Chapter 1402 Knight
Chapter 1402 Knight
Raelle strode across the wide courtyard of her grand estate, the soft crunch of gravel beneath her boots the only sound breaking the stillness of the morning. The estate sprawled out in all directions, with meticulously manicured gardens framing the path that led to the stables. The air was crisp, filled with the faint scent of lavender and roses from the nearby flower beds, but Raelle's mind was focused on what lay ahead.
As she approached the stables, a proud smile inadvertently tugged at the corners of her lips. She was slightly eager to show off her horses today. The tall wooden structure loomed in the distance, polished to perfection, a testament to the wealth and care that defined the estate. Inside, the rhythmic clinking of harnesses and the gentle whinny of horses greeted her.
She glanced over her shoulder at the people following behind her. Xiang Wai's excitement finally came out once she looked at the stables. She got out of her depressed state and observed her surroundings, breathing in the fresh air. She had to say that the weather here was too good and very comfortable as it even managed to relax her mood.
First, Raelle took them all to change into the riding clothes. There was no one here who didn't know how to ride a horse so no one was left behind too. Thankfully, Uncle Eric had already prepared the clothes for everyone before they even came. So, they all could comfortably change into form-fitting riding outfits, looking dashing, adding to their outstanding appearances and temperaments.
After that, it was time to show off her horses.
Raelle pushed open the wide stable doors, revealing the pristine interior. Sunlight streamed through the windows, casting warm rays on the gleaming coats of the horses inside. Each stall was spacious, lined with fresh hay, and as they entered, the horses shifted, their sleek heads turning to acknowledge their presence.
"This one's Knight," Raelle said, her voice softening as she approached a jet-black mare, her coat shimmering in the light. "She's one of my best. Fierce, but loyal." She stroked Amara's neck, and the horse nickered softly in response. "She's a little wild for first-timers, though."
While Raelle introduced the horses and mares to the others, Hyson walked straight to his own princess and hugged his neck too. The majestic horse seemed to remember him very well as he also rubbed against Hyson as if complaining that he came too late.
He asked the staff to get his horse ready so he could go for a ride. He wanted to go for a ride to forget about what just happened. He knew he overreacted just now but he couldn't help it either. His mother's health was never a joke to him. He might love to joke with her but he'd never joke about her health. And although Yue Yue looked healthy now, he knew better. His mother had indeed suffered a lot when he was young, especially during the time she was pregnant with him which left roots of many diseases.
He just wanted her to take better care of herself but it seemed like he was really asking for too much. Why did she insist on hiding things from him so much? He was really not trustworthy!
"I have introduced all the horses to you," announced Raelle. "You both can pick one yourself. Whichever one you like, as long as you can tame it, it's yours."
Xiang Wai gave her a smug look, "What's so difficult about that? I'll show you what kind of an affinity I have with spiritual animals like horses."
"I'm watching," replied Raelle not taking her words seriously at all. She moved down the row of stalls, introducing her last but prized horse with subtle affection. Her hand rested briefly on the stall of a grey stallion with a muscular frame and a strikingly white mane. "This is Orion," she said with a grin. "He's the one you're going to ride." She was looking at Shui Xian.
"What about you?" asked Shui Xian.
"I'll obviously go with Knight," answered Raelle. "Hurry up. It's time to fly!"
Shui Xian chuckled as he followed her lead. Raelle nodded to the stable hands, who were already preparing the saddles and bridles. Within minutes, Orion and Knight were ready, their leather tack gleaming and their hooves tapping impatiently against the cobbled floor. Raelle mounted Knight with practiced ease, her movements fluid and confident. "Let's go," she said, turning toward the open paddock. Nôv(el)B\\jnn
Raelle waited for Shui Xian to mount Orion, and once he settled in, Raelle urged Knight forward with a gentle nudge. The mare responded instantly, her powerful legs propelling them out of the stable and into the open fields.
The estate stretched out before them—rolling hills, endless greenery, and beyond, the forest that bordered her lands. The wind caught in her hair as they galloped across the estate, the thrill of the ride making her heart race. She glanced over at him, watching as he grew more comfortable with Orion, the tension leaving his body as Orion carried him gracefully across the land.
She just knew that Orion was the best choice for Shui Xian. Even if she wasn't the one who had the hobby of collecting the horses, she was one who was very familiar with the personalities of each horse here. Their names were given by Hyson while she only got herself familiar with each horse to better understand them. Her understanding of horses was almost like her understanding of humans but perhaps, she had better communication with horses over the years than humans.
At least, the horses didn't complain about her eccentricity.
After a while, they slowed, the horses easing into a steady trot. Raelle flashed him a smile. "How is it? Didn't I tell you it's amazing to ride the horse around the estate?"
Shui Xian wholeheartedly agreed with her words as he really liked this feeling. Especially since the scenary made it all better but with Raelle around, all scenery was the same to him as his eyes would just follow her around at any time and anywhere.
"I believe all these horses are collected by Chenyan?" inquired Shui Xian but he was almost certain that only she'd do something like this. Even though he had never seen Mu Chenyan ride a horse before, he just had a feeling that she'd be the one to do something like this. Anyway, Raelle would never go out of her way to do something that didn't bring her any profit. "Yeah, all the horses are collected by Mu Chenyan. She went to great lengths to find each and every horse. So, you can not look down on her vision."
"I don't dare," replied Shui Xian. Finding him looking at Knight, Raelle actually assumed that he wanted to ride Knight, so she offered generously, "Would you like to ride Knight? She is amazing." Raelle caressed the shiny mane of Knight as she spoke clearly showing how much she liked her mare. "Raelle Xiang doesn't like sharing," reminded Shui Xian.
Raelle chuckled softly, "That's for others. I am sharing my life and future with you. What is it about my mare?"
Shui Xian's smile deepened, as he heroically jumped down from Orion and tied it against the tree near him. As Raelle was about to get down from Knight, Shui Xian held her hand to stop her and then got on Orion with ease, settling right behind Raelle.
It happened within a minute and Raelle took a moment to respond. By the time, she realized what he did, his hands had already slipped from under her arms and held the lead with his hands covering hers naturally.
Raelle smiled as she leaned her back against him and tilted her head to look at him, "So, your plan was clear from the beginning, eh?"
"When I said I'd love to go horse riding with you, this was my intention from the beginning. Why would I want to sit on a separate horse that separates me from you? That isn't as fun as I thought." He patted Knight saying, "I hope Knight doesn't mind the weight. Sorry, I just want to stick to my wife. So bear with me."
Raelle kissed his Adam's apple making Shui Xian's eyes darken when he felt her soft lips touching that sensitive place. She didn't even know what she was doing or she did but intentionally did it as always. He was more inclined to believe that it was the later. After all, he understood his wife this much.
"Do you want to go back?" questioned Shui Xian.
Raelle found a comfortable position to settle in his arms and said, "No, let's stroll around for a while longer. Anyway, we don't need to help with anything."
Shui Xian agreed with this and also didn't want to go back. They had long ridden far away from the paddock and had entered the woods. They had separated from the others too who had chosen their own tracks to ride. So, Shui Xian was at ease in this space where only he and Raelle were together.
So, the lovebirds didn't care about anything else and were in their own world as always. Anyway, having someone around or not didn't really change much the way they interacted with each other. If anything, they were a little more unrestrained when they were alone.