Tess

Damn. I could really go for a cold beer right about now. Even though the rushing wind feels great, it is ruined by these giant black cloaks that are, yes I know, necessary for us to wear, but it feels terrible in the humidity of the southern province. I would conjure a shield to cover us using my deception elixir, but it would be too much strain to maintain it around a moving object. But at this point, I'm not sure if I can resist.

"Anna!" I shout towards the back, "Try hunting for lunch!"

"But it is nowhere near noon!" Anna yells back.

"Yea! But by the time you actually hit something it'll be past noon!" I laugh to myself picturing her giving me an annoyed look.

"You know I could hunt something with ease right?" Jae intervenes.

"Of course, but Anna needs more training if she is to go on more assignments," I remind him.

We continue traveling across the land using the forest as our cover. I scan each tree and place it into my memory; each line that stretches from the base to the tip, each flicker of moss that covers parts of the tree, and each individual leaf that hangs from the branches. The pounding of hooves and rushing wind covers the beautiful sounds of each individual bird that I could have acquired to memory. We break out of the forest and entire an open area, so I raise my right hand high into the air to signal the rest of the group to stop.

"Anna, did you get my lunch?" I tease while hoping off my stallion.

"No," Anna says shamefully, "I was really close though…"

I sigh, "I guess 100 pushups and situps will have to be done."

"Alright," Anna says and begins to get down from her horse and onto her hands and knees.

"Stop, stop, stop," I laugh, "I was just messing with you. Jae, can you get us all lunch please." I look at him with pleading eyes.

"I'm already on it," he says with his eye fixed onto the scope. After a couple of loud bangs, Jae rides off to catch his prey.

"Anna did you bring a blanket with you?" I ask.

"Of course," she responds as she pulls out a large blanket and spreads it across the flowing grass.

It's quite strange really. A group of rebels, people worth millions if caught, sit on an empty field eating a picnic. Our lives from the outside must seem so brutal and dangerous to others. I laugh to myself. I doubt people expect us to act the way we do when we are around each other; Anna and Leo flirting, me laying on Derek's lap, and Mel and Damian being as awkward as ever. It's nice though. To be able to fight for what is right while doing it with strangers who become your family.

"Why are you laughing?" Anna asks curiously.

"This might sound crazy," I tell them. "I am kind of glad for King Daenerys."

"What the…" Leo starts"

"Let me finish," I interrupt. "If it wasn't for the King and the way all of the Kings have ever ruled," I say while waving my hands in the air " we would have never met each other."

"She's right," Anna adds and we all turn to each other. However, Mel gets up and walks off.

"What's with her?" Leo asks while taking a bite of the pre packaged loaf of bread.

Anna nudges him, "You know she hates talking or listening about anything that has to do with the King."

"But don't we all?" Damian asks.

"Yes but," Anna explains, "I don't know what happened, and frankly we know very little about her, but what I do know is her hatred for the King and this country is more intense than anyone else's."

"If I had to guess," I add, "I think that whatever caused her to develop her immense hatred for the King is tied to the way she behaves now."

"Cold, quiet," Derek elaborates

"Very quiet," Jae adds.

"Emotionless," Leo also adds.

"I can't put my finger on it" Damiann interrupts the trend, "I feel like I have seen her somewhere."