Capítulo 33: Spontaneous Rodeo

Just as Levi had said, Guthrie Plains really was a wide stretch of endless savannah. The verdant green of the grasses was pleasing to the eyes. The breeze of wind came more frequently than anywhere else but the scattered oak trees helped temper it.

However, the moment their group entered the Plains Levi and Luke guarded her like their life depended on it. Chalice was frustrated. How was she going to catch...erm... tame the wild horse of her dreams if they stuck around her like freaking super glue.

'Should I resort to begging? That might work. Maybe I should do some puppy dog eyes as well. Gosh, I'm so smart.'

After a few rounds of self-flattery and pep talk, Chalice turned to the two men who were clearly overreacting. It's not as if she's a trouble magnet. If she's attracting anything, that would be treasure alright?

"Luke...Levi, can we--"

Chalice wasn't even able to finish her question when the two chorusly replied with a firm, hard NO. These two meanies. What did she ever do to them? She pouted and then lowered her head pitifully. Her form invoking endless pity.

Luke heart thumped. Did he go too far? Guilt slowly sprang in his heart. Though he doubted that this may just be one of Chalice's ploys to get what she wants, but who asked him to be madly in love with her?

Seemingly feeling the change in his resolve, Levi looked at him outraged. The knight even nudged at him. Which Luke purposely ignored. With a helpless sigh, he called to his lady.

"We will allow you to see the horses, my lady. But please assure me that you'll behave."

Luke gave in. Chalice snapped her head up automatically, her eyes shone bright with cheer. If they weren't in the carriage, Luke was sure she would have jumped up and down.

Levi put his hands up in defeat. Seriously, could this guy be anymore gullible? Anyone could see that the princess was just acting. He was unknowingly fed with what seems to be dog food. Again. Can't anyone cut this poor knight some slack?

The group traversed the way where the herds usually frolick and eat. All for the pleasure of a certain princess. Who, by the way, was so excited she was about to fly. They stopped at a huge oak tree just a few miles away from the meadow where the horses fed.

Luke let Chalice loose of their bounds and repeatedly warned her not to wander around. Chalice agreed all too quickly which made her companions even more doubtful. Rye and Ward secretly betted if she would get into another trouble again.

With her restored freedom, Chalice dashed far away from Luke. Which made the latter's face darken, because obviously the lady promptly forgot his warnings. She was so brilliant, but why was her memory regarding rules even shorter than a goldfish? Luke lamented.

Chalice, on the other hand, suddenly stopped when she had reached a considerable distance from the herd. She marveled at the majestic horses in front of her. They were truly quite the sight.

She was about to reluctantly accept that she won't be able to catch one of these horses when suddenly a pair of colt and mare broke away from the herd. They headed to a cluster of trees just a few yards away from her position.

Chalice grinned in delight. How lucky could she get? It was the horses who delivered themselves to her. Oh, joy! She silently followed the pair of horses into the woods. At that point, Chalice selectively ignored the worried and alarmed expression of Luke who was already hot on her trail. She merely gave him a reassuring smile and a thumbs up before disappearing into the trees, leaving a dejected man huffing out in the clearing.

The horse pair went to a stop. Chalice was suprised to see a small brook in that patch of woods. But what even astounded her more was the gallant horse, dark as obsidian, trotting nobly towards the exit, towards her.

Chalice settled herself into a tree in the border of the clearing and the woods. She waited patiently for the horse to reach her hiding place. And when the horse did, she leaped up onto its back.

The startled horse started bucking hard and tried desperately to throw her off. Chalice held on to its firm neck and tried to soothe the wildly thrashing horse. She hung onto him for dear life as the it seemed to not have any plans on stopping anytime soon. She could just hope she would be able to calm this beautiful stallion or she can't imagine how else Luke is going to punish her.

"Whoah! Whoah! Stop flailing about, Onyx. There, there. I'm not going to hurt you. Calm down."

She repeatedly said to the horse, softening her already lilting voice. Somehow, the horse miraculously did calm down and stopped. Chalice heaved a sigh of relief and took out two pieces of cubed sugar. Well, not that she planned this to actually happen. But she did try to prepare for it. Dang, it wasn't easy to sneak these out from under Luke's eyes. Totally worth it.

The horse tentatively sniffed the sugar cubes she held out in her hands. After which, it gingerly ate a piece. Chalice smiled pleasantly at this. She rubbed the stallion's neck affectionately which earned her a contented neigh.

"Can you take me out to the clearing, Onyx?"

Okay. So, she named it already. Big deal. She has tamed it anyway. Besides, Onyx was a fitting name for the stallion. He was as dark and as beautiful as the gemstone itself.

The horse obliged to her words and went out of the woods. Chalice directed it where her currently panicking companions were.

Her smug smile was thoroughly wiped clear when she saw Luke's face as dark as the bottom of a pot as he met her halfway. She chuckled nervously. Her breath hitched on her throat as she held on to her newly acquired horse.

"A Thunder stallion! My lady, you have tamed a Thunder stallion!"

The excited voice of Rye broke the tensioned stalemate between her and Luke when they arrived at the spot where the carriage was. As she processed his words, Chalice couldn't help but grin fully. She has actually obtained a Thunder stallion. That spontaneous rodeo of hers wasn't for nothing. And even the incoming wrath of a certain Helicopter Nanny was worth it all.