"Alef, my most loyal subject," Alef grins as he sees the prince walk up to him. His grin turns to despair when he sees that Ryu and I follow.
"What can I do for you, my prince?"
"I have chosen you for a great honor," Alef's chest puffs out in pride as Elio claps him on the shoulder. "I place you in charge of guarding my tent."
"Your tent, my prince?" Alef acts as though he's just been nominated as the crown's heir.
"Yes," Elio waves dismissively toward Alef's comfortable, military-issued tent. "You shall sleep directly outside my door. You'll have to give your tent back to my father's army, though. My friends," here he points to us, "require a tent since bandits sabotaged their old belongings. I trust you will find that suitable, less maintenance on your part."
"It's like ice in the desert at night." Alef no longer sounds happy about the proposition. In fact, he gasps like a drowning man. "I'll freeze."
"Yes, but you are a strong warrior, and a good man!" Elio leans in closer, practically shouting so that all the encampment can hear his decree. "It is an honor to become my guard. You may take a bedroll with you." Elio's eyes grow dangerous then, "would you reject my favor?"
Alef falls to one knee, "never, my prince."
Ryu and I can hardly believe our good fortune, the favor of Elio rests upon our shoulders. He's just given us a military-issue tent and all its benefits.
Looking at how Elio beams at Ryu at the pronouncement, it's no wonder why we're favored so. I sigh inwardly, seeing how they look at each other.
As I said before, I'm a fighter, not a lover.
***
Hello my Champions!
TAKE THAT ALEF! You sleep outdoors now!
ALEF: What did you just say to me, runt?
N-n-nothing...
-Sophia