Chapter 7
It was the most uncomfortable horse ride the King of England has ever experienced. Indeed it was, and it had everything to do with the petite lady riding with her. True, the circumstance permitted them intimacy but it also brought grand awkwardness along with it.
Few miles out of the castle and into the village, Nicole felt the discomfort pounding on her every muscle, rendering her body as stiff as a tree. The uneasiness ran through her neck all the way down to her fingertips and toes, and all she could do was hold her breath and stop her mind from reeling in imaginative contexts.
With much resolution, she strived to keep her stance still with every gallop of her royal horse, avoiding crossing over margins she’s not truly allowed to take. She flustered herself more than enough already earlier when she saved the younger Earp from falling over, though it was out of good intention but still, it was definitely not in her character to suddenly enfold someone in her arms and definitely not with her loyal subjects around to watch as she did so.
Slightly aware that Lady Waverly was also trying not to lean over and was avoiding any physical contact as well, given how it can happen accidentally, she felt bad; the younger girl must’ve been exhausted by now, because she was, if she would allow herself to admit so.
Realizing that they are still miles and miles away from her Aunt’s manor, she reckoned that offering her own body for comfort will have no consequences thereof, so she said, “You can lean on me if you want. We are still far.”
Nicole was a second away from regretting as Lady Waverly turned to look at her, their faces only inches apart, she could feel the air escaping her lungs. “I beg your pardon?” She heard the younger Earp asked back, to which she repeated with much difficulty than before, “You can lean on me if you want.”
Lady Waverly stared at her for a moment, eyes inquisitive, as if she’s probing into something within her. Nicole is the King of England; no one is allowed to look at her in such unduly way like the younger Earp was doing, but she let her. She let her look right through her and find whatever it is she was searching for and when she seemed to have find it, Lady Waverly smiled brightly– one that definitely blew Nicole’s breath away.
The magic was instantly broken when Lady Wynonna’s horse came into view. “How far are we still, Nicolas?”
It took an ample amount of strength from Nicole to tear her eyes away from Lady Waverly as she answered, “A few miles more Wynonna, just behind those hills.” She pointed ahead.
“It’s getting dark, we should double our pace.” Nicole was well aware that the older Earp was still looking at her; hoping that her flushed face would go unnoticed, she whipped her horse’s rear to increase its speed, just to avoid being under Lady Wynonna’s perceptive eyes much longer.
Another moment passed silently between the King and her passenger till the latter conveyed her thoughts out loud, “Am I to assume that it is my sister who gave the consent of calling each other’s given name?”
“No. It was I, actually. I named her out first.” Nicole admitted in recollection of what had transpired between her and the older Earp this morning; eyes still on the road, but her heart seemed to be listening to every word Lady Waverly articulated. “You’ve grown familiar in haste, that’s a first. Wynonna has never been prominent amongst men, she always has a tendency of scaring them away.”
“True, but I’m not most men. I am the King of England. She can never scare me away.” Nicole swore she could almost choke on her own lie. Lady Wynonna had been daunting her for quite a while now, hence her avoidance.
Though she had lived in constant fear of getting caught and her deception being found out, she had never recoiled so much so as she did with the older Earp. If truth be told, Lady Wynonna intimidates her in a way that wasn’t quite really scary but definitely wasn’t comforting either; and she wondered if it has anything to do with Lady Waverly and Lady Wynonna being siblings. Probably so, because if Lady Wynonna was anything but remotely related to the person who undeniably makes her heart flutter merely by just sitting in front of her, literally doing nothing but breath and live, Nicole would most likely not feel burdened being so apparent with her confused feelings. She probably would even openly converse about it with the Older Earp.
“And I?”
Nicole’s eyebrows dented at the question. She doesn’t quite know how to answer it or what even is the proper answer, so she nonchalantly asked back, “Should I be?”
“No, I don’t suppose so.”
And the King was left to ponder about that response as her wits ceased to exist when she felt Lady Waverly leaned comfortably against her.