I walk with Xan walking behind me heading towards the barn. I changed into riding pants with an off shoulder shirt and tucked into the waistband at the front. We get to the tack room and I tell him to wait outside the door. I run to get the surprise. I hold the lead in my hand as he looks confused.
"You know you just love riding with me, but Cisco doesn't. Sooo I got you your own horse. Her names Cleo."
She is a Lipizzaner around the same height as Cisco 16.5 hands, with a strawberry roan cout and 4 white stockings.
"She's beautiful Ray," he says
"Yes, but we came here for a reason."
The place we keep Aldin is behind the gardens a way away, but not too far that I couldn't walk there.
"Ray?"
"Yes," I answer as I look into his brown eyes. When I looked into them it felt like being surrounded in a hug. I look away and feel my face burn.
"If Cisco's Dad is a PRE then is he one?"
"I get what your asking, his mother was not a PRE , she was half Barb half Thoroughbred. He ended up getting his father's shape and his mother's dappled gray cout. Which makes Cisco half PRE, one fourth Barb, and one fourth Thoroughbred."
"Fancy," he says in his annoying voice.
I look back at him", ya? Well he was bred to be a good jumper, fast, strong, and agile."
We walked up to the fence and I called him, the way I usually do.
"Aldin!," I whistle and he comes running up the pasture.
He trots up to me placing his head against my outstretched palm. Xan's breath hitched at him. Aldin seems to have that effect on people, his so big but gently and gracefully.
"He was trained to be a combat horse, but after my father's ... passing, my mother called of the alliance, and he pretty much lived in the fields of the castle."
"Doesn't sound to bad. How old is he?"
"I think around 15?"
"He's so, regale."
"Hmm" I agree.
Aldin picks up his front left foot, telling me he wants to go on a trip. I look over at Xander.
"Looks like your lucky day, Aldin here what's a ride. Would you like to come?"
"That sounds lovely princess," he teased, and I shoot him a look.
"Come on casinova," I say to him rolling my eyes.
I jump the fence because of Aldin's towing height I had taught him to lift and bend his front leg while bowing slightly, so that I could use his leg as a step and throw myself up. Xander jumped on Cleo using the fence as a step, and walked in to the pasture using the gate.
We walked Aldin and Celo side by side, and finally I was the tallest of the group. I didn't like that I was usually the shortest of the group, it felt good to look down at Xander, who in comparison to me looked like a skyscraper. Even though I like being tall, I find taller men more attractive, so with being short I get more benefits, like the fact that most guys who were hot are taller than me. I lean forward relaxing and holding Aldins neck in my arms.
We road to the oldest cherry tree in the castle grounds and we sat on it. Usually in the castle Xan we're his fancy robes but today he wore a calmer outfit, he had a jeans with a brown belt, sneakers, and a plane tee shirt with a v. I stared at his arms. To be honest I wanted a husband, but not to do anything ...'dirty' with, well it was a benefit, but all I really wanted was to sleep in, with a pair of strong arms holding me, protecting me, stroking my hair. We sat next to each other, I'm confident in my mind, but when it comes to real life, I tend to get shy. I knew that I needed a king that could tell what I was thinking and carry it out, he needed to be blunt with his speech. I was never really sure where these behaviors came from, but I felt like it was the consequence of being groomed into the pretty face with no opinion of her own, to be given away to a prince so that he could become king and have someone give birth to his airs. I looked at Xander, what would he do if he knew what would have happened to me, what had happened to me. I look into his eyes, and I feel the're power grasping me. I decide that I want to tell him about what took me so long with my mother, the bruise still showed on my face and was painful when touched.
"Xander, about the other da-"
"Rayanna," he interrupted ", can I kiss you?"
I jump startled at the question, but I look into his eyes feeling them look into my soul through mine, and a warmth ran through my whole body making me feel happy. Is this what love feels like? I look at him and move forward slightly telling him my answer. He leans in, starting the kiss. He starts a little quickly kissing and licking the surface of my lips playing with me. I want to do something to make him stop teasing me, but I don't my shy behavior pushing the thought away. He starts to slow down and presses his tongue against my mouth silently asking if he could enter. I opened my mouth slightly and he sips his warm tongue into my mouth pulling back then going back playing with me, every time he tries to move away I lean with him which makes him smile. He places his ungloved hands on my forearms slowly moving then up my arms, shoulders, neck, then face he grips it firmly rubbing his thumbs on my cheeks with makes me yep. He jerks back surprised.
"Are you ok? I didn't hurt you? Did I?"
"Not entirely," I say averting my eyes.
He wasn't stupid he could tell something was bothering me, but because I was in physical pain he had no tolerance for excuses.
"I want the truth about what happened the other day," he says sternly.
He looks at me longer and I explain broken by his gaze ", the other day I went to my Mothers chambers, I said something she didn't like and she slapped me across the face."
I pulled out a cloth covered it in remover and took a section of makeup off. He looked shocked.
"Ray, all of it off now, not discussable," he says firmly. I started taking it all off. " This isn't the first time she's done this, is it?" I stay quiet, he knows my answer.
I look at him as he takes in the sight of my face all purple. He looks sad because of me, I did this, I asked for it. I start tearing feeling the hot salt water from my eyes threatening to escape. He pulls me into him and places his chin on my head, he holds me and the tears escape, I start to sob.
"She didn't used to be like this," I sayed through sobs to Xander", after my dad died she started drinking I tried to talk to her and all she did was hit me. She didn't even remember Xander. She didn't remember giving me scars, none of them told her because there was one maid that did and she didn't come back. 'That's just the clumsy princess' they would say, to her. She never cared about me, it was always about the kingdom then when I was old enough to do the kingdoms work, it was all about her finding me a husband. They groomed me Xander," I closed my eyes ", my mother was trying to make me an empty shell to be a play thing for the richest boy. M-my father didn't want that so he arranged this event for me. He knew that I didn't want to be married, but I know I have to, so he wanted me to have a choice," I stoped talking crying and shaking in Xander's arms.
He waits for be to calm down more and says ", I will always protect you Rayanna, always, now come let's go home."