Love and War

17: Anastasia

Anastasia's POV:
It's been 2 days. According to Landon we should be 2 more days away from King Santiago's kingdom.

My stomach was a bundle of nerves and my bickering with Jonah didn't help. Well it got my mind off everything happening but it got infuriating.

"Let's go. Wake up both of you." Jonah said nudging each of us with his foot.

I groaned and stood. I yawned and ran my hands down my dress. I really wished I had fighting leathers like theirs now.

"For a prince you really lack manners and just general pleasantness."

"Pleasantness?" He asked in disbelief.

"It's a word!" I shouted stepping closer to him.

He stepped closer closing the gap between us.

Landon pulled me back and Jonah chuckled deeply. "Both of you stop. Let's go already we are on an important mission. Stop ruining it with your useless fighting!" He said raising his voice like I've never seen him do.

He sighed sounding annoyed and started walking. We followed close behind at least I did. Jonah insisted on staying slightly behind because he didn't want to walk beside me.

What an idiot.

Does he think I have cooties or something?

Probably. He's just that immature and stupid.

After a couple of hours of walking, we stopped for a break. I sat on a boulder and stretched my legs. Jonah leaned on a tree watching my every move as if I might just strangle him. I turned my head and stuck out my tongue. He sent a vulgar gesture my way that I'd never think a prince was capable of doing and I turned away annoyed.

"Don't piss me off because if we get to King Santiago's palace and you just so happen to land in an executor's hands... I might just let you die." He whispered to make sure Landon didn't hear.

Before I could respond we hear Landon start coughing and a cloud of smoke surrounded us. "Cover your mouths!" He told us. I was confused but I didn't hesitate to cover my mouth and nose with my cloak. Jonah did the same.

We approached him and he was still coughing. "The smoke burning poison ivy burning."

***

It's been 2 hours and Landon looked like a pufferfish. His face and body had rashes that were itchy and swollen. I ripped a piece of fabric from my cloak and tied it around my nose and mouth. I ripped another piece of fabric from my cloak and did the same for Jonah who looked annoyed but took it anyways.

I knew a cure for poison ivy but I wasn't sure I'd find everything I needed here.

First I had to make sure Landon was clean so I told him to go bathe in the lake and wash his clothes too. Neither Jonah nor I could touch his clothes because we'd get infected too.

"I need nettle," I told Jonah as we waited for Landon to return.

"Nettle?"

"It's a green plant and has leaves with small stinging hairs. We could use it to heal his rashes." I explained. "You really should read up on your plants."

He nodded. "Yes, I guess I should. Alright then let's get searching."

I nodded and we spent at least another hour searching for the plant. I was about to lose hope when Jonah came up behind me.

"Anastasia. I think I got it." I turned and saw he was in fact holding nettle.

I smiled and pocketed the nettle plant. "Yes! Thank you now I have to make it into something he could drink and we'll be able to continue our trip." I said not exactly excited to do the last thing.

He returned my smile and his blue eyes shimmered with something I couldn't quite recognize. But it made my heart soar. I grabbed his hand and walked back to where Landon stood half-naked. He only wore his underwear. He covered himself with his hands from me but I only walked over to the lake and started collecting water. "Landon. There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I've seen men half-naked and fully naked before. So don't worry." I said.

Landon only chuckled but Jonah rolled his eyes. I stood and made them go collect some wood for me.

With the wood, I'd make a fire and then start boiling some water for the nettle to melt and become a stew. Landon will drink it and he should be fine. I've contracted poison ivy and it's worked for me, if it doesn't work then there's nothing else I could do for him. But he's my friend so I will try my hardest.

***

"Thank you," Jonah whispered to me. Landon was sitting on a boulder facing the lake in front of us. We were sitting by the fire and night was soon approaching. Landon seemed better already, my nettle remedy clearly working.

"For?"

"For helping Landon and I. Not just today but since we met. You've always helped us even if there is something in it for you. You did a lot more than you had to Anastasia so for that I thank you."

I felt my cheeks warm up and I looked at him. The flames danced in his eyes which were now a dark blue. I studied his strong features in the semi-dark and he was beautiful. His sharp jaw and the small freckle on his face near his eye.

"You're welcome," I said.

"What'd you mean earlier when you said that you've seen other men...naked?" He asked.

I think he may be a little jealous.

"Well, the same way you've seen many women naked before as well." I simply said.

He nodded slowly and faced the fire. We stayed in a tense silence for a bit and I wasn't sure what to say.

He huffed out a laugh and he said. "That's different."

"Yeah, different how?" I asked crossing my arms and quirking an eyebrow.

He leaned in now and whispered into my ear. "You're still a virgin."

How'd he know that?

I didn't let him see it in my face as I feigned boredom. "I am or maybe I'm not... what's it to you?"

He smirked and without breaking eye contact slid his hand up my leg slowly. I bit my lip and refused to break eye contact, refusing to let him win. His hand continued its journey higher leaving goosebumps behind. He leaned in further with my side to his chest and started trailing kisses down my jawline. They were soft and I couldn't stop the low gasp that escaped me as his index finger brushed the outside of my panties. He smirked against my skin.

He pulled away and I glanced at him to see he was still looking at me. His blue eyes darkened and only made the butterflies in my stomach grow.

"The only reason I know is because you react to every little thing I do." He said standing. He laid his cloak down in a makeshift bed beside me. He laid down and used his arm as a pillow.

I rolled my eyes and laid down on my side also using my arm as a pillow. We kept watching each other his blue eyes flickered from my eyes to my lips and back. With that act alone I had to fight the urge to walk over and kiss him. I hated how my body really did react to everything he did.

I wasn't sure when I fell asleep but the last image in my head was his eyes.

***