The Fruit of Love
"This was a wonderful treat, Michael," Anna-Sophia murmured as they rode through the forest. He'd surprised her with a wonderful picnic out in the forest with all her favorite foods.
As her betrothed, there were more surprises for the night. Part of the picnic was to keep her out of the Palace until it was time. "It was my pleasure to be able to make you so happy, my Lady Anna-Sophia." Though there was one more treat. He lead his horse off the path some, knowing that she would follow. "I have one more surprise for you out here."
Anna-Sophia gave a curious sound from her throat before she gave a soft gasp when they arrived. There was a small section of forest that was netted off from the animals, and under the netting were her surprise. "Wild strawberries...?"
Michael grinned as he slipped from his horse and moved to help her down. "I found them while hunting one trip and I knew they were your favorite so I made sure they stayed well taken care of and that the animals wouldn't eat them.
She shifted and let him help her down. She could do it herself, but she liked the excuse it gave them both to be close. Once on her feet she kissed him happily for her surprise. "This is wonderful."
Michael lead her over to the netting and pulled a little back so she could find a couple ripe ones. "We can visit here when they're a little more ripe and harvest them. But I wanted to show it to you now."
She found four ripe strawberries and picked them before stepping back. She watched him re-settle the netting before offering him two of the four she had picked. "This is the best present."
He smiled more as he took the offered fruit, though before they could eat them he kissed her again. "I want everything today to be perfect for you, Anna-Sophia."
Her arms slid around his neck and she gave a soft sound into the kiss. "It is, Michael."
"I'm glad. We should get back so we can change." He grinned at the confused look she gave as he lead her back to her horse.
"Change for?" She munched on the strawberries slowly, a soft sound for their sweetness. Though once they were gone she let herself be helped back up onto the horse.
Michael slid easily back into his own saddle, a second happy sound for the strawberries. He was starting to love them as much as his Lady. "The ball of course." He grinned at her as they started back to the Palace. "You didn't think the soon-to-be Princess of Da'Hara wouldn't get a grand birthday, did you?"
Anna-Sophia laughed softly. "I should have expected as much. I'll race you back?"
Michael laughed when no sooner than her question was asked than she had taken off. He gave a soft click and took off after her, intent on putting up a good race to beat her back.
As her betrothed, there were more surprises for the night. Part of the picnic was to keep her out of the Palace until it was time. "It was my pleasure to be able to make you so happy, my Lady Anna-Sophia." Though there was one more treat. He lead his horse off the path some, knowing that she would follow. "I have one more surprise for you out here."
Anna-Sophia gave a curious sound from her throat before she gave a soft gasp when they arrived. There was a small section of forest that was netted off from the animals, and under the netting were her surprise. "Wild strawberries...?"
Michael grinned as he slipped from his horse and moved to help her down. "I found them while hunting one trip and I knew they were your favorite so I made sure they stayed well taken care of and that the animals wouldn't eat them.
She shifted and let him help her down. She could do it herself, but she liked the excuse it gave them both to be close. Once on her feet she kissed him happily for her surprise. "This is wonderful."
Michael lead her over to the netting and pulled a little back so she could find a couple ripe ones. "We can visit here when they're a little more ripe and harvest them. But I wanted to show it to you now."
She found four ripe strawberries and picked them before stepping back. She watched him re-settle the netting before offering him two of the four she had picked. "This is the best present."
He smiled more as he took the offered fruit, though before they could eat them he kissed her again. "I want everything today to be perfect for you, Anna-Sophia."
Her arms slid around his neck and she gave a soft sound into the kiss. "It is, Michael."
"I'm glad. We should get back so we can change." He grinned at the confused look she gave as he lead her back to her horse.
"Change for?" She munched on the strawberries slowly, a soft sound for their sweetness. Though once they were gone she let herself be helped back up onto the horse.
Michael slid easily back into his own saddle, a second happy sound for the strawberries. He was starting to love them as much as his Lady. "The ball of course." He grinned at her as they started back to the Palace. "You didn't think the soon-to-be Princess of Da'Hara wouldn't get a grand birthday, did you?"
Anna-Sophia laughed softly. "I should have expected as much. I'll race you back?"
Michael laughed when no sooner than her question was asked than she had taken off. He gave a soft click and took off after her, intent on putting up a good race to beat her back.