Ragnar bit back a smile as he watched Circe ride circles around him on horseback, turning with her to keep track of her at all times.
He had been right in assuming she would be a fast learner. She had taken well to the mare he gave her and had adjusted quickly in the two weeks they had been practicing together in the fields.
Circe had also grown fond of the horse, it was obvious in the way she always made it to the stables before him and in how he often caught her patting the mare whenever she thought he wasn't looking. Watching the bond forming between her and the horse was one of the reasons he had abandoned the idea of finding her another riding instructor.
That, and the fact that no one else ever seemed to meet his impossible standards.
It certainly had nothing to do with the sound of her laughter as she galloped across the field, loud and utterly carefree. Her unbound hair billowed in the breeze as she rode, more relaxed than he had ever seen her.
