13 THE RIDE

We just completed our breakfast.

I'm happy when Mikael said about horse back riding.

But...

My companion is the most annoying and arrogant Prince Stefan!

How could I withstand him?

I'm a bit distracted by the thoughts of it.

I started to walk and the hostler named Peter, approached me as I go out from the house.

And greeted me with a cheerful smile. "Good morning, Your Highness!" he bow down.

Then, he said..

"Your highness, the white American Saddle horse is a little bit aloof to strangers. You may feed her with carrots for her to smell you and get acquainted. The black one is Prince Stefan's horse. Nobody else could use it, only him." He added.

I nodded to acknowledge what Peter just said. Then, I thank him.

I just remembered my horse "Dolly" .

I used to have a ride around Myshkin every morning during summer and autumn season.

Nana will hold the lead line to assist me in navigation.

I have my horse back riding lessons every summer, when I was six years old.

And when I reached eleven years old, I'm already allowed to ride alone, around Myshkin.

Nana and Leonid had given me enough attention to help me learn, with all the things I need to learn.

They have treated me as their own.

Oh I missed them very much.

And I missed Dolly too!

Dolly died when I was fifteen years old due to African horse sickness.

And that was very painful for me.

It takes time for me before I healed.

Good thing, I met Lada, my best friend.

And the white horse started to sniff my face.

I smile and giggled.

She awakened me from day dreaming.

Then, I started to feed the white horse while caressing her face.

"You are beautiful! " I whispered while hugging her.

"She is Winter." Stefan said while standing at my back.

I turned to look at him.

His eyes is scrutinizing me.

"Aren't you not changing your footwear?" he asked.

"No, I don't mind wearing my sandals" Beatrix answered hard-headedly.

"Aren't you not cold? he said sternly. "Please wear something"...his eyes surveyed my outfit...then continued .."WARM". while raising his brows.

Oh I forget to wear my sweatshirt. What am I thinking?

"Oh I'm so sorry, Your Highness ..just give me a minute!". I run back inside the house and opened my suitcase to get my favorite sweatshirt with embroidered horse on it..and that's Dolly.

Nana loved embroidery on her past time.

Most of my folk dresses and garments are embroidered by her.

She embroidered my name on most of my things.

From socks, hankies, sweatshirt and dresses.

When we were in the House of Oblonsky. She used to embroidered the symbol and mark of Oblonsky in my dresses.

Oh I missed her again!

I quickly changed clothes from a white linen folk shirt into a black turtle neck, long sleeves and my favourite sweatshirt, grab my leather gloves and put on my floral printed head scarf.

Then..I run back to the front yard.

And saw Stefan feeding his horse and caressing him.

He is wearing a grey riding pants and black colored sweater, black leather riding boots and a baseball cap.

He is picturesque of a polished nobleman.

He turned around and see me standing in the courtyard.

"You look stunning My Lady! Are you ready?" His voice seemed different from last night. It's making me nervous.

"Yes, I am.. Your Highness! " I bow down.

He approached me and whispered in my ears "You don't have to bow down..My Lady! Next time you do that...you will be in my bed." He took off my leather hand gloves, then he kissed my right hand in respect.

He smiled flirtatiously while looking at my red face.

Then, put back the leather gloves again on my hand and continued talking.

"I love seeing you blushing..My Lady!" he said teasingly.

I grabbed my hands and walk through him.. approaching Winter.

Oh he really loves teasing me and it is annoying.

Very annoying!

Peter the holster is already done tacking up Winter, ready for a ride.

He helped me cinching up and settled on Winter.

I'm holding the bridle...and we are ready to go.

Prince Stefan ride his horse ahead of me in a slow phase.

And I followed him through the road.

And that's the start of our journey together.

What a beautiful weather indeed!

The temperature is cool at twelve degrees celsius and it's a little bit windy.

Pansies, winter jasmines, snowdrops and hollies are everywhere. Their distinct smell lingers in the air as the wind touches my face.

At the left side of the road shows the vast ocean basin of Resurrection Bay as Stefan pointed at me, and the other side are the mountain slopes.

He is very proud of Seward.

Then, he stopped..which prompted me to halt Winter.

"My Lady! we are very lucky to have beautiful weather today. It's perfect for a hike."

" Your highness, we have our horses with us. Why are we hiking? I annoyingly said.

Oh he is really getting into my nerves again!

"Ah yes My Lady..indeed! You will see later" he flashed his teasing grin.

Then, he started Stygian to move again and so I followed.

We passed by the row of houses which he called the Millionaires Row.

All building structures of the mansion-houses are the same.

Then, we passed by a small coffee shop, some souvenir store and meat shops.

Stefan raised his baseball cap and waved to the people outside the shops to greet them.

Then, he said "We will visit these shops some other time."

I nodded.

The people of Seward are very friendly and welcoming. Their smiles flashes as we pass by.

And I greeted them in return.

Stefan and Stygian change their phase from slow moving walk to a quick run as we passed into a much wider road.

And I followed his phase. I'm afraid to be left behind since Seward is new to me.

Seward is much bigger than Myshkin.

The Resurrection Bay is a vast ocean basin than the Volga River.

And those grandeous mountains cannot be seen in my beloved Myshkin.

We are nearing to a signage beside the road.

And Stefan changed to a walking phase.

Then he stopped.