Gwendolyn agreed, and they parted ways, although she warned that it may take a bit longer than 15 minutes for her, given that even a casual outfit for a woman had many layers. She would hurry, though, and braided back her long hair while her ladies untied her layers of dresses. Gwendolyn slipped into her breaches and tunic, and pulled on a pair of riding boots, hiding it all with a cloak as she snuck out to the stables, where Aldwin was undoubtly already waiting.

Aldwin was already waiting, though definitely not impatiently. He was actually busy visiting all the horses. He hadn't been in the stables for so long, he had missed all the horses. So while he was waiting for Gwendolyn, dressed in breeches and a simple brown tunic, he gave the horses treats. Was it a good idea? Definitely not, the stable master was going to kill him. It was fine though, the horses seemed happy and that made Aldwin happy.

Gwendolyn nearly skipped into the stable, taking off her cloak and putting it someplace where it wouldn't spook the horses, "Sorry to keep you waiting," She said softly, coming to stand beside him, and stroking the cheek of the horse he was giving attention to. "The stables have always been my first home," Gwendolyn mentioned casually, "Father didn't pay any attention to me, or any of my brothers, really. We were free to do as we pleased, and I followed them like a shadow. We'd spend hours riding, hunting, hawking... Sometimes we'd even tame some of the wild horses."

Aldwin looked down at Gwendolyn with a smile, happy to hear her stories. It mean that she trusted him enough to tell him the stories of her life. This snippet especially caught his eye, for her the stables had been a home, for him it had been a way to get away from it all. They were very similar indeed.

"Ah, I see, that is very interesting. I have never had the time to tame a wild horse, and we hardly have any in this area. Regardless, it sounds nice, I've heard stories, my father did it often in his youth though how he found the time I know not. He told me often of how he would get thrown off but after days and days of working with the horse, bonding, they would run so fast together it was like flying. I never had the time for things like that, but I often came to the stables just to see my horse and ride. To escape the politics and it all. Just to remind myself that there are pleasures in life that are not giving to my people. Of course I love my people, but I have to remind myself now and then that I have to take care of myself too as no one else will." Aldwin smiled sadly, and gently stroked the horse's nose with a careful hand.

Gwendolyn tilted her head slightly to look at Aldwin, curious about his life, and glad that he was willing to open up to her, "Indeed. Being on a horse... it is the closest feeling I've ever had to being free." Gwendolyn straightened, and cleared her throat, "Sorry - Anyway - Yes. I agree with you. It is important to step away when you can, and have moments for yourself. It is a liberating feeling, and reminds you of what you are fighting for - for the ability to feel safe within your land, and for the people to have that same ability as well."

For some reason, Gwendolyn had always felt ties to horses. She couldn't actually hear their language, but she could read their body, and feel what they were feeling. The horses here liked Aldwin - a good rider with gentle hands and a steady temperament. Gwendolyn always found a horses analysis of a person to be a true testament to their character, "Shall we saddle up and get ready to ride? I also assumed we would be going out on the trails - I briefly explored them the other day, and found some marvelous obstacles to jump. I would say jumping is quite foreign to your horses," she laughed, "As I have never seen such a bewildered look upon a horse when I aimed towards a small log."

Gwendolyn's words rang true in Aldwin's mind, as he too knew of the freeing feeling Gwendolyn spoke of. He supposed it had something to do with all the stuff he normally had to deal with. On horseback, those things faded to the background, and Aldwin could laugh like a little boy if he wanted to. He didn't have to act all king-ly, he could just be a guy his age, just starting to peer out into the world and all it's wonders.

"It is a wonderful feeling indeed, which is why I agree that we should saddle up. As that feeling is something I would greatly enjoy right now," Aldwin chuckled sadly, yea, this month had been crazy, and he definitely needed to ride. "Most of the horses here are ridden by rather... stuck up individuals who only ride on the roads. Some of the horse though... well those are the horses I used to ride, and a few of the nobles that enjoy doing something that isn't so stiff." Aldwin grinned, his horse was perfectly capable of jumping varying heights. In fact, jumping was something Aldwin enjoyed greatly.

Gwendolyn hadn't gotten permission to ride any of the other horses in the barn, so she saddled up the retired warhorse she had ridden on the test run, and then after breakfast. The palomino was a sweetheart, if a bit skittish at new things, which wasn't an issue. His name was Peanut, and Gwendolyn had assumed that he had a (brief) experience with jumping in the past. He went over them well, if a bit reluctantly and stiffly, but that probably came from age.

"Aldwin," Gwendolyn said conversationally as the two tacked up, "I have a confession." She looked over the horses back with a grin, "For the entire ground portion of the ride here, I rode with the knights - not in the carriage."

While Gwendolyn grabbed Peanut, Aldwin grabbed Oswyn, one of his horses. Oswyn was a dapple gray, and rather handsome. He was a stallion of course, but he was well-mannered and was a pleasant ride under a firm hand. That firm hand being Aldwin, as Oswyn was hardly ridden by anyone else. Because he was Aldwin's horse, he was used to jumping and going through creeks. They'd even swam in a nearby pond a few times, and Oswyn rarely spooked. It was all these things that made Oswyn one of Aldwin's favorite horses.

As Aldwin tacked up, he listened to Gwendolyn, a small smile on his face as she confessed what had happened on the ride here. "Well that is definitely interesting, in all honesty, I've never heard of any woman of any noble standing that doesn't remain in her carriage on long rides." Aldwin continued preparing Oswyn before continuing, "then again, you are quite different from any woman I've met in Britain." Aldwin was being honest, as most women here were docile and all flattering.

If anything, Aldwin preferred a woman he could talk to without being too cautious with his words, someone like Gwendolyn. He was very lucky that he hadn't been paired with some greedy, snobby woman.

"After the first day I was stiff and sore from the bumps in the road, since the carriage does nothing to soften them, and figured I'd be better off on a horse."

What Gwendolyn did not mention was the fact that the knights had not wanted her to do that, but after continuously jumping out of the carriage while they were moving and mounting up on one of the extra horses, the knights decided their hearts would rest easier if they just let Gwendolyn borrow some armor and pretend to be a knight. Gwendolyn has also pointed out that the carriage would likely be the point of any attacks - she'd be safer with not being in it. Her point was proven on the third day of the ride, where the carriage was indeed attacked.

The knights hadn't bothered her about it for the rest of the ride.

"I'll take your words as a compliment, Aldwin," she joked, "But you wouldn't see many upper class woman doing what I do in Roma either."

As Aldwin tacked up, he couldn't help but smile. He could definitely imagine Gwendolyn bothering the knights to a point where they just gave up on trying to restrain her. She hadn't told him anything about that, but he doubted that any good knight would just allow a soon-to-be queen ride a horse like some a man. Granted, even a man of such high status would have to fight in order to not ride in a carriage. Most knights were very dedicated to their jobs, and he was sure that Gwendolyn's actions had caused a few men some sort of heart attack. Regardless, he definitely could imagine her doing it.

"They are, indeed, a compliment. I mean this in no foul way, but most women in this country are rather.. snobbish. I mean the upper class women. To be entirely honest, most people are snobbish when they have money. It is... nice to know that there aren't just entitled, bratty people that make up the upper class." Aldwin turned to Gwendolyn for a moment, pausing his work to give her a grim smile.