Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

He's wearing a sapphire blue waistcoat over a cream shirt. His trousers match the shirt and are tucked into his dark brown riding boots. It's his face that I notice though. His perfect features. His dark hair and his eyes. Once our eyes meet, I can't break the contact.

"Do you talk to every horse you see? Or just the ones you take care of?" he smiles, revealing pearly teeth. I feel quite weak and my knees buckle as the world turns a fuzzy grey.



The world comes back slowly, in scraps of feelings. I can hear a voice asking if I'm all right. I know the voice. I can feel the soft scrape of velvet on my cheek. I can smell horse and something else. Something familiar. It smells like Daddy, I realize slowly. Daddy always smelled this way. Masculine. Daddy must be holding me. I feel the velvet rise and fall like a chest and I snuggle closer. I try to lift my leaden lids.

"Daddy?" I whisper hoarsely. I finally open my eyes and look up to see a man's face. But it's not Daddy's. And everything comes rushing in. Daddy's dead. He has been for years. The prince is holding me. Me, Cindy. Also called Cinderella, in his arms. Because I fainted when he approached me.

"You all right?" he repeats and I panic.

"I'm fine!" I gasp as I attempt to sit by myself.

"Be careful!"

"I'm fine!"

"Are you sure?" he asks as he helps me slowly to my feet.

"Yes," I lie as the world spins and my head splits in two.

"I didn't mean to scare you," he apologizes as he holds me upright. "I didn't--"

"It's all right," I smile, knowing what he means. I turn my gaze toward him. I realize how close we are and I'm very aware of his masculinity. I am also painfully aware of how I must look. Soot smudged across my face, and my curls tangled by the wind. Next to him, I look even more like a beggar than I usually do.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you have beautiful eyes?" he whispers, his voice slightly hoarse with something.

I'm thrown off balance by his comment. My eyes? He likes my eyes?

"N-n-n-no," I stammer.

"They're like the night sky."

"Thank you," I reply.

He kisses me then. Really, he just brushes my lips but I feel a jolt all down my spine.

"Your highness!" a voice breaks the spell and we part.

"I-I have to go," I whisper breathlessly. Our eyes meet and his are soft.

"Can I see you again?" he asks.

"I-I"

"Your highness!"

"I must go!" I repeat and whistle for Phantom. She comes running. I mount her and begin to turn her towards home.

"Wait!" the prince runs and grabs her bridle. "Please! Your name, anything!"

"I must go."

"I won't let you go without at least a promise that I'll see you again," he says, his eyes steely with determination.

"At the ball," I blurt out desperately. "I'll be there at eight."

With that, he smiles and releases Phantom's bridle. I spur her on. My face is flaming as I race home. The wind feels so good against my cheeks and my eyes water from the wind and I'm not sure what else.