𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐀𝐍 || 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐚 [ I ]

Chapter 2

After the encounter with her brother Muriel headed to the stables. It was a place that the princess loved to visit. The sound of hooves against wood, the quiet whispers of the stableboys and her favorite garden that lay just outside the stables warmed her heart.

"Your majesty, you look rather dashing today."

Muriel let out a breathy laugh and turned around to see Killian leaning casually against the wooden wall and winking at her.

"Although I'm flattered, I believe you shouldn't talk to a princess like that." Muriel told him with a grin on her face.

Killian shrugged and walked over to her, "you're not only my princess, you're my friend. I should be allowed to say that you look dashing." Muriel smiled and bumped her shoulder against his saying "Alright, but don't let Darrin hear you say it like that, he doesn't know what to think of you."

"I don't care what your brother thinks of me, I like being around you and he can't stop me from seeing you." Killian replied and although he said this with a chuckle, Muriel knew he was serious. She nodded in agreement and together they walked further down the stable.

They stopped in front of a tall, white horse with deep brown eyes. Muriel approached the horse and brought her hand slowly to its nose to gently rub it. The white beauty brought her nose closer to the princess' hand and the princess smiled.

"Oh please, I've been here for one second and all you can think of is food?" The horse slowly tilled her head as if saying it wasn't her fault. Muriel rolled her eyes at the stubborn animal and took one of the apples that were piled up in a bucket.

"Do they not feed you enough already?" Muriel stroked her nose some more. "I bet you eat more apples in a day than I eat in a whole week, isn't that right dear Ava?" Killian scoffed beside her, Ava doing almost exactly the same thing.

"Princess if I may, your obsession with apples is almost unhealthy." Muriel looked at him and gave him a pointed look, Killian raised his hands in surrender "it's true," was his reply "that's one of the reasons you and Ava like each other so much."

Muriel bit her lip and her cheeks became a little red. "Well in my defense," she stood a little straighter and tried to hide her embarrassment "I know for a fact that I'm healthier than you are."

Killian raised his eyebrow. "And how, your majesty, would you know that?"

Muriel brushed some hair out of her face and placed it behind her ear. Because she was still too occupied with petting her horse she didn't notice that Killian was following her every movement with his soft, blue eyes as he softly smiled.

"I've seen you sneaking around the kitchen, ever thought about sharing those pieces of cake with me?"

She looked at him from over her shoulder, he looked suprised and the princess laughed at him. "Oh don't act so suprised. I notice almost every going on around here, what do you think I'm doing when I sit in the window? I observe."

Killian scratched the back of his neck, not really knowing what to say.

"Please don't tell my dad."

"Don't worry, your deep dark secrets are safe with me."

Killian turned his attention to the horse and took another apple out of the bucket. "I also trust you not to tell anyone." The deep brown eyes only stared at the apple in the man's hand and the princess chuckled at the two.

Muriel lay her hand upon the apple he held, so that she could feed it to Ava. She looked at Killian's blue eyes while she did and held his gaze for a moment. Muriel's face became red when his thumb softly grazed hers, but before he could say something Muriel took the apple out of his hand and quickly looked away.