Touched by and Angel
Chapter 13
The twists and turns of love
He never thought he'd meet someone who made him feel so alive, even when he lay so still beside her. Misha smiled over at the Queen of England and rolled towards her. Their bodies lay on the grass, and he nestled into her arms and pressed a gentle kiss to the skin of her neck. "I never just looked at the clouds before."
The laugh warmed his heart. She grinned at him and pat his chest. "Then aren't you glad you're with me?"
He was. Misha let out a laugh to match hers and cuddled closer. He glanced back up at the sky and let out a heavy, happy sigh. "Do you see the horse?"
"Oh, off to the left?"
"Yes. Off to the left."
"I see it darling. Have you ever been horse riding?" Her voice lit with mischief. "I could get us a few stallions and we could have a good time."
The tone, the innuendo, it made him blush. "I have been. But maybe we could ride mares."
"Oh, Misha, don't take the fun out of a good hard ride."
He barely stifled the laugh. Misha pointed, "And a dragon."
The Queen pressed a kiss to his forehead. "I see it. So, would you like to go for a ride with me?"
"No one can see us, Elizabeth. No one can know."
She smacked his chest. "We'll do it on a private path then. No one needs to know."
With a sigh, he returned the kiss with interest; he pressed his lips to hers. "I would love to ride with you."
"With me? I'd love you to ride me."
Their laughter mingled and spread out to warm the both more than the sunlight even could.
He sat up and offered a hand to her. Her small dainty white hand caught hold of his, and he assisted her in sitting. "Then let's go find those horses. Though, I'd really prefer if it were mares. I find them easier to ride."
"An easy ride isn't a fun ride... But I'll be getting a harder ride anyway..."
She pushed herself up and stood beside him. "You gather up the picnic basket, and I'll go get us some horses."
"Sounds like a plan." He pulled her into an embrace, and quickly placed a kiss to her soft lips. "I'll be right over."
It wasn't more than an hour later, they both sat on their own horse.
Elizabeth smiled over at her and arched a brow. "Shall we attempt to ride a bit faster?"
He held the reigns tight. His knuckles whitened a bit with the force he held them with. He glanced over, eyes a bit wide, thin lips pressed tight together. "Perhaps," he began with a slight hesitance, "we could just ride slowly for now? I don't think this horse likes me."
"Nonsense. Francesca loves you. She's got good sense."
"She's very stiff."
"Well, you're pressing your feet into her sides. You can't expect her to be at ease like that. Here, ride closer."
"Why?"
"You can ride with me." She motioned with her hand for him to lead Francesca, the golden brown mare, closer.
"I don't know. I can do it." The words came out slowly, and his expression flashed uncertain. "I'm sure I can."
"Well lighten up a bit. Trust her. Everything will be alright, Darling. You make me feel comfortable and eased. Do the same for her, and she'll calm right down."
He gave a short nod and concentrated on letting his feet relax and holding the reigns more gently. He even leaned forward after a moment of calming breath and pat her neck. "There. I'm sure that's-"
A flash lit up the evening forest.
Francesca reared up and gave a heavy whinny. She bolted forward, over the uneven rocky terrain. Misha shouted, but the shout carried no words. He held close to the galloping horse and felt each heartbeat of the beast with thundering hooves. "Easy, girl! Easy, come on, it's alright."
He could hear two sets of hoofbeats now, but Francesca seemed faster than Elizabeth's own horse. She'd mentioned that Francesca did a bit of racing, once upon a time. That she was a sturdy and obedient horse.
He held tighter to the reigns and held his body as he'd been trained. Not that he'd done a lot of horse riding. Not that he knew how to do this pace, on such uneven terrain. But he took steady breaths and tried to ease the horse. "Francesca! Easy, girl!" Too loud. But maybe she needed it louder? Maybe she couldn't hear it yet?
His own heartbeats kept his words from sounding as loud as they could have. He felt the pulsing, quick and steady through his body. Misha felt sweat bead at his brow. But he kept his handle on the horse, even as she turned down paths and along lines where it shouldn't have.
Finally Elizabeth caught up with him and said the right words, in the right tone, to calm down the beautiful beast that heaved with every breath beneath him.
He cast a grateful glance at Elizabeth. As out of breath as the horse who carried him, he panted out a quiet, "Thank you."
"Well, at least we got that galloping ride I wanted." She grinned and sidled up next to him. Her white hair gleamed in the golden light that streamed down from between fall foliage. A thin sheen of sweat covered her soft features.
She'd never looked more gorgeous. He sidled a bit closer to her, now more in control of Francesca thanks to his lover's touch, and he pressed a kiss to her lips. "Thank you. But what was that flash?" His brows came together briefly in confusion. "What set her off?"
Elizabeth's pleased features darkened perceptibly. "Let's not worry about that, darling."
"Elizabeth?"
"It's nothing, I'm sure."
"Was it a camera?" He let go of the reign with one hand and held her aged one in hand. Her hands were his favorite physical part of her. They showed she'd lived. She wasn't just a Queen, just a woman. She was aged and beautiful, and she did what she wanted. She was as free a spirit as the horses she loved.
She shrugged. It was unladylike, ungainly, and not something he'd often seen her do. Maybe he never had.
Misha scooted a bit away, afraid he was pushing too hard. "It was then."
"Perhaps it was just a family taking photographs. Maybe not of us. Or maybe it was, and they just wanted one of me."
"Or perhaps it was a member of the press."
"Oh, who cares? You're safe. I'm safe. And we're happy, Misha."
"The scandal."
"I don't mind a bit." She moved her horse, Louise, closer. Her hand caught his. "I don't mind. I'm old. I get to have a bit of fun. I still do all the things I must. But I take care of myself too. Especially now." She squeezed his hand hard. Her hand looked too small to be strong. But just like the rest of her, she showed perceptions were not always right.
He glanced over and enjoyed the warmth in those bright blue eyes. "If you're alright if it gets out. I have no cause to complain. I don't care what they think of me. I just don't want you shamed."
"Shamed?" She snorted. Another unladylike thing, but then, she took to doing those more often around him. Often she'd tease it was thanks to his influence. He'd laugh and say he didn't even do those things she said she gained from him.
Elizabeth let go of his hand, slapped his bottom a bit, and headed off at an easy pace back to the main trail. "I hope you were paying attention."
He grinned and could feel the touch on his body still. She had quite a hit. "To what?"
"The trail. I'm a bit lost."
"Lost? Aren't these trails you always take?" His voice hitched, his panic rose once more.
"Well, yes. And I'm certain I've a little retreat somewhere near here, for when I go riding and wish to stay in the forest. But I honestly have no idea where we are now."
He glanced back up through the brilliant bright Autumn leaves and let out a quiet sigh. "It's turning towards night."
"I know the time, darling." She tapped her golden watch. "But I just don't know exactly where we are. We certainly won't make it back to the stables before dark. But we could stay the night." She leaned a bit closer to a tree, and her heels held her to the horse with an expert pose. Again, unladylike. She rode like a man would. She didn't care about how she was supposed to be when it was just him and her.
He smiled and rode up beside her. "A night, alone with you? I don't know I would survive."
"Well, if you don't, I know where I could hide you." Her eyes twinkled and she glanced over. "I know where we are, mostly, now. A few of the things have changed, but I'm fairly certain we should go that way." He tilted her head towards a thick growth of trees.
He couldn't help but laugh. "No one makes me laugh quite like you."
"I know." She glanced over her shoulder and smiled. A strand of white hair fell flat and lay against her brows. Even frazzled, she looked perfect.
He followed. "You could have anyone."
"So why choose you?" Her face kept forward now, but the pace slowed a bit and she held back until he was beside her. She inclined her head ever so slightly to the left and watched him.
"Yes."
"Because, Misha, no one makes me feel alive anymore. And for someone as long-lived as me, I need that. I need you. when we're together I feel happy. I feel happy regardless, but you really know how to make me feel young and silly again. So don't get it in your head I'd rather save myself a scandal if I didn't get touched by an angel."
Sincerity rang true in her words. He nodded. "I won't even consider the thought anymore, Elizabeth."
"Good. Because someone like you shouldn't worry about silly things like that. You've more important things to worry about. Like making sure you're rested enough for tonight." With a laugh, she angled forward just a bit and her horse began an easy trot. "Can you keep up, Misha?"
He pat Francesca on the neck, leaned in, and whispered, "Don't let me down. Come on." He pressed his heels in just the slightest, and the chase began. Much like he imagined it had been for her, just a week and a half before in Holland.
Misha hadn't expected the affair to begin, nor had he thought it would develop so quickly. But he didn't mind. He simply allowed her to enjoy him, and enjoyed her right back.
And if he hadn't said he loved her yet, that wasn't because he didn't. It was because he was uncertain how she felt.
But he knew now.
Misha caught up within a minute. A bright blush blossomed on his face and his eyes followed her body beside him. "You're beautiful."
"I bet you say that to all the Queens you seduce." She winked and let Louise slow down a bit. "We're right by the little place I told you about. It's humble, but lovely all the same."
Misha grinned. "I only say it to the ones I love. And of course it's be lovely. It's yours." Closer, their horses headed towards the cabin.
"Yes, I like to think that about everything I'm fond of." She nodded. "There's a tiny stable beside the cabin. We can call the mai stable from the phone there. No signal here."
He nodded. "I'm sure it will be fine."
Within ten minutes, the darkness pervaded nearly everything. Moonlight attempted to light their path, but the forest was too tall and thick to let much light shine down.
Elizabeth pulled out a tiny high powered flashlight. She clicked it on. "I believe we're very near."
"I hope so."
"Well, it wouldn't be the first time I've gotten lost and stayed the night under the sky." She grinned.
Misha could barely see that bright smile, but it made his own light up as well. "You're full of surprises."
"When you've lived as long as me, you learn to have a bit of fun the world wouldn't think is good for you. There's nothing wrong with staying the night in the outdoors." She turned her wrist a bit and aimed to the right. "But, not tonight. For another night then?"
A small wooden house stood a story high. It was well taken care of, but it looked perhaps a few decades old. Beside it stood a small shed, a flower garden in front, and a stable to the other side of the building.
She lead them and stepped off, then assisted Misha in leaving Francesca. "You feel more comfortable with her, don't you?"
"She's a very good horse." He pat Francesca and offered a bit of the sugar that remained in a bag beside her stable pen. Francesca eyed it, sniffed it, then ate it carefully out of his hand.
"Another horse, and you might have broken your neck. If those pictures do get out, it's going to be a Hell of a time for the one who took them."
He put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm fine though."
"I know." She leaned into him and glanced back. "But I can't stand the thought."
He kneaded her shoulders and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head, among the halo of white curls. "Let's just enjoy the time we do have and not worry about what could have been."
"You took the words right out of my mouth." She turned about and leaned up to kiss him. Her arms wrapped about his waist and she pulled him in tight.
Misha locked the stable with one hand on the padlock, then returned both hands to her and walked them backwards towards the front door. He fumbled a bit, but managed to get the metal knob to turn. The door pressed inward instead of opening outward.
Elizabeth pressed so hard against him, they both tumbled with a loud thunk onto the wooden flooring.
He immediately stilled and held her soft. "Are you alright, I-"
She pressed a finger to his lips and forced them to close, laughed, and shook her head. "I'm fine. Better than fine." Elizabeth pressed their warm bodies close together, lowered her eye lids with desire, and eyed him up and down. "I finally have you right where I want you."
He swallowed. "Perhaps the floor isn't the best place for-"
She pressed a kiss to his lips, and turned it to a demand for more. Her hands roamed his body. Eyes stayed open and watched him squirm beneath her. Even kissing, her lips formed a grin. She pulled from the kiss and nodded. "Maybe the bed will do better." She glanced over to the stable. Both Francesca and Louise glanced at them with dark eyes. "I don't want the girls seeing too much."
Elizabeth pulled back from Misha, though her hands moved slowly, reluctantly. She stood and brushed her riding pants off, then offered a hand. "And are you alright?"
"When I'm with you. Always."
She laughed, smooth and high, and lead them both inward. Elizabeth shut the door behind them.
Soon after, all the lights went out inside the cabin, but the dim candle at the bedside.
Francesca and Louise heard strange noises, but as they were horses locked in a stable, they did not investigate. They ate their oats and listened to the sounds of the night, and to the sounds of love.