The Two Princes [Legendless & Highlander]

When the pair left for a distance away, Rhys felt Anna lean forward a little. "His Majesty would be proud of you." She whispered to him, meaning that he was doing good so far. Rhys smiled a little and turned to face her.


"You mean because I haven't frozen the palace yet, right?" He asked, making sure he wasn't overheard. Then Anna got another look on her face. One that Rhys never liked seeing.


"You're going to have to see if he knows." She told him quietly. Rhys was about to say more, but the sound of returning footsteps made him close his mouth. He turned to see Andrei and Kiel had returned. He nodded slightly, not wanting to risk it coming out now that Anna had planted the idea in his head.
 
Andrei made a gesture and started walking towards the stables. He could feel Kiel's eyes on the back of his head. Maybe it was best to take the chance now. They were practically alone after all.


"Prince Rhys I have a question if you don't mind," Andrei started his cheeks already pink. "Have you ever courted someone before? This engage is quite recent so I can't imagine either one of us not having someone else in mind beforehand. Not that I want to pry."
 
Rhys followed Andrei, Anna once more staying behind but close enough. Then Andrei said he had a question. Rhys looked up at him, feeling his own cheeks get warm at the question. He then looked at the ground, taking a moment.


"No, I haven't." He said quietly. He didn't want to say why, that he was often overlooked because of his brothers. That was embarrassing, so he decided that he would just simply say no.
 
"Have you ever liked anyone?" He doubted that Rhys wouldn't have had one crush in his life. Unless his parents kept him shut away but he did not think that was the case. He thought to his own. He wondered if he was not a Prince if anything would have became of them. But looking at Rhys he was okay with the current situation.
 
Rhys kept staring at the ground. "There was this one person." He said. He had often imagined that if he wasn't a prince things would have worked out between the two. "But it was years ago and my father wouldn't have approved anyway." Not that he ever told his father. He always did his best to avoid making his father mad at him for any reason.
 
"What was their name?" He was curious now. He wanted to know more about the kind of person Rhys liked if only to see how he compared. He knew it would be futile to compare an old crush to him now, but Andrei wasn't always a reasonable person. They had arrived at the stables and one of the stable boys smiled and waved. Andrei returned both. Then he turned to Rhys to hear his answer.
 
Rhys couldn't help but smile just a little bit. "I, I never actually got their name." He said. He looked up as they arrived at the stables. "I would leave the palace and . . ." He couldn't come out and just say 'shows using the water magic I inherited from my mother' right now. "And get to know the surrounding city at least and that's where we met." He told him.
 
We. Their. Was this going to be a dance around the question Andrei wanted to ask? Most likely. Maybe a different alternative. His own confession of a crush.


"I get that. I use to sneak out sometimes. There was this boy named Gregor. He was the son of a candlemaker. He was shy but we got along well. Then I stopped going outside the castle so much. I don't know what happened to him."


Andrei walked over to his horse, petting Cinder. "There are a few horses not taken by anyone. You can have one if you want."
 
When Andrei started talking about his own crush, Rhys realized exactly what he was trying to ask. He looked at the ground. He wanted to tell him now, but he was afraid of Anna overhearing. Not that it matter much anymore, but it was the one thing he'd never told her.


"He was a blacksmith's son." He said quietly, so Anna wouldn't overhear. It was still the one thing they didn't share. While he felt guilty about it sometimes, it was nice for there to be one thing she didn't know. He followed Andrei to what he assumed to be his horse. It was very beautiful and reminded him of his own back home.
 
He. Andrei felt a weight lift off of him. He liked another guy. There was no longer any worry that Rhys would be marrying someone he would never love back or want back. Andrei felt himself smile again.


"I'm sorry to hear that neither of our crushes were allowed to be. But I'm glad," Andrei said turning to Rhys, still blushing, "that we were brought together. It's easier for me this way."


"This is Cinder. She's a very sweet horse. I've had her for some time."
 
Rhys managed a small smile. "I think it's easier too." He said. At least there was a chance for them. He had felt completely guilty before being told he was marrying Andrei. When he thought it was a princess, he was sure he wouldn't be able to give her what he had been taught every woman deserved.


He smiled at the horse. "She's beautiful." He said, reaching up slowly to pet the horse. "She looks like my horse back home." When he said it out loud, a twinge of sadness struck him. He tried to ignore it though.
 
Kiel watched the two princes from the doorway and smiled. He turned to Anna. "They make a cute couple don't they? Glad that Andrei was able to say something." The Prince was not that good with talking to people.


Andrei nodded in agreement. "She is. She's pretty fast too. I've raced her against a few others who live here. Would you like to ride her? I could find another horse to join you."
 
Anna looked over Kiel and smiled a little herself. "They do." She said smiling more at the two boys. "Rhys doesn't seem nervous, I take that as a good sign." It was always a good sign that he was at least a little comfortable around other people.


Rhys smiled more as Andrei talked about Cinder. Then he asked if he wanted to ride her. It felt like such a long time since he had last ridden when it wasn't really that long at all. "If you don't mind." He said, not wanting to cross a line so soon if one existed. Or ever.
 
"Andrei would be a bit more forward. He's always got awkward in these situations. But they both seem to be dealing with it well. I know most people don't take arranged marriages that well." Kiel was still keeping a close eye on Rhys. He was from the enemy kingdom even if the war was over. He had a duty to protect Andrei after all.


"Of course. I just need to see if any of the practice horses are available." He looked around to locate one of the stable workers. Cinder kicked at the floor. "I can get you her things before I select my own horse."
 
Anna smiled. "Had Rhys been any of his brothers, a lot more fighting would have been involved." She said. His brothers had a...difficult personality. Ones that wouldn't take too kindly to being forced into marrying a guy. She noticed that Kiel seemed to be watching Rhys closely and she didn't blame him much. The two kingdoms still thought of the other as the enemy even though the fighting had stopped. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't just a tad more protective now as well.


Rhys smiled a little at the horse. "I can wait if that would be easier." He said. He didn't really mind waiting until Andrei found an available horse for himself.
 
Kiel nodded. He thought of Andrei's own siblings. His older brother gone. The younger one too young for now to fully understand everything.


"We should thank the Gods then that this is turning out well. Hopefully this will bring peace to our Kingdoms." It had to. If the marriage didn't work, if something happened to one of the princes. Kiel did not want another war.


Andrei nodded. He headed towards one of the stable boys. He got pointed in the direction of a gray mare. Andrei recognized her as the horse his younger brother had rode while learning. He petted her smiling. "I will use Luna then. Let's get them saddled up. I can't wait to show you more." He petted Cinder after handing over her things. He knew she'd take care of his betrothed.
 
Anna nodded again. They could only hope that things would work out. Although she figured that Rhys would try his hardest. He wasn't one to give up that easily. She also knew that his father had lectured him about how this needed to work and he wasn't going to disappoint his father.


Rhys watched as Andrei was shown an available horse. He smiled a little when he said they could go riding now. He took Cinder's things and saddled her. He made sure it was done right, more so than when it was his own horse.
 
Once Andrei got Luna ready he turned to face the other pair in the room. Kiel gave him a wide smile.


"Will you two be okay alone? I mean you're free-"


"It's not a problem Your Highness. I trust Rhys with you and I am sure you won't go too far," Kiel interrupted. "You should take as much alone time for now as you need to get to know each other."


Andrei fought off another blush and nodded. It was good that Anna and Kiel were staying behind. He felt shyer with them around. He got onto the horse and turned to face Rhys. "I am ready to go when you are."
 
As they got ready to go, Rhys glanced at Anna and she smiled at him. He'd be okay. Anna wouldn't let him go alone if he wasn't. So he smiled a little bit. Then he got on Cinder easily an looked over at Andrei. "I'm ready." He said.


((Sorry it's so short...))
 
Andrei took off on the horse. He didn't go too fast. This wasn't a race. He smiled as he rode enjoying himself. Andrei closed his eyes as the wind whipped his hair back and he laughed. He looked back to make sure Rhys was following him. He then looked back ahead, making sure that he wasn't leading them both into the nearby woods. He turned and set off towards the east side.
 
Rhys set off after Andrei with one last look at Anna. He followed close, but not too closely. He also looked around at the scenery as they rode. It felt nice to be riding a horse. He felt himself smiling and any nervous energy he had remaining seemed to just slip away. Rhys felt completely relaxed right now.
 
Andrei wondered what route to take. He didn't want to bore Rhys with just a simple ride through the open field. There was a couple paths he knew nearby and he turned the horse again. He ducked slightly as he rode into the woods. Luna knew this path well jumping over small branches and bushes as they moved further.


Andrei slowed a bit to call back, "You okay?"
 
Rhys continued to follow, more careful when Andrei went into the woods. He had to duck under a branch or two because if where he'd placed himself on the path. "I'm okay." He answered.


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"Just scream if you fall off your horse," he called back with a grin. Cinder neighed, tossing her head as if to say she wouldn't knock Rhys off of her. "Cinder knows what she is doing though."


He turned his attention back to the path as a branch barely touched his head. He was going to fall off his horse at this rate. They moved further in until they came to a clearing. Andrei stopped and waited for Rhys.
 
Rhys smiled a little bit. The more time he spent with Andrei. He continued to follow, wondering where exactly they were going. However he figured he could enjoy the ride. It wasn't always the destination that was pretty, but the journey. That's what his mother used to tell him. Just thinking of her made him slightly sad again. Besides Anna, she was the one who had helped him most.


Then he noticed Andrei had stopped. So Rhys stopped next to him and looked around the clearing, a smile coming to his face once more.
 
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