Annabelle rode through the castle courtyard, skirts whipping behind her as she pushed her mare as fast as she dared on the cobbles.

“Come on!keep up!” She snapped over her shoulder at the man at arms that was supposed to be making sure she didnt get into any trouble.

Ragnor sighed inwardly. He detested it when she was in this mood. Annabelle could be a spoilt brat of a girl, at fifteen she should be over childish tantrums but he knew as soon as he was given orders to protect his mistress as she rode out today, he would have to take the brunt of it. He prayed for a quick trip out of the castle and through the valley. That always seemed to calm her mind when her father, the lord of the keep, had angered her, normally over something trivial.

The cobbles slowly turned into a dirt path that wove between the autumnal trees. The red leaves crunched under the horses hooves as Annabelle slowed the pace to watch the gulls soaring overhead.

Ragnar normally let the girl get out of her moods at her own pace but today he was desperate to get back to castle. His son was being initiated as a squire today and he didnt want to miss the ceremony the Lord always gave. He remembered his own like it was yesterday, now he was a knight, a man at arms, hopefully his son would rise higher than he had done, a glorified babysitter. He was happy with his lot in life though, a loving wife, three sons and a daughter, who was Annabelles age but less prone to sulks. He decided today he would try something that always worked on his own daughter.

“My Lady, would you care to take a ride down to the lake this morning?”

She gave no reply but turned her horse down the path that led to lake.

“My daughter, Daena, loves it down by the lake. She says it so full of nature that its hard to not be happy there” he chattered on trying to get Annabelle to talk, to take her mind off whatever was bothering her. “Especially when you get to the waterfall.”

Annabelle gave a rare smile to Ragnar. He was winning.

“I’ll show you something I showed my Daena when she was little” he said taking a little used dirt track down towards the waterfall. “We’ll have to leave the horses here” he said as he dismounted. He turned to help Annabelle down but she had already dismounted.

“I don’t need anyones help” she told him.

“Right you are My Lady. This way”.

She followed him through overgrown trees and bushes, branches whipping at her arms as she fought her way through the thickets.

“Now it gets a bit muddy and wet here so watch your footing. I don’t fancy explaining why I’ve taken you back to the keep looking like a regular ruffian” he laughed.

He took Annabelles hand as he guided her through a particularly large thicket. He could see the look of wonder in her eyes. They were stood on the edge of the waterfall. The roar of the water deafened out the noise of the birds above and the creatures in the surrounding foliage.

She leaned precariously over the edge to watch the water hurl itself down to the rocks below. A rainbow was forming in the splash.

She took a deep breath and calmness passed over her face. He had won. He wouldn’t be missing his sons ceremony now.

He allowed her to stand there for half an hour or more as she seemed to grow more and more relaxed.

“I’m ready to go now thank you” she shouted to make herself heard over the waterfall.

As they rode back through the valley towards the keep Annabelle slowed her mare to a walking pace and turned to Ragnar.

“Thank you for today. You were very kind to a girl who didn’t deserve kindness.”

Ragnar was taken aback by this comment. He had been dreading this morning ever since he had been given the orders to ride with her.

“Always remember there are people who care about you.”

“I will” she replied, “Do you think your daughter would mind if I used her spot to calm myself when I need to?Its so beautiful there and you cant think of anything over the roar of the water.”

“I’m sure Daena would be honoured My Lady” he smiled.