The Princess Competition | ✔

Chapter 9

Oh my goodness!!!!! My story is number 634 in Fantasy!!!!! I was so happy I decided I'd upload the next chapter for you guys!!!! See what happens when you make my story go up? I update ealier and then those goals help too, but still if you guys keep doing this I'll be so happy and want to update faster so read on, vote and comment please!!!! THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH!!!!

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        James led me out of my room and down the corridor, past the great room where we ate and when we came to the door that led outside he took me to the right instead of the left. In a whirlwind of turning corners, down hallways I couldn’t remember we finally came to a pair of large oak doors.

“This,” he said with a pause before opening the doors. “Is the stable,” he continued leading me into the space. There were numerous stalls filled with beautiful stallions. “This is my horse Penny,” he stated as he opened the stall door to a tall bay horse. The horse was much taller than I was; the back was about where my head was. It had a beautiful dark coat, and a long dark braided braid. On its back was a light leather saddle fit for two.

                I stumbled back a bit as James brought the Penny out of the stall.  He put his foot in the stirrup and easily got onto the back of the horse. Then he put his hand down to help me get up. I wavered and didn’t grab his hand.

“Do you trust me?” he asked. I didn’t answer, but instead stood perfectly still, petrified with fear. “Do you trust me?” he asked again. I looked curiously at his then put my hand in his.

“Yes,” I replied as he helped me get up.  As soon as I was seated in front of him, he wrapped his arms around me to grab the reins. The picnic basket was tied carefully to a piece of the saddle on the horses left side. A tingly feeling bubbled up inside of me as he did this.

“Yah!” James yelled as he squeezed the horse’s sides. Penny instantly obeyed and cantered out of the open door I hadn’t noticed at the end of the stable. My eyes widen and I felt as stiff as a brick. But I quickly grabbed onto James’s arms so scared that we would fall off this fast moving animal.

                “You’re okay, don’t worry, I’ve got you,” James cooed softly in my ear as we slowed down to a trot. I relaxed slightly but still held tightly onto him. I looked around at the scenery, it was beautiful, the trees going by, it looked as we though we were riding higher and higher on a path, leading up to a cliff or mountain of sorts. In a short while we had reached our destination and James climbed off Penny. I still sat in my stiff position on top as he un-buckled the picnic basket.

“Miss Angel,” he said giving me his hand again as I hopped off. James tied Penny up to a tree so she couldn’t run away while I turned around. The picnic basket was set up beside a cute little checkered blue and white blanket on the ground. I looked up and gasped at the view.

                We were on a cliff! And below us was the ocean a beautiful sight and mountains lining the background.

“Beautiful isn’t in?” James asked coming up behind me.

“Wow,” was all that I could say.

“I know,” he replied sitting down on the blanket. “This was the first trail I ever rode on by myself, I found this place and have fallen in love with it ever since. It’s my favourite place to be, especially when I’m stressed out. It’s a great stress reliever,” he said as I sat down beside him.  I put my knees to the side and my hands beside and behind me, while James sat looking effortlessly cool, calm, and collected while I was marveling at the sight.