Chapter Whatever in which Walt and I go on a ride and talk about ugly people

"Thanks for saving me from the clutches of Melorada," smiled Walt as we rode our horses quietly through the glen.

I'd managed to shanghai the pair away from the royal stables when Lochinvar wasn't there. Sadly, though, his own steed hadn't been there, so I hadn't been able to get ahold of it.

"You're welcome," I grinned. I shrugged. "I guess it was kind of my actually really saying sorry for how rude I was when we first met."

Walt shrugged. "It's only natural, I guess. I mean, I am a peasant and I'm ugly and everything."

I shrugged, too. "In a way, Walt, you're only ugly if you say that you're ugly."

He gave me a look. "Huh?"

"Melorada thinks she's pretty," I pointed out, "and she's really ugly. But she seems to have lots of people convinced that she's really pretty, doesn't she?" I paused. "And, besides, you're not as ugly as Lochinvar, so there's really not anything to worry about."

Walt was quiet.

I didn't hear the next part. Maybe something different might've happened if I had.

"Well, you're not ugly," he whispered.