Royal Treatment

Oops. I missed Prince DeGillus' birthday.... It was in May! I will upload his story ASAP.


Poor guy gets no love.... Really 

 

Stepping out onto the porch next to Ian I could see a couple riders playing polo atop horses in a sprawling field behind Chateau-Narcissus. Ian grinned as Julian approached the white balcony, leading a large chestnut horse.

“Can you ride?” the prince asked as he took the reins from the servant’s hand. In a graceful movement, Ian pulled himself upon the horses’ back.

“A little,” I mumbled, remembering the brief time I had spent with Giselle at Blaine England’s estate. That man had loved horses, and had let us ride the gentler beasts.

“A shame,” Prince Kirtak mumbled, almost too quietly for me to hear. He straightened himself in the saddle, putting his hand in a fist upon the pommel. “Fetch Vega,” he ordered Julian, who swiftly bowed and hurried away.

Julian returned with a smaller strawberry roan horse. He helped me into the saddle and I sat awkwardly upon the seat. Smiling gently he led the horse by the bridle towards Ian. The prince clucked to his horse and we began our trek away from the grand Chateau.

Although I felt nervous at first, I found myself relaxing at our leisurely pace. The trees were covered in frost as we went down a well-worn path that had been cleared for this type of occasion. It was wide enough for the two horses to walk easily side by side, and I caught myself glancing at Ian’s regal profile. He looked completely natural in the saddle.

“If you keep looking at me like that…” Prince Kirtak murmured, catching my eye before I could look away. “I can’t be held responsible…”

The blush upon my cheeks wasn’t just from the nippy air. The trail opened up before us and we slowed our horses to a stop. Ian turned to look at me and was about to say something when we heard the thundering of hooves coming up behind us. A streak of black passed us by and Ian quickly bit back his words.

Prince von Adler sneered at us as he sat before us upon an enormous pitch black horse. The animal was tall and lean, looking positively frightening. Siegfried’s cold blue stare flitted from Prince Kirtak to rest upon me. He made a face as if he had seen something disgusting.

“Julian told me you’d be out here, but I didn’t believe it until now,” Siegfried said. His gaze didn’t stray from me and I kept my eyes down, not able to meet his intensity. “Unacceptable.”

Another horse trotted up then, this one a shimmering dappled grey with a crimped mane. Sitting rather bristly upon it was Prince DeGillus. “Really now,” Zane said, his clear eyes assessing the situation. “Let’s not make a scene Prince von Adler, I did not invite you out to start a brawl.”

I noticed then that both men had bows in their possession, Prince Siegfried with his upon his back and Prince Zane clutching it loosely in his hands. It seemed that they had been out having a bit of target practice. The refined nature of such an activity made me remember I was in the presence of royalty.

Zane leaned back a little, the loose white wrap he wore splaying opening to reveal a tight black shirt. From a glance I could see his lean muscles, a contrast to his proper nature. Siegfried was wearing a black militaristic jacket that zipped up asymmetrically across his chest, the harsh lines of the fabric fitting for his cruel expression.

Prince Siegfried’s horse was agitated, and starting to make the others restless. “Let’s walk them a little,” Prince Ian suggested, breaking the negative flow of conversation.