9 Dove
DOVE
I had never quite realized how troublesome life as a lady could be until I began to be watched constantly.
Why the need for someone to be in my business all the time, from morning to night? I’d had maids, tutors, and servants around since I was a baby, but never anyone so incessantly attached at my hip. It was exhausting.
When I left my rooms and headed to the stables, she was right on my tail.
I almost didn’t even notice her, such a sneaky ghost she was.
But after I’d reached my horse, a palomino named Lightning, and swung up into the waiting saddle, suddenly she was there.
Motioning to Olin the stablemaster for her own horse.
The last person I wanted to see on this beautiful, fresh, dew-covered morning. Couldn’t I just have one lovely ride alone before a lifetime of surveillance??
Apparently not.
Munching on one of Choia’s oat muffins, crumbs flying everywhere, Maerryl eyed me. “And where are we off to so early?”
I sniffed. “Into town. Not that it’s any of your business.”
“The dressmaker? Or a massage appointment, perhaps?” She finished off her muffin, swiping the last crumbs from her lips with a quick tongue.
I looked away, fiddling with my riding gloves.
“No, wait—a new looking glass you ordered has arrived, and you just can’t wait for it to be delivered. Am I getting warmer?”
No, but I certainly was. The neck of my riding habit suddenly felt very hot.
Whether it was the sight of her in those dark brown leathers, now tightly hugging her muscled legs on the horse beside me, or her frustrating scrutiny of my nonexistent plans, I didn’t know.
But I wasn’t going to sit here and endure it.
With a huff, I gently nudged Lightning forward, and, true to his name, he leapt out of the stable and down the road, leaving Maerryl in our dust.
Unfortunately, it seemed she was a capable rider.
Though I’d had a head start, Maerryl rapidly caught up, the thundering hooves of her horse and her grumbling swears trailing just behind me.
I leaned forward in my saddle, coming close to Lightning’s neck, and nudged my heels in his side to bring us into a full gallop.
We’d been together for years; he needed no further urging or kicks.
He was the second horse I’d owned, and the first I truly loved, because I’d found and bought him myself.
For the last ten years, I’d spent time with him every day—often the highlight of my day, if I was being honest. Even when we’d lived most of the year in our city house, I’d snuck out to the stables between engagements and talked to him as I brushed his thick coat and fed him tiny apples that I’d pocketed at breakfast.
Now that we lived year-round at the manor—and I had no social engagements to speak of—Lightning and I had more time together than ever.
Through sunny and snowy days, and everything in between, he and I had explored every inch of my family’s estate and the surrounding countryside over the past few years.
He had become my dearest friend, other than Petra and Choia.
A perhaps slightly depressing thought that I tried not to look too closely at. That at thirty-one, my horse was one of my closest companions. And the other two, I technically employed.
Despite our speed, I felt Maerryl slowly gaining ground on the path behind us.
Lightning was nearly at his full speed—he could feel my frustration, my delight.
How badly I wanted to outrace this other horse and its rider.
My palms pressed to the sides of his neck, body practically flat along his back, I whispered fiercely, “Let’s show up this asshole,” as we flew toward the forest’s tree line that had become a finish line in my mind.
Lightning put on another burst of speed, and Maerryl faded from the corner of my eye.
The tree line raced toward us. C’mon, c’mon.
Our hooves pounded on the dirt path. Some of my curls escaped their hold and streamed back in the wind. I felt so powerful and free, the kind of high I only experienced when we rode like this, holding nothing back. Losing myself in this moment of perfect balance and speed.
And then we were through. Past the tree line, into the cool shade of the forest. I let out a whooping laugh as I sat back in my saddle, Lightning gradually slowing to a walk.
“What the fuck was that?!” Maerryl rode up next to me, her horse snorting.
“That,” I gloated, “was me leaving you in my dust. Did you enjoy your gentle promenade here, Madam Bodyguard?”
“You do know that if you break your neck, your parents will have my neck, don’t you?”
I flipped a hand in the air. “Goddess, can’t you just leave me be for five seconds?”
She pulled her horse closer to mine, blocking Lightning’s path so he halted.
I resisted the urge to move away and returned her glare instead.
Despite the ire in her voice, I could see a tiny glint of something that looked suspiciously like respect.
My pulse still pounded in my ears after that ride, which had felt more like a chase than a race.
“No,” she said. “I can’t.”
I broke our gaze, reaching forward to pat Lightning’s neck, trying to ignore her stare.
Maerryl cleared her throat. “Remember, princess—your parents hired me to stay near you. Keep you safe. That’s what I intend to do.”
Sounds more like a threat than a reassurance of my safety.
She continued, a slip of humor entering her voice, “Although, it is good to know you could likely outride any pursuer, at least. No attacker or kidnapper stands a chance against you and that demon horse you’ve got.” She nodded her chin at Lightning, and my chest warmed at the almost-compliment.
Snorting loudly, he sidestepped us a few paces away as if he’d understood her. I ran a soothing palm against his neck again. “Ignore the mean woman. You’re a delight. The best, most noble horse in Kurriel.” He whickered softly in agreement.
I set us back on the path leading toward the village, letting Lightning set our pace. You are going to get so many oats and apples for lunch, my friend.
“Where did you learn to ride like that?” Maerryl asked at my side, matching our slow walk.
Resting the reins over my pommel, I attempted to salvage Petra’s hairstyle, tucking rogue curls back into place in the metal clips. I should just ignore Maerryl. But—
“I taught myself,” I couldn’t help boasting.
“There were instructors when I was young, of course, from whom I learned the basics. But they refused to let me go faster than a light trot. And jumping was out of the question.” Shrugging, I said, “So I fired them and rode on my own when we came out to the manor during the summers. Figured it out myself eventually.”
“That’s very dangerous,” Maerryl said appreciatively, her low chuckle tickling the base of my spine.
“I suppose,” I said, tossing her a small smile before I thought better of it. I always felt better after I rode. And it had been a long, long time since I’d had anyone to ride with.
We continued along the path in only slightly uncomfortable silence until it joined with the main road.
Turning left, this led northwest to the nearby village, then the priory, and eventually Talon.
If one turned right, heading southeast, they would encounter several more country estates like ours and then the coast much farther on.
I thought for a moment, then directed Lightning left. Trying to pretend that I had a plan, I straightened my posture and looked straight ahead.
Following my lead, Maerryl asked, “So where exactly are we headed now, princess?”
“To the village,” I said as airily as I could.
“For… ?”
My jaw clenched. “If you insist on following me, at least be quiet. Proper bodyguards don’t ask questions of their betters.”
I could practically feel Maerryl shooting daggers at me with her eyes, but I refused to turn.
We rode in silence for a long while. The birds chirping cheerfully in the trees provided the only noise, other than our horses’ footfalls and occasional puffs of breath.
I tried to relax, enjoy the peaceful quiet of my morning ride.
But it was impossible. Maerryl’s presence at my side, a half pace behind me, felt positively unignorable. I sensed her annoyance, how peeved and frustrated she was with me.
Well, that makes two of us.
With her here, it was like a wild boar had gone thrashing into the stillness of a serene pond, tusks waving madly, disrupting everything.
Did that make me the pond? I don’t particularly want to be a pond.
It sounded a bit boring, to be honest. All wet and dull, just plopped in the middle of nowhere, waiting for birds and frogs and such to come to it if they pleased. Much more exciting to be the boar, actually.
“Something funny?” Maerryl growled after a chuckle escaped my lips. I’d been picturing myself as another boar, bigger and fiercer than the Maerryl-boar, scaring her off with a swift tusk stab into one hairy ass cheek.
I tossed my wide hood over my head, shielding myself from her sight. “Nothing that you need be privy to. Mind your business, guard.”
More low grumbling, and then she finally shut up again.
I tried to ignore her once more, focusing on the satisfying mental image of the Maerryl-boar squealing and frantically running away.
Somehow, it was also yelling through its tusks, I shouldn’t have tangled with you, oh fearsome Dove!
! Everyone, beware of this mighty lady boar! I bit back another laugh.
Goddess, where was this village? We’d been riding along the road for at least twenty minutes.
I visited so infrequently, and Mother usually insisted that I take the carriage, whether she was with me or not.
To make the right impression on the smallfolk, as she liked to say.
It felt like we should already be there by now—I needed to get off this solitary road with her trailing so near me in silence.