They sat together and enjoyed the tea and biscuits, talking about trivial things, between bouts of comfortable silence in which they enjoyed the world around them.

Once they were done, Vladislav cleared away the tray and dishes.

When he returned outside again, he found Beatrice was now resting by the koi pond. She was sitting at the edge, fingers trailing in the pond as she teased the koi playfully, smiling as they nibbled her skin softly with their gentle mouths.

‘It tickles’ she told him as he approached.

The dog Jack appeared from a hidden location, drawn by her voice. He padded up to her, wagging his bushy tail once, before licking her with this strange purple tongue, then moving away.

‘Always on patrol’ Vladislav noted.

‘He never stops working’ Beatrice said, ‘he is so dedicated to his job.’

‘And he does it well’ Vladislav nodded. He looked away then, attention moving off into the distance. ‘The beach is looking pretty’ he observed.

Beatrice sat back on her heels.

‘I wish I were as tall as you’ Beatrice sighed. ‘Then I would be able to see the sea, or at least a glimpse of it.’

Vladislav reached out to her, without warning, grasping her firmly with his skeletal hands, lifting her up then.

Betrice gave a small yelp of surprise at being so swiftly lifted into the air.

Vladislav placed her upon his shoulder, turning to face the sea.

‘Can you see it now?’ Vladislav asked.

Beatrice blinked, looking up and straightening her back.

‘Ah!’ she exclaimed. ‘Yes. I see it.’

She fell silent for a moment as she continued to gaze.

‘It’s so pretty’ she uttered.

‘You know’ Vladislav said, tilting his head up to her, ‘the beach isn’t too far away. We could go there together. Would you like that?’

Beatrice thought about this.

‘I would’ she said. ‘I’ve never been to the beach before. It would make me happy to go there for the first time with you.’

‘We could do that’ Vladislav told her, ‘today, right now.’

‘Do you mean it?’

Vladislav reached up to hold Beatrice again, lifting her off his shoulder and placing her gently back on the ground.

‘I’ve never visited the beach before’ Beatrice said again, speaking quietly as if to herself, ‘I’m excited.’

‘We should have done it sooner’ Vladislav said. ‘It’s a lovely ride there, maybe a little too far to comfortably walk however.’

‘That’s why you bought this second horse’ Beatrice smiled. ‘I was wondering.’

Vladislav began to hiss.

‘You’re amused.’

‘And you are learning to read me all too well’ Vladislav replied.

‘I won’t deny’ Beatrice said, ‘I was a little sad when you left without me. I imagined you off having all sorts of fun adventures without me.’

‘Now don’t make me feel bad’ Vladislav told her. ‘It had to be a surprise. If you came along and saw what I was buying, it wouldn’t have been much of a surprise.’

‘You were gone for days’ Beatrice protested. ‘I was getting lonely.’

‘You could not possibly have been lonely’ Vladislav argued back. ‘Not with all the animals to keep you company. All the koi we have, all the plants. You know, it’s said by some that plants enjoy classical music. Maybe if you talk to the plants, or sing a lullaby to them, they might grow taller and stronger. Maybe that is what the foreign plants I’ve been bringing here are missing. Maybe they need to be sung to, like the birds in their homeland.’ He cleared his throat. ‘Anyway,’ Vladislav said, ‘I thought it best for Jingle to settle in before taking her out on an extended ride. And now seems like a good time.’

Beatrice clapped her hands together excitedly. ‘Shall I prepare a picnic basket?’

‘I’ve already done it’ Vladislav told her. ‘I’ll go get it. You prepare the horses. You can manage Boadicea can’t you?’

Boadicea was Vladislav’s personal horse he used for riding; she was a Shire. A mountain of a creature, but incredibly gentle and sweet-nature. Beatrice’s own was a little pony, perfect for her size. She was palomino in colour, and named after a horse she had read about in a children’s story book. One of the earlier books she had read when learning to read, with the guidance of Vladislav. Beatrice had mentioned that she loved the colour of the horse in the picture-book, and had named her own pony after the character in the story.

‘Of course I can handle Boadicea. She’s a big sweet-heart.’

‘Excellent’ Vladislav said, putting his hands together. ‘You get the horses ready; I will get the picnic basket and blankets and drinks.’

A short time later, the two of them left the property.

‘In your capable hands Jack’ Vladislav said to the dog, waving jovially at the dog, who stared listlessly back from his position beside the koi pond.

Vladislav and Beatrice left the property via the back gate, beginning the pleasant journey to the beach, at one point they began to canter, playfully racing each other.

When they reached the edge of the sparsely growing trees, Beatrice let out a gasp, seeing the environment open up. Clean sands reached far in either direction, and before them, the waves rolled up the beach.

There was no one else around, besides from Vladislav and Beatrice and their horses, the only creatures that could be seen at this time, were a few birds in the distance, sitting upon the rocks.

Vladislav dismounted the shire, patting her dark coat lovingly.

‘We’re here’ he said, tossing the reigns over a branch and reaching for the bag he had prepared.

Nearby, Beatrice did the same, finding a lowers branch, and placing the reigns of her pony over a branch.

Beatrice padded forwards, stepping out of the trees, moving slowly towards the sea.

She knelt slowly, touching the sand beneath her, before pushing her hands into the sand, feeling the grit between her fingers.

‘It feels…interesting.’

‘Doesn’t it just’ Vladislav replied. ‘Now come on, lets find a nice place to sit.’