On my phone once again. Platonic yanderes today because I need some platonic fluff, reader is 10-13 years old.

You were a stable hand. That was your job at the castle. You took care of the horses and sometimes helped the gardeners on slow days.

You didn't mind the work. You enjoyed your job and the company of the other stable hands. It was a relatively easy job, and your boss, Riley, was very kind and understanding.

You were younger than most of the others by a few years, so your jobs were mainly grooming the horses and cleaning the stables. You also made sure the riding gear was always clean and ready in case one of the royals wanted to go for a ride.

That was just how your day was spent, and you had a lot of fun. The horses knew you, and soon you'd be old enough to help train the foals!

It was pure chance. One might even call it luck, that the day Riley was sick that the oldest prince decided he wanted to ride.

You were in the process of grooming his horse, a fine stallion with a white coat, when he entered the stable.

"Aren't you a bit young for this?" He asked as you readied his saddle.

"I don't think so. Riley says I'm almost old enough to work with the foals." You'd told him, passing him the reins.

"Wow, guess you really are a big kid then, huh?" He ruffled your hair before leaving for his ride, and you went back to your job, thinking nothing of it.

-

The prince visited a lot more after that. Sometimes, he'd bring treats for his horse, but most of the time, he watched while you completed your work for the day.

"You can't be any older than my little brother. Do you really enjoy this?"

"Yeah!" You answered, raking some clean hay into a stall. "It's fun working with the horses!"

He didn't look like he believed you, but he relented for a second. You went back to working, humming some song Riley had taught you when the princess stormed in.

"Gaston! Did you touch my hairpin?!" She raged, holding a broken hairpin.

"No?! Why would I touch your stupid hair pins?!" He answered.

"I know it was you! Now it's ruined for the Dukes ball!" She yelled. You felt bad for her, she clearly loved that pin.

"What material is it?" You asked. "I might be able to fix it."

"It's cloth. Can you really fix it?" She asked. You put down your rake and looked at the pin a bit closer. The stitches holding the flower decoration in place had simply broken.

"I can fix it." You said confidently, running to the backroom for a needle and some thread. It was a simple fix and soon you handed back the repaired hair pin to the calmed princess.

"Thank you. What's your name?"

"I'm Y/N!" You answered, picking your rake back up.

"Aren't you a bit young to be working, Y/N?" She asked.

"That's what I said!" Gaston chimed in.

"No one cares!" The princess said with a smile.

"I'm big enough!" You were getting tired of people assuming you were too young. You enjoyed your job and had fun!

"See? They're 'big enough'." Gaston said, giggling as the princess threw a fistful of hay at him.

"Thank you again for fixing my pin. In the future, you may refer to me as Adela, okay?"

"Okay! Good luck at the ball!" You said.

-

You were playing with the stable cat, a pretty calico, when Riley came in with a new foal.

"Prince Ash won her at a horse race, but she needs to be trained." He informed you.

"Wow! She's so pretty!" You said, stepping aside as Adela's horse tried to eat your hair.

Riley smiled, leading her to a stall as you heard Gaston and Adela talking outside.

"I just think it's too much." Gaston said as he entered the stable, locating you immediately.

"Oh goodness. You look more hay than human. Are you trying to be a scarecrow?" Adela asked, brushing the hay off your clothes and out of your hair.

"Adela, who's this?" A new voice asked. You looked past Adela to see a boy around your age.

"Ash, this is Y/N. You two are the same age, I'm sure you'll get along fine." She said, patting your now hay free head. Ash looked you up and down before looking at Gaston.

"Why are they working?" He asked. You fought the urge to throw yourself into a clean hay pile in annoyance. You were having fun!

"Y/N, could you help me for a second?" Riley calls. You eagerly run off to help before you can be asked any more questions.

-

"What's going on?" You ask Ash as he leads you through the palace. You'd never actually been inside before, and it was overwhelming.

"You can ask Gaston and Adela." He says, leading you to a door. Inside was a big bedroom. It was way different from your room in the attic of the stable.

"Y/N!" Gaston greeted. "So, how do you like it?"

"Like what?" You asked. "Oh, the room? It's pretty. Kinda big."

"I'm glad you like it because this is your room now." Adela said.

"W- what? But what about-?"

"Your room in the stable? That room was way too small. Plus, we think you should take a break from work." Ash said.

"I can't! What if they need me?" You ask. Gaston just shakes his head.

"Calm down and let your big siblings tell you all about why you shouldn't be working."