seriously.
“Oh? I don’t see you getting up.”
“You’re on my arm. I can’t move until you do.”
“I see. And what are these other methods you speak of?” I ask, saying anything just to savor this moment.
“Well,” he says in a matter-of-fact tone, “I have five fingers all within reach of your side, which I happen to know is very ticklish.” As he says it, his fingers move up my side, right to where I am, indeed, extremely ticklish.
I lean closer and whisper into his ear, “Those, sir, are fighting words.” With that, his fingers hit the spot.
“All right! I’m up!” I jump to my feet, feeling more ninja than princess at the moment. Valentino falls back, laughing hysterically.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, buddy. I promise to return the favor.” I kick his side gently and take his blanket. I fold it over and roll it up before attaching it to Star’s saddle.
“Now you’re stealing my blanket?” he scoffs, picking mine off the ground.
“Mine is dirty now.” I shrug.
He shakes it off, flinging dust at me in the process.
“Hey!” I shout, which gets him laughing again.
I saddle Star, ready to leave, when I remember my least favorite part of camping. No bathrooms. “I’ll be back in a minute,” I say, leaving Star tied to the tree branch.
“Don’t get lost!” he shouts after me. If I thought I could make a straight throw, I would launch a rock at him. Instead, I run find a little privacy. Yep, definitely my least favorite part of camping.
I return to camp—which is no longer a camp—as quickly as I can. Valentino is already mounted and ready to leave. I mount and let him lead us back to the path. Sun is filtering through the leaves above us, along with warmth to fight the breeze.
Despite being in a semi-hurry I want to stop and marvel at the exotic flowers as we ride down the dirt road. The flowers vary from bright yellows and reds and vivid purples and blues. They look like something man-made on Earth. But here, they’re real. They’re natural. And all the more beautiful.
When we come upon the river we stop and allow the horses to drink, re-filling our canteens as well. Our stop is brief but before I mount Valentino grabs my wrist. I turn to. Without a word he slides one of the flowers I was marveling at behind my ear.
The contact, the look of pure adoration in his eyes causes my stomach to fill with butterflies. We continue on for only a half an hour before he stops again.
“Shanice.” Valentino stops riding. We’re at a ridge. The path below looks just a little steep to me.
“Yeah?”
“Welcome to Avonathia.” I look above the path and beyond. There are two castles in sight, people moving about in the town between them and us.
“Thank you.” It’s a bittersweet welcome. “Valentino?”
“Yes?”
“Why did we camp when there’s a village right there?”
“We’re not going through that village. It’s best that you remain unseen and unrecognized until we reach those castles.” He is all serious again.
“Why?” I didn’t realize I was supposed to hide who I am.
“It’s best that we keep the advantage over Mendina by not allowing her to find out you’re here. And she has spies everywhere.”
“And you’re lucky I’m not one of them,” a deep voice says from behind me. I whip around so fast, I make myself dizzy. Valentino is off his horse and standing with his sword drawn in the same amount of time. As soon as he recognizes the stranger, he eases. I look him up and down. Well built, short black hair. He looks to be eighteen or nineteen.
“What are you doing here?” Valentino sheaths his sword but doesn’t mount or move toward the newcomer.
“The king sent me. He knows she’s here and wanted to ensure she was fully protected. He asked that I escort both of you back.” He only glances at me, avoiding my gaze.
“If the king sent you, he would very well make it clear how she is to be treated.” I don’t know what’s going on but
“Oh? I don’t see you getting up.”
“You’re on my arm. I can’t move until you do.”
“I see. And what are these other methods you speak of?” I ask, saying anything just to savor this moment.
“Well,” he says in a matter-of-fact tone, “I have five fingers all within reach of your side, which I happen to know is very ticklish.” As he says it, his fingers move up my side, right to where I am, indeed, extremely ticklish.
I lean closer and whisper into his ear, “Those, sir, are fighting words.” With that, his fingers hit the spot.
“All right! I’m up!” I jump to my feet, feeling more ninja than princess at the moment. Valentino falls back, laughing hysterically.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, buddy. I promise to return the favor.” I kick his side gently and take his blanket. I fold it over and roll it up before attaching it to Star’s saddle.
“Now you’re stealing my blanket?” he scoffs, picking mine off the ground.
“Mine is dirty now.” I shrug.
He shakes it off, flinging dust at me in the process.
“Hey!” I shout, which gets him laughing again.
I saddle Star, ready to leave, when I remember my least favorite part of camping. No bathrooms. “I’ll be back in a minute,” I say, leaving Star tied to the tree branch.
“Don’t get lost!” he shouts after me. If I thought I could make a straight throw, I would launch a rock at him. Instead, I run find a little privacy. Yep, definitely my least favorite part of camping.
I return to camp—which is no longer a camp—as quickly as I can. Valentino is already mounted and ready to leave. I mount and let him lead us back to the path. Sun is filtering through the leaves above us, along with warmth to fight the breeze.
Despite being in a semi-hurry I want to stop and marvel at the exotic flowers as we ride down the dirt road. The flowers vary from bright yellows and reds and vivid purples and blues. They look like something man-made on Earth. But here, they’re real. They’re natural. And all the more beautiful.
When we come upon the river we stop and allow the horses to drink, re-filling our canteens as well. Our stop is brief but before I mount Valentino grabs my wrist. I turn to. Without a word he slides one of the flowers I was marveling at behind my ear.
The contact, the look of pure adoration in his eyes causes my stomach to fill with butterflies. We continue on for only a half an hour before he stops again.
“Shanice.” Valentino stops riding. We’re at a ridge. The path below looks just a little steep to me.
“Yeah?”
“Welcome to Avonathia.” I look above the path and beyond. There are two castles in sight, people moving about in the town between them and us.
“Thank you.” It’s a bittersweet welcome. “Valentino?”
“Yes?”
“Why did we camp when there’s a village right there?”
“We’re not going through that village. It’s best that you remain unseen and unrecognized until we reach those castles.” He is all serious again.
“Why?” I didn’t realize I was supposed to hide who I am.
“It’s best that we keep the advantage over Mendina by not allowing her to find out you’re here. And she has spies everywhere.”
“And you’re lucky I’m not one of them,” a deep voice says from behind me. I whip around so fast, I make myself dizzy. Valentino is off his horse and standing with his sword drawn in the same amount of time. As soon as he recognizes the stranger, he eases. I look him up and down. Well built, short black hair. He looks to be eighteen or nineteen.
“What are you doing here?” Valentino sheaths his sword but doesn’t mount or move toward the newcomer.
“The king sent me. He knows she’s here and wanted to ensure she was fully protected. He asked that I escort both of you back.” He only glances at me, avoiding my gaze.
“If the king sent you, he would very well make it clear how she is to be treated.” I don’t know what’s going on but
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