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Afternoon.
Ninth Princess Chambers.
Wyfkeep Castle. Wyfellon, Wyfn-Garde.
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Alaric was guiding Salviana toward the stable, his firm yet gentle grip never wavering. Salviana loved the gesture.
They reached the stable, and the guards made way for them after bowing, The sound of horses met them, making Salviana's eyes widen, and soon the smell hit too. The place looked neat, courtesy of the diligent workers, but it still had the smell of shit permeating it.
Alaric continued their walk in between the horse's neigh and huffs until they reached a certain stall, Alaric stopped and glanced at his wife.
Salviana glanced at the horse in the stall and immediately drew in a sharp breath, it was a black horse, a majestic creature with a gleaming coat as dark as the night sky. She was amazed by its beauty.
As the horse caught sight of the couple, it pawed at the ground impatiently, as if it knew it was about to be ridden and was eager for the journey ahead.
"Is this your horse?" Salviana asked, tilting her head in curiosity.
Alaric made a sound at the back of his throat as his affirmation reply, before stretching out his hand and stroking the horse's neck with a rare softness in his movements. This made Salviana's inside clench, but she gulped it down before asking.
"His name is Soar," he said, his voice lowering with affection.
"Soar?" she echoed, smiling as she reached out tentatively to pat the horse, pulling her hand out of Alaric's in the process. He frowned at the loss of warmth and pocketed his hands instead, "Why that name?" she asked, calling out 'Soar' was weird, she didn't even want to try it.
Alaric's gaze grew distant for a moment. "He was weak, premature and abandoned once. Yet uncontrollable. No one wanted him and when I took him, showed him affection and patience, he started to grow into an attractive stallion and they wanted to take him from me," he paused, remembering that moment with a frown, "But no one could tame him, not even the best riders in the kingdom. So they returned him to me, I trained him slowly and when he finally grew, he… soared."
Salviana looked at the horse with renewed admiration. "Sounds like you're a genius with names," she murmured, casting a playful glance at Alaric. His lips twitched, the hint of a smile appearing on his otherwise stern face.
"You think I'm a genius?" He asked, the teasing glint in his dark eyes making her heart skip a beat.
She laughed softly, "Maybe just a little."
Alaric gazed at her for a second with emotions that Salviana couldn't pin to word what was swirling in his eyes. He turned towards the horse and brought it out of its stall, he took back her hand as he walked the horse out of the stable.
He then stopped them when they were in a clear place, and it could now be mounted.
Alaric's hand slid to her waist, and though it was a smooth motion and started without darker intent, the air shifted and they froze, Alaric feeling the urge to sniff and mark her while she craved to rest her head on his shoulders and let him lead.
Her breathing changed and that didn't help his condition at all, it intensified his hunger for her but he shook his head, held his breath before helping her mount the horse as she sat atop, her nerves scattered from the foreign feeling of being on a horse but Alaric misunderstood for his effect on her before swinging up behind her in one fluid motion.
His strong arms circled her as he took the reins, his warmth enveloping her. She was still getting used to the proximity they shared when he pulled her closer, their bodies snugly fitting together on the saddle.
Her stomach diluted, and butterflies erupted from their rest and tickled every wall.
"Where are we going?" Salviana asked, her voice trembling slightly, not from fear but from the sudden awareness of him pressing so closely against her.
"Somewhere the royals won't follow us," he whispered behind her ear, his breath warm and tantalizing. The promise of freedom—just for a while—filled his words.
Soar responded instantly as Alaric clicked his tongue, and they began moving out of the stables. The world around them transformed into a blur as they trotted away from the grand stone walls of the palace, through fields of vibrant grass and patches of wildflowers. The castle slowly faded from view as they ventured farther into the lush, rolling landscape.
Soar moved smoothly beneath them, and soon they were trotting away from the palace walls, through open fields and toward the horizon. The world blurred around them as the wind played with Salviana's hair, lifting the tension from her shoulders with every stride of the powerful horse.
For now, at least, they were free.
The air was fresh, the sun hanging low in the sky, casting a soft golden hue over everything. Birds chirped in the distance, and the rhythmic sound of Soar's hooves against the earth was soothing, almost hypnotic, but all this didn't matter because Alaric was solely being streamed to Salviana's pulse, scent, and warmth.
She felt so small and soft against him that he wanted to knead her, his frown from such unwarranted thought emerged immediately. Somehow his breath synced with hers, and whenever she breathed out was when he breathed out.
Salviana leaned into Alaric's chest, feeling his steady heartbeat against her back. She felt safe here, far away from the venomous glares of the royals, the whispers of disdain, and the coldness of the palace walls. Safe in a way that she didn't expect.
"Why are you so protective of me?" She asked quietly, not sure if she was ready to hear the answer but needing to understand him better.
Alaric was silent for a moment before he answered, his voice low and serious. "You're my wife, Salviana. That means something to me, even if it doesn't to others. I won't let anyone hurt you."
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