Going Steady

Jason was beginning to rethink his plan.

It had been one night since he had heard of the stranger possessing Lorelei's body. He had considered telling Lorelei that he knew, but where was the fun in that? Of course, with this idea of his, it would not be long before he was discovered. He hoped to get as much fun out of this as possible before then.

He was in an open field near his estate, the lively grass stretching for miles passed the manor. Using lanterns, Jason had made the staff outline a wide path for him and the woman. While he was not sure if she also disliked the dark, he knew it would be quite odd to try this stunt in the dimness of night. On Jason's left and right were the themes of this escapade. Coming towards him was the star of the evening.

The woman was wearing more flexible clothing, as he had requested when he'd summoned her. Her shirt was a bright violet, and her trousers were a deep black. Like Jason's riding gear, these clothes were made with the highest quality fabric that money could buy. Craftsmanship paid quite well, especially when you had connections like Jason did.

The woman slowed down as she approached him. "What is all this?"

"Well, my love," Jason said, a grin gracing his face. "I'm just making good on my promise."

"What promise?"

"The promise to help you with your horse-riding skills," Jason said. He stroked his horse, Bentley, as he spoke.

"Horse-riding skills," the woman repeated dryly.

"We spoke about it just the other day," Jason said. He frowned. "You do remember, don't you?"

"Yes, of course," the woman said slowly. "But what's all this stuff for? And why are we doing this at night?"

"You told me that you did not want the staff to gossip too much about it," Jason said smoothly. "As for the lights, I know how much you hate the dark. Not to mention that said darkness would make it a bit difficult to teach you, don't you think, Lorelei?"

Jason frowned. "You know," he said subtly. "I've always wondered if you liked your name."

"Oh?"

"As children, you always preferred a nickname," Jason said. "Tell me, if you could think of another name for yourself, what would it be? I can use it just for nights like this." Whatever it was, it had to be better than referring to her as the woman.

The woman thought for a minute. "Lydia," she said finally.

Jason blinked. "Why that name?"

The woman tensed, ever so slightly. "It's a bit similar to my name, yet completely different." She paused for a moment, the ghost of a smile hitting her face. "Almost like another person entirely."

It was fortunate that Jason had figured out the ruse by now, or else that comment would have instantly made him suspicious of her. Either way, it was nice to have a name for this woman. When the night was over, Jason would have to get his aide to look into any Lady Lydia's that there might be.

Lydia's eyes landed on the horses. "These guys are tame, right?"

"Of course," Jason assured her. He grabbed the female horse. "This one is Daffodil. She's yours, remember?" Lorelei had never owned a horse.

"Yes, of course," Lydia said. She walked up to Daffodil, raising her hand cautiously. "And we're sure that she's calm."

"Of course. That's why you chose her," Jason said. "For now, though, I think it might be better to start with just Bentley here."

"Why?"

"You haven't been on a horse in ages," Jason said. "It only makes sense to have a warm-up."

He held out a hand for Lydia. Once she took it, Jason used it to help her get onto Bentley. Since the stallion had a strong stirrup, Jason didn't need to try very hard. Once Lydia was on, Jason followed, placing himself behind her.

Jason grabbed the reins. "Are you ready, my love?"

"Yes, of course." Lydia's tense posture belied her calm response.

Jason urged Bentley into a slow walk. He hadn't expected Lydia to be just as inexperienced in horseback as Lorelei. Of course, Lydia did not seem to share Lorelei's intense distaste for the activity. Regardless, Jason was careful to pay attention to how Lydia handled the movement. As much as he loved his mischief, it was not worth it if he crossed the line.

"How are you feeling, Lydia?" Jason whispered near her ear. As it turns out, horseback riding with two people brought said two people quite close together.

Lydia shuddered. "Fine."

"Are you ready to go faster?" Jason asked.

"Yes."

Jason had Bentley move to a trot. He heard Lydia take in a deep, calming breath. She relaxed underneath him.

Jason began to smile. "Is this okay?"

"Yes."

"Are you ready to go really fast?" Jason asked.

"Is it safe?" Lydia asked nervously.

"Of course," Jason told her. "Even if something were to happen, I'm in a position where I can help you. That's why we're training together."

"Alright."

Jason, grinning like a man possessed, urged Bentley into a run. He sighed as the wind whipped through his hair. He knew that his loose bun was a good idea. With it, most of his hair was contained, but some part of him still got to fly free, the force of the air flinging it from the bun. There was nothing quite like riding.

As for Lydia, she seemed to be having a bit of fun herself. Though she was still a bit tense, she was giving little giggles, ones that turned into gasps of awe as they continued down the makeshift trail. With Bentley staying within the lanterns, Lydia was safe to see how the light from the lanterns contrasted from the glittered sky. The crescent moon smiled back at Lydia as she took it all in.

As they reached the end of the path, Jason pulled Bentley to a stop. Nudging Lydia, he pointed to their right where she gasped, once again. Though still surrounded by lanterns, this section also held a blank canvas. In front of the canvas were shards of colored glass. The pieces reflected off the lanterns, showing gorgeous streams of light onto the canvas. Shades of seafoam, blues, magentas, and faded reds gleamed for them. This part, Jason had done himself; a fascination of his.

He let Lydia enjoy the moment. "What do you think?"

"It's gorgeous," Lydia said. "It's like Aurora Borealis made better."

Jason decided not to ask what Aurora Borealis was.

Lydia turned to him though, from how they were placed on the horse, she didn't make it the whole way. "Why did you bring me here?" Lydia asked.

Jason helped her get off. "For fun." The two sat on the grass in front of his work.

In all his time, Jason had always had a fascination for colors such as these. While he had tried to show them to others, including Lorelei, it somehow didn't feel quite as special as it did now. It was like Lydia saw things differently than they did, as if she were worlds apart from him. Somehow, that was comforting.

Lydia squinted at the stars. "Why does it look like that?"

"Look like what?"

"Some of the stars look like a feather if you trace them right."

Jason chuckled. "That's the Traveler's Feather."

"The what?"

"It's the symbol of the Traveler's Bird," Jason explained.

"Yes," Lydia said. "The Traveler's Bird."

"Yes," Jason said. "Akin to a raven, the Traveler's Bird spreads far and wide, observing us all. For those lucky enough, it blesses them with its travelling rainbow. At least, that's what the stories say."

"So, it's kind of like a leprechaun."

A what? 

"Sure," Jason said.

"Do you know any other constellations?"

Jason's eyes widened. Not many people cared about such menial things. "Of course."

The two of them spent the next hour discussing the stars. As they spoke, Jason found himself having more fun than he'd anticipated. It wasn't often that he got to talk about his interest in this part of astronomy. Such things were frowned upon by the nobility.

"The spirit of the Rautuan can make a shield of thorns," Jason said.

"I'm sorry, what?!" Lydia asked in shock.

"The Rautuan, similar to the rose, presents its thorns freely," Jason said.

"Yes, I got that part." Lydia said dismissively. "What I don't understand is how the Rautuan can give any powers at all! I thought magic didn't exist here."

"It doesn't," Jason said. "It's the blessing of the spirit."

"Right," Lydia said. "The blessing of the spirit."

Clearly, Lydia was from someplace further away that he'd thought. "While the fantastical is not within us as people, that is not true for the spirits. If you impress them enough, a spirit may grant you access to some of its power. That's how Rautuan's blessed are able to present their shield."

"Well, how do you know that power won't end up with someone evil?" Lydia asked.

"Simple," Jason said. "The spirit reads the intend the person has with their care. Those with villainous tendencies will have evil intentions when trying to bond with a spirit."

"I still feel like that could be abused," Lydia said.

"Perhaps it has," Jason said. "I hope I never find out."

"Same."

The two of them sat in silence for a while after that.

"Are you ready to go back?" Jason asked Lydia.

"Yeah," Lydia said. "Can Bentley go any faster?"

A lady after his own heart. "Of course."

Riding back with Lydia, Jason was more at-ease than he had been in a while. He had been neglecting his hobbies far too much for his work. No matter how much success his work brought, it was nothing compared to the cool serenity of riding with Bentley. Here with Lydia, there were no signatures or meetings. Speaking of work, Jason had a good idea what to do next with her.