Blue turned back onto her side. "You're going to make me go back, aren't you?" She frowned.

'You'll have to eventually,' Raphael said. 'It'll also have to be before I get fired for not bringing you back. We have another hour before we get to that point.'

"Then we'll go in three quarters of an hour, alright?" She closed her eyes, loving the feeling of the breeze across her face.

'That's fine,' Raphael said. He settled back and watched the stars quietly.

"So, what of the secrets? You promised to tell me your story. It'll be tomorrow soon, Raphael." She looked him right in the eye and raised one brow.

'It'll be tomorrow soon,' Raphael said, 'but it's not tomorrow yet. It's not very easy to explain to people; they keep getting the wrong idea.'

"Well, do you think you'll trust me some day?" Blue stood up and dusted the grass off her skirt. She extended her hand to Raphael to help him up.

Raphael took the hand and drew himself up. 'I already trust you, Blue. I just can't say what it is unless you've seen it first. Explaining it straight out takes far too long.'

Blue found herself smiling without meaning to. "Alright, i'll wait until tomorrow then. Shall we?" she said, gesturing to her horse.

'Go ahead, Blue,' Raphael said, with a slight bow.

She burrowed her brow. "What, will you walk home?"

'I'm used to it,' Raphael said. 'Besides which, the king would not be happy with me if he saw you walk while I took the horse.'

((sorrysorrysorry! My life is a little hetic right now. >.<))

Blue laughed. "We could ride at the same time. I used to take my sister out riding all the time. Besides, it's a long walk."

(It's okay ^^)

'I've walked farther, Blue,' Raphael said, smiling slightly. 'If you insist, however.' He picked up his spear and mounted carefully behind her. He held the pommel of the saddle in his free hand and held the spear far enough away from the horse to make sure he didn't harm it.

"This is Sadie." Blue said, smiling and patting the horse on the neck. "She's my best friend." Sadie was a slightly small horse, but was powerful, and her chesnut brown coat shone when the sunlight hit it. She was also incredibly sweet and gentle. Blue ran her fingers through Sadie's mane, and then tapped her heels against the horse's side three times. Sadie started off at a trot and then gained speed, making Blue's hair fly in the wind.

Raphael nodded, reflecting once again on how little princesses got to interact with other people. As they rode, he used his spear to move any wayward branches out of the way, but carefully so that he didn't scare Sadie.

Blue turned her face into the wind, savoring the feeling of freedom, if only for a while. When they arrived at the castle, she slid off Sadie and went to go put her in the stable. She gave her a carrot and brushed out her coat, all the while talking to her. It didn't usually matter than Sadie couldn't respond, she was really the only one Blue could confide in.
"Sometimes I wish that I wasn't a princess.." she mumbled.

Raphael, waiting outside the door of the stable, heard Blue's comment, and it started him thinking. He decided to wait until Blue was safely in bed before following up on it, however.

She closed the gate of Sadie's stall and blew her a kiss. When she walked out, she was met by Raphael. "Hello." she said, still walking towards the castle. She stopped and turned around. "Well, are you coming, Raphael?"

'Yes...of course,' Raphael said, drawing himself out of his thoughts. He began walking over to follow Blue in.

"It's late." she commented after the reached her room. She went into the room and took one more glance out the window at the moon before shutting the curtains. "Where is your room? you did say you had been here awhile, yes?"

Raphael nodded. 'Yes, Blue. My rooms are on the ground floor, down the hall going to the library.'

"Alright," she said. "Shall i see you at breakfast tomorrow you will you come 'collect' me?" Blue placed one hand on her hip.

'At breakfast, Blue,' Raphael said, giving her a short bow. 'Good night.'

She nodded. "Goodnight, then." She gave him a smile as she shut the door, then flopped down onto her bed and sighed. 'I wonder if we'll be friends...' she thought. 'I've never had a friend before. She curled up and was asleep within seconds.