Chapter 14
1617 Words
“This is so stupid,” Eiley muttered aloud, not caring who heard her.
Warren clenched his jaw at her words, but otherwise didn’t react.
Both of their parties had contrived to have them ride next to each other for the trip. In truth, the original plan was to have Eiley and Warren ride in a court carriage together, but both had objected without discussion. Instead, they found themselves riding side by side, Eiley on her favorite mare, and Warren riding a tall warhorse. The mare shook out her mane, enjoying the dappled sun on her hair. The warhorse looked as bored as Eiley did.
“Do you…get to ride outside of the grounds very often?” Warren asked.
Eiley sighed. “We’re technically still within the royal grounds.” She leaned forward to stroke her horse’s soft shoulder. “But no. I rarely leave the grounds. And Bertie here really should be allowed out more.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Warren said. “I try to get out regularly for a ride. Francis gets antsy if I don’t take him out regularly.” Warren looked pensive for a moment. “I just hope that our activities can remain purely recreational.”
“Oh?” Eiley said with a laugh. “Is there a risk of it being anything else?”
Warren cleared his throat. “Some, yes.”
Eiley was about to ask what he meant, but they were interrupted by the party’s arrival at the site.
“Gosh! Finally!” Eiley said and jumped off her horse. She shook out her legs and stretched her arms over her head with a relieved sigh.
Warren looked visibly taken aback. “I have to admit, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Is this a regular showing for a royal hunt?”
Eiley rolled her eyes. “Unfortunately.” She handed Bertie’s reins to the nearest servant and walked in the direction of the big tent.
After a moment’s hesitation, Warren stepped off of Francis. A servant tried to take the reins from his hand, but Warren stayed near. “Will there be water and food for the horses?” he asked. “I don’t want Francis to get stiff.”
“Don’t worry, your highness. We’ll take good care of him.”
Warren hesitated, then stroked Francis’ nose for a second before walking towards camp.
He walked slowly taking in the arrangement. Dozens of tents were gathered to the point where Warren started to wonder if they were near the frontline of battle, were it not for the jeweled tones of the tent walls.
King Nathanial clapped Warren on the back and said, “Now the fun begins!”
Warren looked surprised, “I…rather enjoyed the ride.”
Eiley laughed at something across the way and caught Warren’s eye when she turned in her seat. He moved to walk towards her, but the King stopped him.
“You don’t need to waste your time with the women today! Today we are men!” He clapped Warren on the back and pushed him towards a barrel of ale.
Warren looked back at Eiley again but turned away to follow Nathanial. “Is it a…good idea to have ale on a hunt?”
Nathanial looked at him in confusion. “What the point without ale?”
“Oh.” Warren raised his eyebrows. “Okay.” He filled a mug with ale and took a tentative sip.
The King drank half of his mug in one gulp and wandered off to join the men picking up weapons. Warren eyed the stack of bows and daggers suspiciously and selected a bow. He glanced back at Eiley where she was sitting, alone now, on a sofa, then Warren quietly set his ale down on a nearby table.
“Welcome to your first fox hunt, Prince Warren!”
Warren held his bow uncomfortably. “Is fox meat considered a delicacy?”
This earned him a hearty laugh from the men. He searched the crowd for Lord Kyron, who was certainly equally confused, but was doing a better job of hiding it.
Carys took pity on Warren and said, “No, no we don’t eat the fox meat. The fun is in the sport.”
“I’ve heard it’s actually rather gamey,” Lord Jameson added.
Warren looked at the men, trying to understand the joke. “You hunt without the intent to consume the meat?”
The men laughed at him again, considering this a hilarious joke.
“Come on, let’s take off!” Nathanial took up an ax and started off into the forest. Warren looked back to the sofa where Eiley was sitting, but she was facing the other direction. With a shrug, he wandered into the forest after the men.
He followed behind the group of about twenty lords and nobles, and watched them drink and hack away at the trees they passed. He slung his bow over his shoulder and didn’t bother to take out an arrow. Ahead of him, Nathanial stumbled and his ale sloshed to the forest floor. A servant quickly replaced his mug, and the King carried on as if nothing had happened.
Warren looked at the men then looked back to the campsite. Then he turned and walked back to camp.
Eiley didn’t notice his approach until he set foot on the rug. “Aren’t you joining the festivities?” he asked.
She quickly tried to hide a mug of ale, but when she saw it was him, she relaxed. “Women aren’t allowed,” she answered bitterly. “But why aren’t you with them?”
“Oh, I just…thought you looked bored.” Warren paused for a moment, looking like he was going to say more, but he changed his mind.
“That is very astute,” she answered, and placed her mug of ale on the table in front of her.
“Would you care to go for a walk with me?” Warren asked.
Eiley’s expression brightened for the first time since they left the castle that morning. “I’d like that.” She stood and wandered out off the rug onto the grassy path. “Well, come on.”
Warren jumped to catch up with her, and they walked in the opposite direction from where the hunters went. As they walked in the woods, Eiley reached out to touch various trees in her path, and Warren watched her lift her face to the sun.
She sighed happily and it broke the comfortable silence between them. “So what do you think of the hunt?”
“Um…” Warren glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “I’m…not sure I understand it.”
Eiley snorted a laugh. “Finally! Someone gets it.”
“Hmmm?”
Eiley twirled around. “Unless you mean to tell me you do enjoy the sport of it?”
Warren grimaced. “Is it culturally insensitive if I say no?”
Eiley grinned. “What? You don’t love hauling a household worth of furniture out to the forest to get drunk and try to kill a fox?”
“Not even a little bit.” Warren laughed. “I’d much rather take a walk in the forest or go to a local tavern. This I don’t understand.”
Eiley considered something for a moment, but decided to wait. If she was going to invite him on a night out, she needed to be sure it was a good choice. Instead, she said, “I’d rather commit to staying out or commit to staying home. This is just confusing.”
“Is there a good sport in catching a fox?” Warren asked. “If it’s not for consumption…it must not be difficult to catch if they intend to do so drunk?”
“In truth, these hunts are rarely successful.” She twirled again. “They just treat it as a fun excuse to go out and drink in the woods like men!”
“And your drinking in the woods is…?”
Eiley stopped and turned to look him in the eye. “A small respite from deep boredom.”
The tension grew between them, and Eiley tilted her head, considering. Warren took a step towards her, but she put a hand on his chest and whispered, “Wait.”
Warren froze and watched her. Eiley listened without removing her hand. When she stepped away, Warren had to forcibly stop himself from following her.
“Look!” she whispered. She wrapped her hands around Warren’s arm, and he relaxed into her hands. “Do you see?” She pointed ahead of them, and Warren had to drag his attention away from her touch.
He looked out ahead of them and scanned the forest. When he saw it he gasped. “It’s beautiful,” he whispered.
Eiley’s expression was gleeful when she looked up at him. “I’ve never seen a fox in real life before!”
They watched it’s lithe ginger body prance through the trees. It froze suddenly, sniffing the air.
Eiley grabbed the longbow that was still hanging on Warren’s shoulder. He looked down to her in surprise, but she said, “Please don’t.” She pushed the bow back against his shoulder. “Let her go.”
Warren smiled in relief, then he nodded silently.
The two of them watched the fox trot around the trees until cheers erupted from the hunting party far behind them. The fox darted off, vanishing into the woods.
When it was gone, Eiley turned to look at Warren. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Just, thank you.”
- Writer
