Adrian sat beneath a large shady oak, on the far reaches of Roseworth Manor's green. He had returned from the ball in Dynham. He had travelled ahead of everyone else. Once the formalities were done, he usually left after a few dances. He decided to stay in Sutton for some time longer, sending a messenger to announce his return, The people were to govern themselves until he decided to come back.

He dozed off to sleep. A fitful, bad sleep. His mind was racing. And it didn't like the fact the Adrian was trying to supress it. He couldn't stay asleep. He stood up and paced, walking around the green. He walked over to his horse, in the stables. A fine young beast. Suitable for any kind of rider. Adrian ran his hand through the horses mane.

His second love was horses. His first? Well, though no one knew this, Victoria. Victoria held his heart in the palm of her hand. No one. Absolutely no one could know. Not until they knew that they could announce it to a select few. He had asked Victoria to meet him here, so that they could be together without raising suspicion.

He had dressed down, wearing nothing showing rank. He leaned against the pillar next to his horse. Secrecy was something he was getting used to. Such measures had to be taken in this new Adesia to not be called something unscrupulous. And if it meant being able to do what he wanted it, he would gladly participate in it's practice.

Victoria had not had much chance to relax in the idea of being home yet. Her village had wrote her a few detailed letters of troubles they were having. Being as none were of grave importance, Victoria only had to write letters back, telling the people how to fix the problem. It some times amazed her, how the men she left in charge would feel such a need to ask a 16 year old girl for help on some of the simplest matters. It was almost a full time job, and at times seemed harder than the jobs her aunt and uncle had to do, to run the whole duchy. But, the responsibility to her people was not the only thing keeping her from relaxing.

There was the idea that her aunt was still pushing on the idea that she had to marry some one with power and riches that compare, or surpass, that of the Duchess herself. A Duke, Count, Prince, or King were the only type of men that fit that bill. For all Victoria cared, she could marry a court jester and find more compassion than in the hearts of any of those power corrupt leaders. However, it appeared as she had no say over the most important part of her life. Victoria hated the idea that she would soon be forced into a marriage that helped her aunt, and did not start on the basis of love and friendship. No. She refused to let it happen. There was only one man she would ever let herself exchange the vows of eternity with. And if the ball had not been all a dream, then it might happen before her aunt has a chance to force her to marry some one else.

The ball had been a wondrous night for her. And her mind drifted now to the man she had not taken her mind off of since then. His words to her before departing easily brought a smile to her face, as she thought about it. She had no problem handing him her heart on a silver tray; it was his to keep. Now that they were both back home, he had requested that she meet him in the stables. She would not deny her heart the chance to see him again. The last moment they were together, he had kissed her cheek, and then walked away. That had only sent Victoria's mind into a jumbled confusion, she had to know if this was real, or if it was just the fantasy of a girl with a big imagination.

When she had put on her most simplest of dresses, her maid had looked at her funny. "Not every one needs to know I am the Duchess' niece all the time" Victoria had told Maria this, matter of factly. The maid did not question this, not even in the slightest. But she did question the idea of Victoria not putting her hair at least half up. "Alright, alright." Victoria did not want her maid questioning every thing she did, even if the girls had always been like sisters. Maria was acting suspicious enough today without Victoria making it even worse. Soon, Victoria sent Maria into town on a few errands, so that she could slip by unnoticed. She knew that if any one saw her today and reported what they saw to her aunt, there would be hell to pay.

She would not let that thought stop her, though. She easily found her way to the stables, having been through every corner of the roseworth grounds several times now. Her soft slippers barely made a sound as she stepped onto the straw covered ground. Her green eyes quickly found their target, and a smile lit her face. She walked up next to him, and turned her eyes to the horse he had been admiring. "They are lovely creatures, are they not?" She reached a hand out and let it sniff at her. Then she gently pet its soft nose, and stared into the big brown eye that watched her. It amazed her how such a big beast seemed to be so intelligent, so gentle. She waited for him to say something to her, not to seem so desperate for his attention, no matter how bad she knew she wanted to throw herself into his arms.

Adrian smiled as he watched Victoria approach. She was beautiful, no matter how she dressed. He looked at his horse as she spoke. This horse was beautiful. In looks and preformance. He glanced over it's head to look over.

"Well, compared to you, I don't think I would say that. But yes, they are quite lovely."

He walked around the horse to her, wrapped his arms around her. It hadn't been right of him to run out on her during the ball. He had chastised himself for it since. He looked at her. The new love of his life.

"Nobody saw you come, did they?"

He glanced at the entrance to the stables. Nobody was coming in. He had told the stable boys to let him have it for some time. Alone. He let go of her and heaved himself up on the stile walls, which were extremely thick. He let his hand down to help her. It would be easier to converse whilst sitting down.

[Sorry it's so short, ran out of ideas.]

Victoria felt a blush rush to her cheeks as Adrian spoke. She had never taken compliaments all that well. With him they seemed to be harder to handle. Maybe it was the fact that she believed every word that came from his lips? Or, it could be that she felt that none of that mattered, and that she only wanted to be with him. Well, here they were. The duke's marquess and the duchess' niece. For now, they would live secretly, but soon, some day, the whole world would know the love she had for this man.

"We were not comparing the horse to any one, or any thing for that matter." She playfully stuck her tongue out at him. Though her look went to one more soft and tender as he approached and wrapped his arms around her. She felt so right being held by him, something she had not even dreamed possible. Her green eyes sparkled as she looked up at him. She could get lost for days in that man's face. In every thing about him.

His words brought her back to the moment, though. "Nope, I sent Maria to the kitchen, and no one else who would know me from the next Jane saw me." She replied, confident that they would finally be getting some time to be alone. He was soon sitting on the wall, and lowering his hand to her. Victoria smirked, but did not accept his help. She would do it all on her own. Well, almost. She felt her self teeter a bit, just before she would find her seat next to him. With one hand she quickly grabbed his arm.

Once she was securly in her seat, she eased her grip on him. She let her hand slide down his arm to his hand, where it lay gently. Should he take it within his own, she would not stop him. Smoothing her skirt with her other hand, then looked over at him. "Why did you leave so aburptly at the ball? A kiss and run sure messes with a girl's head, you know." She teased, but she hoped for some real answers from him on this.

"You may have not been, but I was."

He countered her by sticking out his own tongue. He noticed how relaxed she became with his arms around her. He lai his head against her shoulder for the short moment he held her.

"That's good."

He chuckled as she teetered before grabbing his arm. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and drew her closer, resting her head in his shoulder. He sighed, as he looked out of the entrance at the clear blue sky. Then he looked at Victoria. Everything was beautiful around here.

"Because. That's who I am."

He smiled in his mischeivous, playful way. He was a young man, and when in the company of certain people, acted like one. Victoria was one of those people, because she also acted her age around him. He liked that about her.

"So, you haven't been too lonely without me, have you?"

As usual around Adrian, Victoria could not stop smiling, and giggles sounded from her more often than words themselves. Was it the idea that her heart was the one in control of her actions at the moment, and thus made her seem a young girl who had seen no wrong in her life? Did it matter? She was more than happy, and she would not fight it.

"How do I know, then, that you will not play some other sort of trick on my heart?" Her question held meaning, but was still completely playful. She did not really think he was that shallow. No, this was a man that started as her friend, before love was even in their minds. "Love that starts as friends, never ends." It was a quote she had heard from one of her father's friends, as she was a child. Until now, she had thought that it was just something people said, to make one think about love in easier to find places. Now those words were worth more than gold to her.

"I have not been without people around me. But lonely is a state of the heart, one that I did not know existed until you filled that hole in my life." She lifted her head from his shoulder, and looked deeply at him, so that he would know she meant every word. Spoken straight from her heart. She smiled, and squeezed his hand gently, then lay her head back on his shoulder. She was perfectly happy right there with him.

"You don't."

He smiled in the way of one teasing their lover. He ran his hand over Yahn's mane, thick and dark. He loved this horse, it was fast, it was strong, and above everything, it was his. He looked over and winked at Vicki. He turned on the stile, and swing himself onto Yahn.

His emerald eyes sparked in the lantern light of the barn. He held the horse still, whispering to it in english. The horse slowly calmed until the only thing he was doing was breathing. He looked up to Victoria, and cracked a smile.

"Well, mi'lady, would you fancy a ride through town? It may help make sure that lonely feeling never returns."

He held out a hand, one waiting to be gloved in leather. His rough hands were symbolic of someone used to hard work, but the fact that they were well kept showed a sign of a gentleman, used to caring for people. His other hand, gloved in doeskin, held Yahn in his place.

He noticed one aroma not found in a stable, and had only noticed it now. It was the smell of Victoria, only now, without any other people around, had he noticed it. He knew he must be smiling like a fool. To be honest, he didn't care anything about it.

Oh, that man's smile could always make Victoria's face light up, even more. How was it that any once could make her happier than happy? How could there even be such a thing? This is what love felt like. She was sure of it. That mischievious "I have an idea" wink had come from Adrian, and Victoria could not help but wonder what he was up to. She soon found out.

She giggled as he mounted the horse. "Bare back, mi'lord?" she playfully questioned him in a tone that mocked the "proper" women of the court. Then she grinned, and took his out reached hand. "I would love to ride with you." Her green eyes twinkled at him, as she carefully went from the stile wall to the back of the horse. This want not hard for her, as she was accustomed to riding. She was a well rounded girl.

Then she thought about a ride through town. And the tasks she had sent Maria on. She reached a hand up to the wire in her hair, and pulled it off, letting her brown curls fall to her shoulders. She would be less recongnizable that way. She turned a smile to Adrian, and then lay a kiss on his cheek. She then blushed, and let him direct the horse out of the stables.