Katherine dusted off her gloves and adjusted the sleeves of her riding outfit—Laura’s gift after she casually ntioned her lesson. It was elegant, tailored, and way fancier than necessary, but she wouldn’t complain. At least it ca with pants. After spending so long drowning in frilly dresses, she almost felt like herself again.
As she turned, she nearly crashed into soone.
"Careful," a familiar voice chuckled, steady hands catching her shoulders before she could stumble.
Katherine blinked up at the young man before her. "Lord Florante!"
He smiled warmly, his blue eyes bright despite the clear signs of exertion from his earlier combat training. His brownish-blonde hair was slightly tousled, and his uniform bore faint marks of dust, but he carried himself with the sa natural grace as always.
"Lady Katherine," he greeted with a nod. "So, you’ve finally decided to brave horseback riding?"
Her face lit up instantly. "Yes! I’ve always wanted to learn horse riding!" she said eagerly. "I just never had the chance before. But today, that changes!"
Florante chuckled at her enthusiasm. "That’s the spirit."
"I’m nervous and excited," she admitted with a smile.
His gaze flickered over her riding attire, his expression softening. "That looks good on you. Laura always did have an eye for these things."
Katherine glanced down at herself, still buzzing with excitent. "She insisted I wear it," she admitted, twirling slightly. "It does make feel a little more confident, though!"
"As it should," Florante said with an approving nod. "You already look like you belong on horseback."
She grinned. "Let’s hope I don’t imdiately fall off, then."
His laughter was lighthearted. "Then allow to assist you. I was just with the cavalry group for combat training, but I don’t mind staying a bit longer."
Katherine blinked in surprise. "You’d do that?"
"Of course," he said easily. "Students can attend any class during the Sumr Symposium, right? Besides," he added with a playful smirk, "a little horse riding is good exercise—and a nice way to pass the ti."
"I didn’t know that..." Katherine’s brows furrowed slightly, as if realizing sothing.
Florante, ever the kind and patient noble, offered an explanation. "The Sumr Symposium is a ti for nobles to socialize and exchange knowledge, so the academy allows students to join any class they prefer during this period. Of course, they still have to make sure they don’t neglect their own studies."
"I see. That’s actually quite an open-minded program," she mused.
Florante smiled. "Shall we?"
Katherine nodded eagerly, her excitent practically bubbling over as she clasped her gloved hands together. "Yes! I can’t wait to finally try this."
Florante smiled, offering his arm with a touch of gentlemanly charm. "Then let’s not keep the horses waiting."
***
As they stepped out of the stable, the sunlight cast a golden glow over the training grounds, highlighting the sleek coats of the horses waiting by the paddock. A few students were already mounting their steeds, while stable hands moved efficiently, ensuring everything was in order.
Near the practice course, Adolfo leaned casually against the wooden fence, twirling his riding gloves between his fingers as he spoke with another student. He looked completely at ease—until his gaze landed on Katherine.
And Florante.
Together.
His fingers stilled for the briefest mont before his lips curled into a smirk. Pushing off the fence, he strolled toward them, his voice light, almost amused.
"I didn’t take you for the horse-riding type, Florante."
Florante t his gaze evenly, his expression unruffled. "I’m full of surprises."
"Clearly." Adolfo’s eyes flickered briefly to Katherine before returning to Florante. "And here I thought you preferred a sword to the reins."
Florante chuckled. "A good swordsman knows when to be adaptable."
Adolfo humd as he slipped on his gloves. "How very versatile of you."
Florante rely smiled. "I just have an interest in helping my friends."
Adolfo tapped his riding gloves against his palm, his smirk never wavering. "How noble of you. Truly, you’re a man of many talents. Combat, strategy... and now, horse riding instruction. Is there anything you can’t do?"
Florante’s smile didn’t falter. "I wouldn’t call myself an instructor, but I enjoy lending a hand where I can." His voice was easy, unbothered. "Particularly when soone’s new to a subject."
"Ah, yes," Adolfo said smoothly. "It is a gentleman’s duty to assist a fair lady in distress."
Katherine, who had been half-distracted adjusting her gloves, glanced up sharply. "I am not in distress."
Adolfo pressed a hand to his chest in mock innocence. "Perish the thought."
Katherine huffed, looking away, and Adolfo’s smirk deepened.
Florante let out a quiet chuckle but kept his gaze steady on Adolfo. The exchange had been playful, but Florante caught the undercurrent beneath the words—the way Adolfo had imdiately inserted himself into the conversation, the way his gaze lingered just a little too long.
Interesting.
Katherine, blissfully unaware of any unspoken tension, clapped her hands together. "Right, well! We’re here to ride, not stand around talking. If you two are done with whatever this is, maybe we can actually start?"
Florante chuckled. "Fair enough."
Adolfo sighed dramatically. "How cruel, my lady. You wound ."
"You’ll live." Katherine refused to et his gaze, focusing instead on adjusting her sleeve.
A brief flicker of amusent crossed Adolfo’s features before his gaze returned to Florante, who t it with that sa calm, pleasant smile—one that held just a hint of sothing unreadable beneath it.
Adolfo let out a low chuckle, shaking his head.
"Well then," he drawled, slipping on his gloves. "Shall we ride, my dear friends?"
Florante gestured toward the stables. "After you."
Katherine moved ahead, blissfully unaware of the silent exchange that followed.
As Adolfo passed Florante, he murmured just low enough to be heard, his tone deceptively light. "You can return to your other class, Lord Florante."
Florante’s smile didn’t waver. "I happened to be free to accompany a friend, Lord Adolfo."
Neither broke stride, neither looked back.
And with that, the lesson began—though Katherine remained entirely oblivious to the fact that, for at least two of them, the real ga had already started.
***
Florante adjusted the reins in Katherine’s hands, keeping his tone patient. "Don’t grip too tightly. The horse can sense your tension."
Katherine nodded, but before she could respond, a smooth voice interrupted.
"Or you could just let the horse do all the work," Adolfo mused lazily from behind them. "It’s quite simple, really."
Florante sighed, already sensing trouble. He turned just in ti to see Count Adolfo, in all his smugness, idly spinning a riding crop between his fingers while his own horse stood perfectly still beneath him, as if trained to match his theatrics.
Florante sighed, adjusting Katherine’s posture without looking away. "I assu you have actual advice, or just comntary?"
Adolfo gasped, placing a hand over his chest as if deeply wounded. "Dear Florante, must you always be so serious? Horseback riding is ant to be fun."
Florante did turn then, raising an eyebrow. "Says the man who refuses to follow the basic rules of riding."
Adolfo grinned. "Rules are suggestions. Besides, my horse and I have an understanding." He patted his horse’s neck, and the well-trained stallion gave a small huff, standing perfectly still beneath him. "See? No effort required."
Florante exhaled slowly, shaking his head. "That’s not how this works, Lord Adolfo."
Katherine, who had been watching their exchange like a spectator at a duel, raised a hand. "Uh, should I be taking notes?"
Before either of them could answer, a booming voice cut through the training ground.
"Ah! What a glorious day this is!"
Florante turned to see Master Gerard, their riding instructor, striding toward them like a man who had just discovered gold.
"Lord Florante and Count Adolfo, together in my class? A rare and blessed occasion! Truly, a eting of prodigies!"
Florante barely had ti to react before Gerard clapped a hand on both their shoulders, beaming. Beside him, Adolfo let out a low, amused chuckle.
"Prodigies, he says." Adolfo shot Florante a look, tilting his head. "That must an you’re finally catching up to ."
Florante smiled patiently. "Or that you’ve been absent long enough to make my presence a rarity."
Adolfo sighed dramatically. "How unkind. And here I thought we were friends."
Florante rely adjusted his gloves, choosing not to rise to the bait.
Master Gerard, still far too delighted, practically shook them both. "You two must ride together! A demonstration of perfect technique!"
Florante opened his mouth to decline—only for Adolfo to smirk and cut in first.
"What an excellent idea! Let us dazzle our dear instructor with our combined brilliance."
Florante narrowed his eyes slightly. Oh, he’s enjoying this.
Still, he remained composed, nodding once. "If it will aid the lesson."
Katherine, who had been watching in growing confusion, leaned toward her horse. "...Is it just , or do they look way too friendly to actually be friendly?"
Maximillian, the well-behaved horse, flicked his ears but didn’t make a sound.
anwhile, Adolfo turned his horse toward Florante, his smirk deepening.
"Shall we, my dear rival?"
Florante adjusted his reins with practiced ease. "Try not to fall behind."
And with that, the lesson truly began—though Katherine still wasn’t sure whether she was watching a riding demonstration or an entirely different competition altogether.
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