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Maris watched as the guard nodded and left in a hurry. “Argo?”

“My horse. I want you to accompany me to Ophelia Plaza. Stretch those legs, mingle with my people.”

“You used to do that when you were a princess?”

“Of course. How else would I know what my people need.”

Maris frowned. “According to the economics report, you weren’t that in tune with what your people needed.”

Valda tensed, and Maris quickly recovered.

“I mean no disrespect.”

“Things will be changing. I will make sure of that.”

Maris turned to the sound of soft gallops headed their way. A gorgeous golden horse with a white mane moved closer to them, followed by a shiny black mare. Maris was amazed at the two beasts.

“Your horses, my Queen,” a guard announced while handing the reins to Maris.

“Thanks, that is all for now.” Valda moved her hand until she felt Argo’s fur under her fingertips. She smiled and patted the horse’s thick neck. “Please, tell me you do know how to ride a horse.”

Maris’s frown was annoyed. “Of course I can ride a horse,” she said, grabbing the saddle’s horn and pulling herself to sit up. If Valda were able to see, she would probably be impressed by the fluidity of her movement. “I had a horse once. I sold it before coming to work here.”

“Interesting.” Valda chuckled, patting her way around the saddle until she found the horn, and just as Maris had, she pulled herself up with elegant ease. “I need you to go up front. Argo will follow you until we are at the plaza. Then she will navigate the plaza on her own,” Valda said, patting Argo’s neck again. “She knows the stops that I take.”

“I would rather be next to you, if that’s all right with you.”

Valda shrugged and clicked her tongue to get Argo going.

“Do you usually just go out and that’s it? No guards?”

“I am the queen.”

“Yes, but you are the queen now. I mean before?”

“My people have no desire to see me hurt, just as I have no desire in taking advantage of them. As the princess, I came and went as I pleased. Everyone was used to it.”

Maris couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Is there something that amuses you?” Valda asked while Argo came to stride next to Maris’s mare.

Maris shook her head as she looked forward to the plaza’s arched entrance. She could already smell the food, and hear the buzzing laughter and conversation. People made her nervous. A side effect of her secluded upbringing she had never quite shaken. She would rather be at the castle, alone and just interacting with Valda.

“Well?”

Valda’s question snapped her back. Sometimes she would forget that Valda wasn’t able to see her. She had managed to get around just fine without her help. “It is nothing.”

“You laugh at nothing?”

“I just. Find this to be quite ironic,” Maris began, noticing the sudden beaming smiles and salutations headed their way as Valda walked down dirt roads.

“What is?”

“When I was a young girl, my parents kept me away from everyone. They were always petrified that something bad might happen to me and yet, you,” Maris smiled and looked at Valda. “The Queen of the Sky Kingdom, is not scared to walk among her people and was allowed to do as she pleased as a child.”

“I wouldn’t say I could do as I pleased.” Valda smirked coyly.

“You could walk around. I was locked up.”