Katherine dusted off her gloves and adjusted the sleeves of her riding outfit—Laura's gift after she casually mentioned her lesson. It was elegant, tailored, and way fancier than necessary, but she wouldn't complain. At least it came with pants. After spending so long drowning in frilly dresses, she almost felt like herself again.
As she turned, she nearly crashed into someone.
"Careful," a familiar voice chuckled, steady hands catching her shoulders before she could stumble.
Katherine blinked up at the young man before her. "Lord Florante!"
He smiled warmly, his blue eyes bright despite the clear signs of exertion from his earlier combat training. His brownish-blonde hair was slightly tousled, and his uniform bore faint marks of dust, but he carried himself with the same natural grace as always.
"Lady Katherine," he greeted with a nod. "So, you've finally decided to brave horseback riding?"
