How To Fall From Grace [MxM]

Step 3: Fall off a horse

There were few people Frey helped out of compassion without expecting something in return. Growing up, he couldn't afford to. The majority of people around him always had ulterior motives, whether it was getting close to his father or trying to manipulate him into spilling valuable information. Frey had learned how to spot it quickly and used it to his advantage with merciless retaliation, ultimately finding it difficult to trust anyone.

Perhaps that was why he'd grown a reluctant soft spot for Luna Hargreaves, because the girl was an idiot and any attempt at manipulating or scheming against pretty much anyone would fail miserably. She was the stubborn, obnoxious daughter of South Kerilia's town chief and semi-adopted relative of Damien, resulting in her, along with her brother, and Frey spending a lot of time with each other growing up, despite the decade of years between them. Unfortunately for her relatives though, she had a devastating disregard for manners, and whenever she stood out in a crowd, it was in an unbecoming way.

As an additional perk, the drama that usually ensued around the girl and her knack for trouble was highly amusing to Frey. So when she'd stormed into Damien's office that morning, long, black hair a mess, her usually pale skin blotchy from anger, and dressed in nothing but her nightgown, Frey couldn't help but get involved. At the very least, he felt obliged to do something about the disaster that was her inappropriate attire.

That, and lending her a horse to aid her on some new, reckless adventure. It was, at least according to him, an astoundingly benevolent act on his part, yet Luna had the audacity to raise a rude eyebrow at him as they stood inside the stables.

"Did you really not pay attention when you got them?" she asked, apparently judging him for not knowing exactly which horses in the stables were his.

Frey would not accept criticism when it concerned horses though, so he shrugged.

"I have so many of them, and I only use one."

It was true. He'd received many of them as gifts, and some were mainly used for breeding. He'd be able to sort them out eventually, but not at first glance.

This was not good enough according to horrible brats like Luna.

"Then why do you need—"

Frey's eyes were suddenly drawn to the stable boy passing by on his way to the tack room, having gathered up a number of bridles on his arm for cleaning.

"Oh good, the stable boy," Frey interrupted Luna's sentence. "I was afraid she'd have to saddle the horse by herself."

"Lord Clausson." The stable boy halted to stare at Frey's presence in confusion. "I didn't expect you to be here so early. Afraid Tea For Two isn't quite ready yet, but—"

"Young Lady Hargreaves here is the one in need of a horse." Frey gestured to Luna.

The stable boy seemed to only notice her then, and he blinked for a split second at her borrowed attire.

"Of... Course. One of yours, my Lord?"

"I would suppose so. Which ones are mine?"

"Oh, uh, I believe Happenstance is yours." The stable boy pointed over to a chestnut coloured horse further away. "There's also Carrots... And—"

"Wait, those are names?" Frey's eyebrows shot up as he stared at apparently-Happenstance. "Their names?"

"Well, yes—"

"That's dreadful. Who decided that?" Frey wrinkled his nose. "Ugh, we'll have to rename them before anyone finds out."

"Oh... Certainly, my Lord." The awkward smile was back. "To, uh... To what?"