My Sister's Prince

Chapter Three

     Eulalie had insisted that Albertine join the caravan of carriages when her family traveled north to the capital. She and her horse could never be without one another, and she pleaded with her mother that she was the only one who truly understood how to take care of the animal. As she made her way towards the stables, she heard the familiar knickering and whinnies of her darling horse, and she could feel the itch in her legs to mount her steed and ride.

     "Albertine, darling, did you miss me? Oh, how I missed you, my dear. Things inside that palace are dreadful without you. Would you like to see how the northern ground compares to Fennelwick's, my love?" She called out to the horse as she entered the stables. All around them, she saw her own family's horses, as well as those of the palace. None of them, in her mind, could hold a candle to the elegant Albertine.

     She saw that the stablehands had laid out her own mount beside Albertine's temporary lodgings in the stables. Mechanically, as she had performed this task so many times before, she dressed Albertine for a ride. Humming to herself, she had barely noticed the quieting of the other horses, nor the footsteps as a stranger approached.

     But only barely.

     Grabbing the knife she kept in her boot, Eulalie pivoted on her heel and pressed her potential attacker against the wall of the stable. She heard a grunt as he slammed against the wall, and she was grateful she'd heard the padding of his footsteps just in time.

     "I am a guest of the King and Queen's. Whoever you are, you must reveal yourself at once so I know who to report to the palace guards," she threatened, tightening her grip around the knife pressed to his neck. Holding his hands up in surrender, he slowly removed his cloak from his head, revealing his face.

     "I meant you no harm, my lady. I was going to ask if you need help preparing your horse. You see, I'm a hand in these stables." Eulalie looked him up and down, sizing him up. His hair was close-cut and tightly coiled, showing off the features of his face. Freckles dotted his cheeks below his sparkling dark eyes, and pure white teeth gleamed from his smile below. He was young, probably a few years older than she was, and something about him seemed familiar, but Eulalie couldn't put her finger on it.

     "Kind of you," she said, releasing him and sheathing her weapon, "but I've always saddled my own horse. I won't be in any need of your assistance, but thank you," she said flatly. She was slightly offended by his offer for help, but she knew that in most parts, women were expected to be feeble, silly little things. It wasn't the young man's fault that he didn't know who she was.

     "Then I'm sure you already know to avoid the swamp? It takes most by surprise in the woods. And you knew about the rocky terrain on the border of the forest? That's impressive, many of our own animals have rolled and broken their legs on those very same rocks." He turned to leave, whistling a tune to himself as he walked on. "Oh, and don't get me started on the rapids of the river, they've been known to sweep many riders away towards the falls..." he said, adding teasingly.

     Eulalie's cheeks reddened in embarrassment at her own arrogance. How could she be so stupid? She could have hurt Albertine, or gotten them stuck in the mud of a swamp. Hesitantly, she called out to him. "Wait!"

     He acted like he hadn't heard her, and she was forced to call out again. "Oh, yes?" He asked, failing to hide the smile that had formed on his face. Seeing his smile called something to the forefront of Eulalie's mind, and though it was on the tip of her tongue, she couldn't say.

     "Do you mind...telling me....where to avoid the swamp?" She had said it so low that she had barely heard it herself. The man put a hand up to his ear, mocking her.