Page 263 of A King's Oath

Sharan rode past, eyeing their exchange. He was as possessive as they came, a mini version of their father. Their eyes met and Sharan was ready to jump down to intervene on his behalf. Samarth shook his head.

With aWTF!gesture he rode away, his head turning from time to time.

“I’ll be back,” Ava excused herself from Delcaour. Before leaving, Samarth felt her mouth close to his ear — “I’m going to the toilette, if you wanna come find me.”

Samarth snorted. He felt eyes on them and glanced up. Delacour.

Ava walked away and Delacour came closer to him, holding out one hand — “Hé, Sam.”

He took it. “Delacour. How’s it going?”

“Another morning with les bébés trotting away.”

“It’s a good way to spend a morning.”

“Oh yes!” Delacour leaned back on the fencing, arms crossed across his chest. The kids were trotting their horses on the far side of the pen, Brahmi waiting to finish warm up and break into a gallop.

“How you know Ava?” Delacour asked, eyes still on the kids.

“She is my girlfriend and the mother of my daughter.”

Delacour turned — “Oh, are you… Bram’s père?”

“I am.”

He squinted — “Never seen you around…”

“Now I am here.” Samarth nodded at his daughter leading the pack of horses with her galloping. “I missed a lot, but that’s it.” He looked Delacour in the eye — “I would appreciate it if you maintained a distance of respect with Ava. Brahmi is very lucky to learn the sport from a legend such as you.”

“No, of course. Of course…”

“Papa!” She was squealing, swinging her mallet in the air. He nodded at Delacour and in that split second’s delay it took to look she again bellowed — “Sam!”

Samarth laughed, waving. He had noticed she switched to his name when he wasn’t listening. It was cute. Or cutest, as he had claimed to Ava. Her right hand was swinging the mallet but she held her left one out across her body.

“Hold your reins,” Samarth warned. She pushed farther and he had no choice but to clap her hand and steady her body as she passed him. She did her little jiggle and he had to reiterate it to Ava when she returned — his daughter was, hands down, the cutest.

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“Come here,” Samarth leaned down to pick his daughter up but she was better. She leveraged one foot on just a sliver of his stirrup and swung up.

“Good job, baby,” he kissed the back of her helmet and settled her between his thighs. She was in full gear while he had only switched his shoes for a pair of riding boots.

“Go slow and only your mallet thing, Samarth, ok?” Ava warned.

“Yes, Mama,” they both nodded in unison.

“One round and give her back here to me.”

He was helping Brahmi push her thighs and tapped her knees to show her where to grip better. “What are you scared of?”

“Have you ever ridden double seat?”

“Ask Sharan,” Samarth nodded at his brother lounging with his arms back on the pen, inside the fence, probably trying to find which horses were in heat. He waved at them as Samarth kicked up his horse. It shot off and Brahmi’s squeal of delight wasexhilarating. Her head thumped into his chest — “We won’t stop at one round, Papa!”

“Mama said one.”

“Please! Please, please, please, please!”

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