the dRaGoN one

Travel Talk

Leya's POV:

We're heading down a dirt road, all donning cloaks that conceal our identities. For a while we're all in single file, when I start complaining that it's too hot.

"Leya," Anna says condescendingly, "we're in a desert kingdom. It's going to be hot."

"Well yeah, I know that," I say, almost hyperventilating as though I was carrying the horse. "But you have to remember I'm from the tundra. I am not used to this at all."

"Has it bugged you before now?" Reden asks curiously

"Not really."

"Weird."

"I don't know what to tell you," I sigh exasperatedly.

"Okay," Rykor interrupts. "Let's break for lunch."

"Don't have to twist my arm," Reden immediately dismounts his horse and leads him to a side field, where there are plenty of large rocks that could work as seats. He sits and pulls a package of food out of his satchel before any of us have even responded.

"Um....okay." I say, dismounting and sitting beside him. Anna sits across from me, and Rykor sits next to her and across from Reden.

"Okay," Anna says, fidgeting with her cloak, "but we have to hurry. This could make or break his life, and many others too."

"Who even is this guy?" Reden says, with a mouthful of chewed food. "And why is he such a big deal?"

"He's of great importance to my country," I say haughtily, giving Anna a sly look. She looks at the ground, not giving her reason for wanting to rescue him from whatever's happening.

"I get that," Reden chews thoughtfully, "but you're going to be Gloann in just over a week, anyways. So he won't be that necessary; you'll already have a captain for your army."

I angrily reply in a very not nice tone, "I am NOT going to be Gloann, not any more than your prince will become Brinn. This captain has dedicated his life to my goodwill, and I will see that he does not fall behind. That is not how we do things, not in my world."

Anna coughs uncomfortably in the silence that follows my outburst. We all eat for a moment.

"Okay," Reden pipes up again. "But, in all seriousness, I'm going to be captain of the conjoined army, right? I've earned that."

"We don't have to worry about that right now," Anna says, looking at me sympathetically.

"Look, N, I'm just asking a simple question." He looks back at me and presses further. "How many kills has this Silas kid had? How many missions has he been successful with? How many enemy leaders has he assassinated?" I flinch at his words—they hit a little too close to home.

"Reden, that's enough." Rykor's practiced commanding voice ends the conversation.

"But Rykor, you know I deserve this title—it's not fair if—."

"Enough."

Reden shuts down, clearly put off at being ignored by his best friend, and his ex girlfriend. "Whatever." He stands and walks over to his horse, packing up his leftovers and mounting. "We going to save this helpless kid or what?"

Both Rykor and I exchange eye contact with Anna, seeing how she'll react to Reden acting childish. To our surprise, she doesn't mock him for it. In her head, I can tell she knows how he works. She knows when a blow to the pride will hurt him worse than he deserves.