In the Dark

Chapter 7

"I couldn't help but notice you're still looking rather pale this evening, young prince."

Riccardo stiffened where he'd been about to mount Taizong at Luka's voice behind him. He had had no doubts that the rest of their travel party would notice he hadn't even fed off of Mahvash's gift to him in private, but no one had commented over their breakfast of meaty broth and fruit juice. Even his father had only given him his usual disapproving glance over his cup. Leon had also stayed blessedly quiet about the whole thing, too. So why Luka felt the need to hassle him, Riccardo didn't know, and he gritted his teeth against it.

"If it displeases you, look away," Riccardo grumbled and grabbed the front and back of Taizong's saddle to throw himself over the gryphon's back. He finally turned to look at Luka, ears falling back at the smirk on the man's face.

"I just thought I should let you know, Your Highness, that it has not gone unnoticed," Luka said. He nudged his heels into the sides of the antlered steed and it trotted forwards to presumably be stopped at the side of his father's.

Riccardo sighed heavily and felt relief that, at the very least, the end of this night would be spent settling into his own bed. Hopefully, there'd be enough commotion at home over the party that his refusal to feed on the fae would be forgotten. Speaking of, he glanced around him for where exactly the fae had gone to and spotted his curly blond hair showing from the other side of the horse Mahvash had provided him for this journey. Why he hadn't mounted yet, Riccardo couldn't say. He had a responsibility over the fae, now, though; Leon's good or bad behavior would be noted as a reflection on him going forward, and he didn't want more trouble if Leon slowed their party from moving forward.

With the weight of responsibility on him, Riccardo nudged Taizong to stalk over to the fae. He towered above both Leon and his horse thanks to Taizong's enormous size. "You should mount up," Riccardo advised the fae. "We'll be going very soon."

Leon looked up over his saddle at Riccardo with a peculiar look on his face that Riccardo couldn't place. It was almost anger, but with a wrinkle in his brows that said confusion, too. The odd expression gave way to a grimace, though, and Leon looked away and patted the horse's neck. "Do you know how many fucking days I've been riding," he complained. "I'm sore as hell and enjoying a few more seconds off of a saddle."

Leon had a... way of speaking, Riccardo was slowly discovering. It was almost... funny, actually. Fuck was still a jarring word in his ears, but he couldn't find it in him to tell him to stop using it.

"You don't usually ride," Riccardo asked.

"No," Leon answered. "Especially not this much."

"Chances are you won't leave the palace much after we get you there," Riccardo tried to reassure. "So there won't be a need for you to ride much."

Leon only responded with a quiet scowl. Riccardo's brows pinched together at it. What had he said?

"We'll reach Malatia before sunbreak," his father's voice called out from the front, mostly for the benefit of their new traveling companions, Riccardo was sure. He wondered if the empress considered herself lucky to have an escort for the last stretch of her travels. She currently sat atop her horse near her father who was likely making awkward small talk with her. "A hawk has been sent forward to ensure the palace has warm food and drink aplenty for our arrival and in thanks for your rescuing my son after his fall."

"Here, here," cheered one of the empress' people.

Riccardo was looking forward to the warmth of the palace as well, but he had to imagine that Mahvash and her company were especially feeling the bone-deep cold and missing the warmth of their desert home. He felt his own pang of jealousy, wondering if living in a warm environment was as wonderful as he imagined or if the people there ever got tired of it.