Extol of Agnatic Dreams (The Extol Series Book 1) (16 page)

H
er daily routine had not differed much since the morning of her arrival. Evangeline would dress and then quickly make an appearance at breakfast where she would make small talk with the family before escorting herself out of there. Try as she might, it seemed every attempt to get to know Glais was a misguided effort so she left quickly. Glais and his entirely devoid of emotion attitude towards her had not changed. For his silence, it would seem she had been doing something wrong and not the other way around.

The maids and other help still watched her suspiciously even though Evangeline had done nothing to gain any such reputation. She had thought that the novelty of her presence would have worn off by now and yet the proof was right in front of her as the stares and whispered marked her lingering presence better than any perfume. None had bothered to be more discreet in the gossip as Evangeline walked by. She would not be scared out of her own home like she had been done before and so she did her best to ignore those staged whispers that haunted her footsteps.

To make matters worse, Evangeline constantly felt overdressed once she was outside the small eating room where the family met for breakfast and dinner. Only when she was with them did she relax even a little about her state of dress. Outside that small room, though, it was very obvious that Quintus wanted everyone to know just how wealthy the royal family was. It confused Evangeline but like so much in Braykith she did not ask any questions about it. Evangeline was not delusional to believe that she could change the mind of a king. She could barely hold any sway over his sons.

Neither of his sons had made an effort to change their attitudes around her. After an ordinary conversation with Glais where he barely managed to look her in the eye before his expression became glazed over with boredom, she wished the personalities of Glais and Baxter could be reversed. Since Quintus had suggested it, she had been dreading coming to the stables to attend her lessons from Baxter, but she could not do this without him. She had tried. The first lesson Evangeline had arrived early but after several attempts, she still couldn’t quite manage to stay on the horse.

So now Evangeline waited for Baxter, spotting him jogging away from the castle in the wholly constructed clothing which must have been gifts from the God Iloh himself. That was the only explanation for the perfectly made garments that was bestowed upon the royal household. She was yet to find proof of a human hand ever touching the fabric beyond collecting it from the wardrobes to present to their wearer.

“You look radiant.” Baxter greeted her and kissed her cheek although his lips landed dangerously close to her mouth. She never kissed him back and he must have known it was inappropriate and yet Baxter seemed impulsive and deviant in his choices. Evangeline was at a loss on how to stop him and so she did her best not to encourage him. So far she was failing.

“It is the sunburn,” She assured him although her skin had faded quickly, and was as young and supple as before the incident. The mixture that Wick had put on her was wonderful and Evangeline had been sure to write home about it.

“Whatever has placed that glow into your skin it really does work marvels for you.” Baxter continued the compliments, and while they sounded silly and far more excessive then she deserved, Evangeline wished that it was a compliment coming from Glais. Any kind of affection from him would be wanted at this stage, and yet he continued to treat her like a nuisance.

She couldn’t help but wonder how different her life would be if it were Glais who looked at her like Baxter did. If it was Glais who complimented her mistake of sleeping in the sun as if it was a valuable asset to have in a lady, would she reject him? If Glais was teaching her to ride, Evangeline might actually find the time enjoyable rather than to be dreaded. Not the real Glais, who barely spoke two words to her, but rather the imagined Glais and Baxter hybrid she had concocted. Moving on from the depressing thoughts, Evangeline gestured to their waiting horses which had been dressed and ready for their ride. “Where are we going today?” she asked. Evangeline was always sure to direct topics in a way where it could not be misread as more than what it was. She was only here because Quintus had made it so, and she did not want to fail the third male in the castle. Evangeline certainly did feel as if she had failed Glais and Baxter, although it was in competing ways.

Before they mounted the horses Baxter presented Evangeline with soft moleskin gloves, of course, made to fit just as her clothes had been. She rose an eyebrow at the gift but he offered no explanation. There was none to offer because the use of the gloves was obvious. With no real choice, she accepted the gift and Evangeline put them on to cover her delicate hands. Baxter had told her that riding without them would let her get a better feel for the horse but after their first failed lesson, it was clear her hands were too delicate for the harsh leather straps. Baxter smiled, and with a curt nod, he pointed through the doors towards the paddock. “You can hardly stay on Tempest at a light canter. I’m not being responsible for the Princess breaking her neck trying to
manoeuvre 
through the woods.”

“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 standing 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.