Thread: The Weight of the Crown (JellyFish & Greeneyed23)

Extremely, she hissed the sarcastic note dripping violently. Her whole body was on edge after the scenario, and she was for once... speachless. Neither did she know that dragons had been treated with more cruelty than any other and the nervous shaking of the delegates only confirmed her thought or could Hama turn into a dragon. Something that had made everyone squirm in their seats. Knowing if she spoke again and the fact she would cause more trouble, she stalked over to Nila and Patis, who were also still in the same frozen state as most in the room. Bending down to whisper in her father's ear, she grumbled sourly.I'm taking my leave. I told Chilton I would play with him. Aretha didn't even wait for her father to agree or force her to sit back down. Her mother though, frowned in disappointment. So she left the court room in a storm of fridgid anger. That dragon!, she said with clenched teeth. Her hands rolled and unrolled into tight fists, nails digging into the palm. The servants didn't spare a glance at the princess with a murderous cloud over her head. They heard what was going on, even through closed doors. Aretha wasn't very talented in the art of deceiving her emotions. They spoke cloudy on her expression and she could do nothing to hide them. She lowered her head, the tinge of red enveloping her cheeks due to shame. Not only had she made a fool of herself but she departed in such a quick manner it was sure to be looked at as a retreat. Chilton! We are leaving! She burst through his room, the child and his brother being startled from out of sleep. A-Aretha, he spoke rubbing his eyes. Are you going to the stables now? Aretha nodded and biting her lip, and watched her brother's maids rush in to dress him. She wanted to scream at them to hurry up, she wanted to stomp around, and part of her even begged to cry. How uncommon was it for her to feel so enraged. She paced back and forth, watching for her brother to be released from the grabby handed women. I mean, I'm not even sure if I can face anyone again. I'll surely hide under a rock somewhere for the rest of my life, she whispered under her breath. The maids looked at the girl as she spoke to herself, rounding the path she walked in her stiff pace. Do you think she's gone mad?, muttered a younger women. No. Princess Aretha just isn't used to being talked down to. Being a prized daughter of the king and queen, she has grown used to the idea people must quiver under her, the older maid replied as she tied the laces of Chilton's boots. What are you taking about? Did Aretha do something bad? Both maids looked at Chilton in horror, his childish face glowing in pure curiousity. They glanced from the corner of other eyes at the princess who had stopped in her steps. She swallowed a deep breath, the air in her lungs refusing to release her stress. I did something horrid and now I'm going to pay the penalty of my actions. Chilton, being a child and not understanding a grown-ups anger, laughed. Aretha snapped her head in his direction ready to tell him to quiet himself but softened when she saw he was clueless. He laughed because his sister looked so funny when upset, her face red and nose scrunched up in thought. So while she saw the world in black and white, he would see it in vibrant color. She sighed, envious of a child's innocence of the world. Holding out her hand, she beckoned the boy to come to her. He jumped off a stand the nurses had put him on to make him easier to dress and ran to his sister. Taking her hand, he jumped up and down excitement bubbling from his small form. Are we gonna go see your horse? Are we? Are we? Aretha smiled slightly and bent down to button up her brother's dark purple coat. I suppose so. But I warn you to keep your distance. He has a fire driven temper. Chilton snorted and placed his hand in his hips, lifting his curly filled head. Then I shall conquer him and he will learn to respect me. Her smile grew and she ruffled his hair. Undoubtedly. We are gifted children after all. Never failing to please. She waved good-bye to the maids and walked down the hall leading to an exit. Chilton skipped along with her, speaking a thousand words a second and she could only nod and make little response. She opened a back way door leading to the stables. Glancing around to make sure they weren't seen, she pulled Chilton over to the families stables where the cries of restless horses echoed. Now Chilton, take heed of my warning and don't get to close. The beasts take offence to new strangers and they will dislike you if you don't know how to handle them. Just let me pick out a sturdy mare that can handle a new rider. The boy nodded, filled with so much joy he barely heard his sister. Stepping inside of the open doorway, she pushed the doors closed. None of the stable boys were present, most likely still eating breakfast. She walked down the stalls, the horses whinnying and stomping their hooves in rememberance of the daily coming and goings of the girl. When she reached the last stall, she ushered Chilton to step back. Aretha unlocked the door, a pure black horse snorting and shaking it's head with wild eyes. She stepped forwand grabbing the horse's head and pressing her face against his forehead. Aye, Calhoun. It's time to go out for a ride. She placed a kiss on his snout, patting his flank. She squeezed past the large beast, who tried to swing it's head to follow her but couldn't. She took down a saddle and opened a large leather pocket and pulled out some pants and a white, ruffled long sleeved shirt. She waved for Chilton to turn around while she dresses. The boy huffed but did as he was told. Squirming from the confinements of her dress, she threw it to the ground. Quickly, she dressed herself as one of the stable boys as she had practiced over the years. She found that men have a more comfortable ride than ladies simply based on the difference of how they sat. So from years back, she would buy men's clothing and hide them until time for her next ride. You may turn around now, Chilton, Aretha called wrapping her hair into a pony tail. The boy looked around, tempted to try and touch one of the horses. But he stayed in place, almost like a soldier. She then thought of the war that was to arrive. The delegates that tried to find a solution to the upcoming battles. And that blasted dragon. She threw the red dress back into the hidden pocket of the saddle and placed it back on the wall. She forced herself out of the stall and moved to open the stall of another horse. A small penny, brown pony nickered in surprise, backing up. Thankfully, the horse was already saddled and prepared to go. Chilton, meet Oak. She'll be the horse you ride today. Chilton opened his mouth to argue, knowing that his brothers let him ride the bigger animals but he closed his mouth. He was happy with the small horse that was actually his size. He jumped on the saddle, grabbing hold of the reins. Aren't you going to put in your horses saddle, he asked as he watched his sister grab hold of her horse's mane. What would be the fun in that? Sitting on Calhoun's bare back, she used his mane as her reins but allowed the horse to move out of the stables followed by Oaks and her rider. Using her the heel of her boot, she kicked the doors open once more. Chilton, race me to the willow trees. If you find a way to win, I'll give you my dessert for a whole month. And with that Calhoun broke out into a full out gallop. The might horse carried his insignificant rider with tireless ease. Trained in hard school for combat before her father bought him, he was use to bearing the weight of a full grown man wearing armour upon his broad back. Aretha, shivering in the cool morning breeze like a cold leaf, clung to the magnificent animal's neck, scarcely a burden.