"LET’S STOP. DOESN’T SEEM LIKE WE WILL MAKE IT TO ORCHARD TONIGHT." TROY SAYS TILTING HIS HEAD UP TO BE SURE AL AND ADRIA HAD HEARD HIM FROM UP ON THE WAGON.

"THAT WORKS FINE FOR ME." ADRIA SAYS WITH A SMILE. "I’D PREFER NOT TO STAY IN THE ORCHARD ANYWAY."

"R… RIGHT." TROY MURMURS RUBBING HIS NECK. HE THEN TURNS TO HIS PARTNERS AND BEGINS SHOUTING PREPARATIONS.

ADRIA ASSISTS AL IN DISEMBARKING FROM THE TALL WAGON AND GLANCES AROUND THE SITE TROY HAD CHOSEN. IT WAS FAR ENOUGH OFF THE MAIN PATH TO BE CONSIDERED SAFE, IT WAS HEAVILY SHIELDED BY TREES AND ROCKS SO WIND SHEER WON’T POSE TO MUCH OF A PROBLEM. ADRIA BEGAN TO THINK OF PREPARATIONS HERSELF. "WELL, LETS START I WILL…"

HOWEVER AL HAD ALREADY STARTED ASSEMBLING A FIRE PIT AS WELL AS COLLECTING NEARBY WILD ONIONS. THE MAGE GIRL GAB NOTICED THIS AND BEGAN BARTERING SHARES OF A STEW MADE WITH SOME OF THE RAW MEAT THEY HAD BROUGHT WITH THEM.

AL GLANCED TO ADRIA WHO NODDED WITH A BIT OF DROOL GATHERING NEAR HER CHEEK. WITH THAT IT WAS DECIDED THE GROUP WOULD SHARE A MEAL TONIGHT. TRAVIS ALSO SHOWED ADRIA A WAY OF TURNING A TENT INTO A MAKESHIFT COVER FOR A WAGON.

"YOU GUYS ARE LIFESAVERS." ADRIA SAYS WITH A SMIRK ONCE THEY ALL SAT AROUND THE FIRE. "I THOUGHT ESCORTS KEEP TO THEMSELVES UNLESS SOMETHINGS IN IT FOR THEM."

"WELL YOU CAN’T EXACTLY SAY NOTHING IS IN IT FOR US." GAB SAYS WITH A YAWN AS SHE STIRS THE POT OF STEW.

"GAB!" TROY SAYS ELBOWING HER IN THE RIB.

"WHAT? EH? ITS RUDE TO KEEP IT QUIET. AND SOMETIMES YOUR PLANS AREN’T THE BEST." GAB SAYS PRESSING TENDERLY ON THE SPOT ON HER STOMACH WHERE TROY HAD STRUCK. "ROUIN, WHAT DO YOU SAY? YOU AGREE RIGHT?"

"HMM. I DON’T REALLY CARE EITHER WAY." ROUIN SAYS BLOWING ON A REDDISH BROWN LEAF CARELESSLY. "ALTHOUGH AT THIS POINT IT WOULD BE MORE WISE TO EXPLAIN, AS IT SOUNDS MUCH MORE SINISTER THAN IT IS."

WITH THAT THE THREE GLANCE AT AL AND ADRIA. BOTH HELD AN EXPRESSION OF CONFUSION.

"WE WANT TO BE YOUR GO-TO ADVENTURERS. ONCE YOU ARE SETTLED MAYBE PUT US ON RETAINER?" GAB SAYS FLUTTERING HER EYELIDS AT AL SEDUCTIVELY.

ADRIA GRINDS HER TEETH UNCONSCIOUSLY AND RESTRAINS HERSELF FROM KICKING THE FIRE THAT SEPARATED HER FROM THE ROBED MAGE.

"WE WILL PROVE OUR WORTH ON THIS TRIP. I KNOW ADR… THE LIEUTENANT COMMAN… UHM… WELL I KNOW YOU AREN’T FOND OF ADVENTURERS BUT WE HOPE WE CAN PROVE WE ARE DIFFERENT." TROY SAYS RUBBING HIS SCALP NERVOUSLY.

"I JUST WANT TO KNOW ONE THING. AND I WANT AN HONEST ANSWER." ADRIA SAYS WITH A DEEP BREATH. "KANGER, BEFORE HE JOINED UP WITH YOU, WAS HE A MEMBER OF..."

"YEAH." TROY SAYS WITH A SLOW NOD, "HE WASN’T REGISTERED TO THEIR PARTY BUT HE WAS DEFINITELY A LACKEY. THEY BROUGHT HIM WITH THEM PRETTY OFTEN."

"ONE TIME WHEN HE WAS REALLY DRUNK HE COMPLAINED THAT ‘THE ONLY REASON HE WASN’T WITH THEM WAS BECAUSE OF A STOMACH FLU’." GAB ADDS AFTER TROY.

"DID HE KNOW? DID HE KNOW THEY WERE GOING TO ATTACK THOSE SOLDIERS?" ADRIA ASKS WITH A DUMBFOUNDED EXPRESSION.

"I DON’T KNOW. HE NEVER MENTIONED ANYTHING ABOUT IT." TROY SIGHS. "HONESTLY I NEVER LIKED HAVING HIM IN THE PARTY BUT WE DIDN’T HAVE A CHOICE. WHEN THE BLACK ACES TURNED ROGUE, OVERNIGHT WE WENT FROM A GROUP OF NOBODIES TO THE LEADING PARTY. AT THAT POINT WE FIGURED FILLING OUT RANKS WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN FINDING TRUSTWORTHY PEOPLE. HIM AND THE FAT GUY WERE STRONG AND THEY WERE ALREADY IN TOWN."

"I DIDN’T LIKE WORKING WITH HIM EITHER, HE WAS A CREEP." GAB SAYS WITH A SHUTTER. "RIGHT ROUIN?"

ROUIN COUGHS TO SUPPRESS HIS GULP. "WHAT.. I DON’T…"

"HE CAME ON TO BOTH OF US WHENEVER HE GOT DRUNK. IT WAS EITHER FLIRTING OR RELIVING THE ‘GLORY DAYS’." GAB EXPLAINS TO ADRIA WITHOUT BOTHERING TO ADDRESS ROUIN’S WIDENING EYES.

"THAT WAS FLIRTING?" ROUIN LIGHTLY WHISPERS PLACING A HAND ON HIS THIGH IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE ACT WAS ‘FLIRTING‘.

"SO, AGAIN WE ARE SORRY." TROY SAYS WITH A HALF BOW FROM SEATED. HAD HE BOWED ANYMORE HIS EYEBROWS WOULD HAVE LIKELY SINGED OFF.

"NO, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO APOLOGIZE FOR." ADRIA SAYS WITH A SIGH.

"WELL IT'S OVER NOW ANYWAYS." GAB SAYS SIPPING A SPOONFUL OF THE SOUP TO TEST ITS FLAVOR.

ADRIA SHAKES HER HEAD. "NO, IT'S NOT. THE BLACK ACES ARE STILL LOOSE. WE STILL DON’T EVEN KNOW THEIR MOTIVE."

"ISN’T THAT OBVIOUS?" TROY ASKS SLIGHTLY DUMBFOUNDED.

"TROY." GAB SAYS WITH A STAB OF A SPOON.

"OW." TROY YELPS AT GAB WITH A LOOK OF BETRAYAL. "WHAT? I MEAN SHE’S A PRINCESS. WHY ELSE WOULD YOU KIDNAP A PRINCESS?"

"BUT I’M NOT." ADRIA SAYS WITH A SIGH. "I’VE EXPLAINED THIS COUNTLESS TIMES TO THE TOWNSPEOPLE. I GAVE UP MY TITLE. I’M A COMMONER. OR I GUESS I'M A OFFICER IN THE ARMY BUT THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER THING."

THE THREE ADVENTURERS CLICK THEIR TONGUES AS IF ADRIA HAD JUST MADE A ROOKIE MISTAKE OF SOME KIND.

"YOU THINK THAT MATTERS? YOU ARE STILL THE DAUGHTER OF THE KING AREN’T YOU?"

"YEAH BUT…"

"BUT NOTHING."

"BUT MY BROTHER IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT KING, I HAVE NO LINE IN THE SUCCESSION AT ALL IF ANYTHING I…"

"PSH." TROY LAUGHS HANDING A BOWL TO GAB TO FILL. "THAT DOESN’T MATTER. THE KING WOULD SURELY PAY ANYTHING IF YOU WERE IN TROUBLE. IT’S EASY MONEY."

GAB, REALIZING HOW BAD HIS WORDS SOUND QUICKLY INTERJECTS. "NOT THAT WE ARE… HE’S AN IDIOT BUT HE’S JUST TRYING TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION HONESTLY. AND I AGREE WITH HIS HYPOTHESIS BY THE WAY."

"NOBLE’S DON’T WORK LIKE THAT. WHY DON’T PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT. I AM WORTHLESS TO MY FAMILY. A BLACK MARK THEY WANT ERASED IN THE SHADOWS." ADRIA SAYS WITH A ROLL OF HER EYES.

"THAT’S NOT TRUE." ROUIN SAYS SHAKING HIS HEAD WITH DISAPPOINTMENT. "IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOUR FAMILIES SOCIAL CLASS IS. ALL HUMANS, MANA EFFECTED OR NOT, LOVE THEIR CHILDREN. IT’S AN INEVITABLE TRUTH OF LIFE."

"YOU DON’T KNOW MY FAMILY."

"OR MAYBE IT’S YOU WHO DOESN’T KNOW YOUR FAMILY?" ROUIN ADDS QUIETLY SIPPING FROM THE STEW AND NODDING TO GAB.

WITH THAT THE DINNER CONTINUES IN SILENCE. NO ONE FELT LIKE THEY COULD FOLLOW THAT. EVEN ADRIA KEPT HER THOUGHTS TO HERSELF. SHE KNEW THERE WAS NO CONVINCING THESE PEOPLE. THEY ARE STUBBORN.

«§»

EVENING TURNED TO NIGHT AND ADRIA AND AL SPLIT WITH THE ADVENTURERS TO THEIR RESPECTIVE LODGINGS. GAB STABBED HER SHORT WAND INTO THE GROUND CAUSING AN EGGSHELL LIKE CAGE TO GROW AROUND HER. SHE WINKS ONCE AT AL AS THE EGG ENGULFS HER BODY.

ROUIN ON THE OTHER HAND SIMPLY JUMPS INTO A TREE AND ADJUSTS A FEW ICY VINES INTO A MAKESHIFT HAMMOCK. HE THEN LIGHTLY SETS A WORN BLANKET INSIDE AND DIVES IN HEAD FIRST. ONLY TROY WAS LEFT FUMBLING WITH A SMALL TENT. A POLE FELL CAUSING THE ENTIRE THICK CANVAS TO COVER HIM LIKE SOME SORT OF CHEAP HALLOWEEN GHOST.

"I GUESS WE ARE LIVING LIKE KINGS COMPARABLY." ADRIA LAUGHS OPENING THE MAKESHIFT WAGON COVER. "IT’S CRAMPED BUT…"

SHE TURNS A SHADE OF RED WHICH ALL THE HEAD SHAKING IN THE WORLD DOESN’T SEEM TO PREVENT.

"I WILL TAKE THE FLOOR." AL SAYS GLANCING AROUND THE SMALL TENT AREA.

"IT’S ALL FLOOR AL." ADRIA LAUGHS RETURNING HER CHEEKS TO NORMAL. "HERE, YOU CURL UP THERE. AND I WILL SLEEP OVER HERE."

"UNDERSTOOD." AL SAYS WITH A NOD, PACING AROUND HIS CORNER LIKE A SMALL PUPPY. HE WAS SAD THERE WAS NO SMELL OF ADRIA BUT HE KEPT QUIET ABOUT THAT.

"SO I PROMISED YOU A STORY, HUH?" ADRIA SAYS AFTER THE TWO HAD SETTLED INTO THE SMALL WAGON. "I KNOW IT'S OUT OF ORDER BUT I WILL GO BACK TO THE TIME IN THE CAPITAL NOW. BACK BEFORE I GAVE IT ALL UP. IS THAT OK?"

"YEAH." AL QUIETLY REPLIES WITH A NOD CAPABLE OF ROCKING THE WAGON’S SUSPENSION.

"WELL I WAS AN ONLY CHILD FOR THE FIRST, ALMOST SIXTEEN YEARS OF MY LIFE. I WAS ALWAYS EXPECTED TO BE THE HEIR UNTIL MY BROTHER WAS BORN FIVE YEARS AGO. TO MOST, THAT DAY WOULD PROBABLY BE THE WORST IN THEIR LIVES. BUT FOR ME IT WAS A BLESSING. I WAS FREE FROM SUCH A MASSIVE RESPONSIBILITY. I WAS FREE FROM THE JUDGEMENT AND EXPECTATIONS EVERYONE PUSHED TOWARDS ME. YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS DREADED MY PARENTS BEING UNABLE TO CONCEIVE. GETTING STUCK WITH THE ROLE... I USED TO HAVE REOCCURRING NIGHTMARES OF THE KINGDOM COLLAPSING UNDER MY WATCH. I WOULD WAKE UP COVERED IN SWEAT, UNABLE TO BREATH, IT WAS HORRIBLE."

ADRIA SIGHS AS SHE THINKS BACK TO HER FORMER SELF. A SELF SHE NOW THOUGHT WAS A BIT WIMPY.

"IT PROBABLY WASN’T A GREAT DECISION BUT AS SOON AS MY BROTHER WAS ANNOUNCED TO THE OTHER NOBLES I CEDED MYSELF FROM THE FAMILY LINE AND LEFT. AT FIRST I STAYED IN THE CAPITAL AND ENROLLED IN OFFICER TRAINING WITH THE HELP OF A FRIEND BUT ONCE THAT WAS FINISHED I JUST ACCEPTED MY PLACEMENT LIKE A NORMAL SOLDIER."

ADRIA YAWNS LIGHTLY THROUGH HER FINAL WORDS.

"SO WHEN I SAY THEY WON’T REALLY HELP ME, I MEAN IT. MY PARENTS ARE FOCUSED ON MY BROTHER NOW. RAISING HIM TO BE A GOOD KING. THAT’S THE ONLY THING ON THEIR MINDS RIGHT NOW. AS IT SHOULD BE."