Mute Mate: The Alpha's Obsession
Chapter 41: When Praise Goes Wrong

Chapter 41: When Praise Goes Wrong

Ariana’s lips pressed together forming a thin line, as if trying to confirm her thoughts. She signed slowly:

"You do?"

The man smiled, bowing once more before raising his fingers to sign:

"Yes, my queen. I learned how to. My apologies for not introducing myself earlier—my name is Daniel."

Ariana nodded softly. If anyone had asked her, she would have said that even signing had an accent. The way this man moved his fingers—it was so fluid, so elegant. It almost made her feel like she had been doing it wrong all along.

How was she even supposed to describe it?

’Eh... so royalty-ly,’ if that was even a word.

Daniel’s voice came low and respectful as his gaze scanned the area before resting on a shelf nearby.

"I’ll take the horse out now for the ride. But first, since it has no buckles, I’ll have to prepare that. I believe this is no problem for you, my queen?"

Ariana moved her hands with a small nod.

"You may do as you wish," she signed quietly.

The man bowed. She still wasn’t quite used to people bowing to her like that—but she supposed she’d have to get used to it. This would be her new normal.

She watched intently as he walked toward the other end of the room, pulling out the riding gear—buckles, straps, and other essentials—to set it all up so she could sit comfortably.

He then opened the stable where the horse had been kept. The animal looked out with large, curious eyes. Daniel gently patted its neck, his touch calm and patient, before he began arranging the saddle and gear.

She heard him whisper gently to the horse:

"Hey there... calm down. It’s all alright. You’ll be well taken care of."

And strangely, it worked. The horse’s previously tense body relaxed almost immediately. Daniel’s hands moved with quiet precision, his fingers securing each strap, each buckle, as if he’d done this a thousand times before.

Ariana simply stood there, captivated.

If she were to describe this horse in one word, it would be: Magnificent.

Noticing she was staring too much, she shifted her gaze outside to admire nature for a bit.

’What a great day to be outside,’ she told herself, trying to distract herself from looking back inside.

Even though she might not be ogling the man—but the horse—rumors could still spread. Maybe not from Leah, but other workers were around the field.

When he finished, he held the reins, and the horse followed him obediently. Together, they stepped outside the stable-like room.

In front of them stood another horse—the one Ariana usually saw pulling carriages.

But this white horse? It was different. Noble. Almost ethereal. Unlike any horse she had ever seen.

Where had it come from?

Daniel’s gaze roamed, checking if anything was missing. He looked at the mounting pedal. His eyes swept over it, then to Ariana. Even though the strap was already secure, he adjusted it again—tighter this time. Just to be safe.

After all, he knew his life—or rather, his head—was on the line if anything happened to her.

"Queen Ariana, please, may you come closer so you can get on the horse?" Leah said respectfully.

Ariana’s heart shuddered with a mix of excitement and nervousness as she walked toward the horse.

"I must say," Leah added softly, "this horse looks exquisitely beautiful on you."

Ariana offered a gentle smile. Part of her appreciated the words, but another part of her couldn’t help wishing Leah would speak to her more naturally.

Even though she knew Leah meant well, the compliment felt hollow—like something said just to please the queen, not from genuine emotion.

Maybe Ariana just wasn’t used to this.

She imagined someone born into royalty would take such compliments differently. She was different. Words that might sound normal to nobles could feel stiff to her.

"We have to be extremely careful," Daniel spoke. "That’s why this specific horse was brought for you, My Queen. She’s calm and... given your pregnancy, she’ll be the safest."

Ariana nodded. No wonder.

This horse was different—it wasn’t as large or flashy as the others. It had a gentler look, a smoother build. In contrast, the horse standing on the other side—the one that presumably belonged to Daniel—was tall, muscular, and vibrant with several hues in its coat.

So all of this had been carefully planned.

Just as expected from the Royals.

She moved closer and gently reached for the pedals, her fingers brushing over them with care.

"Very careful, Queen Ariana. One leg at a time," Daniel urged softly, his tone calm and reassuring.

Ariana nodded, her expression focused. She followed his instructions with slow precision, each movement deliberate and cautious. In that moment, she looked like a careful cat—one that had finally reached the red spot it had been eyeing for so long.

Now, all that remained was the lightest tap.

She finally swung her other leg over and settled onto the horse—thankfully, she wore pants.

If it had been a gown and she flung her leg, no doubt the gown would’ve slapped her square in the face. Her eyes widened in awe, and instinctively, her mouth parted in surprise—but she quickly clamped it shut once more, remembering what would be considered unladylike.

She realized this had become a habit—

A bad habit.

Even when royals were impressed, they were expected to respond with a composed nod of approval—not with open-mouthed wonder like a beggar who had just been given bread.

So, she gave a small, regal nod instead, trying to compose her expression.

Daniel, watching closely, caught the whole thing. A slow smile tugged at the corner of his lips, warm and knowing. But only for a moment—just as quickly, it faded back into his usual composed expression.

Ariana looked around once more, still caught in disbelief—not just at the scenery, but at the fact that she was on a real horse.

A real horse.

She gently caressed its side, and the horse began to move slowly, almost as if it were responding to her touch. Her smile widened, her dimples deepening with joy.

Both Daniel and Leah stared in silent awe. In that moment, Ariana looked like something out of a dream—a living painting. The way her golden-blonde hair danced in the breeze, her twin dimples, those radiant golden eyes catching the sunlight—the view was breathtaking.

The horse bent down slightly, sniffing the grass, and the sun framed her from behind like a divine spotlight.

She looked like a once-in-a-lifetime masterpiece—an ethereal vision not meant for every eye to behold.

She looked like the Queen of the Sun.

Daniel lightly cleared his throat before swiftly mounting his own horse with practiced ease. His movements were smooth and fluid as he guided his steed to Ariana’s side.

Ariana watched him, but her attention quickly shifted back to her horse—who was still sniffing the grass without a care in the world.

Her golden eyes glinted with amusement.

This horse definitely had sass.

And she loved it.

It carried itself with a kind of graceful stubbornness, like it was aware of its beauty and made no apologies for it.

Total glamour.

"You are one brave girl, I must say," she thought proudly to herself.

As if the horse heard her, it lifted its head in quiet agreement. Ariana’s lips curved into a soft smile.

Just then, Daniel spoke up.

"Your hands—place them on the pedal like this," he said, gently demonstrating as his hands moved over the reins with calm precision.

Ariana watched closely, then mirrored his movements, following his guidance with quiet focus.

"Excellent, Queen Ariana," Daniel praised, clearly impressed by her attentiveness.

Ariana nodded, though a quiet thought tugged at her mind.

She had noticed something about herself: whenever she did something well and was praised too soon, it often led to mistakes afterward.

Not intentionally—but the praise would stay in her head, and wanting to hear more would make her second-guess everything.

It was why her mother rarely praised her midway.

She would remain quiet until Ariana finished—then she would shower her with all the hype and admiration. It had always worked better that way.

But no one else knew that.

So now, she had learned to calm herself—

To breathe through the praise—

To focus on finishing, not just hearing how well she’d started.

"Raise it up this way," Daniel said softly as Ariana tried to follow his instruction.

"The other way, Queen Ariana."

She blinked.

Oh no, she hadn’t even finished the first part, and already that small compliment had crept into her head.

She reminded herself—she was still learning. She had no idea how to ride a horse properly yet.

But these people didn’t know that their help was more valuable than they realized.

Once she mastered it, escape would be far easier.

Not now, though. That wasn’t her plan. Not yet.

Her thoughts drifted again. Eventually, Zavren would remarry or take a mistress—she was certain of that.

And the last thing she ever wanted was for her child to ask, "Why does Father have another wife?"

She would raise her child to understand loyalty, to believe in one partner, in staying true.

"Queen Ariana—the pedal..." Daniel’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

The reins in her hand began to slip.

Oh no... she’d been so caught up in her husband’s emotions, she’d completely forgotten she was supposed to be learning something.

She quickly grabbed the reins again—

"No—Queen..." Daniel’s voice trailed off—

HEEIO-HO!

Before Ariana could process what was happening, the horse beneath her suddenly jolted forward.

"Oh no!" Her breath caught in fear, her eyes widening in horror as the sound of hooves thundered in her ears.

"Queen Ariana, please stay calm!" Daniel called from behind, still respectful even in the urgency.

But his words only heightened her panic.

Ariana, thinking she could control the animal by pulling the reins harder, tugged sharply—

And that made things worse.

The horse began to run.

Her eyes flew wide.

T–The gate.

They were headed straight for it.

W...what had she done?

They were going to crash.