‹ Prequel: The Pauper Princess
Status: Currently undergoing renovations.
The Game
Nineteen
By the time we stop to eat a midday meal it is clear that my horse dislikes me as much as I dislike it. She has walked under every low branch possible and made sure to run my legs into anything and everything she can get to. At one point she tried to scrape my leg off on a tree, but Calin reached over and yanked the reins back toward him. This kept her in line a short time, but I was more than happy to hear we’d be dismounting for a while.
As my feet hit the ground, though, my legs feel limp. It feels like stepping onto land after being on a boat. I stumble and reach a hand out to the horse to steady myself, but she has other plans. She steps away and I end up on my knees in the dirt.
“Stupid horse,” I mutter darkly. I hand appears in front of my face.
“You have to take control,” Calin offers as he pulls me to my feet. “She can tell you don’t know what you’re doing.”
“Thanks,” I mumble. I swipe at the dirt on my knees and he walks away without further comment.
During the afternoon meal, Mehta is greatly entertained by my complaints about the horse. She speculates that perhaps the horse and I are too alike to get along, which I did not appreciate. My mood is decidedly dark as we eat, until Mehta draws my attention to it.
“I’m supposed to be the one sulking,” she whispers as she leaned forward to pick up her cup. She inclines her head slightly toward the guards, and I understand her meaning. After all the practice she went through and all the steps we’d taken to make sure she could act like me, I’d neglected to consider my own actions.
One of the guards starts laughing hysterically, causing me to glance over at them again. Despite the merry mood of most of the guards, I can see that Ekohl remains serious. Instead of joining in with the others, he’s staring at us as we commune a few yards from the men, and when he sees me looking back his brow creases in a pensive look.
“I think he’s suspicious,” Mehta mumbles into her cup.
“I think you’re overreacting,” I say in a false cheerful voice, trying to cover up my anxiousness. I give her a smile, but I know she can tell that I’m worried too.
As my feet hit the ground, though, my legs feel limp. It feels like stepping onto land after being on a boat. I stumble and reach a hand out to the horse to steady myself, but she has other plans. She steps away and I end up on my knees in the dirt.
“Stupid horse,” I mutter darkly. I hand appears in front of my face.
“You have to take control,” Calin offers as he pulls me to my feet. “She can tell you don’t know what you’re doing.”
“Thanks,” I mumble. I swipe at the dirt on my knees and he walks away without further comment.
During the afternoon meal, Mehta is greatly entertained by my complaints about the horse. She speculates that perhaps the horse and I are too alike to get along, which I did not appreciate. My mood is decidedly dark as we eat, until Mehta draws my attention to it.
“I’m supposed to be the one sulking,” she whispers as she leaned forward to pick up her cup. She inclines her head slightly toward the guards, and I understand her meaning. After all the practice she went through and all the steps we’d taken to make sure she could act like me, I’d neglected to consider my own actions.
One of the guards starts laughing hysterically, causing me to glance over at them again. Despite the merry mood of most of the guards, I can see that Ekohl remains serious. Instead of joining in with the others, he’s staring at us as we commune a few yards from the men, and when he sees me looking back his brow creases in a pensive look.
“I think he’s suspicious,” Mehta mumbles into her cup.
“I think you’re overreacting,” I say in a false cheerful voice, trying to cover up my anxiousness. I give her a smile, but I know she can tell that I’m worried too.