Damian and Mel

The sunlight begins to dance across the droplets of water from the morning mist on each piece of grass. It slowly begins to rise stretching its beams across the mountain side. I swipe the sweat building up on my forehead and glance towards the rising sun. The sweat sticks to my chest revealing every detail. I glance at Mel's silhouette against the rising sun as she cleans some of her knives. Her violet eyes fixated on every spec of the knife, her long silver hair tied up and sparkling under the sunlight, her white mask clings to her face and neck, wait...am I staring at her? Since when did I stare at people?

Suddenly she glances up from the knife and her eyes lock with mine. I lose my train of thought and...for a moment it felt like she was analyzing me, but of course she holds onto her nonchalant facial expressions.

"Stop staring at me." She says boldly.

"I-I wasn't staring," I stutter quickly glancing away. "I thought you hated me so much that you wouldn't talk to me." Wait… am I teasing her?

"Tch," Mel glares at me and approaches me with such confidence, never once losing eye contact, that I'm speechless. Her hand is gripped tightly onto the handle of her katana as she continues staring daggers as our faces are so close that our noses are almost touching; neither one of us wants to back down.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for the mission?" She asks with a low voice yet brimming with authority and confidence.

"Th-This is me getting ready for the mission?" I stutter.

"You are not ready." She states, "No one will allow you to come with us if you continue smelling like that. Mel spins on her heel and begins walking back to the house without even a second glance.

"..." I want to say something. I try to say something. But nothing comes out. I mentally facepalm myself. How can I, the prince of Merica speak to thousands at a time with perfection and confidence, yet I can't even speak a sentence to her without stuttering? The doors slam shut behind Mel. "I...stink?" I lift my shirt over my nose and attempt to take a breath in but the horrible odor causes me to cough it back out.

. . .

While waiting for the rest of the group to come outside, I decide to sit on the lounge chairs in the front of the house. His face looked so shocked, I laugh. I stop. What the hell do you think you are doing Mel? I rub my temples. Laughing? About the Prince? Have you forgotten your purpose? Have you forgotten the reason you live? You know this world doesn't allow happiness and laughter. He taught you that. He got so close to seeing my identity...and how did I allow myself to sleep in front of him? I know better than that. Angrily I walk over to the stables with my bags, throwing them over butter cups back, I lock them onto him. I tighten it a little too harshly and the buttercup swings his head over towards my head, almost knocking me out. I stumble backwards from the hit and knock over a bucket. The loud noise rings across the field hopefully not reaching any ears. "Ugh," I groan. I don't know why I'm in such a foul mood. I take a deep breath in and blow it out releasing my anger and irritation.

The sound of crunching hay under the sole of a boot touches the edge of my ear and I immediately tense and put up my walls.

"I took a shower," a clear, warm voice tells me.

"I can tell," I state and turn towards him.

Damian laughs, but it's not the kind of irritating or prideful laugh that normally comes from someone that I despise. It's warm. The kind of laugh that can fill anyone's heart and attract any girl. Good thing I'm not just "anyone."

I stand there for a moment, not sure what to do, but I decide to act like I am busy taking care of buttercup.

"What's up!" Tess jumps out from the other side of the wall startling Damian but leaving me untouched. Damian drops the bucket of water he was carrying to his stallion all over himself causing me to smile a little in amusement behind my mask. "Oh! Sorry Damian! I didn't mean to startle you that bad."

"It's alright…" Damian sighs obviously a little frustrated that he has to change again.

"What did I miss?" Derek's deep voice booms inside the table.

"Nothing much, just your girlfriend causing me to spill water all over myself," Damian says as he tries to keep his shirt from sticking to his skin. I have to force myself to focus on Derek's eyes.

"Oh, my bad man," Derek responds, "I'll prep your horse while you go to change."

"Thanks."

Meanwhile, Derek fails to uphold his promise leaving me to take care of the horse.

"Are y'all ready to go?" Tess says in a southern provincial accent.

"Yes, but we still have to wait for Damian," Anna notes while hoping on the back of Leo's horse.

"Okay, while waiting I will discuss the formation" Tess says, "Jae and I will lead up front; Mel and Damian are in the middle; Leo, Anna, and Derek take up the rear. Jae I will need you to focus your eyes on what's ahead of us while I focus on leading us on the right path. Mel and Damian, well I guess Mel you can inform Damian on what his role is later, your role is really just to back us up in case we come upon any issues same as Derek and Leo. Anna you will need to focus on what is behind us to make sure nothing sneaks up on us, so you will need to sit backwards on the horse with a bow in hand."

"I'm not sure if I have had enough training yet for an important position like that…" Anna says nervously.

"To be honest," Tess remarks, "I'm not really expecting much action, so I doubt you will need to use it in the heat of battle yet. However, while you are in that position you can focus on enhancing your skills on moving targets."

"What did I miss?" Damian asks a little out of breath.

"Nothing, we are leaving," Tess says, "You're with Mel. Let's go everyone!"

Tess flicks her wrist and her horse takes off while Jae follows close behind her. I quickly throw my leg over Buttercups body and follow while Damian does the same. I glance back and see Anna trying to readjust herself and Derek taking off. We take off through the mountain side heading North towards our next kill.