Chapter 4

Conrad was polishing one of the royal saddles when I stepped into the walkway in my common clothes. He had told me several people had come by wondering where the wild horseman had gone, and where the wild horse had come from. I shook my head, realizing I didn't want fans. James would have to make himself scarce.

"So, was the beautiful Ana in a good mood today?" asked Conrad.

"Ya know what she would say to that if she were here, Con?" I said. I put my hands on my hips in a lady -like fashion and said in a high voice, "Don't you dare call that, you insignifacant manure digger!"

Conrad's eyes widened. "That bad huh?"

"Yes that bad. She is so horrible I'm considering a getaway to Gaul and never returning."

I stopped as my own words sunk in. I didn't even hear Conrad's answer as I repeated that sentence over again in my mind. A getaway to Gaul. A runaway prince from a dreaded marriage.

"Of course!" I practically yelled. "That's it!"

Conrad looked confused. "You really think Princess Ana is on some drugs?"

I furrowed my eyebrows. "No, dummy. I'll go to Gaul and stay there for the rest of my days, or until Princess Anastasia gets engaged to someone else, or my father drags me back to the alter itself. This is perfect. Why should I marry her if I don't want to? Conrad my boy, this is brilliant!"

Conrad looked at me as if I had grown two heads. I almost put my hands up to feel and make sure; his look was so real.

"You really want to run away?" he asked incredulously.

"Yeah," I said going over to Ares and stroking his neck. "In fact I think I'll leave tonight, right after the ball. I'll take Ares and a good supply of gold and you'll have to get me a few pairs of tunics and leggings, these are my only pair. I can easily sneak a pack of jerky, fruit and bread from the kitchen that will last me a few days. The saddle will have to be..."

"Woah, woah," said Conrad, blinking his eyes in astonishment. "Slow down, buddy. Think about what you're saying! You can't run away like that!"

"Why not?" I asked looking at him sharply.

"Because..." he faltered then tried again, "You're forgetting something."

"What?"

"Me! I'm not letting you go to Gaul and have all the fun without me!"

I laughed and waved my hand. "Get out of here. You? You can't come. You're a stable boy and have to be at your place."

He huffed. "Let me guess, no one is going to notice that you aren't at your place. Come on, Lance, whether you give me permission or not, I'm still going with you. I mean really, who'll carry you to some hut when Ares finally does throw you off and you break a couple bones?"

Before I could chuck a clod at him a voice called out from outside that made us both freeze.

"Lance? Are you in there?"

It was Carrie.

Dang it! She was early. I mouthed to Conrad, 'It's my sister! Tell her I'm not here!' Then I ducked down beside Ares.

Conrad had been gaping like a complete idiot and I'm sure he still waswhen Carrie entered the barn. I saw her stop when she saw Conrad. She was wearing on of her most ordinary dresses and her brown hair had been carelessly let loose. Conrad continued to gape like a fish.

"Excuse me," said Carrie. "Have you seen Prince Lance here?"

"He...Well... A few..."

I had to strain a chuckle as I listened to Conrad's stuttering. Carrie waited patiently.

"He was here, miss...er...highness," he said, then he remembered his servant manners and swept into a silly bow.

Carrie smiled one of her heart melting smiles and I literally turned red from keeping back the guffaw that was trying to burst out.

"Oh please, I'm just Carrie." She gave a small curtsey and asked, "Are you Conrad?"

Conrad took his hat off which made a puff of dust around his head and he nodded eagerly. "Yes, ma'am...er...Carrie."

"Do then tell Lance when you see him to come back to his room. Mother wants to lecture him." She hesitated then added softly, "Please, Conrad."

"Of course, of course!" he said. Then quickly finding his brain and tongue said, "I've not seen you here before, Miss Carrie. Would you like a horse to ride? I can easily saddle one up for you."

She blushed. "Oh, I can't ride, sir."

"I'll teach you."

Poor guy had to go through a refusal. I grinned widely in my hiding place.

"Oh, thank-you, Conrad," she said. "But I'm really too busy and horses have never..." here she stopped then said to my amazement, "But I would like to learn. Maybe some other time."

She smiled again and walked away in a dignified manner, though I knew she wanted to skip all the way home. As soon as she was out of sight, I burst into peals of laughter. Ares moved anxiously about and I climbed out, tears rolling down my cheeks as I leaned on the rail for support.

Conrad's face was flushed red as he returned from la la land and put on a scowl which made me laugh harder. Then he grinned sheepishly and scowled again as he kicked at a clod.

"Ah, shut up, will ya?" he growled.

"You were such a fish, Conrad," I said wiping the tears away with a snicker. "I was expecting any moment for you topple over in your drooling at her feet."

"Why didn't you tell me you had such a pretty sister that old?" he asked. "Now I'm all bummered out, since she is a princess."

I remembered her agreement to learn how to ride and said, "Hey, I'm actually rather envious. In all my years of begging, I've never succeeded in getting her to take riding lessons. And now here you are, seeing her for the first time and with your horrible stuttering, and you get her to learn. She must be taken to you. Even with your dusty head."

He brushed his head and scowled at the puffs of dust that wafted off his head. Then he said, "She really is pretty and now I'm hesitate about going with you to Gaul. After all I've got to teach her how to ride a horse."

"You don't have to come," I said with a shrug. "You can stay here and teach Carrie how to ride an animal she's afraid of all day then in the evenings all the lords and nobleman will flirt with her, and hopefully never get a whiff of the horse smell she had a few hours ago. No problem. I won't object."

He scowled then sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. but hey, your mom wants to lecture you about being nice to Princess Ana, so you better git!"

"I'll git all right, and maybe I'll ask Carrie again if she wants to take lessons."

I quickly dodged the clod of dried manure with a laugh.