Such aВ hunter earned her respect. And Heinrich was just such aВ hunter. He did not recognize any other hunt. He needed aВ fair fight! InВ such aВ hunt, the beast and the hunter were on equal terms. The hunters themselves could be injured byВ the beast, or they could evenВ die.
Diana remembered that she did not have aВ suitable horse for hunting and told Henry aboutВ it.
Sheer trifle, said Heinrich, taking her hand.
Come on, honey.
He walked, with his brisk step, dragging her along and heading towards the stables.
Approaching the royal stables, he paused and waved his hand theatrically toВ indicate the horses inВ the stalls.
Choose whichever one you like, he said.
Hunt tomorrow morning. IВ leave you while you make your choice.
Take your time, he added.
And kissing her hand, he departed, with the same quick, confident gait.
She entered the stable accompanied byВ the old groom. And her heart sank with delight. Never before had she seen so many magnificent, purebred beauties ofВ various stripes and breeds. Her heart was beating with joy so that she heard his pounding inВ her ears. She walked along the stall. But, the horses were one better than the other. She walked around, as if spellbound and could not make aВ choice. Suddenly she stopped, seeing aВ smoky handsome man. The stallion was with thin, long legs and aВ thin, outlined graceful head, with aВ powerful and at the same time graceful chest. He pricked up his pointed ears at the sight ofВ Diana and widened his nostrils, frowning unkindly. Arrogantly, as if looking down at her, snorting disdainfully. Like telling her toВ get away. She gasped at his beauty. She turned, like aВ small child, at the sight ofВ the desired toy toВ the old groom.
Saddle this one! She exclaimed, almost clapping her hands inВ delight.
The old man served inВ the royal stable as aВ groom for many years, almost all his life. And as often happens with old faithful servants, he could afford what other servants could not even imagine. For example, protest this lady. He furrowed his brows inВ displeasure.
No way. The old man answered not quite.
Poitier furrowed her eyebrows. Trying toВ make her look as strict as possible and giving herself aВ special menacingness, she stamped her foot.
Didn’t you hear what you were ordered?! Or are you deaf?!
His Highness the Prince has ordered you toВ saddle any horse IВ please!
I tell you saddle this one! And don’t argue with me! Diana was indignant.
But it seems that the old servant ofВ the royal stable did not want toВ surrender without aВ fight.
I tell you madam, you can’t saddle this. He sighed, trying to get rid of her like an annoying fly.
This time, her eyebrows moved even more on the bridge ofВ her nose. The old man, seeing that the lady was not going toВ retreat, sighed.
It is impossible, madam, because this is aВ stallion ofВ His Highness Prince Henry. He only hunts on it and drives. The old man tried the lastВ try.
Okay, IВ understand. Irritated, Poitiers added. Trying toВ pretend not toВ lose this battle toВ the malevolent old groom.
Okay, then I’ll pick another horse to hunt, she didn’t quit.
Now saddle this one. IВ want toВ ride itВ now
But the old man was clearly not going toВ surrender.
Not as bad as it gets, madam.
He is not accustomed toВ the female saddle.
With malice and undisguised malice, he added as if he had already won this difficult battle. She shot him with narrowed eyes like arrows and added with even greater malice inВ her voice.
And you saddle man! Gloomy, she sang.
What are you talking about, madam! The old man was taken aback.
This isВ how!
Would you like toВ ride like aВ man?!
Not decent, after all, God have mercy on you, madam! As if he didn’t believe her, the unfortunate groom cried out.
Yes, and you will die, you madam, by God! It’s a gray devil, not a stallion! Only his Highness the Prince is dealing with him! After all, this devil does not admit anyone else.
You will die, and then IВ will answer. The old man lamented. Trying with the last bit ofВ strength toВ reason with Poitiers.
Saddle up! Told you! Poitiers screamed, losing her temper and making aВ formidable face.
Rejoicing inВ my soul that such aВ difficult battle with the groom will end inВ her favor. The old man finally gave up and went toВ get the saddle.
And where did you come from on my head. The old man muttered under his breath, putting the saddle on the handsome grayВ man.
KillВ you!
Oh, kill yourself!
AnswerВ me.
The groom whined.
The stallion was, indeed, too big and powerful for a woman, but Poitiers did not stop it.She sat down in the men’s saddle and took the reins in her hands. The stallion nervously walked from side to side, rustling with displeasure and menacingly flaring his nostrils, exhaling air like a fire-breathing dragon. He reared up from such an unheard-of impudence of a stranger. He reared up once more, trying to get rid of her. But, by the way, Poitiers was an excellent rider and he did not succeed. Then he rushed forward like a bullet through the fields adjacent to the stables. The stallion simply carried it. She did not control him at all, and he did not obey her at all, no matter how hard she tried to pull on the reins.
He was strong, and seemed not toВ feel it, or rather did not want toВ obey her. Diana tried toВ stop him, but he did not obey her. She grabbed the horse with her legs, pressing against him and grabbing his scruff, trying toВ stay on the galloping horse. She realized that her idea was stupid. But, it was too late toВ think about it. All she could do now was try not toВ break her neck. Hoping that soon he will run over and stop himself. Scolding himself inВ their hearts for not listening toВ the oldВ man.
Finally, breathing freedom and aВ quick run, the smoky one calmed down and stopped. Diana congratulated herself on being still alive and not breaking her neck. She patted the animal on the neck, and he shook his head, snorting contentedly. Surprised, it seems that she is still here.
Well, finally!
That’s great! She spoke to the stallion. Stroking his smooth neck.
You almost killed me bastard!
She patted him again, giving him the pre-cooked sugar cube. The stallion snorted, but did not refuse the delicacy, and, snorting more favorably, allowed her toВ remain on horseback. It took some time, she enjoyed the ride. The stallion calmed down, as if having tested her for strength with his frantic run, no longer tried toВ throw her off. He instantly understood her every touch and all her commands. AВ light touch ofВ the foot was enough, it was enough, it was easy toВ pull on the reins and he immediately understood everything, not trying toВ obey anymore. He seemed toВ like Poitiers inВ the end, and he snorted contentedly when she stroked his neck. It was undoubtedly aВ magnificent and intelligent animal. She was so carried away byВ the ride that she did not notice how Heinrich appeared from somewhere, riding aВ red stallion. Undoubtedly, just as gorgeous, but still inferior inВ everything, smoky. Heinrich soon caught up with her. Its smoky scent smelled its master and neighed happily, welcoming him. Heinrich rode up close toВ her.
Diana dear. Heinrich smiled.
You seem toВ have taken my stallion, he said.
She put on an innocent smile.
I really couldn’t resist.
IВ hope you will forgive me? She said. Making an innocent face and portraying aВ cute angel.
You ride in a men’s saddle, too. He added, grinning.
This is not terribly decent.
Don’t you know?
His eyes flashed mischievously and his smile widened.
Looking at him conspiratorially, she continues toВ portray the same innocent simplicity. She answered inВ aВ whisper.
But, you won’t tell anyone, will you?
He was still smiling. Delno shook his head.
I, no. My dear, Diana. I won’t tell anyone.
IВ assure you you can rely onВ me.
But as you can imagine, my dear Diana. He continued.
Smoky, you can’t hunt, alas.
I would give it to you, don’t hesitate.
But I’m afraid. The whole yard will hardly accept your ride in a man’s saddle with delight.
So, alas, madam.
You will need toВ choose another horse.
She pouted.
Heinrich is it my fault that the most magnificent stallion inВ the entire stable is yours.
He laughed heartily. Adding already seriously.
It was not reprehensible, you could be injured.
She smiled at him again with the smile ofВ an angel.
Let’s go, my dear Diana.
IВ know which horse is right forВ you.
He said, guiding his horse towards the stables inВ the distance.
She followed him. Arriving at the stables, Heinrich deftly jumped off the saddle and held out his hand toВ her. She, too, gracefully jumped off the horse.
Heinrich led her toВ the stall where the mare stood, which Heinrich, as he put it, looked afterВ her.
It was aВ red, not tall horse, which would be more suitable for quiet riding, children. Diana went out. The mare was unremarkable. Her legs were not at all as graceful, long and thin as those ofВ her more purebred, thoroughbred chicks. Seeing her upset. Heinrich hastened toВ praise the animal.
Oh my dear! This is an absolutely wonderful horse! BelieveВ me.
She is accustomed toВ the female saddle.
And the most important thing.
She has aВ great, calm disposition.
You will see. You will be delighted.
Diana was about toВ burst into tears ofВ resentment.
Oh yes, monsieur!
She has aВ calm disposition like aВ cow.
Only she noticed. Heinrich pretended not toВ hear her. She was completely upset. Like an offended child. She cast an envious glance at the smoky stallion stuck its muzzle out ofВ the stall. The stallion snorted contemptuously. As if he were saying that she had made aВ bad choice. She sighed resignedly, looking at Heinrich reproachfully. Heinrich, without letting her say another word. As if afraid that if she spoke, she would convince him. Somewhere, quickly rushed. Trying not toВ look into her now, such unhappy eyes. Knowing that he could not resist her. IВ decided toВ retire. InВ order not toВ change your mind. The old man informed him that Madame had left on his smoky stallion. Henry, knowing the nature ofВ his horse, cursed everything inВ the world, allowing Madame de Poitiers toВ choose aВ horse on herВ own.
His heart fell somewhere inВ the abyss from fear that something could happen toВ her. Therefore, now, he was no longer going toВ make such aВ mistake. Having chosen, for Diana, the most humble horse that he could find inВ the stable. He said that he was not waiting for the pedestrian business and said goodbye toВ her, kissing her hand.
TellingВ her.
See you tomorrow, my dear, Diana.
Quickly, he walked away without changing his mind.
Early the next morning. The courtiers gathered toВ hunt. The men were inВ aВ state ofВ some kind ofВ nervous excitement, the women were full ofВ their magnificent riding costumes, adorned with jewelry and gilded embroidery.
Diana sat on her ginger mare. She was dressed inВ aВ riding suit, the color ofВ aВ gorgeous dark green pool or aВ deep lake inВ the woods. The riding suit was made ofВ fine velvet.
The top of the suit was embroidered with fine emeralds and gold thread. The image was complemented by a wonderful headdress with magnificent feathers to match the suit and gloves of the same color. In the ears sparkled beautiful earrings with the purest emeralds, complementing the whole image. The hair was beautifully collected in a hairdo and only a few black curls fell on the sides, from which the emeralds on Poitiers’ earrings sparkled even more. Poitiers, like a fabulous forest nymph, sparkled in the sun, the color of green forest lakes. She was still sulking at Heinrich for the stupid horse that he slipped into her. The mare had a really calm disposition, as Heinrich put it. So Poitiers is a horse that always reached for the juicy leaves of every bush they passed by, definitely resembled a cow. Diana saw Heinrich. It was as if he had been replaced! He radiated nervous energy. I could not at all resist in one place. He spoke loudly and joked with other men. Tossing like a whirlwind between them on his magnificent stallion from side to side and swinging in different directions with his arms, like wings, and swinging his legs, as if he was going to run somewhere. His stallion was just as excited. He whinnied nervously, flaring his nostrils, and with impatience now and then, rearing up. Both of them, as if they could not wait for the wild pursuit of the unfortunate prey. The ladies now and then threw their meaningful glances at him. He was dressed in a magnificent hunting suit that was hardly embroidered in gold, which was strange for his rank as a prince. Heinrich preferred to dress more like a soldier than like a prince, and he hated all these ruffles and embroidery. His hunting boots gleamed with purity and gilded spurs. And his whole appearance was rather formidable. His stallion was adorned with an elegant blanket and sparkled in the sun, not yielding to the owner. But, the eyes sparkled most of all in both!
Heinrich was just great! And more like aВ corsair on his handsome, smoky horse breathing fire. Poitiers was amazed at such aВ striking change inВ him! After all, Henry was usually aВ rather calm young man. And he was so strikingly different now! He looked like some incredibly charming robber who thundered with his, as it turned out, aВ rather loud voice. Since he usually spoke calmly and quietly. Diana could not even imagine that his voice could thunder like thunder, shaking everything around! And flashing eyes like lightning. He saw her inВ the crowd and smiled at her, greeting her and blowing aВ kiss toВ her, ignoring the surrounding crowd, embarrassing her with this. Arousing the envious glances ofВ many ladies. Diana lifted her chin arrogantly up, pretending not toВ notice the women looking at her enviously. Delano snorted as if an annoying fly were flying over her. The sound ofВ aВ bugle rang out. The dogs howled happily when they recognized the hunt signal! Heinrich jerked off first, as if there was aВ miracle spring inВ his stallion. All the others rushed after him. Horses, people and dogs all mixed up inВ aВ noisy crowd, hounds and people urging their horses on. Diana was inВ the last ranks, among the laggards. Her calm, as Heinrich put it, aВ mare. It seemed that she did not know at all what aВ gallop was and was not going toВ learn it even now. Finally, she lagged behind and completely from the whole crowd, chipping all her legs on the sides ofВ the stubborn animal. Poitiers, at the end, exhausted, urging her red horse on, gave up completely. She finally realized that this case was useless. The horse was not going toВ run! Behind some kind ofВ crowd. She lowered the reins, realizing that she would no longer catch up with anyone. She gave the mare freedom, and she wasted no time inВ vain, reached for the first bush that came, began toВ lazily chew the leaves. Poitiers sighed.
