Forbidden Love *please close*

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"Oh come on!" Theo yelled. With a snarl he whipped off the trail onto the forest floor and ran parallel to her, then passed her. He started laughing and looked ahead of him and yanked backed so fast his horse reared with a scream. This was the border to the land he was supposed to marry the princess. There was no way he was going to be close to it.

 

 

 

Juniper sat down tentatively and took the utensil, and waited like she was waiting for him to eat first. "It's my fault, didn't get up in time or finish the lunch dishes to eat with them. Beth... Beth though makes sure I eat. She is very kind to me."

Edited May 27, 2015 by AroaraAngelwolf

[SkySong278]

Gwen smiled when she heard what Theo yelled behind her before it slowly faded due to him passing her again. She just shook her head at that and continued to ride until she heard Brago's scream and wondered what was wrong if anything. She had Arwyn go a bit faster because she was concerned for both Theo and Brago but when she got close to the border where the former was and saw that they were both unharmed, she no longer was concerned but curious instead.

"What's up?" she asked as she had Arwyn walk up beside him until she stopped and was now standing next to Brago.

 

Xavier started to eat the breakfast as he heard everything that Juniper said, pausing a bit in order to swallow some of what he ate so that he could say something. "Well still the head cook should still make sure you're fed even if you miss a meal. A good boss should always do that and it sounds like she's not a good one. I'm glad Beth is nice to you and speaking of her where has she been since I haven't seen her in a few days?" he said and asked in reply to everything that he heard her say before going back to eating more of his half of the breakfast.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"The border of the princess who........... I don't want to be by this place.. how about we go back a little and spar until Morgan catches up?" He turned brago around and backtracked a little on the trail before dismounting and finding two sticks to fight with.

 

 

 

"She is resting, she caught a cold and the medicine maker said she must stay down for a little. " She started eating, taking a buttery roll and dipping it in the oatmeal before taking a bite. She chewed slowly as if savoring the taste and swallowed before taking another bite.

[SkySong278]

Gwen understood what he was saying without him having to finish his sentence before following him and Brago back a bit from the border and into a big enough area to spar. She then dismounted when she caught up to him and got one of the sticks that he had found that they could use as swords in order to spar with each other with. She then got into the engarde stance and waited for him to start it off.

 

"Okay and I hope she feels better soon since she is one of my favorite cooks and since she is also kind to you," Xavier said in reply to what Juniper said in reply to his question before finishing eating his half of the food. "Now you'll have two people that are nice to you; Beth and me. You're my other favorite cook, by the way."

[AroaraAngelwolf]

He gave her a boyish grin. "I'm thinking you're not going to go easy on me Gwen dear... " He tapped her stick, then stepped in with a few simple moves and steps. He pressed her harder and stepped behind her hitting her back. "Oups.. sorry..."He grinned.... which said he wasn't all that sorry about it.

 

 

 

Juniper flushed again. "I only clean... I'm not allowed to cook until I've been here for two years." She ate the other half of the plate saving some rolls for him later and sighed heavily, then stifled a yawn behind her hands. "Thank you kindly sir..." She got up and curtsied deeply to him, and properly without wobbling like some of the newer maids do. "If I may take the tray back, and continue with my work...Your majesty.."

[SkySong278]

"No I am not," Gwen said in reply to Theo's statement before responding to his moves with her own before she was hit on the back by his stick/sword. She winced slightly before turning around and seeing his grin after he said what he did.

"No you're not but it's okay all the same anyway," she said in reply before starting up again before poking him in the arm with her stick. "Sorry," she said before Morgan rode up and caught up to them.

"It looks like you two are having fun," she said with a small smile as she watchd the sparring match.

 

"You're still a favorite of mine all the same and you're welcome," Xavier said to Juniper's first few statements before hearing the last one that she said. "Of course and maybe I'll see you later," he said before setting aside the rolls on another tray he kept in his chamber as an extra.

He figured that he could eat them later after his training session with his knights later since he was always hungry after those.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Theo scoffed and pouted. "She poked me! You're gonna get it girl!" He snickered as he worked in some newer moves he has been working on, a series of combinations of faints and offensive strikes. "Indeed I am! Don't know about Gwen here... , although she seems to enjoy hitting me." He whirled around and hit her rump... then jumped back and dropped the sick like it was on fire. "I wasn't aiming there! I swear!" He looked genuinely startled.

 

 

 

"Perhaps..."She said as she took the tray, bowed and left. The cook was furious that she was late, and being raised that it wasn't ladylike to lie, she worked around the truth by saying he didn't dismiss her right away and talked with her a little bit while he ate. This satisfied the cook, and she told her to go polish something. She did just that, doing the chalice again, making the prince's shine like the queens now. Later on she slipped out and went to her mother's tree. She sat and began taking, softly saying everything that happened from yesterday to now. The Prince was quite kind, and had very nice eyes.... does he really like talking to her?

[SkySong278]

Gwen giggled a little bit when she heard what he exclaimed and also as she saw his pout. She then went back to sparring with him as he put in some new moves and she did the same while hearing what he said to Morgan in response to what she had said earlier.

"You do too and I'm also having fun," she said just before Theo turned and hit her rump with his stick and then dropped it afterward. "It's okay since accidents happen," she said in reply to his exclamation but also with a very light blush on her cheeks that she could easily pass up as her cheeks being flushed from the excitement of sparring with him.

"I'm glad you two are having fun but it might be best if we head back now since it's starting to get a bit late," Morgan said as she hid a giggle behind her hand at what Theo did to Gwen.

 

Xavier nodded and watched her go before he got dressed into some cleaner clothes to head out to the training yard in order to spar with his knights. As he headed there, he wondered if Juniper liked talking to him as well as enjoying him being nice to her. He always tried to be nice around the maids and servants whenever possible even when he was having a bad day or was really frustrated with his dad like he had been the day before with the whole arranging him to be married thing and the jousting tournament that would be held because of that.

Edited April 27, 2016 by Dragonpelt

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Theo was flushed too, but more from embarrassment then the sparring. Coughed. "Yes... let's head back, good idea.." He bit his lip and got on his horse. "Father would be worried if we don't return by dinner time..." his blush darkened as he spoke and he covered his face with his hands.

 

 

The sound of swords hitting each other drew her away from the tree, that was near the wall of the training grounds. She unlocked a little wooden door gate inn the stone wall and peeked through at the fighting. The other knights where quite talented, but her eyes where on the Prince as she watched in the shadows. He was exquisite and interesting to watch. The blade mesmerized her by the way it flashed and danced in his hands. He made it seem so easy! She watched in the shadows remaining hidden.

[SkySong278]

Gwen nodded and then also got back onto Arwyn's back before she and Morgan started to lead the way. Morgan had seen Theo cover his face wih his hands and hung back to wait for him.

"It really is okay you know," she said to him in order to try to make him feel a bit better than what he already felt.

Gwen noticed that Morgan and Theo weren't immediately behind her so she turned and waited for them to catch up to her since she didn't want to get too far ahead of them and leave them behind.

 

Xavier continued to train with his knights, fighting two at a time and also didn't seem to falter at all or even seem to be exhausted or out of breath due to exertion. He had to constantly train with them if he was going to train new knights who wanted to be accepted into the ranks of the castle guard. He didn't seem to notice that anyone was watching him let alone that, that someone happened to be Juniper. He was too focused on what he was dong to notice anything else.

Edited April 28, 2016 by Dragonpelt

[AroaraAngelwolf]

He shook his head. "I don't care... it didn't feel right or gentlemanly.... " He took deep breaths to make his blush fade as they approached Gwen. He cleared his throat. "Gwen, could you tell me what the ladies who are mean to you, what they say to you? If I can't do anything about it, Morgan might... She still is a noble in the castle and is close friends with my family... we both can help you if you let us."

 

 

 

June watched as he moved with fluid grace, unaware of the blush that creeped to her cheeks. The cook started her making her stumble onto the training field, away from the fight, but was now in full view. "You had your break girl! Jet

Get back to the kitchen with you! At this rate you won't get lunch or dinner and there'll be nobody to blame but yourself! Now get back in there!" She grabbed her tattered blouse and pulled her up and pushed her through the gate.

[SkySong278]

"Well you know that Gwen is really apologetic about these kinds of things so unless she says otherwise she's okay with you doing things like that," Morgan said in reply to what Theo had said before adding a few minutes afterward as a question, "What is it between you two nowadays? Something's different."

She then had Athena walk beside Theo and Brago until they caught up to Arwyn and Gwen before hearing what the fomer asked her about some ladies that the latter seemed to be having trouble with.

"Well they're not at the castle right now and only show up for big celebratory things like jousting tournaments and coronations or birthdays. They mostly just give me a hard time by throwing more clothes onto the floor after I clean up the other pile and say things like 'you missed a spot' and one of them also shoved me once but it didn't hurt too bad. I also just mostly ignore those things and don't let them get to me since to me that's the best way to deal with things like that but I guess the next time they're here if you talk to them that might help a bit more," she said in reply to Theo's question and statements before having Arwyn lead the way again back towards the castle.

 

Xavier told the knights he was fighting with to stop for a minute as he heard a commotion coming towards the gate on the edge of the training yard and looked that way to see the head cook pushing Juniper quite roughly as well as yelling at her. He sheathed his sword before walking over there and placing a gentle hand on the head cook's shoulder but the look on his face was anything but.

"Shove her and talk meanly to her again and I'll have you put in the dungeon for a week," he said with a hard expression on his face. "She can have as long as a break as she wants and you should also let her eat more." After he said these things, he went back over to where he had left his knights and started the training again.

 

((hope what I had him say was okay ))

Edited March 8, 2016 by Dragonpelt

[AroaraAngelwolf]

((It was perfect))

 

He sighed. "Considering the princess doesn't like fighting, there is a ball coming up. In about two weeks..... I'll speak with them then. Alright?" He didn't look to happy about a ball. "I'd have to dance with her.... I can't.. dance. Always snuck away during those classes and went hunting...and sat out during the balls..... I ... never saw any good in dancing.. we don't win wars or fights by waltzing with each other..."

 

 

The woman froze and stumbled over apologies while getting her big belly to let her bow to him. Juniper slipped away from the cook once and the cook letting her go, she was fearful of the girl like she was with Beth. Juniper watched him fight, this time she was a little more into the light, watching his moves with great interest. A couple knights saw the lady watching and attempted to impress her, but ended up flat on their backs making the wrong move at the wrong time.

[SkySong278]

"Okay and I can teach you how to dance," Gwen said in reply to both Theo's question and statement about the ball and talking to the ladies that she was having problems with then. "My father taught me how to dance before he died and as you dance with that princess, you can just pretend that you're dancing with me or your mom."

Morgan heard what Gwen said to Theo with a smile on her face and thought that would be really nice of her to do for him. "You know you never answered my earlier question. What is it between you two nowadays? Something's different." She asked and said these things as Gwen rode further ahead of them and back towards their destination so that she wouldn't overhear their conversation.

 

Xavier had changed fighting partners now since the ones that he had been training with earlier he beat. As he was fighting with these other two, he briefly glanced over at Juniper who was now in the light and watching him before another movement caught his eye. He looked over at two other knights of his as they stumbled and fell flat on their backs and sighed.

"You two get back to training or I'll go over there myself and make sure that you pay attention," he called over to them before focusing once more on his training. After a little while more of that he had them stop before pulling out a lance.

"Now that we've trained enough with swords it's time to train with lances to joust with," he told them before whistling for his horse. A few minutes later, an elegant black stallian came galloping over to him and he smiled before petting him and then heading towards the jousting practice field afterward while walking next to him over there.

Edited April 28, 2016 by Dragonpelt

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"That would be very helpful Gwen...." He said before she rode further ahead. He seemed lost in thought again until Morgan revised her question. "Morgan... I have no idea what you are talking about......." He straightened in the saddle, chin up looking more like a Prince...... something he hardly ever does unless he was trying to look authoritative and avoid questions. "We are good... friends.... there is nothing different at all."

 

 

 

Juniper's eyes now snapped to the horse. She used to have one, not as big, but a beautiful sleek Blue Roan, high spirited Arabian mare with a spring in her step. She wondered if her father sold her to the castle, the horse too good to be much use in the field. As the prince went to the jousting field, she went back to the kitchen, working herself hard this time so she could visit the stables later to see if they had her horse.

 

 

((I know it says stallion, but she has a mare that looked like this.))

Edited May 28, 2015 by AroaraAngelwolf

[SkySong278]

Gwen had nodded with a smile before riding further ahead and was again looking around their surroundings until the castle came into view and she kept her eyes on that instead.

"Uh-huh and I know what you do in order to avoid questions and what you did just now is what you do," Morgan said before just sighing and having her attention also be on the castle that was their destination. Her stomach growled a bit in anticipation of dinner and couldn't wait to get some food in it.

 

Xavier watched Juniper go after getting to the jousting field with his horse and then had a stable hand hold the reins so that he could get his lance out of the armory. Once he had retrieved it, he went back out to the field, mounted the horse, and then rode him over to where the railing thing was before waiting for one of his knights to be on the other end so that they could start training. He hadn't put on a chest plate when he had gone to the armory since he was planning on getting hurt so that he wouldn't have to participate next week in the tournament. He did put on a helmet, though and once one of his knights finally got to the other end they started the practice jousting session.

 

((ooh pretty and I apologize for the late response. the rest of my work day was busy and then I had dinner with my dad and didn't get home until 10))

Edited May 29, 2015 by Dragonpelt

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"I do believe we have roasted goose for tonight for the main course.... " He said completely avoiding what she said. After a moment mentally considering telling her or not, and knowing Morgan would get to the bottom of it either way, he simply said his round about answer. "Well then lady Morgan, you should just simply avoid the questions I try to avoid and seek the answers yourself, that's what you normally do isn't it?" He edged his horse to a trot and then nearly ran him to the castle gate.

 

 

Juniper finished and slipped off to the stables where she did see her beloved Nightshade there. Grooming her and slipping a rope halter on her, she was glad her father insisted she learned bare back riding as well as side saddle. She mounted and rode her out of the stables. After all the years, she hasn't lost her touch, but she'd forgotten one thing- her horse was afraid of rats.

 

Unfortunately, she just remembered as one big grey one scurried passed with a large black and white Tom in hot pursuit. Her horse whipped around and ran head first the other way...... barreling through servants and knights straight into the jousting field. "Stop, stop, stop!" She yanked on the rope making her slow down considerably, but she still kept up a good clip around the field.

[SkySong278]

Morgan's stomach growled even more when she heard what was for dinner and said, "Now that's just making me even more hungry." She then heard what he said last and said in reply, "Fine then I will or maybe even better yet I'll just ask Gwen."

"Ask me what?" Gwen asked as she heard the trail-end of Morgan and Theo's conversation before she saw the latter gallop the rest of the way to the castle gate.

"Oh just if there was something more than just a friendly relationship going on between you and Theo," Morgan said in reply to Gwen's question as she caught up to her and rode the rest of the way to the castle with her.

 

After a few more sessions of the jousting practice and he still hadn't gotten the injury he wanted in order to not participate in the jousting tournament that was going to take place next week, Xavier called it quits for now so that everyone could take a break. It was then that he saw Juniper on a beautiful Blue Roan mare and they were coming quite fast onto the field where they were. He rode Loke over to where they were and took ahold of the other horse's reins until she stopped.

"Whoa there are you okay?" he asked her after he had gotten the mare to stop.

Edited March 8, 2016 by Dragonpelt

[AroaraAngelwolf]

By the time they reached the stables he was grooming his horse and feeding him a carrot. He was humming a tune and combing Brago's main. "Nice run, but I'm thinking you need to lay off the alfalfa... you're getting pudgy, can't hunt with a fat horse.." He patted his belly affectionately and the horse shook his head.

 

 

 

The mare stopped with a bounce and a head tossing scream. Juniper looked frazzled and shaken, but otherwise fine. She nodded and patted and lightly rubbed a spot on the horse's neck which seemed to work wonders, the mare shuddering and lowers her head with a snort. "I'm fine Your Highness, thank you for helping me stop the ol' girl... I don't know what is with her and rats, but they scare her senseless. That's it Nightshade... calm down.. good girl..." She muttered softly to the mare who almost had her eyes closed, loving the spot where her neck met her chest being scratched.

[SkySong278]

Gwen tried to persuade Morgan that there was nothing other than a freindly relationship going on between them but the former didn't believe her. She still tried to do that until they reached the stables and put their horses away but then after a few minutes or so she just gave up since Morgan wasn't hearing her. She just sighed before looking over at Theo when she heard him humming and talking to Brago. She figured that he was in a semi-happy mood before brushing her own horse and then also before she and Morgan headed back into the castle to get ready for dinner.

 

"You're welcome and I take it that she was once your horse since she seems to be calm around you?" Xavier said and asked in reply to all that Juniper said before just watching as she continued to calm down Nightshade.

A few knights came up to them and attempted to get him to go back and continue practicing but he waved them off before saying that he'd be there in a few minutes.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"What brought her to such silly notions.... " He paused and sniffed at the air. "Yes, I smell pie... cook's been at it again.... farewell lady Gwen..." He zipped off faster then to a nonexistent smell. With his arrangement hanging above his head, he quite liked being around the two women, one he thought of as a sister he never had the other..... was more complex in thoughts he always seemed to wrestle with but never voiced. Needless to say, he is more nervous and jumpy around Gwen then ever before and seems to be loosening the fight with the stubborn horse that contains his thoughts.

 

 

 

 

"My father kept her mother and his best stallion, after we lost everything for breeding purposes... when she was born several months before my sixteenth birthday, he couldn't part with her and broke her so I can ride her. But he wished to get me something nice, really nice, so he had to sell all three to get it." She stopped petting the horse and made her lift her head, and idly braided a piece of her main, eyes on the strands in her fingers.

[SkySong278]

((hehe I bet him dancing with Gwen later won't help things and he'll lose it even more ))

 

Gwen heard what Theo said before he passed by her to get to the castle. She wondered why he took off in such a hurry before catching a whiff of what he smelled which was pie. When she smelled that, her stomach grumbled. She hoped that she'd be able to get a piece as well as some of the dinner since maids didn't usually eat with everyone in the main banquet hall but maybe tonight would be different and even at the ball too but she could only hope. As they made it to Morgan's room, she helped her get dressed into something more fitting for dinner and she also changed into something more comfortable which was a maid dress that was a little nicer than the one she usually wore and then headed to the banquet hall with Morgan shortly afterward.

 

"I'm glad that you got to be reunited with her and you can ride her whenever you want since I'll make sure she never leaves the stables to be sold to anyone else," Xavier said in reply after hearing everything that she said in response to his earlier question. When he was beckoned once more about getting back to jousting practice he sighed and said to her before heading back over to the railing, "I need to get back to practice. Don't work too hard and maybe I'll see you again later this evening."

After he was back to the begining of the railing, the practice started up again and this time he got the injury he wanted and he rose with a huge smile on his face although there was a slight grimace on his face too that was showing in his happy expression.

Edited May 29, 2015 by Dragonpelt

[AroaraAngelwolf]

((No it won't at all, make him more skittish and jumpy. undoubtedly, Morgan would find it very interesting ... ))

 

 

 

 

Theo sat beside his father, in a chair that would be facing Morgan, his father, per usual, was at the head and the queen's chair sat empty. The spread was fantastic and Theo seemed to take great interest in his his silver fork, studying the utensil closely. When dinner started, he ate faster the usual to avoid pointed questions from Morgan or his father, who mostly sat there rambling on about his good old days, his particular favorite dish, and the impending war that was to happen if Theo didn't marry the girl.

 

 

 

Juniper rode the horse around after saying her thanks, and placed her back in her proper stall heading to the kitchen. The threat worked. She was treated with respect and given the last morsel of the servants meal and cleaned up the entire kitchen quite quickly. Once again, she was assigned to taking the lunch to the Prince. This time she headed for his room with confidence.

[SkySong278]

((that's what I meant and yeah she would probably do that ))

 

Gwen went over to a servants table that was close to the main table where Theo, Morgan and the king sat and where she was also having her own version of what Theo and company were having but smaller. She would occasionally glance over in his direction and she was doing that now, wondering why he was eating his food very quickly. She wondered if it was because he didn't want to talk or answer any questions and knew that it was just like him to do something like that. She then had her attention go back to her food where it was for the rest of the time.

 

Xavier made his way carefully back to the castle and to his room where he took a much needed bath and after he got out, he carefully wrapped his ribs with a large piece of cloth before putting on a shirt and that was put on carefully as well. He sighed before opening his bedroom door to walk around the halls when he saw Juniper coming towards him with lunch. It was then that his stomach growled and he knew that he was hungry.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Theo saved a piece of cherry pie for Gwen and was the first one finished, ready to be excused. He sighed when his father refused and spoke at him and the details of the ball with the dances, making so he had to dance, this time he couldn't sit out this one.

 

 

She giggled. "Seems like I came in time sire. Hate to make you back track, but would you like to eat in your room?" She shifted her weight so balance the heavy tray better.