𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐃│✔

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟔

Pandora 

♡

Cat-Eye experienced an unexpected period of rainfall during the first three months of the year, causing many of the crops on the northern farmlands of our Clan to go to waste due to floods. Even now, as summer is knocking on spring's door, the fields are muddy, making every step we take twice as tiresome. 

Our feet sinking inches deep into the concoction of wet soil, moss and leaves. We've been walking for hours, and the sun that was at the rise of dawn when we departed, is now high above our heads, mercilessly rendering us powerless to the sweat of heat and exhaustion.

To fight of his merciless torments, halfway through our march, Damien came up with the marvellous idea to continue in zig zag motion under the refuge of the tree line. 

He was right, the leafy trees and soft breeze make it much more bearable, but not any less of a pain in the arse. I've never been much of a talker during moments like these, even when I was send to battles with my men, I would remain quiet during almost the entire time it took us to reach the murder scene.

These people, however, Gods bless the silence that finally clouds over all of them. For there hasn't been a moment were I could get lost in my thoughts without their voices barging in, my sense of hearing feeling more like a curse than an attribute.

First, Adonis wanted to take it upon himself to 'keep the mood going,' which ended in him discussing the most random subjects with Sir Aries, both of them finally walking up front in peaceful silence when all words were spoken. 

Then, Damien thought it to be adequate to bring up a new law that's being discussed, which would practically force female soldiers to renounce from the army after a maximum of ten years. Not to smart of him to say that when you're literally walking next to one. 

This, on its turn, lead to it's own hour long argument, going back and fort between him and Eliza until Sir Ciaran, who's been humming for Heavens knows how long, threatened to 'rip out their tongues and shove it up their fucking asses if they don't shut the fuck up' - his words, not mine. 

And as if none of that made me want to murder these people, Esmée who, bless her heart, thought it was a good idea to wear a velvet form fitting dress for this occasion, has been cursing at everything and everyone. Her growling stomach rendered her to silence, yet I find myself smiling at the occasional nagging she whispers under her breath with every struggle of her shoes being stuck in the mud.

"I swear to the fucking Stars, I will sin to the greatest extend if Azef even dares to say 'I told you so', when I get home," she grumbles, and I let my curiosity peak to ask after the name I've repeatedly heard coming from her mouth.

"Esmée," I call making her turn her head sideways to look at me with those pale eyes of hers, "Who's Azef?" I watch as she looks down to her shoes who got stuck in the mud, again.

"The smart- ass fool I idiotically married too many years ago." she may say this with sarcasm, but one could easily sense the undying affection laying underneath.

"Where does he live?" I know that the Mage Tower is forbidden territory for all outsiders. No matter your rank or species, you are never allowed to stay there for longer than a couple of hours.

"He's a herb merchant in the city centre, you can guess how we met. I was young, and had just graduated from the Aelfdene Academy of Sorcery. Only I could be enough of an idiot to fall for the first young dark-eyed man I see," I smile then, both in joy for her to have found a love like this and because her story is much like another novel I read when I was in my younger adolescent years. When romance was all about love at first sight instead of enemies turning to lovers.