The Dragon Prince - Soren x reader (f)

- The Tallest Mountain -

We agreed to depart tomorrow morning at sunrise.

Just Claudia, Soren and I.

The three of us. Not weird at all.

Soren had left our 'make-up' training that afternoon to meet with his father. When I finally found him again in the evening, he was... off.

Quiet. Unfocused. Anxious.

I asked what was wrong- if Viren had said anything? He just dismissed my growing worry and took off all flustered.

Now I was on my way to see Mika, when I see Soren and Claudia together in the courtyard. The former with an unusually large pile of jelly tarts next to him on the bench. I walk over, hoping I'm not interrupting anything private.

Claudia's words come into my earshot as I get closer. "-he said that walnuts are his favourite...fruit!?"

Very out of context.

I casually enter into the conversation, "fruit?" I say perplexed.

"I mean, that's crazy, right?" She gives me a breathless laugh. Fake. Acting.

She's nervous.

Covering something up?

But to me? Or Soren?

Soren smiled at me before replying to his sister, "I don't even think they're a fruit."

"They're not," she forces another laugh. "I mean, what's his favourite vegetable? Ice cream?" Soren chuckles at the comment, I'm still confused on who 'he' is. She turns her attention over to me, "hey sorry, (Y/n), are you ready for our mission?"

"I have high hopes it'll go well," I tell her. I really do. Soren tenses at my words. I redirect the question back at them, "what about you guys?"

Soren replies first, "yeah. I guess I am."

Claudia smiles, "same. I'm sure you guys won't die." We both perk up at the comment. Soren paused in gathering his jelly tarts.

"What?" We inquired simultaneously.

"On the mission," Claudia continued. She was acting 'off' as well. "I mean, eventually you will both die. I assume. But who knows?" I certainly didn't know. "Maybe you won't!"

"Thanks...Claudia," Soren said before popping a jelly tart in his mouth. He offers me one and I gladly accept, thankful for the normalcy between us.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That evening we packed and got a good nights sleep for the journey ahead. We awoke just before the sun peaked over the hills to saddle our horses. Three of the Kingdom's hounds accompany us to the Banther Lodge. Soren claims they're the best tracking dogs in Katolis.

When we arrive at the house it seems... empty. We dismount and Soren whistles for the dogs attention whilst bringing out Callum's training shirt. Clearly the filthiest one.

"It's so dirty," Claudia points out.

Soren laughs, "he spends most of his training falling in the mud. More like the 'mis-step' Prince!" He cracks up. I found the play on words quite funny, but kept my laugh in. Callum had always been more book smart, which is great, because now he could be mage! Claudia doesn't laugh either. Soren explains, "y'a know, cause he trips and falls a lot."

"Oh no the joke was clear," I laugh then at Claudia's burn, earning myself a frown from her brother.

The dogs sniff the shirt, immediately catching a scent. They alert their findings with a couple barks before running off in a random direction.