James is feeling guilty his cherished girlfriend witnessed him voilently slaughter her captor in the recent past. He checks on her practicing her ballet moves in a magical garden heavily guarded & can't subdue his affection for her nor his remorse.
Art by the awesome
 cyndybell
Music to accompany tale:
https://youtu.be/S1-LCnGojnw

Ballerina Girl
By Lonelyrider

James approached the walled rose garden in a confident swagger, his faithful horse Thunder following without him having to lead him. Thunder snorted loudly and James fed him a golden apple and stroked his nose.
"Good boy, big guy. Oh! You want a sugar cube, too, then?" James jested to his animal, who nudged him hard, James chortled and tried to hide the treat, a little game he played with his mount, who roughly searched him with his nose, making James chortle loudly.
"Ooof, you found it! Two cubes for the effort, buddy. I'm gonna go check on my girl now, buddy, you guard out here with Magnus & Strider, okay pal?" James cooed fondly, patting his mount's neck vigorously, Thunder showed his teeth and nodded in a horsey fashion, showing he understood. He took to calmly grazing as the two huge anthro pegasus brothers reported to the equally hulking mortal angel, all 3 adjusting their wings as they conversed.
"How's my beautiful baby?" James asked breathlessly; his girlfriend was recovering from the trauma and shock of witnessing himself and her bodyguard voilently slaughter her minotaur captor, and James, his newly out of control bloodlust waned, was feeling intensely guilty she'd had to see that, unlike Magnus, who's pride was heavily wounded from being bested by the bull brute, but James had been kind and forgiving and not terminated his position as Lonely's protector, so Magnus had brought in his equally stalwart brother to demonstrate to James he was comitted to guarding his cherished girl even at the expense of his ego as a warrior and male. Magnus' brother strider was also an anthro pegasus, he had an appaloosa pattern on his fur and his battle method was that of a hunter, his pet black bear patrolled the garden relentlessly, her cub at her side. Strider fed her some jerky and berries and she munched contently at his side, letting her cub nurse and licking it.
"Why, how cute!" James cried, patting the cub gently, the mother bear sniffed him and liking his friendly and gentle energy, allowed him to pet her little one.
"Ahem...Lord LightningSword, I do appreciate your forbearing under the circumstances, and your willingness to allow me another chance. I won't fail you a 2nd time." Magnus pledged, hand over his breastplate with a clank. James felt his thick hair.
"It honestly wasn't your doing, Magnus. I truly appreciate how well you've guarded my sweetheart. I'm more than happy to let this go, and I'm confident between you two my Lonely will stay very safe." James nodded and beamed, chest out proudly and raven wings splayed happily.
"That she will. Magnus, I'm going to guard the other entrance, you can take this one." Strider said, James flipped him a gold coin, which he caught and nodded his thanks.
"You too, Magnus." James offered, Magnus held his hand up in refusal with a snort.
"Not now. Let me earn back my dignity, please." He requested. It wasn't like the big pegasus to say this much.
"Aww, just one coin, good man, I usually gave you a sack, come on, please, I insist." James said with a hearty clap on Magnus' equally burly back.
"No, Lord LightningSword. If you'll excuse me, I have a job to do." Magnus resumed his guarding stance at the entrance to the rose garden, his long lance crossed in front of him and nostrils flared for scenting danger. James reached out sweetly but thought beter of it, certainly understanding the male pride of his gifted hire.
"As you wish." James agreed with a graceful lunging bow, he adjusted his big wingspan and followed the rosebush maze deeper into the garden, he stayed out of sight at the inner entrance and watched his girlfriend dance feeling his heart overflowing at the sight. Lonely had developed an interest in ballet and she was practicing in the garden James had procured for her in her pink tutu, standing on tip-toes and whirling around the fountain at the garden's center, the big bow on her back swaying and her tail swishing. James swallowed, that guilt eating at him again, though he knew his girl held no anger for what had happened. He withdrew a shiny rose-gold multi-layered necklace of pearls from his pouch, the shield on his back clanked and gave him away; he flashed her a sweet, sheepish smile, waving at her slightly. Lonely stopped her dancing and approached, greeting him with a hug and a kiss on his mouth, he sighed wistfully.
"I'm so sorry baby rosebud, I didn't mean to interupt your ballet. You look so pretty. How are you, how do you feel, my sweet?" James purred, gently stroking her cheek, his eyes shiny and scanning her face; it was clear to her in the time he and Magnus had taken her to a healer he was frightened of losing her, which made her heart soften at his plight, for she'd never.
"I am holding up pretty good darling, thank you for stopping by!" He could see she was truly glad to see him, but still she shied looking scared of his shield and morningstar, which reminded her of the gore she'd witnessed.
"I'll just put these back here....there, is that better, my dearest Lonely? Honey I'm so sorry, I feel terrible you saw all that, I'm sorry for being such a freaking hothead, I wanted to be like my dad...be careful what you wish for." James sagged despite his huge size, his eyes closing and head hanging in shameful sorrow. Lonely scanned him, reaching out with a gasp; she hated seeing him so hurt.
"It wasn't your doing, my dearest. I'm truly grateful for the rescue. The rest simply isn't your fault. Come, dance with me." Lonely pleaded, taking his gloved hand, he perked up fast, his lip twitching into a smile and wings fluffing up happily. He was so enchanted by her he accidentally dropped her presents back into his waist pouch, following her into the center of the rose garden. Lonely giggled playfully and danced girlish circles around him, doing pirrouttes. He wished to compliment her but he was tongue-tied at her beauty and femininity, her elegance, grace and willingness to forgive him when he hadn't forgiven himself. He gently took her hand in his much bigger one and kissed it, bowing lowly, his wings extending grandly.
"I'm honored to be in the presence of such a beautiful ballerina." He gushed with a fierce blush, Lonely blushed too, she'd always adored his intense charm and bashful yet manly nature. She stood on one toe and kissed him, taking his hands they whirled together, laughing happily. James picked her up in a fast bold move, she cried out in surprise but he could see she was thrilled, he held her up over his head and spun her slowly, and she struck an elegant pose, his massive muscles bulging with strength as he held his curvy girlfriend aloft; she wasn't light, as she often teased, but she was only a fraction of what he weighed. James grunted with effort and gave a fierce flap of his mighty wings, lifting her aloft even higher as he hovered and spun her around slowly, holding her by her front thighs & by her ribs, gently.
"Ahh, so fine to behold! I love dancing with you. & you are light as a feather!" He teased sweetly, truly he meant it. Lonely giggled and he slowly landed, still holding her in his arms, she nuzzled him and he closed his eyes and nuzzled her back, purring deeply in euphoria.
"Such fibs, James!" Lonely giggled hard, he chuckled mischievously and tickled her tummy gently, she squirmed and giggled and he kissed her forehead tenderly. James tenderly let her down and knelt before her, looking up at her with adoring gray eyes and rubbing his thumb on the inside of her hand lovingly.
"How I do love you." He confessed emotionally, his chest heaving. Lonely knelt down on her knees in the grass and held him close, kissing his lips sweetly and holding his groomed bearded cheeks in her hands. He wrapped her up in his black wingspan and held her close to him, laying his chin over her head protective & more than a little possessive. He looked down emotionally at her as she closed her thickly lashed eyes and rested happily in his warm and strong embrace, he couldn't stop gazing at her, emotional and hungry for more. From the entrances, Magnus & his brother watched their tender embrace silently.