PRICE OF ROYALTY

17. In the Village

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The absolute rush.

The complete elation.

The sheer sense of freedom.

I had missed it all and as I flew through the rather thick forest, dodging a few tree stumps once in a while, I felt the robustness pump through every part of my body. My horse was a beautiful clean white, brushed, and well taken care of the animal. There was something about that particular horse that made me feel right at home. Maybe it was because she was the exact replica of my mother’s favorite horse back in the day when we would all ride out together. The same color; same agility, she was like the reincarnation of that horse that was a great friend to me.

“Can you slow down for a second princess? These are not the forest of Garcia that you are used to,” Theo snapped as his horse fell into step with mine. His horse was of the darkest shade of brown and was obviously of the finest breed.

“Or maybe you can’t just stand the fact that a woman is much better off in riding than you. I had to slow down just so you catch up with me. What a shame that the King’s chief commander of the army cannot even ride,” I glanced at him, enough to smirk at his face. Pushing him to the edge and watching his anger snap open, seemed to be all I had been doing for the past few hours. I had to admit it was quiet gratifying watching him flare and his face look exactly like the red hot flames of an evening fire.

“Or maybe I just love my horse too much to wear him out just so I could show off my prowess at horse riding. I do not need to prove I’m a better rider than you. Now, before you spit something senseless, I would like to point out that the horses need to quench their thirst and feed. After all, they have been at your mercy for the past, who knows how many hours,” Of course he was right.

“Any river with a patch of green nearby perhaps?” I questioned.

“Just up ahead, there is a village. We could get the horses to feed while we get something ourselves. Unless, of course, it’s too…unbefitting for you,” His expression was full of haughtiness.

“Actually. No, Theo. It’s perfect for me. I know that you have this…formed opinion about me but I will assure you that you are not even closest to being right about a single thing. I’m not some rich woman who has lived a smooth life with people showering her with love. You have no idea half the things I’ve been through and that means you have no right to judge me,” Well, this time he must have touched the wrong button.

“Says the woman who would not stop judging me since the first time we met,”

“I do not judge you, Theo. You just…well, what should I say? You bring out this side of me that nobody else does. Around you, I’m constantly on my toes and my tongue would not just stop snapping. You really do know how to push me to my limit,” I pointed out. I had meant for that to be just a thought in my head and yet once again, Theo had made me spill my mind out.

“When you say it like that, one could easily be mistaken and think that you have feelings for me. I mean, I bring out a side of you that no one else does?” And he had the guts to grin at me.

“Oh, Theo. You wish, don’t you? How could I even develop feelings for you when all I do is snap around you? I’d probably take my life before my heart flatters one beat for you,”

“Were it some other person, I would have probably been hurt by that but then again, a woman’s words, especially yours Elizabeth, do nothing to me,”

“Oh, you do not want to say that on my face Theo. I know just how exactly I could tick you off if I want to, bastard,” I could not help the grin on my face just a small village came into view.

He said nothing as he took the lead, propelling us towards a small tavern. Why were we in a tavern in the middle of the day? I do not even drink liquor. Slipping off his horse, he tied it to a wooden stump. I followed his lead, sliding off the horse as I made a poor attempt to tie it around another vacant wooden stump but lucky for me this time, I did get it right.  He slid two pieces of gold to the man watching over the horse, nodded at him before he walked right in.

When we walked inside the rather filthy smelling tavern, noises of a few drunk men filled every corner of it. Taking a seat at the corner of the tavern, a bar maid, plumper than the oak trees back in Garcia, walked over to us.

“What do you want?” She questioned rather rudely.

“Bread and steak for two,” Theo answered without looking at her. Bread and Steak? How does one get food in a tavern? To answer my unasked question, Theo slid two gold coins and several silver coins to her as she scampered off. All this while, Theo’s eyes were somewhere else.

His gaze was somewhere else, watching a group of five men that were huddled in another corner, occasionally glancing at us. Something about them did not sit quite well with me and the dreadful thought they could have possibly recognized me, made its way into the pit of my stomach, making its wells contract immensely.

“They do not recognize you,” Theo said, finally meeting my gaze.

“How could you have…?” I trailed off, wondering how he had figured out that was what had been bothering me.

“Figured that? It was quiet easy. You are not that good at hiding your fears around me. Do not look up, they approaching,” For the first time ever, I found myself, obeying everything he was saying. Ugh, I hated following his instructions.