9

He placed his lips on hers. Then hugged her. This chaste kiss had made them happier than ever.

Gustave felt his beloved's little heart beating wildly against his chest. He didn't want to go any further than that pre-wedding kiss. He still had to ask her to marry him. He didn't want to rush anything.

He accompanied her to her room.

Adelie fell asleep like a baby that night.

The servants had finished setting the breakfast table. Adélie was going for the first time to eat with the royal family and important members of the court. Unfortunately it was up to the Queen Mother to make the seating plan, so she had placed Adelie as far away from her Son as possible.

When she had sat between a duchess and a courtesan, she had remarked that she would have to twist her neck if she wished to see the King. What's more, she imagined that Gustave probably preferred to keep their old madnesses quiet.

Adelie decided to remain discreet. She smiled politely when someone spoke to her, although that was rare. The King's court seemed to hate her.

The table was well stocked, rolls of all kinds as well as jams. There was even cocoa. Adelie had never tasted it, she dared not help herself.

As she finished her sesame bun, she looked up and met the Sovereign's. Obviously he was staring at her.

Gustave definitely found her magnificent. He knew at that precise moment that he wanted her with him forever.

He shortened the meal to join her. He passed behind all the people at the table who got up as he passed to join the young woman.

She stood up to curtsy but he stopped her to hold out his arm. She was not asked to slip hers in.

“Your hairstyle is lovely, remarked Gustave”

Adelie blushed, she was the only woman in court not to wear a wig and other extravagance. She simply put her hair up in a bun and left a strand in her neck.

Gustave had decided to go for a horseback ride today.

"Have you ever gone upstairs?" he asked her.

-To go up ?

"Obviously not," he laughed, "don't worry, it's very simple."

Adélie didn't understand what the King was talking about but when they got to the stables everything became clear.

"Oh I doubt that's a good idea, besides I'm not dressed for it!" »

She objected, but Gustave just smiled as he led her into a room at the back of the stables.

He made her sit on a small wooden bench and knelt at her feet. Adelie blushed, no man had done this before.

The King delicately took his foot to remove his shoe. He noticed that they were really tiny, her skin felt soft through the white stockings she was wearing.

He helped him put on cavalry boots and the vest to ride side-saddle on the horses.

Adélie felt the stress rising and if she fell?

A groom had taken out their horses. The King had chosen a beautiful stallion Isabelle for Adélie and would ride her pure Arab blood.

Adelie trembled before the two enormous animals. Their breath formed vapor with the cold.

Gustave approached Adélie's stallion.

" Can I ? he asked nobly.

The young woman frowned but nodded all the same without understanding.

The King grabbed her by the waist and lifted her with astonishing ease to sit her in the saddle. Adelie gasped in surprise. The hands of the Sovereign left slight tingling on the sides of the young woman.

Gustave then mounted his mount. And clicked his tongue. The two animals moved towards the forest paths.

Adelie remained so tense that the King noticed.

“- Relax my dear, we are alone, he smiles

-It's because I'm afraid of falling... she confessed

"Let you go, there's only us," the Sovereign relaxed.

But how to relax perched at 1m50 on a horse? Adélie was not used to living this kind of experience. Despite everything she tried to relax, as her muscles relaxed, she took advantage of the ride and especially of being alone with the man who made her heart beat.

"Have you ever fallen off your horse?" she asked

-Hum... Not really but when I was little I was so afraid of falling that I put it attached to the saddle with a rope, during the ride I fell but as I was attached, the saddle slipped and I 've ended upside down'

Adelie laughed heartily, she laughed so much that she forgot to stand up straight and nearly fell, Gustave clung to her in time to keep her from falling.

Their bodies were so close together that they felt like nothing else existed when another horse galloped up.