NaNoWriMo 2015

Chapter Eighteen -- Day 18

I frown at him. "Do I really have a choice in saying no?" I ask him.

He shakes his head. "No, probably not," his smile grows bigger.

I let out a long sigh. "Fine. You can join us." I tell him. "But we only have two horses. You'll have to walk."

"Aw, I was hoping I could ride with you." He winks at me.

I look away and try to ignore the fact that my cheeks are probably scarlet right now.

He laughs a little. "Come on, bring me back to your camp. We can rest up some before tomorrow."

I frown at him. "That's what we were already doing."

He raises an eyebrow. "Who is 'we'?"

"Rose and I." I answer while crossing my arms over my chest.

Confusion covers his face. "I thought you didn't like Rose."

I shrug my shoulders. "What else can I say?" I tell him. "She grew on me."

Quince laughs a little. "Well then. Come on, Princess. You should get some rest." He holds out his hand and waits for me to take it.

I don't, mostly because I'm upset at him for following us out here, and start walking back to camp.

"Are you going to tell me what you were leaving for?" Quince asks.

I glare at him from over my shoulder. "I was leaving so that I could help with the search."

"Isn't that dangerous?" he asks.

I scoff a little. "So far it's a lot safer than staying up in that castle." I tell him.
He laughs a little. "Yes, I suppose that's true. But you could've talked to your uncle about it. He could've arranged some sort of protection for you."

"He didn't want me to go to begin with." I said. "That's why I snuck out."

Quince laughs. "Bad girl, are we?"

I push his shoulder. "Shut up." I roll my eyes and step through the last of the bushes. "You have to be quiet. She's asleep now."

I make my way over towards the horses and pull out another blanket.

I hand it to Quince. "Do you think you can survive a night out here in the wilderness?" I ask him while grinning.

Quince takes the blanket and rolls his eyes. "Please, of course I can."

I laugh silently. "Then prove it, Princey."

"Princey?" he asks. "Is that really what you're going to call me now?"

I nod my head. "Yes, now get to sleep." I craw into my own bed and curl up.

I hear the rustling of Quince crawling into his bed and fall asleep. 

*****

"Why would the Prince be here of all places?"

I woke up to Rose's voice.

Sitting up from the ground, I stretch a little before rubbing my eyes and looking at them.

"Rose!" I shout.

She has a sword pointed to Quince's throat. He's sitting there still half asleep.

She looks over at me. "Are you aware that someone sneaked in and decided to join us last night?" She gestures to the two sleeping bags together side by side.