Dream and Aerin rode their horses through the forest in silence.
Aerins conditions for helping the royals were that she needed to travel home first and that she wanted all her things back.
So this is how she ended up riding Apollo through trees with her long green cape flowing behind her and her longbow strapped to her back.
With the king she had attempted to kill not even a week ago riding beside her.
The only way they would let her go back to her home was if Dream went with her. It was originally supposed to be George but he opted to stay behind just in case anyone needed medical help given the impending fighting.
Dream was perfectly aware of the threat he had made to L'Manburg the day prior. He had said that if there weren't white flags outsides their walls by dawn tomorrow they would attack.
The only problem was...
It was now passed dawn the next day and he was currently riding away from his kingdom.
He figured it would be a good way to psych out Wilbur and the children if he didn't do anything.
He left Sapnap and George there just in case L'Manburg tried anything whilst he was away.
The assassin had told him it should only take a day to reach her home if they travelled none stop and had few stops in between.
Thinking of the assassin, who was only a few paces ahead of him on her brown horse, he realised he never found out her name.
"You never told us your name" He states as they walk through the sun filled trees.
"I thought I already said my name is worthless to you people." She replies, not even turning to look at the man, instead opting to continue to watch the compass which sat infront of her on the saddle.
"If we are going to be working together then it would be helpful to know what to call you, don't you think?" he tries, hoping she would just give in and tell him.
"You know, just in case" he adds, a smug look on his face that the girl couldn't see.
Scoffing Aerin sits up properly on Apollo.
"Just in case?" she asks in a teasing tone, now looking at the boy, a soft smirk settling on her lips.
"Well you know, just in case you're ever in danger and I need to swoop in and save you of course" he replies cheekily, looking ahead with a smile on his face.
The assassin scoffs once again at the king's words, not being able to keep the smile off her face.
"Why would you need my name to do that? I know what to refer to you as so realistically there is no need for you to know mine in that situation" Aerin says, smirking at the boy's expression.
Dreams face flushes red in embarrassment at the girl's words, realising what he had said.
'Uh-uuh- that's not- that's not what i meant" he stutters, glancing towards the grinning brunette.
"Then what did you mean your majesty" she teases, meeting his eyes briefly.
"I just meant it's probably safer for me to know your name" Dream says, trying to move on from his mess up.
"Mmmh" Aerin says, smiling to herself as the pair continue walking.
Aerin heart was beating rapidly in her chest. It had finally hit her what she was doing. She was leading the man she had tried to kill to her home where the two most important people in her life reside.
What scared her was the fact that Dream had a reason to want revenge, and the girl was leading him to her home.
She cursed herself for her stupidity. She wished she had just run off the second she had the chance. She could be long gone by now before Dream had even turned around.
"Artemis" she says, breaking out of her thoughts.
"huh?" Dream says, confused at her sudden words.
He had been admiring the girl in her silence.
The way her long brown hair fell down her back in her intricate braids. The way her dark perfectly shaped brows furrowed in thought, and her brown eyes that shone like polished amber in the first rays of dawn.
Without her mask, the girls face was fully on show. Her cheeks were decorated with delicate freckles. Her nose sat perfectly sculpted on her face and her cheekbones were perfectly level to her soft features. The king found her pretty, to say the least.
"People call me Artemis"
"Oh" he replies, taking in the word. He figured out pretty quickly that that wasn't her real name, mainly by the way she said it and the fact that she was a masked assassin so he figured she would hide her identity as much as she could.
"Thanks Dream" the assassin teases, daring to glance at the king for a split second but immediately regretting it as he caught her eye.
Said king chuckled to himself, rubbing his gloved hands over his face.
"My real names Clay"
"Mmh" Artemis hummed, returning to not looking at him.
"Guess we both go by alternative names to strangers" He smirked, riding slightly ahead of the girl, giving her no choice but to make eye contact with him.
Rolling her eyes Aerin rides forward, flipping her hair over her shoulder.
Which only results Dreams smirk growing.
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The ride was long, and it soon became night fall.
Aerin had hoped to travel further held the naive hope that they could reach her home land before the day ended.
Begrudgingly the assassin had called them to set up a camp, and to continue travelling in the morning.
She knew better than most to not risk travelling after night had fallen.
Aerin had instructed Dream to set up the sleeping bags and start on a fire in a small cave she had found whilst she herself hunted for some dinner.
This also gave her a second to think.
She had seen how reluctant Dream was to let the girl out of his sight, even if it was to provide them with food.
She could see where he was coming from.
If she was to flee now would be the perfect moment.
They were out in the middle of no where.
From Dreams point of view, Aerin knew the area alot better than him, and she also seemed to be alot better versed in behaving in nature, so could probably survive better than him out here.
Which was true.
The young assassin felt just as comfortable in nature as she does in her own home.
Aerin knew Dream could see that.
So why did he trust her to go off.
It baffled her as to why the king of a large kingdom would leave his people, during the midst of a conflict no doubt, to follow a stranger, who had tried to kill him not even a week ago, into a environment that said stranger was alot more skilled and comfortable in.
It made no sense.
Aerin couldn't help but consider Dream was either extremely stupid, desperate, or had some ulterior motives.
It was the latter that Aerin was most worried about.
She cursed herself for what she was doing.
Leading him to her home, to her family.
But something, a small thought at the back of her head told her she could trust him.
That she could trust that he just need her help, that he didn't have a side plan to kill her whole family.
She hated these thoughts and found her self angry at herself.
Angry at the position she had gotten herself into.
She wasn't even angry at Dream.
She was angry at herself.
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Im so sorry if this is so messy, its been months since i've written or even read this book and i'm trying to get back into it.
Thank you for 1k reads wtf thats sick.
Updates may be slow and inconsistent but I will try my best.