Horace and the Horse

Chapter 2

As the potato man walked out the door, Alejandro smiled his signature grin, his large horse teeth perfectly white despite all the carrots he'd probably been munching on.

"I heard you've rented out the ranch for the summer?"

Horace shyly nods, giggling softly. "I just needed a break from the city life. My corporate job is too dull for a girl like me, I need fresh air and a handsome horse- I mean guy to take care of my fragile and emotional self, who is perfectly shy and graceful."

Alejandro chuckles, his deep voice sending a shiver down her dainty spine, as she tries to gather her composure. Why was she feeling like this? It was probably nothing, just a lack of interaction for a little while.

"You alright?" Alejandro smiles at her, his gaze threateningly gentle.

Horace quickly nods, blushing softly, her rosy cheeks the color of soft cherry blossom petals, which were comparable to the texture of her soft, feminine skin, delicate and innocent.

"Don't worry about me, I'm okay-"

Horace's gaze softens, his perfectly horse-like eyes gazing into her soul like he already knows her deepest darkest secrets.

"I can't help but worry about you, even though we just met. I feel a connection like no other, like I need to protect you."

With his horse-like agility, protecting Horace would deem an easy task. The only question is, why? Why would he, a majestic creature with no attachments, choose a mere weak girl? Maybe just that fact, maybe because she couldn't protect herself, he felt responsible for what happened to the innocent and pure soul of hers. She, so pure and gentle, too beautiful, deserved safety beyond what even he could provide. To this, Horace only had one question.

"Protect me... from what?" Her innocent eyes glimmer in the sunlight, perfectly vulnerable and adorably naive.

Alejandro sighs heavily, lowering his head, his voice along with it.

"There are... others on this farm... Some of them are kind, some of them are good, but there are many that will..." Alejandro paused, as if trying to find the right words, after all, he wouldn't want to tarnish the perfect innocence of Horace.

"-that seek to do harm, or to use you for their own good."

Horace's eyes widened at the thought of it, trying to wrap her dainty and womanly head around the idea. "What kind of things would they... try to use me for?"

The handsome horse man whinnies softly, shaking his head.

"You don't need to worry about that for now, you'll know when the time comes. Trust me."
Horace nods slowly, her tiny feet shifting in place, the muddy ground not tarnishing the hem of her skirt whatsoever, as if she was lifted off the ground by her perfect aura of amazingness. Looking out the stable window, she saw the sunset, beautiful and majestic, just like her. Alejandro smiled when he noticed she was looking at it, trotting up behind her to admire it too.

"It's getting quite late, do you have a place to sleep?"
Horace nods, blushing when she realizes how close she is to Alejandro. "There's a small house just down the path, it came with the barn when I rented it out."

Alejandro smiles, glad she'll be safe for the night.
"Good. Try to get a good night's sleep, you'll need it for the morning."
Horace smiles, a bit confused. "What happens in the morning?" Her perfectly sculpted eyebrows raise ever so slightly, only accentuated by her perfect cheekbones.

Alejandro doesn't respond, just shaking his head.

"You'll know soon enough."