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“Excuse you. I was very seriously injured. The doctors were called, my mother wept...it was a lot.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes, yes, poor little prince. The horse, Gale?”
I pouted, but it did not last as I answered, “Ass made a full recovery and now lives peacefully in a horse sanctuary, being hand-fed apples and oats by people like you.”
“At least he got a happy ending and is no longer being used by a prince to anger his parents,” she said.
“Ass loved me—oh, very odd sentence,” I replied.
“You...wow.” She gasped. Her gaze moved away from me and onto the private dark and sandy beach up ahead of us. The water was a deep, stormy blue, and it rolled in gently with the breeze. In the distance were mountains that reminded me of Ersovia. “This is beautiful. How did you know of this place?”
The internet. “Don’t spoil the magic,” I replied, hopping off my horse and helping her down from hers. “Especially when it’s not finished yet.”
“What do you mean?”
I grinned, taking her hand into mine and leading her onto the beach.
“Gale, the horses!”
“Don’t worry about it. They will be here when we come back.”
“Back? Back from where?”
“There.” I pointed to the white sailing boat by a large thick tree.
“You know how to sail?” she asked skeptically.
“What can I say? I am a prince of many traits,” I replied, spinning her into my arms. “Come, brunch is on board!”
“Gale, you didn’t have to do all of this!”
“No. But I wanted to.” I really wanted to.
He did know how to sail, and he looked completely magnificent as he did so—the wind blowing through his hair as he stood with his jacket off and sleeves rolled up, holding on to the wheel as if he were the king of the sea. He would let me touch nothing. I was seated like a queen behind him, stuffing my face with bagels, fruits, and juice as he took me away. It was so surreal and perfect that I needed a picture.
Taking my phone, I sat up a bit straighter, leaning forward to where he was.
“Make sure to get my good side!” he called out, catching me.
“And which is that?”
“Good question,” he said in a serious tone, glancing back at me. “I am perfect, so I guess every side is good.”
“Way to be humble.” I groaned, tossing down my phone.
He laughed, leaving the wheel. Coming back over to me, he lifted my phone up before sitting down.
“Royals are not supposed to take selfies, but since you asked for my good side—”
“I did not ask!” I said as he hugged me to him.
“I will make an exception,” he continued on as if I didn’t have his face beside my face.
It was worse looking at myself in the camera, seeing how—how happy I was, grinning like a fool. What happened to me rejecting him? What happened to me wanting him to go back home? What happened to me?
“Three...two...one...” I smiled, and he turned his head, kissing my cheek as he took the picture. “Happy birthday, Odette,” he whispered in my ear, making me shiver.
“You’re really making it hard not to start falling for you,” I whispered back, trying not to look at him. Instead, I reached for my phone.
