Charlotte held James’s hand as they walked through the grounds. She couldn’t wait to show him all around New Zealand. He seemed to know a bit about the cultures there, and was excited when she mentioned going to New Zealand before, she could only hope that his excitement would extend to when she was there missing him. Charlotte could feel a bit of approval from his parents as they walked together and hoped that she was right about it. She was sure that she was going to have to wait until she left for James to write her and let her know what was said about her.
“Might try to have you come with me, Romania seems beautiful from everything I’ve seen on it.” There were wise open spaces in the countryside where her mother’s family lived. She was sure that he would love the horses her mother’s family kept and would be able to show Charlotte how to ride all over.

When he kissed her forehead, she could feel the love that he had for her. They might have a slow relationship, most people who started dating around the same time as them were already having sex, but she liked it that way. James was a gentleman who seemed as willing to wait as she was.
“I’m itching to get my hands under the hood of that truck.” She motioned to the truck by the other barn and knew that an old truck was her favorite. She put together a 69 corvette with Nee the summer before, and was waiting for him to pick out another junker from a junk yard. Charlotte stepped away from the group to get a better look at the foals. The way they played with each other, danced around the pen, she barely realized she was spacing out in the beauty of it until she heard the snap of the camera. She turned around and looked at James,
“Thoughtful, creepy, but thoughtful.” She teased and squeezed his hand in thanks for the picture.
“Jasmine, Maddie and Nee will die of jealousy.”

Charlotte knew that James wanted to help around on the farm after he graduated from Salem, if he was going to go to Aridorn with her in order to learn more about magical creatures and healing would be another story. She was going for healing, and hoped to get a job at one of the magical hospitals as a healer. Maybe even take some extra care of magical creatures classes in order to help out her boyfriend and his family.

Charley walked with him to the fence and watched the Pegasus trot through the yard and nudge another one,
“Are they family?” She asked, curious how he was able to keep track of which ones came from which family. Then again, she could do the same with the alligators around her home. She knew which ones were friendly, and which ones were more temperamental than others. She knew them by name and by reputation. Which ones lurked in certain areas and which ones was family to others. It was the same thing with his magical and nonmagical creatures.
“They’re beautiful.” She leaned her head against his strong shoulder and just enjoyed the view against the rough wood of the fence.

She shrugged when he mentioned not knowing if her seeing thestrals was a good thing, or a terrible thing,
“It was a long time ago, having a supportive family helps with everything.” Her family was tight knit and they were one of the strongest support systems she could ever imagine. Whatever she wanted to pursue in her life, they were there to make sure that she knew that she was loved. It was probably why her parents and siblings were so supportive of James and made it obvious that they liked him as much as they did. Well, Nee excluded because he’s a punk and doesn’t think that anyone would be good enough for Charlotte.
“Seems like Mr Richardson is a wizard in everything but the abilities.” He was so completely part of the magical world that sometimes Charlotte forgot that he was a muggle.

Charlotte smiled when the group went into a shed and pulled out what looked like hunks of meat and carried them. She couldn’t tell what the meat was, but she could tell it was a hefty weight by the way they carried them.
“Anything I can do to help?” She was enjoying her time with the Richardsons, she wanted to be more than just the guest. She liked the family a lot and wanted to at least offer.

When they got to the hippogriffs she watched the family bow in unison to the proud creatures. She felt all of their eyes on her as she attempted to make eye contact with all of them and bowed to them, hoping to convey the respect that these creatures demanded for their egos, and deserved for their beauty. She stayed in her bow, keeping the eye contact and hoping that she would earn their respect back.