Chapter 416: Walls

Mina and Olivia stared at Oric who had plopped his body onto the floor of the tent like a spoiled child. They were too embarrassed to tell him that they had 'overheard' what he had done, but were also concerned over how saddened he looked. Instead of talking to either of them as he had suggested he had come to do, he just sat there staring at his own feet.

Mina nudged Olivia with her arm, but the woman shook her head, unwilling to say anything.

"You know, all this time I had no idea that was why she hated me enough to leave the country," Oric finally said.

"You didn't know?" Olivia asked, not finding anything else to say. Oric shook his head and laid back in the place where he was sitting, and Mina gingerly threw him the extra blanket and heating pad.

"Connor mentioned something, but I didn't know that was how she saw things."

"How did you think she would take it?" Having lost out in a way that was nowhere near an ideal situation, Mina had become much more sensitive about the matter, and she sympathized with Willow.

"I didn't even know I did that. In my mind I was doing what was right for us. Willow's father always thought I was using her, and I didn't want to give him a reason to think he was right." Having never heard that side of the story, Mina was unable to give any advice, but she was absolutely certain that it was more than just hurt feelings that pushed Willow to convince her family to move.

"Are you sure you didn't do anything else?" She asked and Oric shook his head.

"I have no idea," he replied truthfully.

----

Willow had returned to the tent shortly after Oric left. She snuggled into the blankets, fuming, but otherwise okay. She asked the women what Oric wanted to talk about, and she became even more upset when they repeated his confused words to her. Willow accused him of being a liar and asked the women to drop the conversation, which they did.

It was not long before another disturbance lent itself to the women, who had decided that sleeping outdoors was a mistake, because they were likely to not get any rest with the back-to-back visitors. Connor squeezed his way into the small opening that Willow had made and handed each woman a flask with warm liquid inside.

"I promise it's just water." Mina and Olivia put the liquid to the side, refusing to drink, but Willow was brave enough to taste it.

"Mine is safe," she said to the women as she made a motion for them to hand her their canisters as well. After she was done being a taste tester, Willow wrapped herself in a quilt and ignored Connor as if he were air.

"Mina, do you mind if I share your quilt. It's cold over here." Connor shivered dramatically, and while Willow would normally protect her friend, she wanted to hear what Mina was going to say. Connor shuffled a little closer to the red faced woman, who was at the end of the group because Willow had settled in the middle to regain her warmth from the time she had been out of the tent.

"You can take it," Mina said, throwing her quilt at Connor who caught it with a smile. Willow shook her head and lifted her blanket for Mina to join her. Instead of staying, Connor laughed, stood up and left, leaving the women baffled.

"Be Careful of him," Willow warned, and Olivia agreed. Connor was her friend, but any other woman in his circle was almost always a bedmate.

----

It was morning and someone had cooked a delicious looking breakfast. Mina was excited, and after she made sure it was okay for anyone to eat, she plated a decent portion for herself and was ready to enjoy it.

Sitting at the table without Olivia or Willow was a bit lonely, but Mina had allowed the women to sleep in, as they had stayed up late into the evening, trying to get to know one another better. She used the alone time to her advantage and showered and dressed before the sun was fully risen in the sky. Mina had believed she would end up guilted into cooking for everyone again, but fortunately someone had beat her to it.

Cylus was already at the table with Vanya, Oric and Connor and she greeted them much in the same way she would have greeted anyone she was friendly with, but Vanya still glared at her before responding. Mina lifted a large spoonful, noticing that the men were staring at her, but she preferred not to figure out why until after she ate.

Spoonful after spoonful, Mina cleared her plate slowly. She only looked up to ask everyone why they were staring before they cast their eyes away from her. Uncomfortable, Mina looked down at her sweater, hoping that it had not become sheer from the lighting, and when she saw nothing, she dabbed at her face with a napkin.

Somewhere along the line, Brayden entered the kitchen and prepared himself a huge plate before sitting directly next to Mina, who as Cylus had expected, turned red and directed her eyes onto her food and nowhere else.

"This looks amazing," Brayden said, thinking he was complementing Mina. He put a large spoonful in his mouth and gagged. "Ew, what is that?" He asked vividly.

"It's boiled oats," Mina said. It was one of the first meals she had ever learned to make, and although the person who prepared it had gone a little heavy on the salt, after a small adjustment, there was nothing wrong with it.

"Stop eating it," Brayden said, pulling the spoon away from Mina. "You'll be sick if you finish that." Mina looked at Brayden, then around at the others at the table, noticing that like him, they had not touched their breakfast. "Did you make it?" Brayden asked almost as if he were afraid of her answer.

"I did not," she replied while shaking her head. Mina held out her hand wanting Brayden to return her utensil, but he refused.

"I can't even watch you eat that. How could you even stomach it?" It was at that line that Vanya pushed away from the table and ran. Cylus glared at Brayden, who winced in realization. Cylus chased after Vanya, and Oric and Connor released the laughter they were holding back. Mina could not take what was happening in front of her.

"That is so rude, and I can bet that neither of you would have been able to do a better job. Do you know how it feels to have your hard work laughed at?"

"I don't think she worked very hard," Brayden offered, and Mina, who was trying to remain stoic, broke. Brayden was elated, it was the first time he had caused the woman to lower her walls, but she shortened her laughter in order to rebuke the men again.

"Still, she tried her best and you three are being ungrateful."

"I didn't exactly see her boyfriend digging in," Connor said, pushing his plate away from his body like it emitted a foul odor.

Mina shrugged off the statement and left the eating area, coming back with a bottle of honey and a clean spoon. She poured the honey over the oats and mixed it around, and she could swear she heard someone heave before she pushed the bowl back to Connor.

"Taste it now." Oric looked at Mina as if she were insane, but Brayden, who still wanted to impress her, dipped his spoon into Connor's bowl and tasted the newly made concoction. His eyes lit up and he looked at Mina with a renewed sense of curiosity.

"How the hell did you do that?"