Status: hiatus

Love, and Other Torture Devices

Horse

"Are you alright?"

Edmund turns to see Almira slowly walking down the corridor, unattended. "Where are your maids?"

"I snuck out of my room. You were taking too long."

He shrugs, "I got held up."

Almira nods slowly, listening to Edmund walk beside her. "Mind me asking who held you up?"

"Nobody," he shrugs.

"Okay, you don't wish to tell me. That's fine." She flattens out the front of her new dress. "Where are we going, exactly?"

Edmund straightens his coat, "there's a bear-baiting match a few miles away that I was invited to."

Feeling her nose scrunch up, Almira slows down before stopping completely.

Edmund turns around, nearly rolling his eyes. "What, Almira?"

"Bear-baiting?"

"Yes, bear-baiting. They tie the bear up and antagonize it. It kills someone or something, it's quite fun. Can we go now?"

Her jaw goes slack, "fun?"

"Almira, please. It's not even time for lunch and I have had a hard day. I would just like to relax."

"By watching a bear be poked at?" She crosses her arms. "That can't possibly be safe."

Not even rebutting, Edmund reaches out and grabs Almira's wrist. Feeling his fingers overlap on the inner side of Almira's wrist, he begins walking down the corridor.

Almira is nearly jogging to keep up with Edmund's long strides. "How many people are going to be there?"

"Probably quite a few," he shrugs. "Why?"

"I'm just curious."

The two walk silently until they reach the entrance of the castle, where a carriage is waiting.

"We really don't have time to take a carriage," Edmund shakes his head at one of the servants. "Fetch my horse, and another for Lady Almira."

Shaking her head, Almira places her hand on Edmund's wrist. "Edmund," she says quietly.

He looks down at his wrist, making Almira take her hand back. He still has a firm grip on her wrist, though. "What?"

"I don't know how to ride a horse."

Edmund scoffs, releasing Almira's wrist. "You're not being serious."

"Yes, I am," Almira says, her eyes glued to the two, very large, horses being walked up the circular brick road that meets the steps of the castle.

Edmund laughs, "then what in God's name did they teach you in Augustine for sixteen years?"

Almira's eyes narrow, "excuse me?"

"Never mind," Edmund grabs Almira's wrist again, dragging her toward the large, black horse. "We're just going to take one horse."

The servant nods, watching as Edmund mounts the horse with ease.

"Lady Almira."

She jumps when the servant bows to her slightly, offering a hand to boost her up onto the horse. Placing a shaky hand on the side of the horse, Almira places her left foot in the hands of the helper and feels her hand slide up the side of the horse.

"Just put your leg over on this side," Edmund says.

Almira does as Edmund says, feeling herself slide into the small space on the back of the saddle. "You're sure this is safe?"

Edmund nods, "safer than you riding your own horse. Now, you'll probably want to hold on."

Nodding to herself, Almira wraps her arms around Edmund's waist. Her eyes clench shut when the horse starts to move.

"Relax, Almira," Edmund chuckles, over the sound of the horse's shoes connecting with the bricks.

Soon, it sounds as if more than one horse is with them, but Almira decides against moving her cheek away from Edmund's back to look.

Edmund smirks, gently kicking the sides of the horse to speed it up as the iron cast gates of the castle property are pulled open by four men in uniform. Controlling the horse with one hand, Edmund moves his other hand to cover both of Almira's hands that are tensely placed on his abdomen.
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