Title: A Tour of Cordoba

Rating: K+

Note 1: I thought of this after watching Prince Too Charming. Let's face it, that tour of Cordoba sounded like a date (thank you Tumblr for the idea). So a one shot about that really quick.

Note 2: Some Spanish/Mexican notes I've picked up on.

Since they tango'd in Cordoba, I looked up where the tango originated, which was Buenos Aires Argentina. Then pulled some areas of interest such as the plaza to be in the story.

"Yea, we're young we should have a little fun," said Elena with a slightly mocking tone in her voice. She leaned her back against the side of the carriage.

"You're right, after all I'm a live in the moment type of royal guard," said Gabe as he leaned on the other side of the carriage. Both of the laughed as they continued to mock the incompetent Prince Alonso. Even the Cordobian guard laughed at his future ruler.

It soon grew to a comfortable silence between the two. Both of them leaned against the back of the carriage so that they were closer together. Elena sighed now that she could relax a little. She couldn't help but wonder what the other sites she picked would be like. Juan Ramon chose her fifth site and the other 25 were left forgotten. At least now she could know as she looked out into the forest.

"You know that was kind of fun," said Elena as she touched his hand for a moment. "Minus the danger part of course, the buhitos are so cute. It's nice that they have permanent homes now, thanks for helping me build them Gabe."

He only smiled at her as she looked down at her shoes for a moment. The guard only drove the horses onward to show them the rest of Cordoba.

"It's not a problem princess," he said before thinking of his own question. He wanted to ask since it happened, because he honestly couldn't tell. "You didn't actually fall for that song and dance number did you?"

"I nearly almost did," admitted Elena red in embarrassment. Gabe stroked the top of her hand as he tried to keep her from an outburst. Oddly enough, it seemed to work as it was comforting. "Do I really work that much? Am I really not that much fun?"

"What makes you think that? You're more fun than a bunch of kids that I call family," he said humorously. "In all seriousness, I wouldn't believe him, he was just trying to get out of work by saying that. At least you had some fun, I had to carry Pedro. You know how hard it is to carry a horse?"

Elena bit her lip at the thought that she might be overworking herself, but relaxed at his words. She could be fun at her own pace. Work and then fun, it wasn't like she was completely absent of it. Then smiled into her bit lip as she remembered see him carry the aged horse on his back.

"You're pretty strong to be carrying a horse," she said before he could say anything. They had passed into a village not too far from the castle. While Avalor Castle sat in the middle of the city, Cordoba's castle sat at the edge of the town. So this was the first time both Gabe and Elena got a chance to look at what Cordoba offered outside of bridge sites.

"Oh look the village!" she said as she tried to stand, he pulled her back down before she could be thrown out of the carriage. Gabe watched her get excited as it had been a rather stressful morning. The guard that was driving held it open for the both of them. They had gotten here just in time before the trading square was closed but the market was still opened. He bought a cookie from a vendor and broke it in half giving her the other.

A couple of people saw them as she exited the open door of the carriage. Elena could hear some of them talking around her. A couple of the kids made remarks about the carriage, horses, and a few of the boys were saying how cool Gabe's sword is. The guard let a few people pet the horses. A few people noticed them as the others ignore them. She took a deep breath from the smells of the market. Food mainly filled her senses as she was hungry, having not been able to finish that picnic. She turned back to the carriage wondering if a lunch had been packed. So she turned and went to the back of the carriage and saw Pedro.

"Oh look its Pedro," said Elena delighted at seeing the horse on the back. Gabe only froze up before petting the small aging horses head a small smile on his face. He couldn't get rid of the horse all day and here he was.

"I think he likes you Gabe," she said as the horse sniffed his uniform top.

"Well, I probably treated him better. You don't actually like Prince Alonso do you?" he asked the horse and indirectly to her, skeptically as they went through the market with no picnic but plenty of money. He did have that "I'm better than you" air that made him mad. Then the fact that he tried to pin all the blame on Elena….

In response she snorted as she giggled a little. "Not really, I'm going to be very surprised if he actually helps build the bridge."

Gabe looked around as he remained on alert. He heard some people talking about them around him. A teenaged girl mentioned the princess in passing. He heard someone say he's handsome, and that he is Elena's boyfriend. He flushed hoping Elena didn't hear that one as she just looked at handmade bags. She blinked over to him before grabbing his hand to get a lunch.

"Let's stop talking about him, at least now we get food," he said as they got themselves some sandwiches and fruit from a stand. To be honest, he liked to talk bad about the prince but it wasn't really necessary at this point. The entire event would be put behind him until they had to go back and open the bridge. This was a good start to their date.

Date. This wasn't a date was it? They were alone in a carriage only with a Cordobian guard as their guide. Then they were getting food together. She only flushed at the idea, wondering if Gabe thought it was one. Elena didn't mind the idea of being on a date with Gabe. It was actually kind of nice...

Elena got herself a sandwich and a piece of a desert. Then Gabe just grabbed an apple and sandwich for himself. Then an extra one for the guard that was driving in case he didn't get anything.

"Was that the last cake?" he asked her as the woman selling them it, only shrugged indicting that she had no more left.

"I'll share," she said defensively as he only laughed. She laughed too as she cut the cake in half as they walked back to the carriage. The guard standing there waiting for them to come back. Gabe had even bought him a sandwich.

"Now lets eat that cake," she said pulling out that last piece. Gabe only looked it longingly as she only rolled her eyes. The already cut piece, she tore apart from the other half as she nearly handed it to him. Then thought better of it. She pressed the cake into his mouth.

"Oh come on," he said before taking hers and feeding it to her. The guard only watched them amused as he turned away to finish his food. He snapped the reigns as they started off to another area of interest. The guard naming off areas on the way to the boat. The Plaza de Mayo, waterfalls, and some historic old places were named and shown off. They stopped at some of the oldest trees in Cordoba. Then the oldest church in Cordoba.

"Wow this church is so beautiful," she said as they walked in. Stain glass in place of normal windows, high ceilings, and finely crafted wood work. Gabe stuck by her as he walked up to the doors.

"It's been here for nearly 2 centuries," said Gabe reading a sign. "Just imagine what it would be like to come here for a mass or get married here."

At least Elena only flushed at the words get married. If she hadn't been in the amulet she probably would be married by now. Would she have kids by now? She only felt her stomach flip as they got closer to each other erasing those thoughts. They remained quiet as they watched an organ player clean his musical device. Then a couple of the boys come in and get ready for choir practice.

The guard found them leaning over the top balcony before leaving the ancient church.

"There's some buhitos," said Gabe pointing out of the carriage to a family of them scurrying into some tree trunks. It was starting to get dark and they would be sailing home at night. He looked over to her as she was leaning out of the carriage to get a better look.

"Princess," he said pulling her back before she fell out. "You need to stop trying to stand in a moving carriage."

His hand ghosted along her lower back as he didn't pull his hand away quick enough. Gabe adverted his eyes to look out of the carriage.

"You know you can hold my hand." That was no supposed to come out that way, but never the less they touched hands. He opened his mouth before promptly closing it. He wanted to say that it wouldn't be okay. He was just a guard not someone that she would be courting. It probably didn't matter to her and he didn't care so he only listened to her.

Elena blushed at her outburst but locked their fingers together. The guard that drove the carriage pulled up to the port as he opened the door. They pulled their hands away as they got out. The day was nice while it lasted. Some Avalorean sailors saw them as they grabbed the bags.

"That was fun," he said still warm.

"Well, we will be back," she said flushing. Then walking onto the boat to get some sleep before returning home the next day.