Inheritance: Threads of Fate

Chapter Twenty Two - Goodbye Old Friend

After an hour or so of riding, and you constantly looking backwards at your dad and Caspian, Raxe finally pinched you.
"Ow!"
"Stop it, you're moving the saddle about."
"What do you think they're talking about?"
"You." Raxe replied bluntly.
"You're supposed to say something reassuring...." You groaned and looked ahead.
He chuckled deeply. "What? It's the truth. He's your Dad, he just probably wants to make sure his little girl is in good hands."
"It makes me anxious..."
"Why? You don't think your Dad will like 'the King'?"
"No... There's nothing not to like... I worry that Caspian will learn something about me he won't like."
Raxe burst out a laugh. "After everything you have been through together? There isn't anything new he could find out that would make him not like you. He's literally seen the absolute worst of you."
"Well... not the absolute worst..." You corrected him.
"No?"
"Remember that time you put a toad in my boots?"
"OH MY LION." He busted up. "I completely forgot about that! I was afraid for my life for days."
"Yea...see...not the worst." You smirked.
"Well unless he plans on putting a toad in your shoes, I think you're safe." He chuckled.
"What's so funny?" Zumi sped Abra up to walk next to you and Raxe.
"Oh nothing, just reminding Raxe at how I get revenge..."

Once in a while Zumi would release Kex with a set of sewn together fish scales he kept for him to hunt with, just to watch which direction he would fly to and from. As long as Kex kept to your left you knew you were following the river still. You rode until a bit past midday before you all decided to stop for a break. It was the first time you were able to speak to Caspian since that morning.
"So...what were you talking about?" You asked him nervously as you helped unpack the camels.
"A lot of things actually." He answered, while you took a pack from him and set it down. "Your Father actually reminds me a lot of mine."
"Yea?"
"It was like...getting a bit of him back. Not completely of course but... I think they would have gotten along very well." He sighed and handed you another bag.
"I'm sure they would." You assured him. "I wish I could have met him."
"Me too."
"My Dad didn't say anything...about me then?" You asked, pretending to look through a bag on the ground.
"Oh he said a lot about you." His eyes gleamed a hinting smile. "But nothing I didn't already know. He loves you very much."
"Yea...I know..." You looked over at your dad who was helping prepare the fish Kex brought back. You tried to appreciate the feeling of nervousness of your father meeting the man courting you. That tightness in your chest that you thought you would never get to feel. It was good you were able to feel embarrassed and self conscious about the stories your dad told about you.  Good that he and Caspian were able to start building a relationship. All these feelings that would otherwise be inconvenient for others, for you were an enhancement. "Hold onto that." You told yourself.

* * *

Three days in the desert with four men was too long. You found yourself getting more irritable and grouchy with each silly comment, each dirty joke, and each hour that passed. You were tired, dirty, hot, sweaty, and you just wanted some alone time. When was the last time you had a minute of peace? There was no room you could go to and shut the door. The tent was one big open space, and Zumi and your father snored...  not to mention it was a decent size for three people, but four made it cramped.
It didn't help that you felt uncomfortable sharing a mat with Caspian in front of your father. You spent the majority of the nights with him lying just out of reach, longing to sneak under the blanket with him, feeling his chest move rhythmically with each breath as he slept, lulling you to sleep. At first you felt selfish and spoiled craving basic comforts but those moments were long gone. You wanted your quarters on the Shade. You wanted a bath in your tub.  And you wanted your man. "Naked in that bed..." You were also getting fed up with the constant dirty thoughts that your mind kept interjecting at the most inopportune moments....it had been days since that afternoon in the inn... and you were ready to begin misbehaving to get some attention from him...