the White Cat Sequel
The story of what actually happened after 'Happily Ever After' in the old French Fairy Tale, the White Cat
Happily Ever After?
It had been a few years since Adrian had broken the jealous Fairy Queen's vindictive spell, and released Kassia from her enchantment...
...and life as a wedded couple seemed to have lost some of its spark.
"Would you like some tea?"
But Adrian often seemed distracted by Rags, their cat...
Adrian was very fond of their cat....
...and Kassia sometimes wondered...
..if her Prince didn't in fact miss the days when she was still enchanted....
...and in the form of a cat.
After all, she had been a cat for the first three years after they first met...
Kyle
One day Adrian's friend Kyle arrived...
"Are you ready to go?"
"Ready to go? Where are you going?"
"Kyle is going to pick up some horses....at the far end of the kingdom......."
"...and he asked if I'd like to come with him. And I said that I'd love to."
"And you never thought to tell me??"
"Well, it's not like we had anything more important planned..."
Then he picked up Rags...
"I'm really going to miss you, boy..."
"What about me?"
"Well....I'll miss you too....of course..."
Adrian started to leave....
"How long are you going to be away?"
"I don't know. As long as it takes. Maybe a week....or two."
And the two of them left....
"I guess we'll see you then....whenever you come back...."
Leaving
Kyle and Adrian mounted their horses and headed out....
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Passing through one castle gate after another....
...on this early Spring day....
The Prince was only too happy to be going out with his friend....
The sun was out and it wasn't too cold...
It was the perfect day to start on an adventure....
Kassia at the Window
Kassia watched them ride away....
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Even though her 'happily ever after' hadn't turned out quite as she had expected....
...or hoped....
She still loved him....
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....and was still going to miss him....
the Horse Trader
It was a few days ride before Kyle and Adrian arrived at the Tavern in the town where they had agreed to meet Owen, the man who was selling the horses....
The bar maid watched them come in...
"Welcome. It's nice to see you again."
They shook hands...
"It's good to be back...."
"This is my friend, Adrian. He's come along to help me with the horses."
"Come, and sit down..."
"I've ordered us some drinks...and dinner....which will be served in a little while."
the Tavern
The three men sat down, and dinner was served....
The establishment was owned and run by a women renowned for her hospitality and excellent food...
Her daughter worked there as a waitress...
It wasn't a very busy night, and the only other customers were two regulars...
They seemed deep in conversation....
...but the waitress couldn't resist flirting with the handsome, younger man....
"So, how was your trip here?"
"Not bad...."
"Spring is coming, and it wasn't too cold, so we made good time."
"I'm really eager to see my new horses....and get them home."
"Well, it's a good thing you brought a friend along. The mare had twin foals, and they are a bit frisky, constantly running off in opposite directions, so it will be a job to keep them together.."
It sounded like fun to Adrian...
Payment
Kyle got up to fetch his satchel....
"Here's the payment for the horses..."
"It's the price we agreed upon..."
"..for the stallion, the mare, and the two foals..."
Owen proceeded to count the coins....
"Yes, it's what we agreed upon...."
"It's all here."
"Then we'll be by your stables first thing in the morning to pick them up..."
More Ale
Owen had paid the propriator to keep the ale flowing...
...so she got ready to send another round of drinks....
"Thank you sweetie..."
"...maybe you'd like to join us?"
But her mother was watching closely, to make sure none of the customers got 'too familiar'....
"I'm sorry Sir, I can't. I have other customers to tend to as well..."
"These gentlemen are two of my best customers..."
"So, another round for the three of us...."
Kyle was tempted, but graciously declined....
Then she turned to Adrian, "And what about you, Sir?"
"Thank you Miss, but I have enough..."
"I need a clear head for tomorrow. I can't be driving horses with a hangover."
Starting for Home
The next morning Kyle and Adrian started out early to begin their long journey home....
It was almost Spring, and the days were getting warmer....
...but there was still a lot of snow on the ground....
They couldn't travel very far in a day since the foals had some difficulty with the wet, slushy snow...
..so they had to go slower, but at least the foals weren't tempted to run off, and stayed close to their mother.
Kassia & Rags
Meanwhile back at home, Kassia was keeping Rags company....
He'd often be looking out the window for Adrian....
"I know you miss him......."
"I do too..."
"He's probably on his way home to us right now...."
* Continued in part 2
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