Chapter 30 A Riding Partner
A Riding Partner
The rain last night left the air cool and crisp, so much so that she had to draw her cloak close to ward off the chill as she made her way to the stables.
When she slid open the barn door, she was met with a shock. Caspian was there, standing beside a freshly brushed and saddled Icefire.
“Oh, hello,” Elizabeth said in surprise.
“I see you’ve made use of my stables,” Caspian said and smiled.
Elizabeth blinked, confused as to why he was here. Where was the brooding master of the house who usually looked at her like she was a nuisance?
“Yes, thank you,” she said hesitantly. “I love to ride. Iago said it was alright to, er, make use of your stables.”
“Mhmm. One of the last days of summer,” he said ruefully, glancing out the stable doors at the foggy morning. “I meant to go riding more this year, but alas, I got swept up in things. Would you care to join me?”
“It would be my pleasure,” she said, looking at him sideways.
“Lial already saddled the horses. I wasn’t sure which steed you would prefer.” He glanced at all three of the horses in the stable, then back to her.
“Thank you,” she said and quickly went to Buttercup’s stall. There was no need to show him she could ride his stallion.
Draugr blew out a gust of air in the corner, displeased to be ignored.
She smiled. Next time, my spirited friend.
Caspian led Icefire out of the stables and mounted up. Elizabeth took Buttercup’s reins and followed closely behind.
Elizabeth was treated to the view of Caspian riding Icefire, which she had to admit wasn’t difficult on the eyes.
“Come,” he said. “I’ll show you one of my favourite trails in the area.”
Intrigued, she followed Caspian to a trail that she had taken a few times before. The trail was easy and short, only about half an hour before it circled back to the stables.
They came to a shallow brook, the water whispering over stones, and she was about to turn around when Caspian shook his head. He urged Icefire to step over the brook, and to her surprise, there was a small deer trail hidden on the other side.
The trail was narrow and continued for a while before they came upon a wide, steeply uphill path. After about an hour, the trees grew skinnier and sparser, and the air grew colder. There was a clearing up ahead, and the trail opened into a wide valley with a view of the sea beyond the mountains.
It was beautiful.
The water of the Phthalo Sea was the deepest green imaginable, an emerald green so dark it was almost black.
She wondered if it was really that colour, or if it was only the reflection of the trees upon the water that made it look that way from shore.
Unlike the waters in Rhodea, which were always choppy from ships out at sea, here, the water was serene.
She was incredibly pleased with the view and would have to remember the trail for her next ride.
“Do you want to go a bit faster?”
She was about to nod, and hesitated. The sidesaddle would make anything beyond a gentle trot uncomfortable, but if she admitted that, she would reveal more about herself than she’d intended. So, she smiled politely. “No, thank you.”
He seemed to read her hesitation and drawled, “You know, I’ve seen you ride before.”
Her heart stopped. “What?”
“A couple of days ago. I was watching you from the window.” His voice was matter-of-fact, but she caught something underneath—not an accusation, but a curiosity. “You ride well.”
She pressed her lips together and looked away, embarrassed. She had been so careful not to be seen riding astride in view of the castle, except early mornings with Draugr when she thought the demons were still abed. Perhaps not careful enough.
Caspian fixed her with a stare. “Sit astride and ride with me.”
“I couldn’t,” she breathed.
Caspian rolled his eyes and drew back the reins, bringing Icefire to a halt.
Buttercup stopped, too, and they remained at a standstill in the middle of the trail.
He turned in the saddle to face her fully, his silver eyes inscrutable.
“I’m asking you to stop pretending around me.
Just … be yourself.” He paused. “Is that really so hard?”
She bit the inside of her lip. Was this some kind of trick?
“Do not pretend to be some meek little novice,” Caspian spoke tensely, as if speaking through gritted teeth, “when I know you are not. Ride like a man, so we can go faster.”
“Why?” she asked, her gaze narrowed in suspicion.
He looked to the skies, making a sound of exasperation. “Because it would please me. To have you ride with me. To watch you have fun,” he snarled, saying the word “fun” like it was a curse.
She was too shocked to utter a word as Caspian dismounted, bid his horse to stay, and stood beside her horse, his boots squelching in the mud.
He lifted his hands and waited for her to hop off, his nostrils flaring.
Elizabeth ignored his offered hands and hopped to the ground, landing with a soft thud in front of him. Smiling broadly, she placed her foot in the stirrup and swung her leg over Buttercup, sitting astride. He let her do it herself, which she appreciated.
He cleared his throat. “There. Much better.”
Caspian climbed back onto his horse, and she heard a “Hyah!” as he took off. He sped up to a canter, leaving her behind.
She didn’t want to show off, but she certainly didn’t want to be left in the dust. Sighing in reluctance, she kneed Buttercup, urging her to go faster.
The forest trail opened into a clearing with moss-covered ground.
She urged Buttercup across the clearing to catch up to Caspian. He waited until she was almost on his tail before urging his horse faster still. She raised herself off her seat a fraction, urging her horse into a gallop.
They drew neck and neck, and she reached out and tapped him on the shoulder victoriously. “Caught you!” she yelled, a laugh escaping her lips. Caspian looked at her in pleasant surprise, and he slowed his horse to a trot, and then a walk, looking satisfied.
They walked in silence, the tension between them broken. Elizabeth smiled, feeling much more comfortable around the demon than she had before.
After a while, Caspian turned to her. “Can I show you something? A favourite spot of mine?”
She glanced at him, but his expression was unreadable. “Er. Okay.”
He led her up a narrow trail that wove farther into the mountains, and soon they came to a glacier lake with pale turquoise water. This one was much smaller than the other one she had found, more intimate. The water was paler here, the blue of the water so pale it was almost white.
Caspian gave her a smile that was pure mischief. “Care for a swim?”
She knew from experience that it was cold as ice. She shook her head vigorously. “Not a chance. The water must be freezing.”
“Warm as a nice bath.” Caspian dismounted and held out a hand to help her down. “Do you mind if I take a dip?”
She shook her head and watched him as he lifted the hem of his tunic.
He stripped off his tunic, baring his broad chest with its scattering of dark chest hair. Her eyes travelled over his muscled arms.
Shedding everything but his undershorts, he dove into the water with boyish enthusiasm. When he surfaced, flicking water from his hair, she was surprised to see that he looked much more unguarded and genuine than she had ever seen him.
He dragged a hand through his inky black hair, sweeping the wet strands out of his face, and rose from the water, his muscular body beaded with water drops.
He noticed her attention with no small amount of male satisfaction, which made her avert her eyes, not wanting him to think she found him any adjective other than vile.
Caspian toweled his hair with his shirt, leaving it damp and tousled.
He put his pants on, then his boots. She looked skyward, beseeching the gods to get him to put a shirt on.
Her prayers went unheard, and she was forced to endure the sight of his muscular back shifting as he moved with his horse’s stride.
After a while of being in the sun that peeked out from between the clouds, Caspian patted his skin, and upon seeing he was dry, tugged his tunic back on, stretching the fabric down to cover his torso. He seemed oblivious to her gaze, tracking every movement of his hands.
They returned to the stables, and Elizabeth made to take off Buttercup’s bridle, but Caspian stopped her with a hand. “I’ll take care of it.” He took the reins from her and removed Buttercup’s bridle.
He didn’t smile or show in any way that he was being kind; rather, he focused on the task.
She watched him clean the bridle with care and reach for the bucket of brushes.
He brushed Buttercup with long strokes, making it clear he knew what he was doing.
During her time in his castle, she had never seen him touch a brush or lift a finger for anything while she had been here, and she wondered how he had learned to care for horses.
“I don’t mind helping.” She sat on a stool and wrung her hands, suddenly uncertain with this new dynamic between them. He was doing something nice for her, and she didn’t know how to respond.
“I’ve got it.” His voice was gruff, but not unkind.
She watched him work, his hands gentle with the animals.
“You’re good with them,” she observed.
He paused in his brushing. She leaned forward and waited for him to respond, but he shrugged a shoulder and continued sweeping a brush over the horse’s flank. His hands and shirt grew dirty with stable dust.
He dragged a hand down each leg of the horse and pulled up each hoof, cleaning it with a pick tool. He even brushed out their manes and tails, giving each horse a big pat when he was done.
Caspian rinsed off his hands in a trough of water outside the barn and came back. Venturing into the tack room, he returned with a handful of treats and offered them to her. “Shall we give our magnificent beasts some treats for good behaviour?”
She grinned, delighted. “I’d like that.”
She offered Buttercup a few treats while Caspian tossed hay into their feed baskets. Lial was nowhere to be seen today, and she wondered if Caspian had ordered him to stay out of sight for the day.
She watched in fascination as Caspian took a few treats and fed them to Draugr. “There you go, you jealous animal.”
He dried his hands off on his tunic and offered her his arm.
“Shall we?” Caspian inquired.
She swallowed and took his arm, hyperaware of the warmth of his skin through the fabric. In the entrance hall, he released her, almost reluctantly. Softly, he said, “Enjoy the rest of your day, Elizabeth.”
“Thank you,” she managed. “For … today.”
Something flickered across his face—surprise perhaps—then his face became impassive once more.
What had that all been about?