Heart Over Sword
Chapter 208: Soap

Chapter 208: Soap

The group was quick to shield themselves from the elements and any predators nearby; they found a safe spot near the lake in between some boulders and a few sparse pine trees. The large lake itself was surrounded by trees, almost like they were there to protect it from the plains. The only wildlife nearby was birds hooting now that the evening had grown darker still.

Evanna woke to the smell of cooked meat, making her stomach grumble. She was wrapped in white and grey furs, her head resting on her bag, her boots in front of the blue fire. Axel was crouched before a large leg of meat above the fire, making Evanna’s eyes widen. Had she been asleep so long she missed the group hunting?

"*Here,*" Garrett passed her a metallic plate with some of the meat and an assortment of red, black and blue berries.

Evanna sat up, letting the fur slide down her body and reached for the plate, her brows drawing together at it. "Thin-era," she thanked Garrett.

"*The laughing cats carried quite a lot of essentials,*" Garrett explained after seeing the look of confusion on the princess’s face.

"*I didn’t expect them to carry cutlery and plates,*" Arawn said, his eyes twinkling as he looked from the plate in his hand and to Evanna. He sat beside her, but not as close as she expected but when her eyes landed on the others in the group she realised why. Her friends were keeping a close eye on him like he was the enemy or, worse, some sort of a scoundrel.

"They don’t normally?" Evanna asked as she popped a berry in her mouth, closing her eyes briefly to the sweet taste bursting on her tongue.

"Laughing cats don’t like humans, elves and fae but they are curious creatures. Many years ago, they didn’t use armour or weapons to protect themselves, yet now they do. The plates and cutlery were probably stolen after one of their raids," Fiza replied as her gold and black eyes watched the blue flames.

Ger and Ronan looked between the elves and Evanna back to Fiza, putting together the conversation. "How many years ago are we talking about here? I’ve only ever faced them with weapons." Ger spoke up with a frown on his features.

"Oh, this goes back at least one hundred years ago," Fiza replied dismissively before ripping into her meat.

"How old are you?" Ronan asked her, his eyebrows raised.

"You shouldn’t ask a lady such a question. And everyone knows the laughing cats didn’t always roam around on two legs." Fiza gave him a pointed look as though they were stupid for not knowing such basic information.

Evanna returned her attention to the food, still feeling a little fatigued from using her powers earlier. As she focused on it and not where the conversation was being directed, the princess thought back to the moment she held the laughing cats under her control. She shivered in response, feeling how their minds fought hers. In the end, her powers had weakened, most likely from not using them.

As Evanna ate the tender meat, her eyes returned to their surroundings with the light glow of blue hues surrounding the pine trees, and behind the men across from her, the boulders hid most of the view of the lake. But between the two of them, the princess could see its dark depths and the silvery hue of the moon’s light shimmering across the water.

"Your highness." Garrett’s low voice drew Evanna back from her reverie. She lowered her plate, her food finished before the others, who continued to talk among themselves. Though Garrett’s attention to her did cause the prince to watch them while he sat, eating quietly. Evanna could feel Arawn’s gaze on her face, but she gave Garrett her full attention.

"Raven is fine," she replied and looked at him expectantly. The pair didn’t really talk, and when they did, it was usually quite tense.

"*You can use Malawai?*" He whispered, even though it was only them and Fiza who could understand Muranthian. Malawai, the gift of the mind.

At the mention of her gift, Evanna tensed, her eyes flicking to Arawn and back. She was nervous, remembering how Arawn reacted to the book in the library revealing her gifts. Was this power something she was not meant to mention?

Evanna’s eyes flicked between Garrett’s, contemplating telling him the truth, though she did not know how she could possibly lie to him now. The elf had already seen her use those powers, and Garrett was the prince’s closest friend. He could be trusted. She hoped.

"*I have experimented with it. Yes,*" Evanna replied quietly, holding his gaze, her own hardening. But as her emerald, green eyes remained cold like jewels, his expression turned to one of wonderment.

"*It is a rare gift. Both of them are.*" Garrett dropped his voice even more, and at the mention that she had two gifts, Evanna blinked back in surprise.

She did not use her other gift that day. Had Garrett seen her use it before? Had he spied on her before today?

"*Gifts such as those should not be used so lightly in front of others. It makes me wonder more about your elven family. Those with such gifts do not tend to be of commoner blood. Not even nobles-*"

"*That is enough, Garrett.*" Arawn had inched closer and now sat next to Evanna. "*Evanna has not long had her gifts. Let her focus on one thing at a time.*"

Garrett parted his lips to argue, but he flicked his eyes between Arawn and Evanna and nodded quietly, though his gaze remained on her a moment longer. He wanted to say more; it was apparent in his expression. Instead, he picked up their plates and started towards the lake.

"Thin-era," Evanna whispered, glancing at Arawn.

Garrett was surprisingly pleasant to speak to, considering their previous conversations, but she felt a little strange like he suddenly became friendly after finding out she could harbour such powers. She watched Garrett’s large form again disappear into the shadows of the night. Was he a noble that felt superior to the commoners?

Evanna was aware of his detest for humans but didn’t think he acted like that to his own kind.

"We should all get some sleep if we want to get to the border by the end of the week," Axel spoke up while wrapping the remaining meat up and placing it in a new bag he suddenly acquired. Evanna glanced at other new items across the camp, including the furs covering her legs. The laughing cats didn’t travel light, but there were essentials they were starting to need.

"I wish we had some horses," Ronan grumbled. "We’d get there in half the time, and we could have a little lie-in."

"Who wants to go on the first watch?" Ger asked, ignoring Ronan’s grumble.

"Such a gentleman," Arawn sneered quietly.

Evanna stood up then. "I haven’t done it yet." She raised her hand to stop the men from disagreeing with her. "I have slept more, and you lot look like you need a little beauty sleep." She winked.

"If I get any more beautiful, you’ll end up falling in love with me," Ronan winked right back with a growing smile. "But she’s right. I think it’s about time we show our princess how well we scrub up. Men.. we smell, and are covered in guts." He pointed behind him as he started to stand. "We have no more excuses. There’s a lake, and we now have some soap."

Evanna stepped forwards, disbelief parting her lips and turning into a smile. "How.. Wait.. are those teeth marks?" She walked around the fire to get a better look and shook her head when she saw the state of the soap.

"You think that one’s bad, lass. This one’s been half eaten." Axel raised the clear orange soap bar. A chunk of it had been bitten off. "Maybe they used it to clean their teeth?"

Evanna shook her head in disbelief. "Well, you know how to use them. Take the opportunity while you can and bathe."

"You better not regret taking care of us," Ronan winked and was the first to leave the camp, followed by Ger, who stopped and glanced between Evanna and Arawn. Axel walked by and placed his arm over Ger’s shoulders, guiding him away.

"Are you not going with them?" Evanna turned away from the lake’s direction and stared at the prince. Arawn strode up to her side, his gait casual and eyes smouldering as he leaned his face towards her ears.

"I’d prefer your company over theirs while I bathe." Evanna’s body shivered at the huskiness of his voice and his words. She looked at him, and a small gasp escaped her lips as he pecked the side of her face before leaning his forehead against the side of hers.

"*Maybe later, hmm?*" He whispered. His gaze was smouldering as he held her stare before turning away with a small, devious chuckle.

Evanna deflated and looked away, her cheeks blushing as she bit her lip from the butterflies in her stomach and the heat pooling in her core. What made her blush more was the thrill and desire coursing through her from Arawn’s provocations, the desire to follow through with his suggestion.

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