Once

Chapter One

The rocks are wet and slippery as we climb down the northern side of the mountain. I stumble and slip, "gotcha," Cole says as he catches me in his strong, sturdy arms. "Thanks," I say, struggling to hide my blush, it's an effect he has had on me since we were 14. I know that London is interested in him and is really pretty, but she has always been pretty rude to Cole. I know him though, and to him looks don't count for much.

We get to a clearing and start to plan out what our next steps are going to be. "I'll go with Grene, you go around the mountains base and you'll end up at this cave, my brother will be there waiting for you, once you meet up come join us on the peak of the mountain. We'll have some of the prisoners freed, but we'll need your help to go to the Rondo headquarters again." Cole maps out the plan in the dirt with a stick. "Why do you two go together?" London whines. "I'm going with Grene, we know how to fight together, you do solo, and we know each other better." Cole sounds determined, but I still interrupt their conversation. "I'll take London's place if you want, I'll be fine." "Oh, I'm not worried about you, you will be fine. Either way you go free the prisoners, It's a two person job and you are the healer, it's the more dangerous job." Cole says with authority. London groans. "No discussion. Grene and I leave tomorrow at sun-up."

I love it when he takes that kind of control. He's always been on top of everything, I admire that. He takes control and always gets the outcome he wanted originally by being firm, like he's older than us and he's the responsible adult.

Cole and I pitch our tent while London sulks and collects kindling for a fire. "Why don't you go to your brother? Maybe she doesn't want the job she currently has." I suggest to Cole, even though I know her true motivation. "I'm going with you, end of story." "Thank the lords you don't change your mind." He looks at me, "why?" "I don't want to be stuck with her for who knows how long without you! Are you nuts?" He laughs, a true laugh. I grin, he hasn't laughed like that since we were little kids.

London grumbles something about me being a thief and traitor, but Cole passes her a flask of water and tells her to be quiet. She takes the water without complaint and leaves me alone for the rest of the day. We go to sleep in the tent after eating the fish that I caught and cooked over the fire. We spread out our bedrolls in the tent, me in between Cole and London.

In the morning we pack up camp. We take one tent and leave the other one to London. Other than that we take our weapons and one flask that we filled with water from the river.