chosen | yves

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧

"And you're sure this is wise?"

My voice comes out a hushed whisper as I duck down behind the forest's greenery, looking back and forth between the camp in front of us and the girl beside me. Before we took off into our sprint, Olivia insisted that she lead the way. "There should be an encampment not far from here", she told me. "We can plan our entry when we're there." And as much as I wanted to stop her, to throw a fit and accuse her of sending us to our doom-- somehow I knew better. She had a plan, and I was willing to hear it out. Especially when I knew I had none.

It almost felt like my heart was racing at a million miles per second. My mind was scattered, topic after topic filtering through, all different yet each and every one centered around the same concept: time. We were running out of it. What if it was too late? If by the time we reach the others, enough damage had already been done? A kind of damage that was numbingly irreparable, the type of damage that would render this 'second chance to make things right' another failure?
I wasn't sure how much time had passed spent weaving in and out between trees,  desperate. Sure enough, we eventually stumbled upon our target.

As she said, there it was: a miniature clearing filled with patchy grey tents, soldiers clad in pitch dark armor pacing back and forth with their swords heaved up upon their own shoulders. We were sitting camouflaged in the trees, silently observing them as they worked. Not too far away from the biggest tent appeared to be a row of carriages, each of which had its own distinct shapes and sizes. My eyes dragged towards one in particular, its deep brown wood chipped and decayed from what was presumably years of use. Every few seconds I couldn't help but flinch when a soldier came in and out of view, the dark-seeded men going about their business quickly as if they were hyper-conscious of their own time, trying desperately to beat an intangible clock. It didn't take me long to realize why.

I watched closely as the same group of soldiers walked to-and-from the carriages, unidentifiable objects in their hands. They were stockpiling. Filling the carriages with some type of good I couldn't see from where I lied now. As if reading my thoughts (which to be fair she probably did), Olivia grimaces-- nodding absentmindedly. It appeared my deduction was right.

When my question finally registers, she hums softly-- keeping her voice equally as quiet. "Wise..? Definitely not. Convenient? Yes." 

I can't stop the frown that crosses my face when I turn to look at her, her words leaving an unsettling feeling slowly cementing itself in the pit of my stomach. Noticing my clear skepticism, she continues after a moment's pause: meeting my eyes with her own for the briefest of seconds before looking away just as quickly. But of course,  within those few seconds, there was no possible way to ignore the hint of shame I saw swimming throughout them. No mistaking the way she faltered, the way she busied herself with scanning the encampment for the umpteenth time since we got here. 

It was almost as if she couldn't look at me. And to be honest, no matter how conniving or self-righteous it might sound, I didn't want it any other way. Knowing that she felt guilty over her actions gave me a sense of satisfaction, one I wouldn't dare admit out loud. When an awkward cough slipped passed her lips, however, something told me she knew already anyway. 

Her voice comes out a hesitant whisper as if testing the waters, mindful of the way she phrased her own words. "It didn't take long for me to come to my senses. I don't think I truly realized the fault behind my actions until the moment the King's death truly settled on my conscience. But I knew that with the position I found myself in, it'd be foolish to end it early. I had an in." She shakes her head and with a purse of her lips, she starts over. "I played it unsuspecting and I guess eventually, the Queen-- Jennie trusted me enough to let me observe her war meetings. It was there she revealed to me her plan."