"Do you have a fondness for watching random women go about their daily tasks?" I demanded, clucking my tongue to the mare beneath me. She took off at a quick walk, ear pricked forward, steps eager and confident. Nothing like the flighty horse I had first encountered. It was amazing what some fresh air and a sympathetic hand could do to an animal.

"No, certainly not random women. But I do have to admit that there is something hypnotic about you when you're working with horses," he replied. Croissant woofed at his feet as if she were in agreement. I doubted that sweet dog had even the slightest clue of what was going on. She was just here because her master was.

I rolled my eyes and eased my heels against Pandora. She sprang into a lively trot, her neck rounding as if she were showing off to her audience. Her pretty little tail even rose up. I snorted to myself, a little dragon indeed.

"I have to admit that I was scared when I saw you leading her out. I left in the middle of a meeting actually," Xion said as I trotted in front of him. His words made me tug gently on the bit, bringing her back down to her walk.

"Scared?" I repeated.

"Yes, this is Pandora we are talking about." He offered me a smile, cocking his head. It was such a boyish gesture for a king to wear. "Whether you know it or not, this mare has quite the reputation in the barn. I can't say for certain that she's ever hurt anyone, but I wouldn't be surprised if she had. I can't count the number of men she had thrown off her back, myself included. Getting on her is essentially a guarantee for a face full of dirt and a wounded ego."

"And yet when I saw her for the first time, it was clear that you had been riding her. Had she not given you enough signs that she didn't want you on her back? Or were you just looking to have your ego bruised with all these kingly matters going to your head?" I adjusted my reins, asking her to move in slow, lazy circles. Not because I wanted to continue this conversation, but because I wanted to see how she could bend.

"Unfortunately, I paid too much for her to let her sit. Despite what people may think, this is a palace and there is a kingdom to be run. No horse or person in these walls has the option to be an ornament. She was either going to work or she was going to be sold."

"I see. And what happens to me when I turn out like Pandora? What happens when I decide that I don't like the way I'm being handled and I refuse to cooperate? Will you allow me to be an ornament or is it off to the auction with me too?"

Xion sighed, so softly it was almost carried away by the breeze. "Lark, you know that scenario would never happen."

"Do I? What grounds do I have to make that assumption?"

"You are not a horse."

"I wouldn't say I'm being treated much better than a horse. In fact, I might associate myself more readily with a blessed cow. I haven't been eaten yet, but I'm surrounded by those who want a bite."

"No one here is going to lay a hand on you. Ever."

"Aside from those that kidnapped me."

"Little dove," Xion sighed, rubbing the back of his neck with a large hand. "If this is the conversation you want to have, I will continue to walk in these circles with you. I cannot change what I have done. I could not see another solution at the time and I can admit that I was blinded because of the mate bond. I would like nothing more than to move forward. Is there anything that you can think of that I can do to make you feel valued or even just more comfortable?"

Nothing. I wanted nothing from him. There was no vase, no necklace, no country house that was going to make me feel at home. I was so far away from my village, from my family.

My family.

I missed them, but I knew that I couldn't bring them here, couldn't risk their safety just for the sake of allowing myself a little happiness. They were safer where they were. But perhaps some of my royal blessings would extend to them.

"How often do you have auctions around here?" I asked.

"Auctions?" he repeated, dark eyebrows raising.

"Yes. They often..." I allowed my words to trail off when I caught a glimpse of an imposing guard striding across the grassy grounds. The spring mud was splattering Seraphina's impeccably clean boots, but it didn't seem as if she minded too much. It certainly didn't slow her. Neither did the glare that Xion shot her, clearly not a fan of being interrupted while he had the hopes that maybe I was going to give him a kernel of grace.

"Good, you're together," Seraphina stated as she neared. "That will make the news easier to deliver."

Xion narrowed his eyes further. "Are we in some kind of crisis? I didn't hear any of the alarm bells going off. And if it is not a crisis, I would be so pleased if you could hold off for just a while longer." It was probably the politest way he could have asked her to kindly carry on, presumably so he could grill me about whatever I had been about to say.

Seraphina shrugged her broad shoulders. As I patted Pandora's neck, I vaguely wondered if Daisy had tailored her uniform because it fit that woman to utter perfection.

"I think it just depends on your definition of crisis. And knowing you, you are going to want to hear about this before it turns into something bigger than it needs to be."

Xion stiffened, his entire posture changing. Gone was the boy trying to entice me into playing nicely with him. Here was the king. "Sera, what have you done now?"

"Why do you think I have--"

"Sera!" Xion snapped.

Ever the sensitive beast, Pandora's head jerked up, a small noise leaving her. I kept a steady grip on the reins, letting her know I was there, I would handle the situation if needed. But Xion's mouth clamped shut and his eyes flashed to me as if I were such a poor rider that a small sidestep would unseat me, like he would throw himself onto the muddy ground just to break my fall if need be.

"Mother knows that you have found your mate. She is requesting to meet her," Seraphina blurted.

There was a beat of silence, the only sound was Pandora's breathing and the occasional hoofbeat as she shuffled around. I patted her neck, relieved to be on the back of a horse again, relieved to have a companion, even if she wasn't really mine. And very grateful that I was not the one getting the brunt of Xion's anger.

To be honest, I hadn't given Xion's family much thought outside of the fact that he killed his father and that the vampire queen had not been his mother. That seemed to be the largest, most overbearing issue, though bastards were not very uncommon among royalty. But now, watching the way he responded to even the mention of meeting his mother, I was beginning to think that I should have been asking some questions.

"How does mother know that I have found my mate?" Xion asked, his voice low and his words slow.

"Oh, you know."

"No, Seraphina, I do not know."

"I told her," the sister finally confessed. Xion sighed, but Seraphina pressed on. "Were you planning on hiding it forever? It doesn't matter now. She knows. And she told me that you either arrange to go see her or she is coming here."

"Sera!" he snapped. "There is probably a reason I haven't told mother. Namely, this. You know how she is. The timing is awful. It is terrible for me as I have just taken over the kingdom and now Lark is here. This is too soon. Far too soon."

"Well, she knows now and now you know that you have to make a decision on a deadline."

~~~Question of the Day~~~

Do you ever get to travel for business? Do you enjoy it?

I only ever had to travel locally, and I honestly don't like it. I prefer to sleep in my own bed whenever possible.