Page 55 of Journey to the Elderoak
“Tell me why you named your horse Pepper,” she interrupted.
“Don’t think I won’t bring this up again,” he said quietly.
“Not tonight,” she whispered. “I just want to enjoy dinner.”
“Fine. Why did I name him Pepper? Do you see the black dots on his white socks? It reminded me of pepper and so that’s what I named him.”
“That’s…cute.”
“First, I’m mean. Now I’m cute. Make up your mind, princess,” he crooned in her ear.
Straightening, she answered. “I didn’t call you cute. I called yourhorsecute. You just have a big ego.”
He chuckled and they continued down the city streets, now at the edge of town as she said, “You can let go of my waist you know.”
He pulled his hand away. “Alright.”
The moment his hand left, she felt herself sliding. Scrambling, she grabbed the horse’s mane. “Never mind, I’m going to fall!”
His arm wrapped around her again. “I promise you won’tfall.” He pulled her against him so hard, there was no space between them. “You’re scaring yourself.”
They continued in silence for a while, city turning to country as they wandered through open pastures and farmhouses. Ava was lost in the beauty of the rolling fields, lined by the mountains in the distance. Farmers were out in their gardens, some using magic to revive and care for their plants while others had tools as they dug into the earth, tilling it for their next crop.
“It’s beautiful,” she said as she marveled at the landscape.
She needed this. This quiet trek through the farmlands. This peace away from the stress of her daily training routine. Away from the reminders of the last few months.
“It is,” he said. “I’d love to live out here someday. Right at the edge of town.”
“Do you want to grow crops?” she asked.
“No. I just find the space peaceful. It’s where Raine’s father raised us.” He sighed. “Maybe after the war, I won’t need to be so close to the castle anymore.”
She turned and glanced at him. He had a far off look on his face as he watched the farmers. “My grandfather’s farm was like this,” she said. “Peaceful.”
“Do you miss it?”
“Yes and no. It was lonely. But I miss gardening, though I wasn’t there for long.”
Casimir’s thumb lazily moved back and forth on her stomach and he continued to press close to her. Butterflies erupted in her belly as he asked, “You’re good at growing things?”
“Yes,” she replied. “Aren’t all fae from Monterre good at that?”
“Not necessarily. Being able to raise vines from the ground and manipulate earth is different from growing crops,” he explained. “Let’s see…You’re adept with plants and have special abilities with animals. And you’re skilled with a bow and arrow.”
“Yes…”
“But you’re clumsy and scared of horses. What else?”
“What do you mean, what else?”
“I mean what else are you good at? Bad at?” he asked. “Hobbies, hopes and dreams. Desires. Weird quirks. I want to know you better.”
“Why?”
“Because we’re friends?”
“Oh we are?” she teased. She wanted to be more.
