The Voice of the Nightingale

Part VIII

The whole council exploded into riot. The only man not to speak, was the King, who was staring daggers at his wife from across the table. She was beginning to cross the line with him. If she did anything more than this, she could become a divorcee.
"Quiet!" Theodor shouted. "Meeting adjourned ; we will continue this tomorrow."
The King walked out of the hall, towards his chambers. Everyone in the room, who had previously their eyes on him, turned back to Ash.
"Will you please reconsider, My Queen?" One Council Member asked, which gave rise to dozens more questions.
Ash stayed silent and waited for everyone to quiet down again. As she did so, she finished her lunch. Soon, the questions stopped and all attention was on her once more.
"After much consideration on the matter, there is one very clear answer."
The whole room was beaming.
"There is no clear reason for us to go to war with a nation stronger than us."
Everyone's smile sank as she continued, "And, if those men were not working for their nation, we could cause Riadian to attack us, which we wouldn't be able to handle. So, my answer is the same : no."
The whole council erupted, once again, into argument. Ash got up from her chair and walked out of the room. When she was out, a smile spread across her face. I finally get say in stuff, and... it feels surprisingly good, she thought.
It was only a few minutes before she reached her room. Nicholas was there, and her heart seemed to skip a beat.
"Nicholas, could you please saddle my horse for me."
The guard walked away and left. Ash went inside her room and changed into the same outfit she had worn  last time she rode around the castle grounds : a simple shirt and trousers. She walked back out again and to the stables. The other guard followed her. She arrived outside and found her horse, Ivory, saddled along with two others. Ash got into the saddle and spurred her horse on. Her guards followed. When she turned away from her usual path, Nicholas asked, "Are we not going to the fields as usual, My Queen?"
"I thought we'd try and use the castle's training ground."
They soon made it to the training arena and Nicholas entered with Ash, leaving the other guard to stand watch. The Queen trotted around the edge of the small arena, not using any of the obstacles available.
"My Queen, are you not going to practice some jumping?"
Ash continued trot around the edge, as if she had not heard him.
"My Queen, do you know how to do a jump?"
Ash stopped. She looked over to Nicholas and shoke her head in embarrassment.
"I'll teach you then."
He got off his chestnut steed and walked over to his Queen. He took the poles off the stands and put them on the floor a few metres away from Ash.
"Trot over them for a few laps." He said.
Ash did as he said, feeling anxious each time she passed over them. She knew her horse had jumped before, but she was still worried.
"Now, go to a canter!"
The Queen sped up. She was feeling more confident now and cantered over the poles with ease.
"Good, let's try jumping now"
All the confidence Ash had was now gone. Jumping? How? She thought. Nicholas moves the poles away and brought a stand several meters away from where Ash was.
"Just try and walk over it first, then, when I tell you to, go to a trot."
Ash went over the pole at a slow pace. The horse was fine with stepping over the pole and its rider felt more at ease. Nicholas told Ash to go to a trot, so she did. Again, it was easier than she had thought, until Nicholas stopped her.
"Okay, now we're going to go to a canter. When you approach the jump, make sure to loosen your hold on the reigns ; Ivory needs full use of her neck to jump."
"You mean what I was doing just now wasn't a jump?"
"No, don't worry." He added, seeing the look of terror on Ash's face.
Ash spurred her horse on with the touch of her heel and she was off. She carried on speeding up, until she was at a canter. The pole was approaching with rapid speed. She was ten meters away, then nine, then eight. Ash loosened the grip on her reigns, as she had been told, and squeezed her legs together so she wouldn't fall off. The horse jumped and both she and her rider were suspended in the air for a matter of milliseconds before hitting the ground again. Ash filled with excitement. It felt so freeing to be up in the air, even if it was only a second or two. Seeing the look on his Queen's face, Nicholas asked,
"Was that fun?"
"Yes!"
Ash asked Nicholas to raise the pole several times that afternoon. It was only an hour before sunset that she decided to go and get ready for dinner. They made it back into the castle and the Queen went to get changed. She got into the blue gown she had been wearing. Just when she finished buttoning up the back of her dress, there was a knock at the door. Ash told the person to come in. Nicholas opened the door and said, "Dinner is in a few minutes."
"Nicholas, there is something I'd like to say." Ash sat down, and patted the seat next to her. Hesitantly, Nicholas sat there.
"There is something I'd like to say..." Ash began. "But I'm just not sure how to say it... and I don't know if I sh-"
Nicholas leaned in and kissed her. A small peck on the lips, which made Ash's cheeks flush crimson red. He leaned back quickly and looked scared.
"I-I'm so sorry, My Queen! I shouldn't have done th-"
Ash kissed him back, her heart beating as fast as the wings of a bird. A bird that was free from its cage.
"I forgive you, and, please, call me Ash."
The knotted feelings inside of her unraveled and she knew where her heart was- not with the King, or any of the men who grasped for her hand in marriage - but with her best friend. Her knight in shining armour. She smiled into his chocolate brown eyes.