Red's Wolves

Chapter Three

Behind the stables was a fenced-in yard where the horses could exercise outside of their pens. Alera had counted the horses she recognized within the stable, so the appearance of a new animal caught her off guard. She supposed this was the new friend Jere wanted to introduce her to.

"He just arrived, but he wants nothing to do with me," Jere informed her as they stood along the fence, watching the beautiful animal run freely within. "I was thinking, maybe, you'd want to give it a try. For bragging rights, of course."

She glanced over at him and he was already grinning at her. A challenge or a distraction, she appreciated it all the same.

"Go ahead," he urged, opening the gate for her.

"You seem almost too eager for this."

"It's helping, isn't it?"

He was right—for the moment, she wasn't thinking about her father or the marriage he had arranged without her approval. She was focused on Jere, and the amazing beast running in the yard.

With a sigh, she removed her red cloak, draping it over the fence before she proceeded into the yard. Like Jere had mentioned, it paid no attention to them as they entered the yard and closed the gate behind them. It continued to run as it would, stomping the ground and flicking its tail. But with each step Alera took closer, the horse slowed and seemed to calm, just like the ones in the stables always seemed to do whenever she groomed them.

She waited for Jere to give her a warning, or some cautionary tale, but he remained by the gate where they entered, watching, as if waiting to see what would happen just as much as she was.

Even when Alera reached out her hand to show the horse she meant no harm, it seemed as though it moved closer to her hand, and when she dared to caress its muzzle, it leaned into her touch. Jere's release of a held breath was audible as Alera took the bridle in her hand and slowly began walking the horse around the perimeter.

"It's alright," she tells him softly as she walks him along. "Sometimes I don't want to be near too many people either."

The horse let out a breath in response, causing Alera to actually smile at this unexpected connection between them.

"Do you like music?" she asked him softly. "My mom used to sing to me when I was scared or upset, so maybe it will help you, too."

And as she started humming the lullaby her mother used to sing to her when she was younger, not only was it allowing her to self-soothe from the chaos that was becoming her life, but the horse itself seemed to be lulled in the same calming trance, so much so that Alera was able to let go of the bridle and the horse remained where it was, trotting willingly beside her.

"See? Now you have something that can help you when things get to be too much," she said to the animal as they continued their circuit.

When they passed by the gate where Jere was standing, he moved to fall into step beside her. He didn't say anything—he didn't need to—and Alera knew she couldn't keep it in any longer.

"My father has arranged a match for me."

"You said he was threatening to do so."

"Everything he does is a threat," she said with a frown, but continued. "He's already accepted regardless of my opinion on the matter, and is now forcing me into a marriage I don't want with a man I want nothing to do with."

"What's so bad about him?" Jere heard himself ask, but could already think of a million reasons why Alera being married off to someone else in another kingdom was a horrible idea.

But Alera kept her focus on the horse as she continued to walk in their circles. "He's promised me to Prince Nicholas of Abigor."

Jere stopped his walking, and the curse that escaped from him could have been heard across the kingdom. The stories about Prince Nicholas and his father, the King of Abigor, were more tales of warning than myth. It was well known how little they cared for others, and the cruelty they exacted even to their own people. Why they would be willing to come to an arrangement between Abigor and their kingdom was nothing short of suspicious, and King Roland was putting Alera directly in the middle of it. Nicholas would have her locked in a tower should he know about who she truly was, what power she truly possessed, trying to find a way to harness it, or worse, breed it into his line.

"You have to find a way out of it."

His sudden proclamation had both Alera and the horse stopping where they were.

"You know that's not possible," Alera began to protest, but Jere cleared the distance between them.

"Anything is possible, Alera. There has to be a way to break this off. We have to think of something—"

"We?" The confusion was evident on her face.

Jere let out a breath. Now or never, and what perfect time than when the woman he loved was going to be sent away to be married to another?

"You know I'll always be there for you, through everything I have, but I can't stand by and watch something like this happen to you. I can't just let you be sold off to someone else like chattel when they will never care for you like I do, when they'll never lo—"

"ALERA!"

Both looked up to see Brigette with her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face as if it was beneath her to have to walk to the stables to get the princess' attention. "Just because you seem to think you can do whatever you want whenever you want doesn't mean the rest of us don't have responsibilities to see to."

Alera rolled her eyes and turned towards her maid who was already beginning to walk back to the castle. Without thinking, Jere reached out and took her hand, stopping her exit.

"You have to stay strong, Alera. You can't let this happen. We'll figure out a way to fix this."

But the meaning in his words was drowned out by the touch itself. It was almost electric, like lightning struck between them, and both gasped as they jumped back from the sensation.

"Alera—"

She was already hurrying away, but not before she gave him a final, longing glance.