“I am no princess.” She retorted, following his lead.
He approached her horse, one of the stable boys holding the animal steady as Baxter smirked over his shoulder. “You are now. That pretty little thing on your head proves it.”
Evangeline took a breath and using Baxter’s cupped palms, she managed to swing one leg over the body of her dapple grey mare. Ever since they had met, Evangeline had felt a kindred spirit with this animal. She knew now that the horse was standing still and patient as Evangeline found the correct position in her saddle. Although she rode horses at home in Crimah, it seemed that those lessons were worth nothing.
Baxter grunted with the effort of mounting his own horse, a bay coloured stallion by the name of Axel. Evangeline chuckled politely behind her hand. She could never imagine Glais looking so clumsy as he did anything and to see his brother struggle a little was a delight. “Do you need a hand up as well Baxter?” She teased and got a smile in return.
“I will rather struggle on my own than embarrass myself by fighting with help.” He bemused, sitting upright and taking the reins of his horse. “Let us see if we can ruin that dress in the mud.” He winked at her and before he had time to register her displeasure at his words he was gone and outside.
Tempest only moved forward when she indicated for it, her heels pressing lightly into the animals’ side. Even though she knew it was on her command Evangeline was still unsure and it showed as she almost slid right out of the seat. Gripping the reins tight Evangeline noticed that her grip seemed less capable now that she wore the gloves, but she did not dare risk scars from learning to ride.
Tempest moved gingerly forward as Baxter continued to show off around the paddock. Evangeline was impressed, although not by his riding. It was the horse Baxter rode that she studied, the dominant stance and strong gallop that made the horse seem to fly over the grass. She knew that Tempest was capable of such things and she wanted to apologise to Tempest for holding her back. Axel looked so free and happy and here was Tempest struggling to gain even the slightest of movements forward.
Baxter came to Evangeline’s side, approaching slowly and forcing Axel to match the mares speed. “I thought you said you rode before?” Baxter had said such things the first time they were in the stables together and she speculated that he would continue teasing her when it concerned her short comings.
“I have but it is quite different.” Evangeline defended her home teacher. “I shall bring you to Crimah one of these days and allow you to ride a horse of a regular size. You will never be able to stay upright.” She was concentrating on Tempest as she spoke, her shoulders tense and her arms locked at her sides as she attempted to relax. Evangeline knew she was failing.
“And in what capacity will I be arriving at Crimah,” Baxter asked
Evangeline groaned and shook her head. “As a messenger to formally apologise to my parents for your uncalled for behaviour.” She tried to glare at him but she never quite managed it because she was concentrating too hard on the horse.
“I do not think I can agree with that.”
Evangeline offered him nothing, not from being frustrated with him but being frustrated with herself. “Do you often ride horses here? Is this truly a skill I need?” she asked, hopefully.
Baxter nodded and when she dared look at him, it seemed that he was, at least, a little apologetic to be the bearer of bad news. “You are aware that we pay homage to the Saint Notas. It is through his wisdom and patience that we have these creatures at all.” Evangeline nodded, well aware of the religious views of Braykith. It differed from her own patron saint Iloh, but it was common for various Kingdoms to have their own patrons under the all-inclusive worship of Xado. “Come winter we parade the horses through the city and show off their great power and strength. It is our responsibility to head the succession and start the week long festivities.”
“Winter? Then I have just missed it.” Baxter chuckled at her realisation. It seemed to Evangeline that she could survive such an event at her current skill level. “So all I need to learn is how to ride her, never gallop?”
Baxter leant forward and ran his hand along the muscled neck of Axel, patting him firmly. The horse tossed his head up and down and it seemed that the pair were laughing at her now. “But where is the fun in that?” Baxter said and Evangeline just ignored him.
“I will be content with a steady walk and Tempest will as well.” Evangeline defended herself although she knew that Tempest would not. Given enough time, Evangeline would learn all the intricate ways of riding these monstrous creatures if only for Tempests sake. “I can ride a regular horse but it was not a pastime that was encouraged so you will need to be gentle with me.”
Baxter laughed and only stopped when he caught her angry look. “Oh the things I could say to that my darling Eva, and yet I will not because you have made me quite aware of how my attention makes you feel.”
Evangeline decided at that moment that she hated not knowing what he wanted to say more than him saying the things that offended her. “Do you usually get a good response from women when you act like this?” She asked him.
“I find that you believe I am offensive in some way rather entertaining,” Baxter told her honestly.
“So you mean none of it?” Evangeline dared to be hopeful that some of his attraction to her was fuelled by mischief and not sex. One shy glance at him, and her hopes were dashed.
“Oh, I mean every word. And I hope you see the very obvious thing Evangeline is that you belong to not my brother but to me.”
Evangeline pulled back on the reins even though Tempest had stopped already. The horse understood her motives before she could even know them herself. Picking up on the flare of tension from her rider Tempest had ceased immediately. Axel had stopped with her. Only Baxter was caught unawares by the shift in conversation.
“I will say this but only once Baxter, and never again. I am your brother’s. Regardless of what you feel or what you want, I will never be yours in any way but as a sister, and your future queen.” She paused, mostly for dramatic effect. The wind picked up and tossed her hair back from her shoulders and she tasted a hint of jasmine in the air and thought of her mother. The smell gave her strength.
For the barest of moments, Evangeline believed that she had won this argument and that Baxter would stop his constant attempts in wooing her. She apparently did not respond well to it and yet he continued. As she watched his face change from one of shame to one of glee she realised that there was simply no way she could communicate to him her dismay in a way that mattered.
“You don’t want to be married to Glais. He won’t treat you well.” It was true and Baxter was saying the things that Evangeline had been thinking for days, but that did not mean he had the right to say them. Baxter was leaning in closing the gap between them. In a panic, believing he meant to kiss her, Evangeline dug her heels into the side of her horse and Tempest took off at a full gallop, Evangeline barely managing to stay on her back. Baxter fell off his horse with a shout, Axel letting out a whine and a kick of his hooves at the disturbance around them.
Evangeline was gripping the reins tightly, her eyes squeezed shut as Tempest took off. The power she had admired in Axel she was now terrified of and every bounce in the saddle had Evangeline believing that she would fall. She never did. Evangeline’s grip was tight, her body falling into the right position and Tempest seemed to know just how much she could handle.
Evangeline opened her eyes just a little and saw the fence approaching. “Tempest, stop.” She could only whisper the command. She pulled on the reins to stop her but she powered on. “Tempest!” She shouted and together they sailed over the fence and into the lands of the Braykith castle proper.
She stayed low on the horses’ body until Tempest seemed to finally lose her drive and slowed to a swift walk. As soon as she felt like she could Evangeline pulled her horse to a stop and climbed down. Falling off the back of Tempest and only just managing to stay standi
ng she stomped around to grab the horses face. “Don’t you ever.” She started but never finished.
Tempest had her head bowed, breathing hard but Evangeline felt she saw an apology in the animals’ eyes, her entire form seemed to shrink down as much as the beast could manage at her great height. Any kind of angry rant Evangeline had been prepared for melted and Evangeline just sighed. She laid her hand on Tempest’s forehead and nodded. “Overreactions are no longer appreciated.” She smiled and gathered up the length of her dress and started back towards the castle, Tempest dutifully following behind.
“Eva,” Baxter shouted, waving his arm and she almost fell over because Tempest threw her head back as he approached. Evangeline tugged the horse sharply. She didn’t try it again and Evangeline continued to approach Baxter as he came jogging down the grounds to meet her.
“Did you get hurt?” Baxter asked, and his touch was gentle on her chin as he studied her face.
Evangeline quickly pulled herself out of his touch. She fought the blush that threatened, embarrassed by the attention. “I am fine,” she assured Baxter and tried to move past him, Baxter blocking her path as she did. “Baxter, let me past.” She frowned. At the distance she could see Glais, a blaze of power in his steps, and Baxter grinning like an idiot and unaware.
“Not until I have seen that you are indeed ok. Did you fall off your horse?” he asked her.
“No. I chose to get down.” Evangeline sighed. “Please, I just want to get Tempest back to the stables.” She watched as Baxter studied her and she was prepared for him to deny her again when instead he stepped to the side, but effortlessly took the reins from her hand as he did.
Walking beside her, Baxter lead the horse back while Evangeline concentrated on not falling. “I am not sure what spooked her.” Baxter said and Evangeline rejected the urge to slap him. Surely he had an idea that it was his behaviour that had kick-started a chain of events that had ended with her horse jumping a fence that was designed to keep her in.
“I think I would do better with a different teacher.” Evangeline said and she knew she sounded harsh but Baxter did deserve it. His words she could forgive as a childish insistence, however, his actions had proven that he was no better than his brother. While Glais was cold, Baxter was hot. Both had no care for her personal opinion on the matter.
Baxter stumbled as he walked, not surprised by her rejection but rather a tone of her voice as she said it. She sounded so serious. “You do not think I am a good instructor? I did not make the horse run off.” He tried to remind her but Evangeline fell silent. She would not discuss this further with him. In truth, she never wanted Baxter to teach her just for this reason. He tried to speak several times but quickly realised that she was not going to talk about it and so fell into silence beside her.
Of course, his attitude did not say sober for long and as they reached the stables he handed her horses reins to the nearest stable boy. “Evangeline?”
She considered continuing to ignore him but she couldn’t. She just wasn’t that kind of person, and while she knew it was a bad idea, she turned to Baxter. “Yes?”
He paused, looking down at his hands before Baxter spoke. “Please do not retire me out of your life.” His voice was so low that his words had been a brief mumble. Evangeline could not be certain she heard him correctly at all.
Evangeline instantly felt terrible. Baxter who was commonly so forward and cheeky, who could come up with a retort to every word that passed her lips looked ashamed. Had she finally made him realise that she was serious about rejecting him? She looked at him and Baxter offered a small smile that seemed to only ghost over his features before he withdrew again. “I will not retire you.”
He opened his arms for an embrace and she nodded before hugging him in return. Instantly she wished she hadn’t. His hands locked around her form, trapping her against him. Evangeline tried to pull back but Baxter held her. His hand started at her back and even through the layers of garments she felt his fingers trail down her spine, leaving their marks on her as they followed the curve of her body, and over the swell of her derriere.
Groaning in her ear and apparently aroused even as she fought him as best she could, Baxter thrust his hips forward and pinned her pelvis against his groin. “Baxter!” Evangeline looked around frantically for the source of the voice and found Glais standing in the doorway of the barn. The appearance of his brother made Baxter let her go and when given the options she went to her future husband. There was no contest in her decision, although Evangeline was too bewildered to do more than stumble in Glais’ direction.
She looked up him, expecting Glais to show some concern at what he had witnessed. Evangeline wanted Glais to be looking at her and nothing else and yet clearly his attention was on the other person in the room. He had no eyes for her, but a glaring power that was directed on Baxter that could not be shifted since he spoke. Preparing for a confrontation, Evangeline watched on.
Just as quickly, the glare was gone and Glais was acting like he had seen nothing. Evangeline watched as he approached his brother with a casual step, his cold exterior once again taking over and Evangeline was left alone, confused. Did Glais really not care about her that much? Even Baxter seemed confused by Glais’ attitude but he recovered faster than Evangeline did.
“Brother, I didn’t think I would see you down in the stables.” Baxter’s eyes moved from Glais to Evangeline but she offered him nothing and would give no excuses for his behaviour. Secretly she was hoping that Glais would somehow defend her honour. Evangeline could still feel the imprint of Baxter’s hands on her, the pressure of his hips against hers. She shivered and wished to be cleaned.
“Evangeline, you are dismissed.” Glais even took the time to look over his shoulder at her.
“I am dismissed?” she asked, not believing him.
Glais turned on his heel to face her fully. “Do not make me repeat myself, Evangeline.” He was forceful in his statement and Evangeline was taken back by it.
She grabbed the sides of her skirts and curtseyed to him. “As you wish.” It took far more control than she dared admit to walking away. Believing Glais meant to speak to Baxter about his behaviour she paused just outside the door and held her breath steady to listen in.
“Glais, why do you treat her so poorly?” Baxter asked his brother, Glais watching the doorway and counting to ten before he answered. He was giving her time to be out of earshot of the door, and time for himself to calm his warring inner feelings and speak to Baxter on the matter that had brought him to the stables in the first place.
“How I treat my wife is of no one's concern but my own. Father has been on my case since her arrival to be nicer to her and even Mother had decided I need to change my approach. You need not worry. Everyone seems to have an opinion and yours has been noted. Like theirs, it will be swiftly ignored.”
Baxter sighed. “Since you seem so disenchanted with her then why not give us your blessing?”
Glais let out a barking laugh. “I am not sure what kind of tonics you are on little brother but she wants nothing to do with you.”
Baxter pouted, puffing up his chest with false bravado as he faced his brother. “At least, I want her around. It is only a matter of time before she sees that I am a far better candidate.”
Glais said nothing, merely looked his brother over with a critical eye until he became uncomfortable. “I didn’t come here to discuss Evangeline.”
Baxter rose an eyebrow at the news. “I was assuming after what you saw this would be the big speech on how to leave your lady alone.”
“And why would I do that?” Glais seemed generally curious.
“Well, you saw us.” Baxter smirked, feeling like what Glais had witnessed was something to peacock over.
Glais watched his brothers’ smug reaction, and just shook his head in reply. “I saw her. I saw the horror and disgust, I saw her fighting and I saw her hating every part of you that was pressed against her.” Baxter grumbled in resp
onse to the retelling of what was intimacy in his own memory. “I watched her struggle in your grasp Baxter and I know she will never allow you the chance to attempt such a thing again. I do not need to warn you away because she will never let you get close enough again.” Glais smiled, enjoying to see Baxter struggle.
“I am not certain what you thought was going to happen Baxter. How such an action could actually turn a woman into yours when she clearly has it in her mind that her duty to her family is far more important than any other contact she could make here. She had chosen me even if it kills her, and she will never stop trying. Sad perhaps, but true to her character.” Glais shrugged, turned swiftly to the door and feeling that he saw something from the corner of his eye but dismissed it as stable shadows.
“Now if you are done with discussing women, I would like to tell you that you will be leading the next hunting party against those who attacked the carriage. The rebels have an insider, which means they are getting information out and back to base. You need to find this individual.” Glais instructed his brother who was frowning at him.
“Isn’t that something you should be sending one of the lesser ranking officers out to do?” It did not sound like something he should be doing. His rank was far more important than a little mystery such as this. “I should be leading the attack on the rebellion’s home turf and their main camp if indeed they have one.”
Glais smiled and shrugged. “Maybe you will consider this before you lay your hands on what is mine.” He patted his brother’s cheek before leaving Baxter to the stables. Glais half expected to see Evangeline on the other side of the door but when he came to inspect, there was no one there. Not caring enough to wonder where she had run off to, he returned to the castle.
The Deviant Curse (The Braykith Series Book 1) Page 16
