The Fighter Princess
By Lonelyrider

Story Highlights:
Big brother/little sister dynamic
Friends
Nostalgic
Excuses
Boastful
Missed
Protective
Age differences
Reunion
Gladiator/guard captain
Young warrior
Childhood wounds
Angel
Humans
Muscle
Horses
Help/rescue
Midevil/Victorian
Chivalry
Skill/talent

While exercising his trusty Percheron warhorse in the woods miles from his manor, big James runs into a young friend he hasn't seen in a long time, and shyly shadows her in case she needs his help, despite her glaring competence.

James felt his huge draft steed's muscles ripple under him as the big man rode his equally hefty stallion through the wooded trail, enjoying the softly falling snow around them.
"The astrologers say an ice age has begun, boy." James told Thunder with a friendly pat on the beast's muscled neck; Thunder nickered at his master in a fond gesture, ruffling his equine lips, and gave a mighty blow from his nostrils. Thunder raised his legs and trotted grandly, deciding to show off a bit; like his rider, he had a proud side to him. James grinned lovingly at his steed prancing under him, talking to him sweetly.
"That's my great big strong boy. Good boy, Thunder. Hey, buddy, what's that up ahead?" James's warm pats and babytalking to his horse eased off as he saw three figures & a pony up ahead, and James cautiously led Thunder & himself closer, donning his thick shield from his broad back onto his burly arm and unsheathing his axe.
James's grey eyes flew wide as he beheld the scene upon drawing nearer, his horse foaming and chomping at the bit and prancing in place below him.
"My God boy, it's Nat." James gasped with a startled inhale. He hadn't seen his young friend, who was like a little sister to him, in many months. She had grown distant from him, much to his sadness, due to her own unresolved issues. "Let's stay close, in case she needs our help, boy." James whispered to Thunder, patting his neck again, and James steered his steed behind some trees and dormant bushes within earshot so he could rush to the young girl's defense in case she was in peril. Natalie was holding two gangly young men at swordpoint, her pony & swords both had been gifts from James, who had taught her both horsemanship and swordsmanship, his two big loves along with history. Natalie snarled and advanced on the two men, who clutched each other and threw a purse down on the dirt road.
"Okay, here, take it! Just leave us alone!" One of the boys cried, they started to run but Natalie threw a bolas & it wrapped around their ankles and they fell with a huff; she tied their wrists tightly with strong dwarven rope she'd bought and then tied the other end to her pony's saddle.
"No, I'm taking you both in to the sheriff. You stole that old woman's purse right in front of me, and as a warrior princess, I can't have that in my township. Now, both of you do as I say, or I'll have to subdue you further. I won't hesitate to have my mare drag you all the way back to town. Let's go!" Natalie mounted her pony and they started off at a trot, the boys running behind her with their wrists roped and tripping and getting dragged, the old woman's purse was strung across Natalie as she rode. Beside them on a deer path which Thunder and his huge rider nearly didn't fit on, James & his steed kept pace with the 10-year-old & her pony & prisoners. James kept glancing over at her, she hadn't noticed him and Thunder riding beside her through the thicket that seperated the two.
"I always knew Natalie was talented, boy, but man, has she come into her own. She didn't even flinch! I know grown men who don't show that kind of resolve. Still though...I...I'm very fond of her, let's just make sure she gets to town safely, and then we'll go." James told Thunder, whose ears were upright listening to James's voice as they trotted along the deer path following Natalie & her pony beside them. Natalie emerged into open fields and went faster, the exhausted boys panting as they tried to keep up and sometimes getting dragged through the muddy farmer's fields behind Natalie's mare, James & Thunder followed far enough behind that they weren't seen but could still see her up ahead. Finally they entered the start of town; as they rode by his shop, James raised his beefy arm and greeted the dwarven smith who was training him in blacksmithing, who waved back at him.
"Good day, laddie!" The dwarf called to James. James stationed Thunder at the local pub and hopped off him, letting Thunder drink from the horse troth there & rest while James opened a map and pretended to read it and secretly eavesdropped on Natalie, who was nearby at the sheriff's brownstone. The sheriff's deputy came outside, looking confused. Natalie hopped off her panting mare and handed the ropes attached to the two tired thieves to the deputy, along with the purse.
"These boys stole this earlier from an old lady at market. I tracked them down and got it back." Natalie announced.
"Oh wow, yes, this is Mrs Kensington's purse. How good of you, she doesn't have much. We'll make sure to get this back to her, and we'll take these boys off your hands. Here is a small reward for your service, Miss...?" The deputy asked.
"Warrior princess Natalie, that's me." Natalie said, smiling briefly as she accepted the little sack of silver the deputy gave her.
"Come on inside now, boys." The deputy called, the thieves looked disheveled and exhausted and were too weak to try to escape as the deputy led them into the little jail. James put down his map and cleared his throat, sheathing his axe at his hip and shield onto his burly back, he strutted up to Natalie, giving her a friendly back thump like he would a man; he knew the tomboyish girl would approve of that manly gesture.
"Natalie! Hey there! Long time no see, honey! Say, I heard talk you apprehended two slick thieves in the forest today, & that the sheriff is very impressed." James looked over his huge veiny hand trying to look casual, eyeing her briefly and then looking away; his breath caught and he inwardly felt thrilled; his plan was working, she looked stoked too.
"Whoa, hey, really? I mean uh...I uh, only just did that, how could anyone know about it?" Natalie said with a modest shrug.
"Oh, now, it's the talk of the town! Why, just about every man in that pub is envious of you right at this very moment. When I heard, I had to come admire the heroine myself, oh, and to give her my own reward for being such a good citizen." James plopped a sack of gold so huge into Natalie's hands she fell from the heft of it; he gasped and picked her and it up with one arm right off the ground like she weighed nothing; to him, she did.
"Oh, are you allright, sweetie? Here, let me." James lifted her up still with only 1 brawny arm onto her now recovered pony and plopped the fat gold sack into her saddlebag, trying to make it fit; it was too big.
"Here James, it has too much money in it." Natalie poured some gold out of it and James hurried to open another sack of gold from Thunder's saddlebag and just barely caught them in time as Natalie poured coins back into his possession and when her sack was nearly deflated, it fit into her pony's pack and she tucked it away with a smile.
"There, that's better. You gave me too much. I'm glad the guys are talking about me...um, I think. Okay, hey, bye James, it was good to see you again." Natalie rode closer to him and hugged him from her saddle, she felt him squeeze her back tight and wrap his wingspan about her snugly, and he planted a sweet kiss on her forehead before letting her go reluctantly.
"Oh, Nat." James sighed hard as she pulled her mare's bridle and the horse neighed, before taking off at a gallop out of town, dirt flying from the pony's hooves.
"Be safe honey! Please write me, I miss you!" James called through his hands, and his heart reeled, watching her fade away; he wasn't sure if the brave young girl had even heard his holler.
"Oh Thunder....how I miss her." James covered his face to hide the tears that were forming, as Thunder rested his huge head over James's massive muscled shoulder and gave his rider a comforting nudge.






A huge ty & credit to the photographer 📸

https://unsplash.com/photos/a-woman.....rd-K7oVTOL4tfM