In you I trust

AN: This is the first standalone in what I think will be a short series of standalone stories centering around Princess Cassandra. I haven't decided how many shorts I want in this series, but each can stand on their own. Since they all center around the same subject/person(s), I've decided to group them together. No promises on how often a short will appear here, but when I change the status to complete it means I have decided I have written all the shorts I wanted to. :)

Cassandra had always felt a special connection to the Ranger Commandant. She didn't know why. Maybe it was because he had saved her father's life and had always been there for them, but so had other people and she didn't feel the same way about them.

No, Crowley was special to her and she just felt naturally drawn to him. She couldn't count the times she had watched him sneak up behind someone, nearly scaring them to death while she had to stifle her giggles. Or the times she had hidden herself in a tree in the outer courtyard so she could spy on him while he shot at the range.

Of course, she was too little to shoot arrows, but instead she and her cousins had made slings so they could shoot small stones at targets. And she had become quite good, if she were to say so herself. Maybe even good enough that Crowley would be impressed.

She didn't know why, but she wanted to impress the Ranger Commandant, just a little. To see him acknowledge her skills or just nod approvingly at her.

Sometimes she tried to imitate him and sneak up behind the adults without them noticing, or just sneak away from her attendants, much to their, and her father's, frustration. But Crowley didn't seem to share their concern, so neither did she.

Of course, occasionally she took things a bit too far, such as today, and she got a lecture from her father.

"Cassandra, you have got to be more careful! What were you thinking going in to the horses and ride out by yourself? You could have been hurt!"

She knew she was in trouble the moment he used her full name. She also knew he expected an answer. "Sunflower wouldn't hurt me, dad. He's a good horse."

Duncan sighed. "That he may be, but he is also much bigger than you and could hurt you by accident. You need someone to help you with him; you're not big enough to handle him yourself and certainly not to ride out on your own."

"But dad, he's my horse!" Why couldn't he understand that?

"Yes, but you are still too little to handle him yourself. Do you understand that?" He looked at her sternly.

Cassandra hung her head. Her attendants never let her try any fun things when she was riding, but she knew her father would be very disappointed if she said no. "Yes, Father," she replied in a small voice.

Duncan sighed again and shook his head. "Thank the Lord that Crowley found you before you got hurt. You must never ride off like that again, Cass."

Cassandra looked up and glanced at the Commandant, who was standing quietly in the background. She hated she was being lectured in front of him, when she had just wanted to try and ride like he did, but she knew this was her punishment for making trouble.

The King looked at her. "Cassandra, you must promise never to do that again, do you hear me?"

"Yes, Father," she replied again. No more fun.

Apparently the Commandant took pity on her, because for the first time he spoke up. "I think she understands the seriousness of the situation, your majesty."

Duncan turned to look at him, a bit annoyed at his interruption.

"And if not, I'll be happy to explain it further." His tone and face were neutral and revealed nothing of what he thought. "This won't repeat itself, isn't that so?" he said looking at Cassandra.

"Yes, Crowley," she quickly replied.

After a moment Duncan nodded. "You're right. You may both go." He looked at Cassandra with some concern as she followed the Commandant out of the office. Sometimes he simply didn't know what to do with her.

Crowley and Cassandra walked down the hallway in silence next to each other for a few steps before Cassandra broke the silence.

"Thanks for helping me."

He inclined his head in a nod.

"Father can be a bit overprotective."

"Doesn't make him wrong, Cassandra. You could have been seriously hurt today."

She hung her head. It was bad enough that her father had told her off, but to have Crowley agree with him... she had to fight the tears that were coming. "I just wanted to ride like you do," she whispered.

"In that case, the next time come and ask me to teach you to do it instead."

Cassandra looked up surprised. There was a small smile on the Ranger's face. "Next time? You'll teach me?" She felt a sudden thrill at the thought.

He nodded. "Yes. If you promise to do as I tell you, exactly as I tell you."

She nodded eagerly, all tears forgotten.

"Good. Because I think we both know it's only a matter of time before you get bored and try something again, and give your father more grey hairs."

She grinned at bit guiltily. "I don't mean to cause trouble!"

"I know," Crowley replied with a little smile. "You just need to learn not to cause too much trouble. Now, we left the horses unattended after the ride and a rider should never do that, so as punishment for your little foray, you get to help me make things nice for the horses again."

"Yes, Crowley," she answered, trying not to sound too enthusiastic about it. Clearly Crowley had no idea how punishment was supposed to work and she wasn't about to tell him either if he didn't know. Getting the chance to help Crowley with Cropper was a dream come true.

She noticed Crowley looking at her and quickly adopted a more sombre expression. She didn't want to risk him changing his mind.

Crowley hid his own grin. He might not have any children, but he thought he understood the young princess quite well. And he had noticed she tended towards making trouble when she was bored. The simple solution; keep her occupied so she didn't have time to get bored.

There was a certain spring to her step as they walked towards the stables, and Crowley hoped he wouldn't regret his offer to teach her the different ways of riding.