The first date [Tag Philip]

For once, Cinderella felt a little lonely today- and needed to get her mind away from everything around her. She was worried about her friends and that the town is starting to change them, and if it will really work out for Philip and her. Of course there was still time for them to get to know each other before the wedding, but it felt like it wasn't enough.
With slow steps she entered the stalls and smiled softly as the horses greeted with a neigh when they saw her. Sadly, Eric wasn't here at the moment - but Cindy still stayed and patted one of the horses on the neck gently.

((Should she have gone up to Samson???:3))

Philip rubbed his forehead as he paced in a secluded corner between the castle and the stables, slowly getting closer to the stables with each turn. His head was spinning as he tried to figure out the right way to talk to Cinderella, it wouldn't be right to just ask her, out of the blue, 'so do you actually want to marry me?' He had to be delicate. He massaged is temple furiously as he rested his other hand on his hip, but then he dropped both and looked up when he heard some noise coming from the stables. It really wasn't anything too suspicious, it sounded like the noises the horses made whenever a person walked by them, but he still thought he'd check it out, and if no one was there, then maybe he could take out Samson and go for a ride. That usually helped to clear his head some. He ambled over to the stable door and peaked cautiously into the stables, his eyes widening a bit in surprise at who was there. "Oh, uh, hi," Philip stuttered out, looking at the ground and rubbing the back of his neck as he stood in the stable entrance.

[ That sounds like a great idea ]

Cinderella turned around with a wide smile when she heard a voice, and assumed it was one of her friends - even though they never said Hi like that. When she saw who it was, her smile faded a little and she started to rub her hands nervously.
"Hello Philip.." She greeted softly and glanced around slightly at the horses and things in the stalls.
"What---.. Uh.." Cindy started as she tried to come up with something to say. "-how are you?"

"I'm good. I'm good," Philip mumbled, still rubbing the back of his neck, and his eyes still glued on the ground. "How are you?" he asked shyly, looking up through his lashes at Cinderella, his hand still at the back of his neck. His gaze shifted a bit to the side of Cinderella though when he noticed Samson in the stall next to the princess, looking like he was rolling his eyes, if that were possible, causing Philip to smile slightly and roll his own eyes, as well as his head, and shake it as he looked at the ground again.

"I'm good.." She said shortly and with a little smile before it faded slightly. She had never acted like this around a person before, and she couldn't belive that she did it now.
"So, are you thinking of going out for a ride?" Cindy asked friendly, because she assumed that he wasn't here to see her really..

"Yeah, I was thinking about it," Philip said sheepishly with a shrug, looking off to the side. "Get out of the castle for a bit you know. Relax," he looked back at Cinderella, his eyes soft. He bit his bottom lip nervously then as he looked down at the ground, and then back up at the young princess through his lashes. "You want to join me?" he asked quietly with a small, nervous half smile on his lips.

Cindy looked down as he spoke and couldn't do anything other than agree. It would be lovley to get out of here for a moment - and when he asked if she wanted to join, She looked up with a bright smile and nodded.
"Yes, I would like that very much.." She said softly and tried to fade down her smile a little so that she wouldn't look too happy.
"But are you sure you want me with you? It's just-- it seems like you can't really relax around me.."

Philip couldn't help but chuckle softly, a soft smirk on his lips, at Cinderella's enthusiasm, finding her excitement refreshing. His smirk fell as the princess pulled herself back and he looked at her bewildered until she finished speaking when a soft, kind smile spread across his face. "Trust me, it's not you. Perhaps getting out of the castle will help both of us relax, and we can get off to a proper start," he offered, looking up at Cinderella through his lashes and smiling shyly towards her, stepping forward a couple steps slowly, his hands hovering in front of his abdomen in relaxed fists and lightly banging together.

"If you think that, then okay.." She smiled softly again before she turned her side to him when he came slighly closer.
"Then I guess I will make my horse ready.." Cindy said quickly. She couldn't believe that she was acting like this when she was near him- and sadly it wasn't because of love. More that she felt a little uncomfortable, but she hoped that he was right. Some alone time- together by their own will, could help them..
"Which one is yours, by the way?.. The horse that is.."

Philip watched Cinderella curiously, and looked down sadly as she turned away from him. He hoped that them spending some time together, outside of the castle could help them, if only in that they can come to an agreement to break off the engagement. He looked back up as she broke through his train of thought with her question. "Oh, this one here. Is my trusted steed," he said proudly with a wide grin on his face as he carefully walked pass the princess to the horse just in front of them. "This is Samson," he told her, looking over at the horse with a serene smile and gentle eyes as he softly pet Samson's neck.

"Oh, he's beautiful.." She said with a little smile again and looked at the horse she had standing next to.
"I guess he's pretty fast too.." Cindy said and hold her hands together infront of her, standing at the same spot as before when she didn't want to approach Samson when Philip was beside him.
"And okey then.. I will go and make my horse ready.." She said quickly before she turned around to walk away, rubbing her hand over her forehead while she took a deep breath when he didn't saw. A moment later she was back with a white horse after her- sadly it wasn't her own, but maybe Eric was out for a ride with her.
"Are you ready?"

Philip watched cautiously as Cinderella walked away before going into Samson's stall and saddling him up. He forced himself to look down and focus on what he was doing and not look over at Cinderella, it would only drive him crazy wondering why she was acting so timid. When they had first met, she had been so open and friendly, but now, well, perhaps he would be able to get her to agree to calling off the marriage after all. He only looked up at her when he heard her call over to him, and he smiled softly over to her in response. "Yep," he said as he led Samson out of the stables, and then hoisted himself up. But then he looked back at Cinderella, brow furrowed, and bit his lip a bit. "I'm sorry. Do you need help getting up or can you do it?" he asked, readying himself to dismount if she did need help.

Cindy glanced at her horse and then tried to feel how tight her clothes was without moving when he asked if she needed help. Of course she didn't want to ask him, but it would look pretty silly if she tried it herself.
"Maybe a little help..." She said looked away from him with a little laugh.
"I'm sorry, but it's not me who choses the clothes.." She shrugged when he had to jump up and down from his horse just because of her.

Philip smiled softly as he smoothly dismounted Samson and cautiously walked over to Cinderella, nervously biting his lip as he walked around her, clenching his fist and unclenching it. "Um...Here," he said as he bent down a bit so that one of his knee's was flat so that Cinderella could step up, offering her his hand. "You step up and I'll help you from there," he instructed with an unsure smile.

Cindy looked at him unsure for a short moment before she took his hand and stepped up - and soon she was up in the saddle and smoothed out her skirt while she looked down at him with a little smile.
"Thank you.." She said softly as she took the reins and moved her horse to beside Samson.
"I'll make sure to have better clothes next time so that you don't need to help me.."

Philip smiled softly and let out a quiet relieved breath as Cinderella took his hand. He helped her up onto her horse, being careful not to touch her too much, not wanting to make her uncomfortable in any way, and looked away, rubbing his neck, as she straightened herself out. He smiled softly up at her as she spoke and hoisted himself back onto Samson, biting his lip momentarily as he adjusted his reins in his hands, taking in some of the meaning behind what Cinderella had said. "It's no problem," he assured her quietly. "But that wouldn't be a bad idea," he said with a light laugh, trying to bring back some of his playfulness. "Shall I take the lead?" he asked Cinderella carefully. He had never felt quite this nervous before, he didn't understand what was going on.

"Uhm.. Yes please.." Cindy said with a little nod and slowly moved her horse forward.
"Maybe you can show me some of your favorite places?! And it doesn't just has to be in the forest, the town is beautiful as well.." Cindy said with a little shrugg and glanced at him.

Philip gave a slight nod in Cinderella's direction, an apprehensive smile on his face, before he started to lead Samson forward in front of his companion, subconsciously heading towards the river. "Oh of course," he agreed pleasantly, leaning his head back as he spoke to Cinderella. "Let me be your guide," he said playfully, turning just enough in his seat to quickly send a wink towards the princess before he turned back around to look ahead of them, laughing quietly, a lightness to his face, but his stomach still in nervous knots.

Cindy started to smile widely when she realised that Philip started to relax a little around her, and now it was only her left. She needed to be herself again - but she didn't know how..
"Why, thank you- my Prince" She said with a little giggle, and felt proud over herself. Hopefully this tour would be exactly what they both needed.

[Do you want to move to the-.. river maybe? ]

((Sounds good! I'll start a topic there!))

[Awesome thank you <3]