Hidden Kingdom discussion

"Please sadle Princess Sera's horse as well as mine." Jack asked one of the stable hands, usually he would do it himself, but that took too long. "Yes, Sire."

"Thank you, it's appreciated."

Once the stable hand had readied the two horses, Mara mounted side-saddle on Princess Sera's. If they did any intense galloping, Mara might have to resort to a less lady-like posture.
She noticed that the stable hand looked perplexed at her presence--they had met once or twice before. Shaking her head, Mara glanced at Jack. "Ready, Sire?" she asked.

Jack nodded slightly confused as to the sudden formality, then realized what was going on. "Yes, let's go." he tried not to roll his eyes. This social status crap was starting to annnoy him.

Mara nudged the horse forward at a casual pace. "Well, where to and how fast?" she wondered aloud, glancing at Jack.

"I say we just see where Spartin takes us." He said patting his horses neck.

She continued her current pace and trailed a few inches behind Jack's horse, still close enough that they could make eye contact without trouble. "How long has it been since you last rode a horse?"

He laughed, "It's been a while. Can you tell?"

Mara shook her head with a smile. "No, I was only asking. It's been a while for me, as well."

He chuckled, "you wouldn't know it. You ride like you were born doing it." He clicked his tongue and urged his horse forward.

"You exaggerate," she muttered. "But thank you." Mara patted the back of her mare's neck, glad to be around such a beautiful animal. For a moment, she could not stop wondering what Sera would think--or any other members of the royal family, for that matter. "I saw you talking with a fellow in the gardens when I first came out," she started. "I could not see him too well. Who was it?"

"His name is Blake. He's a young soilder whose been friends with Sera since early childhood, but I'm sure you know of him if not have actually met him. He's a good man." Jack said looking back at her. I don't see why mother wouldn't...

"Ah, Blake," Mara repeated. "I'm too young to have been around when he first befriended Sera, but I hear stories about what I don't see. He is a good man." She stared at the ground in front of her for a moment. Where did these sudden bouts of shyness come from?

"Yes, he's a good soilder too. Like your brother. He's a hard worker. He'll serve Tallnasa well."

"Thank you. What was my brother like?" Mara could not stop wondering about Faran. She had only seen him as a grown man once, and she wanted to know what she could from Jack--he seemed like the best source.

"Faran is smart. Perhaps a little too clever for his own good," Jack chuckled, "he was strong both mentally and physically. But I think he was homesick, he seemed like he was missing something."

She made a face and scoffed. "I'm sure he thought he was missing something, but that's no one's fault but his." She hesitated before speaking again. As always, with a war, she might be broaching a touchy subject. "What made you want to be a captain?"

"Nothing. My father made me captain before I could protest. I found out the same time the rest of Tallnasa did." He shrugged, "What did you mean 'he thought he was missing something?'" he asked.

"Oh, right," Mara said. She had remembered the public announcement about Jack becoming Captain, but she had not seen his reaction. Back then, she had not paid quite as much attention to him. "Faran..."She shrugged and sighed. "Faran has never been content with things as they are. He always has to bring his own ideas to the table. He needs excitement. If war was not stimulating enough for him, I don't know what he could have found that is."

"It may not have been a lack of excitement he longed for." Jack said, "It may have simply been the love of his family. Even the most adventurous man must go home now and then."

"Yes, but he didn't go home," Mara reminded Jack. "He's staying somewhere else, for the time being, and he tells me he's met a lady. If he marries soon, should I choose to leave the castle, I will have to grow accustomed to loneliness, anyhow." She shrugged.

"You'd leave?" Jack asked, surprised. Of course he shouldn't have been. It wasn't his business whether the servants left or stayed. It shouldn't have mattered if Mara chose to leave or not, but he had begun to care deeply for her, even if it was an 'improper friendship' as his mother might put it.

"But, you would not be lonely for long, would you? I mean, you are a very charming girl, surely any man would die to be at your side."

Mara blushed. "I don't know about that," she replied. "Even so, I cannot stay a handmaiden forever. I love this kingdom and this palace, but Sera will get married eventually, and she will be off in another castle somewhere else."

"Says who? She could easily marry Blake, and if I am to be king, she can stay here as long as she likes, and I'm sure would love have you here. That is, unless, you do not wish to be a handmaiden, but there are other ways for you to stay here and not be one... I suppose."

"I suppose," Mara echoed. "I should not worry so. That choice is years away." She studied the ground for a moment, not looking toward him. "... Do you think you will become King?"

He paused for a moment, thinking of how to phrase this so he would not sound bitter, "It is.. tradition that the oldest son is given the crown." He said trying to force himself to unclench his jaw.

"Right, I'm sorry." Her eyes flicked up to him. "Maybe we should speak of something else?"

He nodded but could not think of anything to say. He did not want to be king, and he knew Parker was not meant for a life of sitting on a throne, Parket was not meant for a life of sitting anywhere.

"These horses are wonderful," Mara said without as much enthusiasm as the statement warranted. She tried not to shake her head at herself. How would that lead to conversation? "Do you want to keep riding?" she asked.

"Not unless you are tired of it." He commented, hiding his smirk at her previous words, she really was a peculiar girl.

"I don't mind," she said, feeling more desire to speak, now. "I enjoy the fresh air... and the company."

He smiled at the complement, but couldn't find way to make note of it. "Living and working in the palace can make one want fresh air, despretly." He said.

"True. I'm sure you know that at least as much as I do." Mara chuckled a little. With the way she thought of him now, she could hardly understand why she hadn't noticed Prince Jack so much in their earlier years.

(squeeeeeeeeeeeeee! You know it really doesn't help, that I'm watching Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester just proposed and that I watch the cheesiest episodes of Downton Abbey, but I'm in a reeaaaaalllllllly romantic mood. heheheheheheheheh))

He laughed, "I suppose that is something you and I have in common." He took a deep breath, "Mara, might I be so bold as to ask you something... possibly improper for a prince to ask a handmaiden?"

((Bahaha. Which Jane Eyre? THE ONE WITH TOBY STEVENS NOM NOM? And I'm totally in a romantic mood, too. BRING IT ON, SISTA.))

Mara would have been worried, but, knowing Prince Jack, she figured his idea of "improper" was not the same as that of most men she knew. All she felt was a mixture of anticipation and mild nervousness. "You might," she tried to smile. "Ask away."

((I'm not sure... Rochester isn't that great looking... I thought it was the new one... but as it goes on I'm feeling it's older... but I could be wrong...))


He took a deep breath. "How... What if you were given the chance to be a queen... would you take that chance...?" His face burned and he kept his eyes forward, he felt awkward and stupid as he had when he went to his first ball and was forced to ask a girl to dance. "I mean... hypothetically speaking... would you change this life you have now for something else...?"

Stop talking, you idiot, and let her answer the question. he scolded himself.

((I must apologize for the horride spelling..... Googlechrom shut down on me and my Enternet Explorer doesn't have spell-check.... and I'm a really bad at spelling.))

((Oh, if he's not good-looking, he's not Toby Stephens... or Michael Fassbender. It has to be older than 2006, at least.))

She tried her best to keep the word hypothetical in mind. "I don't know that I would be a good queen," Mara stammered out, "but I would not mind a change. I would not like to leave the people I love behind to travel to a distant kingdom, though. So, yes, I might take the chance, given one. ...Why?"

"No reason." He said, rather happy with her answer, "It is just something I had wondered for sometime... if someone would be willing to trade her life...." He said, trying to cover his true motives.

He looked back at her, "And by the way, I'm sure you would make a fine queen. You've got a strong enough spirit for it."

"Thank you, but 'no reason'?" Mara objected, looking him in the eye with a hesitant smirk. "And when, my lord Jack, did you take up the habit of asking questions for no reason?"

"All my life." He joked, "It is always best to ask questions for no reason," He explained, "than to not ask questions at all."

"So now you are a philosopher," Mara chuckled. Her gaze returned to the grass. She wished she could have coaxed more out of him. Had he meant any of what he said? He was no liar--Mara knew that.

((It was the 1996 version.))

"Now? I have always been a philosopher, dear. Didn't you know?" He laughed slightly at his own joke. Still thinking about what his mother would say if she knew he was starting to feel this way...

"I did not," she admitted. For the first time since looking at the ground, she noticed that the horses were headed for the woods. "If we don't turn around soon, we'll find ourselves in the trees," Mara told him. "Not that I mind."

"Well, Mara. It seems we are about to go on an adventure!" He laughed, clicking his tongue and pushing his horse faster as he galloped into the woods.

Mara knew she would have to ride normally if she wanted to gallop, so she swung one leg to the horse's other side and trailed behind Jack and his horse. In response to what he said, she gave a silent laugh.

He looked back at her as he neared the woods, "I hope you can keep up." He challanged, nodding by way of asking for a race.

She nudged the sides of her horse, which sped forward until she reached Jack's side. "I probably couldn't," Mara said simply, smiling, "but the horse can."

((Braindeadddd.))

((haha me too. Which is probably a sign that I should go to bed... Post tomorrow?))

((Okay. G'night.))

"Well then, let's go!" He called as he urged his horse to take off through the woods.

"Prince, captain, chef, horseman, philosopher, adventurer," Mara laughed, not caring if he heard. "The list goes on."