Saving Her Kingdom

♡ Chapter 16

Anna's cavalry outfit ^^

Chapter 16 (Edited)

The next day, after breakfast, I went back to my room, where Lola was waiting for me to give me my cavalry outfit. It had been finished the day before, and she had taken it from the seamstress.

Lola helped me putting it on, then did my hair and my make-up. I thanked her and then went to the stables to meet Thomas.

He hadn't arrived yet, so I went to Belle and started stroking her neck. "You're going to let me ride you, won't you?", I said softly. If I was going to ride her, I would have to use a side-saddle. I scrunched my nose at the thought of it.

I had learned to ride on a side-saddle, but it wasn't very comfortable. One time at the Ravenport palace, I had wanted to try riding astride, and then thought it was much easier to ride. I had more balance and control over the horse. But I never did it again, because my father found out and forbid it to me. You're a lady, Annabelle! Do ladies ride on normal saddles?, he had scolded me and I rolled my eyes at the thought.

It's just then, that a brilliant idea came to me. Why not try riding astride on Belle? My father wouldn't know if he was not here. I grinned to myself. I'm going to ride on a normal saddle! I gushed in my head.

But what would Thomas say? Oh, well, it's my horse anyway, he can't choose how I ride if I do it correctly, I thought. With that thought in mind, I began brushing and cleaning Belle's white hair. She's really beautiful, I thought.

I then took her out of her box and attached her to the wall. Now, where are the saddles?

I heard footsteps behind me and turned around. "Good morning Thomas!", I said, smiling.

"Good morning," he replied with an easy smile.

"I just finished cleaning her," I informed him, "I was going to take a saddle."

"Alright, I'm going to take her harness then. The saddles are at the end of the stables to the right," he said.

I nodded and went to the indicated door. I opened to find a room full of different saddles. Most had the name of their horse, but a few weren't named. I chose the unnamed one that looked the most comfortable and carried it to Belle. Thomas was already putting her harness on.

I put the two blankets on her back and then the saddle, which Thomas helped me attaching. I hoped that he wouldn't notice that I had a taken a normal saddle, but he seemed to do it automatically, like he did it a thousand times before.

When we were ready, I took Belle with the reins to lead her and heard Thomas say, "Let's go to the east field. There's never anyone on this one." I nodded and we started walking to the field.

When we arrived, the field was indeed empty. Thomas turned to face me. "Do you know how to climb on her back?", he asked, and I nodded. "Alright, I'll just hold the reins.", he said.

He took the reins and I turned towards the saddle, while repeating in my head how I had seen endless times cavalry men climb on their horses. How did he not notice my saddle? I asked myself.

"Wait!" Ah. "You didn't take a side-saddle," he pointed out.

"Yes?", I looked at him sheepishly.

He sighed. "Come on, we're going to change it."

"Noo!"

"What?"

"I wanted to ride on a normal saddle."

"What?"

"Yes! I learned to ride on a side-saddle, but one time, I tried riding astride and found it much more comfortable and easier," I explained.