You (Solangelo AU)

11. Choices, Choices

"We are nearing the border to Venatrix." Will informed me after around two hours of riding. So far, no sign of any knights coming after us. I had slowed after an hour of hard riding but I would not let the horse simply walk. We had to be going a little faster than a jog. Even with no sign of any knights, I would not take chances.

"I know William. I've been watching the signs."

"Have you? I do not think I can believe you were when we ended up with Gabriel last time."

"I am now." I rolled my eyes, then it occurred to me he was not able to see me.

"I will tell you anyway."

I could not help rolling my eyes again at his words. I was annoyed and yet, a small smile threatened to take over my features. I must be tired or something. There could be no other ewason for me to want to smile at Will at that moment. Thankfully, Will spoke again before it did.

"Nico?"

"Yes?"

"Remember when we met?"

I paused as the silly memories began to flood my brain quicker than a prized horse running (A/N: bad simile ignore me my brain has not been well). I remembered every detail but that was not something Will would be informed of. "I suppose so. Why do you ask?"

With his arms around my waist, I was able to feel his arms go up then down as he shrugged. "Only wondering."

Well. Now I would not be able to think of anything else. "You brought it up for a reason."

I felt him shrug again, "I confessed my feelings for you."

"It seems that you did."

"I'm sorry."

"Excuse me?"

"That was not the time nor place to inform you of a childhood crush."

While it was true, I couldn't take it as an apology because there was no reason for him to apologize. That day (technically speaking, I still was but it didn't matter), I was engaged and even though I did not like it, we had accepted it as the truth. We had thought that it would happen no matter what. But right then, that was not the case. I was on a horse, with Will, running away from that. I was escaping the marriage I was opposed to. "William. Do not apologize for such foolish things."

He chuckled. I had to say I liked the feel of his chest reverberating against my back and listening to his tinkling laughter. "Are you━"

"Wait. Quiet."

I had heard something.

I slowed the horse to a trot and then had her still. When everything was quiet, I listened again.

Faintly, very faintly, the sound of horse hooves hitting the earth could be heard. It seemed to be coming from the direction we were heading.

"Will━"

"I heard it." His arms tightened around me and if I did not know better I might have said he had done it protectively. "Head into the forest. Hurry. If we turn back, these hours we spent running will have been for naught. There is always the chance that those are not knights coming but we must not take any chances."

I did as he said and urged the horse into the forest, being as quick as I possibly could. Going any faster would make noise and we did not need that if we are attempting to hide. We managed to hide in the nick of time. It could have taken us a shorter amount of time but with Will's injured leg, we had to make sure not to hurt it. Will had enough on his plate because of me. I would not even add poking his injury to that.