Long Suffer the King

IX

"He stole all that was mine."
"Perhaps it is fated."
"And perhaps it is fated I shall win it back one day."

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She sleeps like a rock that night and doesn't wake up when everyone else does, her body too sore to move. Klaus comes in and tries to wake her up but she smacks her hand at his arm when he tries picking her up out of bed. "Go away." she mumbles into her pillow. Klaus does but comes back minutes later.

"Get up."

"Dammit, leave me alone why don't you." she goes to sit up but he tosses a pitcher of freezing water at her. The water hits her like icicles and she swears loudly. Her entire bed and nightgown is soaked now.

"Good, you're up. Get changed we have things to do today." he sets the empty pitcher at the foot of her bed. "Might want to air the mattress out."

She gets up and crosses her arms to shield her chest. "Get out. I'm not doing anything today."

"It won't be strenuous." he walks out of her tent. "I'll meet you near the pavilion in ten!"

Ophelia glares at him and then at her bed. She starts to pout watching the water sink into the mattress. She yanks off her nightgown and grabs a fresh tunic and pants, still uncomfortable with how free the tunic is against her body. The pants are made of a soft leather. She wears the same boots she did yesterday, they feel looser than before.

It takes her ten minutes to haul her mattress out due to how sore she is. Her legs feel on fire with every step and her feet are badly blistered. Klaus comes back to see what's taking her so long and laughs when she finally finds a tree to set it against in the sun. Ophelia turns and doesn't smile. "If I had the energy I would kick you where it counts."

"Doubt you could if you wanted to. Come on, I think you'll like today's training." he smiles at her softly and nods towards the pavilion. Ophelia raises an eyebrow, curious and they walk over together.

"Joan says you've never had the chance to get out of the court and see things. Today you and I will ride into town together and I will show you what your people do and live like." he tells her, hands behind his back. Ophelia grins. "Really?"

"Yes your majesty."

Ophelia's smile gets bigger. "I thought we wouldn't be able to leave the woods, we are outlaws."

"Well, there are some exceptions.." Klaus says slowly.

"Will they recognize me?" Ophelia asks. "To be safe, you'll wear a cloak but no, I do not think they know what their future queen's face looks like." he muses.

She nods and looks back at the pavilion. Two horses are tied up by the reins to a tree; one a large black stallion and the other a red colored mare. Ophelia stops. "I have never ridden a horse before."

"That is fine, you will learn on your way there. It's a good few hours trip." he unties the black stallion and turns to her. "Come on now, there's a first time for everything."

She walks up to the other horse and observes the thin blanket on the animal's back. "How do I.. get on?" she hesitates, tilting her head slightly. He chuckles. "Jump and swing a leg over." he demonstrates and steadies his horse. Ophelia looks back at her own, wide eyed, and manages to jump up, but can't seem to swing her leg over. Instead she's stick lying on the horse's back. Klaus bursts out laughing. "Are you that sore m'lady?"

"If you were smart, you would shut up." she manages to move in the position to sit up on the horse and grabs the reins. "Now what, mountain man?"

He grins and kicks at his stallion's sides. "Now, we move on." the horse goes forward as he guides it with the reins, hands steady. Ophelia groans and kicks at her own horse but before she can get her under control, the mare is galloping off out of the woods. Klaus yells after her and urges his own horse to her, catching up. "Pull back on the reins!" he tells her. Ophelia grabs them and yanks back, her mare rearing up (how she managed to stay on beats her but she managed) and stopping.