Sitting down close to Roy in his usual spot around the campfire, Aegon was taking in the boisterous environment when the groups' conversation went back to the topic of their destination.

“So all we know is that we’re going to the southern border?” Percy asked.

“For the tenth time Percy, yes… that’s all we know.” Travis answered in a bored tone.

Percy looked at his friend with a deadpan expression. “And isn't that kind of pathetic?”

Laughter erupted all around the campfire, even Marcus, who still mourned, managed a giggle.

“Well, we also know that we came from Grandfort. I don't know if that helps….” Roy added from the side in a mocking tone, prompting another bout of scoffs and short laughs.

A thought occurred to Aegon and a teasing smirk formed on his face as he turned to Anna in a hushed tone. “You know, I’ve been thinking about this for a while now, don't you have the answer our friend Percy so desires?”

Anna’s expression turned sour as she felt an acute migraine incoming.

“Yeah, I guess I do….”

Aegon’s smirk became wider. “And you won’t end the poor guy’s misery?”

“Dammit Aegon…are you listening to yourself? You want me to just tell them out of the blue that I know where we’re going? For what? Just to satiate their curiosity?”

Aegon shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t want anything… I'm just making some suggestions.”

Hearing this she became thoroughly annoyed. “Oh and it’s such a great suggestion right? I’ll just suddenly tell everyone that we’re going to Lullin and then what? They will ask me how I know that…”

In that moment, as she stared at Aegon’s blue eyes, realization finally set in.

“So we are going to Lullin, that’s interesting.”

Lowering his tone even further he continued.

“And what’s the issue between your dad and the people at Lullin?”

Anna looked at Aegon like he was mad.

“The people of Lullin have no problem with my father. What are you talking about?”

Aegon sighed.

“I said people because I don't know the name or the title of the person in charge there, my mom used to say that getting those things wrong offends your… type.”

“Type?” Anna asked with a frown.

Aegon shrugged. “You know, rich people.”

She was silent for a while, simply looking Aegon in the eyes while the conversation around them flowed smoothly.

“Sometimes I forget some of you guys aren’t noble.”

Aegon scoffed. “And is that a problem?”

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“Not to me but I come from a family of nouveau riche”.

“Am I supposed to know what that is?”

Lifting her eyes towards the starry sky above Anna responded in a calm voice.“It means we aren't an old noble family, our title was earned by my father around twenty years ago. Before that we were just like you guys I guess, he said he was an orphan from an early age after some kind of plague killed his parents...” At this moment her gaze drifted back to Aegon’s eyes.

“Is it ok for you to be telling me this?”

Anna looked confused as she answered. “What do you mean? Everyone in high society knows how we got our title? It's not a big secret.”

“No, not that. I mean about your grandparents.”

“Ohh that.” Anna stayed silent for a second. “It’s no big deal, I never knew them so… ,this is going to sound bad but I guess I don't feel anything when talking about them.”

Aegon silently staring at her became uncomfortable so she quickly added.

“It’s not really like I don't feel anything but I guess…I just don't feel enough…I think….”

“You don't need to explain yourself.” Aegon unhurriedly added. “I never knew my grandparents either. They died before I was born so I can understand what you are saying, it's actually a pretty good way to put it, it’s not like I don't feel anything but I feel too little…. Hmm that sounds about right.”

Lifting his gaze and looking at the campfire his expression turned serious. “When I compare the feeling I get when I think of my grandparents to how I feel when I imagine my parents' death, it's not even close.”

Anna nodded her head while listening to Aegon’s words, feeling that she couldn't have said it better herself. “I can relate.”

Aegon’s gaze returned to Anna’s face and he asked with an unreadable expression. ”Do you think that makes us horrible people?”

“Maybe.” She answered meekly.

Aegon lifted his gaze and surveyed the campfire, by now the conversation had turned to food with everyone commenting about their favorite food, some people received nods and thumbs up and others were ridiculed with playful jabs, and yet, amidst this atmosphere, one person stood out by their lack of presence in the conversation.

A tall figure with a toned build that one would picture being eagerly involved in the conversation with a wide smile on his face was instead silently polishing an already gleaming sword.

“Look at Marcus over there and then look at Percy.”

Bella’s eyes landed on the desolate and lonely figure of Marcus before swiftly changing to Percy, standing up close to the fire recounting his first time eating spicy chicken in the most exaggerated of manners with a bright smile on his face, an audience of people laughing along to his story.

“Tell me, is Percy a horrible person for having fun even though Peter died just a couple of days ago?”

Anna’s eyes lowered with a tinge of pain and shame.

“I’m not sure.”

Aegon’s unreadable expression turned into a forced smile.

“Me neither.”

“But I'm not sure Marcus isn't horrible either.”

“How can you say that?” Anna’s tone, full of shock and indignation, was higher than usual, causing the group to look towards them.

Feeling pressured under everyone’s gazes Aegon laughed out loud while the indignant Anna looked at him with wide eyes.

Percy looked at them with a sly smile and a tone dripping with ulterior meanings. “Looks like they’re getting along.” Before swiftly returning to his exaggerated recounting, taking with him everyone’s attention.

As soon as the last person turned to face Percy once more Aegon stopped laughing, instantly returning to his previous serious expression.

“Try to talk a bit louder next time will you? Some groups further ahead didn't hear you.”

Anna simply scoffed as a response and kept glaring at him, waiting for him to explain himself.

“You think what I'm saying is cruel? Let's think logically, is being quiet and sad going to bring Peter back from the dead?”

Anna’s expression softened as the realization set in but Aegon continued before she could say something.

“No, it won't bring him back. And it will also not help with anything else. Not with the group’s morale that affects our capabilities in battle, not with overcoming the trauma and it’s not going to make us finish this mission sooner.”

“It’s essentially pointless.”

Aegon paused briefly and looked at the downcast youth across from him silently polishing his blade.

“But not all things can be explained with logic.”