The Perfect Princess Chapter 3

Eadlin's heart was fluttering wildly, she thought it might float from her chest.  Her father walked her across the courtyard to the stables and Eadlin was surprised to find her mother waiting for her.  She helped her to saddle her beautiful pony and led the pony across the courtyard to the broad gateway.  The pony trotted obediently on her leash.  Eadlin's mother was good with the horses. She spoke to them quietly and they all seemed to want to do what she suggested.  From the moment that Eadlin left the safe confines of the palace she felt that the world was different.  There was more space, the birds sounded different, the air felt more spacious and she felt free.  Waiting on the other side of the drawbridge, across from the palace and hanging back a little was a tall girl, a little older than Eadlin herself.

The Queen  pressed eagerly forward, hurrying the pony and Eadlin could feel her excitement reflected in her mother's urgency.  The pony resisted slightly, but the Queen's determination won through.She stopped a few metres away from the tree under which a larger, darker horse stood quietly and the girl in the shadows stepped towards her.  She left her hand on the horse's bridle and smiled shyly at the Queen.

"Sarah." said the Queen.  "It is so nice to see you.  Are you well?  You look...beautiful." She seemed to be hesitating. Eventually she held out her hand, dropping the reins and grasping the girl's hand.
"This is Eadlin." she said, remembering. "She's been so looking forward to meeting you..."  Sarah smiled in response and returned the pressure in the Queen's handshake.  She held Althea's gaze for a moment, then seemed to return the Queen's hand to her side, firmly, kindly.  "Well, goodbye girls ... have fun ... "  The Queen turned away, but waited by the drawbridge as the girls set off.

Sarah mounted her horse and held her left hand out to Eadlin after patting the pony on the nose.
"Happy birthday!  How's your day been so far?"
"Oh wonderful thank you." Said Eadlin, suddenly shy with this strange older girl." I met...an old woman. She was teaching me how to be a queen."
"A queen!" Sarah laughed loudly. "Yes. You'll be queen I suppose.And what lesson did you learn today?"
Eadlin was trying to scramble on the back of her pony with as much dignity as she could muster, and pull herself up her full height as she had been taught.she sat back rather heavily in the saddle and the pony harrumphed his   displeasure and wandered slightly.
Sarah moved closer and calmed the pony with a few words that Eadlin seemed to recognise. They sounded the same as her mother used to settle the horses, and perhaps to settle her too, when she was small.
"Well?" She said finally, flipping her long hair over her shoulder and looking sideways at the younger girl."what do you want to do?"
Eadlin stared, suddenly she wasn't sure any more. "I - I don't know.."she stammered.
"Well then, "smiled Sarah."Let's have an adventure."

The Perfect Princess Chapter 3

Eadlin's heart was fluttering wildly, she thought it might float from her chest.  Her father walked her across the courtyard to the stables and Eadlin was surprised to find her mother waiting for her.  She helped her to saddle her beautiful pony and led the pony across the courtyard to the broad gateway.  The pony trotted obediently on her leash.  Eadlin's mother was good with the horses. She spoke to them quietly and they all seemed to want to do what she suggested.  From the moment that Eadlin left the safe confines of the palace she felt that the world was different.  There was more space, the birds sounded different, the air felt more spacious and she felt free.  Waiting on the other side of the drawbridge, across from the palace and hanging back a little was a tall girl, a little older than Eadlin herself.

The Queen  pressed eagerly forward, hurrying the pony and Eadlin could feel her excitement reflected in her mother's urgency.  The pony resisted slightly, but the Queen's determination won through.She stopped a few metres away from the tree under which a larger, darker horse stood quietly and the girl in the shadows stepped towards her.  She left her hand on the horse's bridle and smiled shyly at the Queen.

"Sarah." said the Queen.  "It is so nice to see you.  Are you well?  You look...beautiful." She seemed to be hesitating. Eventually she held out her hand, dropping the reins and grasping the girl's hand.
"This is Eadlin." she said, remembering. "She's been so looking forward to meeting you.  Well, goodbye girls ... have fun ... "

The Queen turned away, but waited by the drawbridge as the girls set off.

Sarah mounted her horse and held her left hand out to Eadlin after patting the pony on the nose.
"Happy birthday!  How's your day been so far?"
"Oh wonderful thank you." Said Eadlin, suddenly shy with this strange older girl." I met...an old woman. She was teaching me how to be a queen."
"A queen!" Sarah laughed loudly. "Yes. You'll be queen I suppose.And what lesson did you learn today?"
Eadlin was trying to scramble on the back of her pony with as much dignity as she could muster, and pull herself up her full height as she had been taught.she sat back rather heavily in the saddle and the pony harrumphed his   displeasure and wandered slightly.
Sarah moved closer and calmed the pony with a few words that Eadlin seemed to recognise. They sounded the same as her mother used to settle the horses, and perhaps yo settle her too, when she was small.
"Well?" She said finally, flipping her long hair over her shoulder and looking sideways at the younger girl."what do you want to do?"
Eadlin stared, suddenly she wasn't sure any more. "I - I don't know.."she stammered.
"Well then, "smiled Sarah."Let's have an adventure."