𝐒𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐍𝐓𝐘 ━ 𝚠𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚙.

Chapter 13.

The blue of the sky slowly bled away into a palette of pinks, oranges and purples, signalling the falling of nighttime.

Releasing a sigh filled with pent-up frustrations一relieving none of said frustrations一the youth's eyes drew themselves towards the puff of cold air that formed itself with his action.

It was getting colder. Good. They were making ground.

Pulling his horse to a stop the moment the company reached a clearing, thus signalling to his guard to copy the movement, the prince ordered, "We shall set camp here for the night." His slurred words were easily registered, as well as the palpable irritation of the young liege.

Wisely, they spoke naught of his fluctuating moods.

After an entire twenty-four hours of constant horseback travel with little to no time reserved for breaks, one was prone to being a bit worse for wear and subtly cranky.

Dismounting his horse, Athan waited with the patience that would make a saint weep for his soldiers to set up his tent and for a squire to place his trunk of things from the carriages packed with supplies and possessions.

For all his displeasure at differing factors, Athan was damn proud of his meticulous planning and organising. At times, it paid to be thoroughly paranoid about everything that may jump in your path.

Handing off the reigns of his horse to a knight, the crown heir made his way towards the large blue tent with golden details, his ever-loyal pet close at his heels.

Throwing himself onto the impromptu bed in the far corner of the tent, vaguely registering Biyakko placing himself between him and the only exit from his lodgings, Athan pulled his furred cloak closer to his body and curled in its warmth, relishing in the feeling of home and warmth that surrounded him. It was strange, but the garment made to shield from the more health-deteriorating elements felt like the rare embraces his father would give.

He chalked it up to the protection charms taking effect and the distinctly stormy feel of his sire's mana.

As he lay there in bed, relishing in the privacy of his temporary pseudo-home, the fourteen year old allowed his mind to go over the list of things that he had to prepare for this journey, from mundane travel supplies such as food and water to the number of tents besides his own that were needed, all based on the headcount of people that were to accompany him towards the Ice Temple一a whopping thirty-two, not counting himself; all the way to the route they were to follow and the possibility of being attacked by the occasional (though rare) magical beast or by the more foolish and ballsy bandits.

He was nothing if not prepared for anything.

That he had made the decision of choosing Hector as his secondary personal escort spoke volumes in of itself, given that he and Kassian got along like a house on fire and both males loved plotting ways of creating problems for their charge, but with the finesse and craftiness often missing from their day-to-day responsibilities.

Such a pity.

The way that Hector will later on interact with the prince will determine whether or not he will remain on personal guard duty and awarded the same position as Kassian.

There was a grogginess seeping into his being and Athan buried himself deeper into the fur pelts and soft blankets of his bed.

He hated long-distance travel.

────────────────────────

HECTOR COULDN'T HELP BUT STARE as the Prince entered his tent with nothing so much as a 'by your leave', scowl firmly in place at the back of the royal.