The next few days are a blur. The mornings I wake up confused as to where I am. I remember shortly after that I am no longer in the castle, but at the Guard's base. I have breakfast with the family, which my mother insists is important we do. Then I go for a run, and the property that the Scarlet Guard use as a new base is so large, it takes me 10 minutes to run to the initial gate, where the entrance is. After that I keep running, into the woods, trying to scope out exactly how far from Norta or the Lakelands we are.
When I get back, I train with Cameron and then it is lunch time, which I spend with my family. After lunch, I have to meet with Farley and Shade, to get an update on anything that affects our plans to kill Maven and Iris. Farley is in direct contact with the higher up generals in the guard, so she usually knows what is going on. The last few days have brought us nothing though. The end of the day is usually quiet. Dinner and then family time. After that its back to bed, waiting for another day. I sleep beside Gisa, and it almost feels like old times. All of us together again.
The last I heard from Cal was when I first arrived. After my letter back to him, he never replied, and since then I didn't want to be the one to initiate contact. So, we just left it at that. I don't know how long I will be here, or how long it will take to kill Maven and Iris, but I know that when the time comes, I want to be there. I want to be the one to kill him. It is all I can think about. All I have lost because of him. I just want this to be over. I just want to be normal again. That is the last thought I have, every night before I fall asleep.
...
One morning I find dad outside, reading an old worn book.
"Good morning" I say. Dad immediately looks at me, a big smile coming to his face. He looks so much healthier, so much...happier. I just can't believe how much has changed for him.
"Good morning my dear daughter" he says, and I can't help but laugh. Dad joins me. It's our running joke, at how mom keeps calling me her darling, her love. She feels guilty for me being out there, in this mess. Me being a massive part of the whole drama with Maven and Cal. I have gotten used to it. "Are you going for your run?" he asks, closing the book.
"I have to get out for a bit" I say, but dad nods.
"I know Mare. I understand completely" I smile, because he makes me feel safe. His voice, his smell, his smile. All of it, familiar. Dad knows I have been struggling with being away from Cal, and being on bad terms with him. I haven't told anyone about it, but he picked up on it the first day. "Have you heard from Cal, or the King? I don't even know what to call him" I laugh.
"Just call him Cal, I still can't wrap my head around the King part either" I say, and it is true. Cal is a King, and sometimes I forget the power he has. And the responsibility. "And... no I haven't. He is giving me space" Dad nods, and I can see him choosing his words wisely.
"Mare. I wouldn't worry too much. If you both love each other as much as you say you do, and Gisa tells me..." I frown at that. What exactly has she been saying. "...then you will work it out. Everything will fall into place. It has to". He takes my hand, squeezing tight. "Now go for your run, and when you come back, help your father hang up those photos your mother has been bugging me to put up for months".
I laugh, squeezing my dad's hand back. "I suddenly have something else to do" I joke, and my worries take a back seat for just a moment.
...
2 weeks later – Cal POV
Maven and Iris have disappeared. No one can find them. Not my generals, not the Guard. No one. We have spent the last 2 weeks training, waiting for operatives to tell us their location, preparing ourselves. I have especially been focused on my training because it is my way of forgetting about Mare. We haven't spoken the whole time, and I haven't tried to reach out either. I want her to have her space. We need it.
"Cal. This is for you" Evangeline comes into my office, not even knocking. She places down a large box.
"What is it?" I ask, not quite expecting anything and definitely not knowing what it could be.
"I don't open your mail. That's the help's job" she flicks her hair over her shoulder. I roll my eyes. Evangeline, Volo and Ptolemus have been helping me train my soldiers and they have sent supplies to the guard. Helping us be the best and strongest that we can be. When the time comes we will need it. I haven't forgotten what Volo has done, but for now, I have to resist the urge to kill him.
"How is Elane settling in?" I ask. Evangeline rolls her eyes and I laugh. "Not so easy living with the person you love, is it?" Evangeline scoffs.
"I used to think you and Mare were ridiculous for always fighting with each other, but... now I see its not so easy to live with someone who tries their hardest to fight you on everything. Like the other day, she wanted to join the soldiers in training, and I said no. Now we aren't talking" Evangeline rambles, and I have to cover my mouth, to keep her from seeing me laugh. "Stop smirking" she says. I chuckle.
"Like I said, not so easy" she scoffs again. Her eyes go to the box, and I decide it is best I open it. When I do the first thing I see is a mask, a black mask that would cover most of the face. The next thing I see is a costume, dark leather pants, a white button up shirt and a military style jacket, with gold buttons down the front. I pull it out and stare. It looks like the outfits I used to wear when I was a prince.
"What the hell" Evangeline says for the both of us. I see a card down the bottom of the box, and I pull it out. After I finish reading it, I hand the card to Evangeline, and the smile that takes over her face is frightening.
Suit up, we found them.
- Farley
...
Gisa POV
No one really tells me anything, but I pick up on conversations when they don't think I am listening. I know that they have found Maven and Iris. Not only that, I know that they are crashing a masquerade ball that Maven and Iris are throwing for Silver Elite. They are trying to get them to support their war, gather more soldiers, gather weapons. I am guessing they are weak for now. If they succeed, I am frightened to see how the war will end.
Mare and Caleb are crashing the ball. The reason being, because we know Maven won't hurt Mare, if he figures out who she is. She will be wearing a mask but that might fail. Caleb is someone Mare has been hanging around since she got here and he is going with her because he refused to let her go alone. I don't know what is happening between them, but they have gotten close. I can see the way he looks at her, like he likes her. I don't think she feels the same way. Maven and Iris won't recognise Caleb. So that is why he is going with her. Or at least, that's what he kept using as his excuse.
"Gisa!" Mare calls. I turn around to see her walking towards me, Caleb next to her. I roll my eyes.
"Hey" I say, uninterested. I was heading to get some lunch, hoping I could avoid them both. Mare frowns.
"We were just heading to lunch too" she says, grabbing me under the arm to walk with me. Caleb walks beside Mare and I want to tell him to leave her alone for once. When we get to lunch, Caleb offers to go and get the food, if we find a spot to eat. The good thing about this base, is that there is an old school, and a cafeteria. You take your food and you come and choose somewhere to eat. The house we are staying in is not a far walk from here, so I was hoping I wouldn't run into anyone. "Are you ok Gisa?" Mare asks. "You have been ignoring me for a week now, and I don't know what I have done" I roll my eyes.
"How is Cal, Mare?" I ask, and I regret the words instantly. I shouldn't broach the subject to bluntly, but I cant help it. She blinks, confused for a moment, before she looks over to Caleb and gets the point I was making.
"I knew it" she says, fidgeting in her seat. "Caleb is my friend, and Cal is my fiancé. I am allowed to have friends Gisa". I roll my eyes again.
"Friends shouldn't spend every waking hour together. You go for runs with him, you train with him, you eat with him. What's next Mare? You going to start sleeping with him?" I want to hurt her, and I don't know why. I guess I am just angry that all of this, the war, the hiding, is because she plays with people's minds. Maven and Cal. Now Caleb. She flinches, and I feel only a little bad about what I said. Mare doesn't respond immediately. She just nods slowly.
"If that is what you think about me Gisa, then you should be ashamed of yourself" Mare gets up and walks out of the room. Caleb comes back shortly after, placing the three trays down. He had them balanced one on top of the other.
"Where is Mare?" he asks, looking around. I look up at him, analysing what it is about him that makes her want to spend so much time with him. What makes him so special. He is tall, dark hair, tanned skin, muscly, fit. He is good looking, and I admit I did think that when I first met him, but now he is just irritating. He is a general with the Guard, a soldier, like my brothers. But I just don't have patience for him or anyone new.
"She left" I say, again cold. He frowns but sits across from me, pushing a tray towards me. The third tray, Mare's tray, he pushes to the side.
"I know you don't like me, and I don't know why. But I care about your family, and Mare. I care about this war and we are on the same side" I pick at my food, taking small bites. I want to tell him that I don't care about his excuses, I just don't trust the guy.
"She is engaged. To Cal. The King. You know that right?" he nods.
"I know" he says, his jaw twitching slightly.
"Well then you know that nothing can happen between you both. As much as you want it too. You see what happens to guys who fall for my sister, they end up starting wars, and going crazy. I don't know why. And I don't know what it is about her that makes her so...desirable...but you have to get that out of your head" he smirks.
"I'm not in love with your sister. I've only known her a short time" he says, but I laugh.
"Keep telling yourself that. I get it, she is strong, brave, powerful. Attractive to some. But she is taken. And if Cal finds out that you are trying to get with her, he will kill you. And my money is on him" Caleb smiles.
"Its nice that you protect your sister, and it is nice that you protect Cal" he says Cal with distain. I can tell he hates the King. Most reds do. "But I am not forcing your sister into anything. And we are just friends. I am a General Gisa. I have been ordered to protect her. That is why we are spending so much time together" he takes a bite of his food, as I push mine around the plate. He may have been ordered to protect her, but I can see that his orders are becoming something else to him.
"Just remember, she belongs to someone else" I stand up, taking my tray with me. "Thank you for lunch" I say before I walk away. I can't help but feel a pair of eyes burning into my back as I walk away.