Love and Chaos Series
The Alpha King’s Ugly Bride Chapter 74

"Where are we going?" Xavier's sceptical voice asked as the carriage drove him and Mia away from the Palace.

Mia had stepped into his inner court and asked him out on a date. He had a lot to attend to, but she had never asked him out before and he couldn't turn her down the first time she did. Besides, he wanted alone time with her as well. If he could get a week off his responsibilities, he'd take her off to the royal resort and spend every moment with her. For now, they made do with what they had. So he dropped everything and said yes. There had been mischievousness in his little wife since they stepped into the carriage earlier. There was something she wasn't telling him, and from the look of things, she planned a surprise for him. His heart skipped at the thought of what she planned out for them. Yet he didn't know why she bothered.

He couldn't tell her plans just by looking at her. She looked beautiful and radiant, as always. Today, she wore a round-necked green dress and the sight of her curly red hair which fell over it aroused him. She had the necklace he gifted her, the one that once belonged to his mother around her proud neck. He wanted to lean in and litter kisses on her there, but he knew he couldn't and held himself under control. A surprise awaited him, and he couldn't risk ruining it.

It's been over thirty minutes since riding on the carriage and Xavier couldn't bear the closeness between them. He needed to be at least a foot apart if he was hoping to keep his hands to himself. He didn't know where they were heading to, only Mia and the driver did. She told him to trust her and he trusted her with his life and all he had.

He had reduced his security watch on her and he disregarded the threat letter to the queen after months of massive investigation with fruitless results. Edward told him it was a ploy to distract him from doing his job as king and keep him second-guessing himself. Robb Ainsworth, although far from them, still kept his keen focus on him and how he ruled. He was certain the old man kept a close eye on them and also searched for ways to discredit him. He wouldn't give him that. He was determined to rule for a year and then demand Robb's judgement on his reign as alpha king.

Once he's made the demand, Robb would weigh his good deeds as King and base his decision on that. Robb would then make a declaration that he would not be able to overrule later on. When his judgment passed, Xavier would not worry about his opinion or actions towards him again.

Xavier was still careful whenever he left the Palace, but today he didn't want to ruin Mia's plan by bringing the king's guards along. She told him she wanted both of them on a date and that was what he wanted to give her. "We are almost there."

"As long as Robb and Elliott aren't waiting for me where we are going, then I'm fine with it."

Mia rolled her eyes but smiled at his pettiness. Soon the driver came to a stop, and they both got down from the carriage.

"Edward told me today is your birthday and that you've stopped celebrating for a while now," she spoke as she moved towards where he stood, paused and taking in the hectares of land of the ranch. "He also told me about your love for horse riding, and I thought this might be a great idea."

They were at the south side ranch. It was the largest ranch in the capital and this was where he took up horse riding classes for a few years. This was one thing he had given up on for Wahala and she just brought it back to him. His birthday crossed his mind this morning, but he didn't let it stay longer than a few seconds. He no longer celebrated and there was no reason to bring it up, but she had made reservations just for him.

She was wrong. This wasn't a great idea, it was an amazing one.

"What do you think?"

He didn't reply, he just turned and kissed her lips passionately, almost knocking the air out of her lungs.

"It's perfect." he pulled back and placed his head on hers, his eyes still shut.

"Well, it's not perfect yet. We need to get you a horse and have you ride it." She grinned and took his hand and dragged him towards the extensive building on the other side of the ranch not so far from where they stood. That was where a few attendants were. Xavier made no protest at being pulled along. Mia hadn't made him regret trusting her yet, though. "I haven't ridden in years, Mia. Didn't Edward tell you that?"

"He did, but you're the alpha king. I doubt there's something you can't do."

He rolled his eyes at her silly attempt to boost his ego. 'Getting you to love me is one thing!' He mumbled to himself, but Mia didn't hear it.

It shocked the attendants at the inn of the ranch to see the alpha king and the queen at their ranch. The manager, Madam Cameron, a middle-aged woman dressed in black trousers and a white top, whom Mia had sent word to earlier, descended the staircase and came down to meet them in a haste. She bowed once she stood before the king and queen.

"It's such a pleasure to have you here, my king and queen."

"The pleasure is all ours. As earlier informed, we need two of your finest horses," Mia said.

She nodded and beckoned to them to follow her.

Less than twenty minutes later, Mia and Xavier sat on their horses and together they rode away from the stable.

"So you need company?" Madam Cameron asked them with an arched brow.

They shared a glance and shook their heads. "We will manage," Mia replied.

They rode away. Xavier took the lead, being quite acquainted with the race more than Mia was. She knew how to ride a horse. Her father owned a few and, unlike her mother, she wasn't allergic to them.

Mia followed his lead and watched as the wind blew over him, swaying his hair to the back and over his face. He looked refined like fine wine and he got better every time she saw him.

Xavier had first thought being away for so many years would leave him clueless about riding, but he was wrong. As soon as he sat on the horseback, the training came back and it felt like yesterday. He felt grateful to his wife that stood by him through everything that had happened in the past month revolving around his mental state.

"You're slowing down," Mia said after Xavier took a turn onto the left pathway and began slowing down.

"Well, the stream was around this corner the last time I checked," he replied and soon Mia saw the stream along the path, just like he had stated. "The horse can drink water before we continue." he got down from the horse and took the bridle and then guided the horse towards the stream.

The horse indeed seem to need the water because it dipped his head and drank water from the stream. Mia got down from her horse and led it to the stream. and her horse joined the others, and they drank.

She made her way over to him under a tree beside the stream. "How did you know it needed a drink?"

"I didn't, but I always brought my horse here years back and they always drank water. So I thought, why not today?"

"Your people would have fallen in love with you if you'd shown them this caring and affectionate side of you," she said with much confidence in her voice.

He glanced at her, a pained look in his eyes, "A king is supposed to rule his people, not love them." he quoted his father's famous saying.

"A good king loves and cares for his people." She drew closer to him.