A Castle Made of Glass

Leo
He stared at the box. "Princess, what uh...what do i do?"he asked. he didn't know the first thingabout getting a horse ready or what to do first or what..

Dahlia turned, taking in Leo. He was looking over at her helplessly, and she grinned before jogging up to him. "First, you need to enter the stall and put on his halter so he doesn't get any ideas."
She took the leather tack and showed Leo how to put it over the horse's muzzle and ears and where to fasten it. She went through the steps of brushing the horse and picking the feet, and then helped him to slip the bridle onto Arromas's snout. The animal opened his teeth and let the bit slid into his mouth.
"The saddle," Dahlia explained, lifting the large piece of heavy, leather tack up and placing it in Leo's arms, "has to be tight around their belly or you'll end up sliding upside down under his body." Dahlia gestured for him to put the saddle onto Arromas's back.
The horse eyed Leo pleasantly, tail swooshing. Dahlia rested against the door of the stall. She remembered watching one of the servants trying to tack up Boramax while Dahlia was putting on her boots. The poor boy had never even touched a horse, let alone saddled one. He had put the saddle on backwards, and Boramax was trying to hide her distaste. The horse had later on commented on stupid servants never touching her again.

Leo
He nodded and did as he was told. When time came took the Saddle and went up to the horse and put it on. He strapped it up and looked at the princess. "Do you think that's tight enough?" He asked, and stroked the horse's mane. He smiled. Horses where such amazing creatures.

Dahlia put her weight on the saddle and pulled down. It barely budged. "Good," she said, grinning. "Now lead him over to Boramax's stall."
Slipping under Arromas's head and around Leo, Dahlia made her way to her horse to tack her up. Before entering, she cast a look over her shoulder. Arromas seemed pleased with Leo, which was good.

Leo
He smiled and led the horse to where she had told him. He ran his fingers along the horses side. "So..where are we going princes?" He asked

"Since I'm not allowed off castle grounds, we'll ride through the gardens. They're long and spacious, and no one will be in them at this time of day," Dahlia explained as she fastened the cinch and led the horse from her stall.
Boramax and Arromas sniffed each other. Dahlia was thankful these two got along. Boramax rarely got along with other horses, mostly because she didn't get the exercise she required. Even if Dahlia rode her for hours each day, the mare was bred for hard running and constantly movement.
As the two walked the horses out of the stables, Dahlia thought of what it would be like to ride in the fields by the ocean, or along the beach, with an endless expanse of freedom beyond. Maybe one day she would sneak out.
She eyed Leo. But would he let her? Even if she had warmed up to him, he still worked for her father. She would have to see.

Leo
He nodded. This will be intresting. He thought. "After this ride, is there anything else ou must do?" He asked. "Any classes? Or anything of the sort?"

(I gtg shopping i wont be gone too long maybe 1 hr at most)

Dahlia shrugged. "I'm not sure. They vary day to day. My mother might have me read more, or she'll have me learn one of the old languages. I've been learning French and German, and they are both very odd sounding. English as well."
Once outside, Dahlia mounted her horse. She turned Boramax around and backed her up to give Leo room. "Then we have to attend my mother's court, a meeting with my father and his generals about the front lines in the war, blah, blah, blah."

(Okay I'm going to go watch a movie with ... I don't what to call him xD, my man-friend, and his family. So I'm gonna be gone for a little while.)

Leo
He nodded, and got onto the horse, not very gracefully...he was lucky he was even able to get up. He'd never even seen a horse untill today. "So we still have a lot to do after this then." He said. "And at what time is dinner served?"he asked. It was strange that they had specific times for meals...

Dahlia tried to hide her laugh as Leo awkwardly situated himself on Arromas's narrow, strong back. She was pleased he had not fallen from the saddle. How would she explain her dazed guard to her father?
"Yes, I'm very busy most of the time," Dahlia agreed. "And dinner is at six o'clock, though don't expect my father to be there. The king is normally late to dinner."
Ever since Dahlia was young, her father was busy with work. It was expected. It had only been twenty years since everything happened. To organize and run an entire, very young and confused country would be busy and stressful, and her father did it with humility and wisdom.

(Finally added to the bios of Leo and Domia lol)

Leo
He smiled a bit and nodded. "So...how does this whole riding thing work?" He asked her, as he tentativly ran his hand down Arromas's mane

"This is going to sound cheesy, but you click your tongue and kick their flanks," she explained. Dahlia remembered first learning to ride. Clicking her tongue always seemed like something she would do at play, not while actually communicating with a horse.
"The bit steers the horse, so you pull on the rein in the direction you want to go." Dahlia showed him, clicking her tongue and kicking Boramax's flanks. She horse eased into a walk, and Dahlia proceeded to lead her in a circle around Leo. "We'll go slow at first, so you don't fall off," she said with a grin.

Leo
He smiled. "Oh, haha." He said. "Have your laughs now princess." He smirked. He did the clicking and he gently nudged the flank. The horse started moving. He could feel the strength of such a beast, as it moved. It was amazing. He smiled, enjoying this

Dahlia led Boramax up alongside Leo and Arromas and kept silent. She had never really ridden with anyone else before. She normally went riding when she was trying to think or escape from castle life.
As they entered the gardens, a huge acreage of trimmed hedges, fountains, gravel pathways and beautiful flowers and trees. It was like a polished forest. Hundreds of ground workers tended to the gardens every day to make them perfect, but Dahlia always found something that needed just a little more. She would grow undergrowth around the trees and ivy and flowers. It was like her own canvas.
Dahlia looked sidelong at Leo. "What did you do before my father called for you to become my guard? As a soldier, what was your routine?" she asked.

Leo
He looked over at her. "I didn't have one." He said. "I just returned." He looked out at the 'open' field. "I was part of the first group sent to protect the borderline." He said. "I've been gone for a few years. I'm still recooping."he said. He looked back at her. "Today is my first full day of service in three months."

Dahlia stared at him, caught off guard. "What did you see there?" she asked softly. She didn't know what war looked like. She had never seen a battle, but she had heard about how vicious demons fought, and she had heard how dangerous the borderlands were. Was it as awful as the generals and servants said?

Leo
He shrugged. "It's....dark." he said. "The people are a afraid, the wrriors are afraid...but fear is what they thrive on." He said. "Well...one of the many things they thrivvve on." He sighed. "It makes them stronger, you can feel them everywhere. We fight for land that has already been lost to us. Darkness has overtaken it. But if we don't go and fight then one day we will loos it all. Anyone who lasts one day is lucky." He said. "People don't last long when they go there."

"That's horrible," she whispered. "I'm so sorry..."
Boramax's ears were up, listening to the conversation intently. Would she thrive on it all too? She was bred for war. Did she still yearn for it?
"I can't imagine what that must have done to you. And I treated you so badly..." Dahlia frowned and looked down.

Leo
He chuckled a little, nerviously. "Forget about it."he said. "Things like that help me feel like I'm getting back to a 'normal' life." He said. "I don't mind." He smiled at her. "What do you hear about it?" He asked. "The war I mean."

Dahlia wouldn't let that slide, no matter what he said. Even if he said he didn't mind it, she did. It bothered her. Boramax must have felt it too, because Dahlia could feel a change in her energy. Her gait was shorter. Dahlia nudged her. Relax, she thought and made herself do the same.
"I've only heard what the generals have told my father, and I wasn't supposed to hear it," she told him. "How bad it's getting, how vicious the demon king is becoming. It's rather unnerving."
Dead faces flashed before Dahlia's eyes, cold and lifeless. She shook her head. "It's getting harder to keep the lines where they are." Dahlia eyed Leo. "That's why my father hired you. He obviously knew you were weathered and could teach me ... but is it getting so bad that he would think they would make it here?"

Leo
He looked at her. "I'm teaching you, because they already have." He said. "Not that I'm suposed to admit that." He said.he leaned forwards and ran his hand down the mane again, it seemed to sooth him, besides the horse seemed to like it.

Dahlia couldn't help her flinch. "Really?" That had to be why her father appeared to have knives in his back, constantly biting into his flesh.
She tried to ignore the fear that was starting to course through her. "What are the demons like?"

Leo
He nodded. "Just a handful of people know...it wasn't that many, and they were killed before they got to the gates." He said. "Demons look like us...just you can tell there's something off about them."he said. "And their wings are dark." He said. "Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference." He sighed. "But don't worry." He said and looked around at the sceanery. "If I have my way you wont have to ever lay eyes on one." He said.

Dahlia looked down at the gravel trail and smiled slightly. With her father so busy and her brothers as so, Leo really was the only person who actually could keep up with his promise.
"Thank you," she said. "I just hope it won't come to that."


(Okay, I have to go. :p I'll reply in the morning sometime.)

Leo
He nodddd. "Yes, i do hope things dont get too bad around here." He said. "I would like for you to be able to explore outside these walls oneday." He said. "I bleive it would be a great learning experiance."