Lara was packing her horse slowly. Strangely enough, she felt calm and
happy to get away. The only thing she was really going to miss in her dull-
but-not-for-long life was her father.
Her grey-spotted stallion, whose name was Qwinn, wickered nervously. Lara was amazed once again at how useful a horse could be besides providing a method of transportation.
Lara could also feel another presence in the room. She braced herself and whipped around with a small dagger in her hand, which she had taken carefully out of one of her boots, only to meet the very wide-eyed Aren.
"Whoa, there, horsey." he cracked.
"Hahaha, very funny. Just be grateful that I'm not in a bad mood right now." she told him. *Actually*, she thought, *I am feeling a little jumpy right now. And I don't unless something's about to happen…*
"What are you talking about? You're always in a bad mood." Aren said slyly as if he hadn't noticed her tuning out.
"Shut up Aren." she told him with a warning glare.
"Whatever the laddie commands."
That did it. Lara decided that a good punch in the shoulder would teach him a lesson. But Aren, out of nowhere, immediately blocked the punch and went in on his prey. He grabbed her and before Lara knew what was happening, had her rolling around the hay-covered ground wrestling him.
"Please…none-no more…" she said breathlessly. She kicked him away with good measure and sat up. They smiled at each other, and suddenly they both burst out into gales of laughter. As the chortles died down, both looked away as an awkward silence came over them. Lara was the first to break it.
"So…how have you been feeling?" she asked Aren curiously.
"Fine, everything's good. Sorry about, you know, that."
Lara was surprised at how closely they were linked about the way they thought of things. She hadn't even been sure if Aren knew what she was talking about, but he had caught on quickly.
"It's okay." she assured him, "Just as long as you don't get all sensitive on me again." she added.
"Oh, come on! Was I that bad?!?" Aren demanded incredulously.
"Why, as a matter of fact…yes!" Lara replied smugly as if she had seriously thought about it.
Aren just rolled his eyes up heavenward, turned and went through the wheat- smelling stable toward his beautiful chestnut-colored mare. He was extremely proud of this horse, one reason being it had been the only clue of his father's love for him when he received it on his thirteenth birthday.
Then, just as abruptly as he had walked away, he spun around and walked a little closer to her. He looked deep into her eyes.
To Lara's disappointment, though she had no clue why, he only told her to "Meet me at the front gate, this evening."
Lara dropped her gaze and all Aren got for a reply from her was a grunt, which he took for a "Fine by me."
Later when Lara was ready she rode up to the humongous front gate of her father's mansion. Then again, everything on Sir Croft's property was huge.
She spotted him waiting patiently there for her, an outline against the setting sun.
"Isn't it just breath-taking?" she gushed, pointing at the many bright, pastel-colored dyes painted in the cloudless sky.
"Yes, as are you." Aren murmured. Then he sat up straight as his face turned into the color of the red-beet sun. He couldn't believe he had just let that slip.
Thankfully, all she did was flash her winsome smile at him and let the matter drop.
Aren grinned back and then nodded seriously. Lara tipped her head signifying her readiness. She nudged her noble horse through the open, inviting gate and Aren followed as they stole stealthily into the city.
*****
Editor's note:
Sorry on such a short chapter! I might do better if people will help me by reviewing…thanks! Also, for those who protestingly cry, "But Lara isn't like that!!!" or "But Lara would NEVER do that!!!", it's part of the STORY. a-She's SIXTEEN. b-She's still a NOBLE LADY. and c-I'm getting to that! She might roughen up a little after all her journeying. She might see another side of the overprotective world she's lived in. But not now ;) Thank you, and sorry if I have offended anyone (Yah, I'm like just a LITTLE hyper right now, just a LITTLE) 0:) Once again, please R&R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Her grey-spotted stallion, whose name was Qwinn, wickered nervously. Lara was amazed once again at how useful a horse could be besides providing a method of transportation.
Lara could also feel another presence in the room. She braced herself and whipped around with a small dagger in her hand, which she had taken carefully out of one of her boots, only to meet the very wide-eyed Aren.
"Whoa, there, horsey." he cracked.
"Hahaha, very funny. Just be grateful that I'm not in a bad mood right now." she told him. *Actually*, she thought, *I am feeling a little jumpy right now. And I don't unless something's about to happen…*
"What are you talking about? You're always in a bad mood." Aren said slyly as if he hadn't noticed her tuning out.
"Shut up Aren." she told him with a warning glare.
"Whatever the laddie commands."
That did it. Lara decided that a good punch in the shoulder would teach him a lesson. But Aren, out of nowhere, immediately blocked the punch and went in on his prey. He grabbed her and before Lara knew what was happening, had her rolling around the hay-covered ground wrestling him.
"Please…none-no more…" she said breathlessly. She kicked him away with good measure and sat up. They smiled at each other, and suddenly they both burst out into gales of laughter. As the chortles died down, both looked away as an awkward silence came over them. Lara was the first to break it.
"So…how have you been feeling?" she asked Aren curiously.
"Fine, everything's good. Sorry about, you know, that."
Lara was surprised at how closely they were linked about the way they thought of things. She hadn't even been sure if Aren knew what she was talking about, but he had caught on quickly.
"It's okay." she assured him, "Just as long as you don't get all sensitive on me again." she added.
"Oh, come on! Was I that bad?!?" Aren demanded incredulously.
"Why, as a matter of fact…yes!" Lara replied smugly as if she had seriously thought about it.
Aren just rolled his eyes up heavenward, turned and went through the wheat- smelling stable toward his beautiful chestnut-colored mare. He was extremely proud of this horse, one reason being it had been the only clue of his father's love for him when he received it on his thirteenth birthday.
Then, just as abruptly as he had walked away, he spun around and walked a little closer to her. He looked deep into her eyes.
To Lara's disappointment, though she had no clue why, he only told her to "Meet me at the front gate, this evening."
Lara dropped her gaze and all Aren got for a reply from her was a grunt, which he took for a "Fine by me."
Later when Lara was ready she rode up to the humongous front gate of her father's mansion. Then again, everything on Sir Croft's property was huge.
She spotted him waiting patiently there for her, an outline against the setting sun.
"Isn't it just breath-taking?" she gushed, pointing at the many bright, pastel-colored dyes painted in the cloudless sky.
"Yes, as are you." Aren murmured. Then he sat up straight as his face turned into the color of the red-beet sun. He couldn't believe he had just let that slip.
Thankfully, all she did was flash her winsome smile at him and let the matter drop.
Aren grinned back and then nodded seriously. Lara tipped her head signifying her readiness. She nudged her noble horse through the open, inviting gate and Aren followed as they stole stealthily into the city.
*****
Editor's note:
Sorry on such a short chapter! I might do better if people will help me by reviewing…thanks! Also, for those who protestingly cry, "But Lara isn't like that!!!" or "But Lara would NEVER do that!!!", it's part of the STORY. a-She's SIXTEEN. b-She's still a NOBLE LADY. and c-I'm getting to that! She might roughen up a little after all her journeying. She might see another side of the overprotective world she's lived in. But not now ;) Thank you, and sorry if I have offended anyone (Yah, I'm like just a LITTLE hyper right now, just a LITTLE) 0:) Once again, please R&R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!