Who's Jip?

"It's Her Highness' brown stallion, he goes by the name, Jip." Harry deadpanned.

"Oh!" They both gasped, finally getting the connection.

"Let's head on to the stables, I'm sure Jip won't mind a few guests." Harry said in a sing-song voice.

"Of course he wouldn't, he loves guests." Mae laughed, skipping ahead of the men.

"I'm sure he must be a lovely horse. Just like you Princess Mae." William complimented.

"Let's hope he is half of what you say." Mae giggled, leaving the rest to their imagination.

The Princes looked confused as to what was going on but followed Harry anyway. They soon found themselves in the barn where a brown stallion snorted at them.

"Hello Jip." Mae smiled, walking towards the stallion to which it wagged its tail.

"Have they been feeding you well?" She asked, even though it couldn't possibly speak back.

But it snorted in answer, "Yes it is." She replied in its stead.

Jip looked above Mae and was a little startled at the two strange people and panicked, kicking it's hooves upwards.

"Woah! Easy boy, it's me." Mae calmed her horse down. "He's a bit snappy at first." She said to them.

"It's just because he's been in the stable all day and doesn't know you two yet." She said, stroking the stallion's neck. "He's not a bad boy at all." She lied.

"I would be taking my leave now, Your Highnesses." Harry bowed and left.

The stallion snorted again, kicking into the air. She looked at the boys. "He's a bit of a show off." She laughed. "I'll leave you two to get acquainted. Anyone who can successfully gain it's approval, gets mine as well." She said and walked off.

She proceeded to hide and watch how things unfold.

"Princess Mae, do you think this is a good idea leaving them with Jip?" Harry whispered, hiding behind her as well.

"Jip is a good boy, it's not like he's some sort of wild animal who would attack out of the blue." She snickered, showing a blind eye to what might happen to them.

"But–"

"Shh I don't want to miss the show that's about to start."

Daven and William walked over to the horse tentatively, "Whoa, whoa, easy boy this is Daven." He tried the similar approach he had seen Mae use earlier, but it didn't work in his favour.

Jip's ear picked up the sound of the two boys approaching and he stomped the ground, neighing nervously, he didn't like their presence.

Acting on instinct, Jip reared up at the boys who both ran out to the open grazing field, hiding in it's tall grasses to avoid being charged at.

"A good boy!" William chuckled, realising they had been tricked by the Princess.

Both Princes stood up, careful to observe their surroundings. "I think he likes you." William teased, as Jip snorted angrily upon sighting them.

"Run!" They yelled in a chorus, and sprinted through the tall grass, Jip gave chase. "We need to find the Princess!" They yelled with urgency, running towards the stable.

"Princess Mae." Dean yelled, holding onto one of the wooden pillars trying to catch his breath, he could no longer run any longer.

Jip jumped into the stables, Daven within his range, neighing and stomping his hooves, he charged towards the defenceless Prince.

"Calm down boy. At ease" Mae commanded, showing up finally.

Jip screeched to a stop, shaking his head as he calmed his reflexes.

"You mangy beast, you scared the hell out of these two." She feigned an act of annoyance, as Jip snorted angrily at their intrusion into his space earlier, his ears pressed flat to his head.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you." She whispered.

She reached down, stroking the horse's nose, "I am not mad Jip, but I am a little sad you wouldn't let them stroke you at the very least." She looked up at the boys, grinning, "They have been here far too long, you should have gotten acquainted with them."

She looked to Daven who held a traumatized face, "I am deeply sorry for the nuisance, he normally isn't this way. I am sure he has a reason for being this way." She went back to stroking Jip's nose.

"That was hell of a scare Princess, it looked like it was aimed to kill." He whined, holding his chest to calm his racing heart.

"Don't worry he will soon be alright." She whispered, kissing the top of Jip's head, "He does love his Princess, and I don't know how he would react to having two strangers in his space, so I thought you two should try to see if you could get to him." She paused looking at both of them.

"I guess it is hard to tell." She smiled, trying to act like she didn't know anything.

"But you said if we could get it's approval, we would get yours." William pointed out, frowning.

"Did I say that?" She asked in a shocked tone. "I am not sure what I was thinking." She laughed.

Leading Jip back to his stall, she took hold of the rope and opened the door, "Come on boy. You are safe here." She ushered him inside, shutting the door behind them. "Harry, would get you some food and water, okay?"

William narrowed his eyes, there was one thing he hated, and that was being tricked by a woman. He had seen Mae and Harry watch as they were being chased back in the stable, and he knew she was capable of more.

He looked back at where Daven had leaned on a pillar but he had already walked away towards the exit. No matter, he could always catch up with him later.

"So would the two of you like to see the other places I have planned for you?" She asked, still with that same grin she had when she was looking at William earlier. She didn't seem to notice that he was still glaring daggers at her.

"No!" Daven yelled in horror before he tried to cover it up with a cough.