A/N:
I wasn't really feeling well, physically and emotionally. So yeah, this was a bit later than the intended weekly update but here it is now . . . Hope you guys like it.
- Hatfield 🙂
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"Say what now?"
She can feel the pair of disbelieving wide green eyes staring at her. It's making her hyper aware so much and a little bit tingly as well. But she ignored it, as much as she has stopped overthinking about it all several minutes ago. She simply allowed herself to just feel.
Camila smirked mischievously. For some unexplainable reason, she's really getting more and more amused by their guest.
"I know you heard me but I'll say it again . . . You can take a shower by the waterfall in the woods. You can go potty there too,"
Of course, she will let Laura the guest clean herself in the bathroom in their house but where's the fun in that. She was already done taking a shower herself and when Laura noticed it, she asked, quite nicely at that, where she can do the same.
In response, Camila told the girl that there's a waterfall in the woods, just a couple of miles from the house. It should be safe because no one ever really goes there because of some stupid myth about banshees eating people alive. Of course, that was quite inaccurate. Every inch of Isla de los Muertos is a nature paradise, but a paradise full of danger in many various forms. Should Laura the guest fall for her trick, she'd be more than willing to follow her in the woods inconspicuously for her safety.
Apparently, the girl has decided to stick around after her private talk with Simona. Camila doesn't really know about how they know each other, what's their story, but she has confidence on the older woman. She knows how she became Simona though she really doesn't know much about the time when Simona was still Simon. The older woman may be problematic at times but through the years, she's proven herself a loyal and fierce friend. She trusts the older woman's judgment and wisdom.
Even if her curiosity is nagging every inch of her.
Camila doesn't also know what exactly prompted her to poke fun at the girl by trying to send her away but she thought it'll be kind of funny to make Laura trek the woods to stupidly look for a waterfall just to take a bath. Or perform the call of nature for that matter in the middle of the forest.
"Don't you guys have a bathroom here?"
Camila did not reply. She simply kept her impassive face on, something she considers herself an expert at, and continued assembling her rucksack of supplies. But deep inside she's holding back an amused laugh at how conflicted Laura's reaction was.
She doesn't do things like this. Mess around just for the fun of it. If she messed around, there's always an intent to cause more harm. She never amuse herself like this, but something about Laura the guest makes her do something so uncharacteristic of her.
Makes her feel things she can't put an actual word into.
Or to put it more bluntly, Laura the guest simply makes her feel. Something that she barely remembers of having any, because for years, she mostly felt numb. And she only met the girl at the break of dawn of that same day, so sue her if she doesn't know how to behave herself around the girl.
"Yes, we do. We have a bathroom upstairs and another one at the back,"
Dinah suddenly barges in, sweaty from all the exertion of cleaning up a murder scene in the tavern, "You can use one, I'll use the other. You can take your pick,"
And there goes Camila's fun.
She glowered at Dinah who simply shrugged her off nonchalantly and went up the stairs. Laura on the other hand also glowered . . . Not at Dinah but at her.
"You said you don't have a bathroom," Laura accused.
"That's not what I said," she scoffed.
Laura narrowed her eyes at her and Camila can't decide whether to feel slightly elated at succeeding in riling up the girl or feel slightly concerned at the fact that she's on the receiving end of that chilling deadly look from the prettiest green eyes she's ever seen.
"You really don't like me here, do you?" The girl huffed. Before Camila can retort, Laura continued, "Don't worry oh miss grumpy panda-fish guillotine expert, I won't be staying that long. As soon as Simon and I, or Simona rather, finish settling some business back home, you won't be dealing with my presence around you anymore,"
Laura the guest turned abruptly, stomping towards the stairs. Most likely to the bathroom up there. Not giving her a chance to retort. Camila was still in the middle of processing the girl's words when she realized Dinah was probably using the bathroom upstairs already.
"Use the bathroom in the back!! Dinah's already up there!" She called out in alarm.
"My stuff is in Dinah's room! Besides, I might want to join her in the bathroom, you have a problem with that too?!"
Camila clenched her jaw at the girl's reply.
She did not expect that. And yes, she does have a problem with that too, although she doesn't quite know what exactly is her problem with that, but she wouldn't outright say it. She'd be dead first before she admits to anything.
While her blood's simmering in her veins at the thought of Dinah and Laura sharing a bathroom doing who knows what, the girl has already disappeared from her sight.
Camila was left alone in the living room not quite knowing what exactly to do with herself.
* * *
"Okay! First things first,"
Camila started as they all gathered in the kitchen after they all finished tidying up the tavern, disposing off dead bodies and then cleaning themselves afterwards.
"Laura the guest has decided to stay with us for a while after finding out that Simona is in fact the Simon she was looking for. What a coincidence is that? Anyway, we trust you Simona that this Arcadian isn't some snake Dinah conveniently picked from the mainland,"
"Excuse me?!" Laura reacted immediately at her remark. Dinah remained silent, deep in her own thoughts.
Simona was quick to calm her down, knowing full well that Camila has the tendency to be tactless with her words, "She's just messing with you,"
Laura simply huffed, crossing her arms across her chest and glared at Camila.
"Now, Laura's stay wouldn't stop us from our mission. We will go as planned and we will go tonight,"
"But I don't even know what the plan is," Laura piped in, earning her a dark look from Camila.
"You're not supposed to because you're not part of it. But since you're staying . . ." Camila eyed Simona and each of her fellow bandits for a moment, and they all gave a confirmatory nod, all in agreement in letting Laura know of their plans. "Might as well cue you in with what we're about to do,"
Camila explained to her that all of them are leaving the island for the time being. They are going to ride griffins and head off to some far off coastal village in the east to drop off some stuff in some desolate area populated by the poor. Dinah, Normani and Ally will simultaneously distribute packs of food, pieces of clothing, and small pouches of gold and silver coins while Camila will do some reconnaissance in the surrounding area. Laura is asked to stay with Simona to look after their griffins and other personal effects necessary for their travels.
"Where do you even get all these things that you give away?" Laura asked curiously.
When her question was answered with heavy silence and a much deeply penetrating stare from Camila that made her body respond in a most inappropriate way, comprehension suddenly washed over her.
"You stole it . . . Right, of course, cuz you guys are bandits . . . Yep, I so totally get it now," the girl sighed and immediately shut her mouth when Camila kept glaring at her.
Eventually, after a few last minute instructions and preemptive measures to keep the house and tavern locked that should anyone dare try to break in everything will explode and all will be reduced to shambles and pitiful ashes, they all set off to leave. They had five griffins for each of them except for Laura.
"You can ride with me," Dinah offered the girl with a soft smile.
Laura was ready to accept the offer, returning a soft appreciative smile back. She should feel comfortable since she already traveled with Dinah in her griffin. But then Camila interfered.
"She'll ride with me," she said flatly.
Before Laura can even think to refuse, Camila lifted her by her waist and perched her atop a midnight colored griffin. And before she can even open her mouth to complain and speak her mind that she would prefer to ride with Dinah, Camila beat her to it.
"Dinah's griffin already carries a much heavier load than mine so you better shut it and keep quiet,"
"Aren't you the most arrogant person I've ever met?!" Doing the exact opposite, Laura retorted in exasperation as Camila mounted the griffin, pulling the girl closer to her body and circled her arms around her, making sure she won't fall as the girl continued talking, "You just assume that just because Buck carries a heavy load I would automatically want to ride with you?! I can ride with whoever I want! I can ride with Ally even if her smile creeps me out! I can ride with Simona or Normani!! You're not my only option he-"
Her rant was replaced by a high pitched squeal as Camila's griffin abruptly took off at high speed. Shooting off to the sky, they were significantly ahead from the rest of their friends and at a certain height too in only a matter of seconds. The island down below was quickly becoming a small shape of skull smack in the middle of deep blue waves. Until eventually it all vanished behind thick clumps of clouds.
"You will ride with whoever I tell you to ride," Camila whispered against Laura's ear. She didn't intend to but her voice was husky and low.
She decided right then and there that from here on out, Laura will always ride with her and not with anyone else. She will not allow anyone else to be this physically close to her, even if it takes every power she's got, then so be it.
She just can't fight it. This insatiable need to be close to Laura is consuming her. And she can't understand it. She never felt anything like this before, she's helpless about it. She can't do anything but succumb to it. That everything will be damned if she didn't do anything to sate her need to be this near to the beautiful Arcadian.
It was taking everything in Camila not to nibble on Laura's earlobe, have a little taste of her skin. It was so soft against her lips and she so desperately wants it in her mouth. To make matters worse, the girl's soft cinnamon and vanilla-like scent is intoxicating her, rousing a blood rush in her veins, stirring and stimulating. The girl's supple body against hers is very tantalizing, very distracting. But it's the most comfortable thing that has ever come near her.
And it irks her that Dinah got to experience this before her.
Laura remained silent after she whispered on her ear. They all flew over the clouds in relative silence and efficient speed. It only took them about thirty minutes to reach their destination and that's a much faster travel than any of them anticipated. But for Camila, it was thirty minutes too short. Soon enough, she's gonna have to let go of the girl cradled in her arms atop her griffin, and just the thought of it alone gives her anxiety.
She better get a grip of herself before this gets too far and cost her too much.
They landed on solid ground concealed by overgrown trees and thick bushes in silence. Not a single sound of crushed dry leaves or branches or a rustle of the wind or anything. The rest of them weren't far behind but Camila and Laura were significantly ahead of everybody else.
"Stay here," Camila told Laura quietly.
"Where are you going?"
"Just shut up and stay here. Keep an eye out for anything suspicious,"
"You mean like yourself?"
She turned to glare at the girl and caught her smirking. This girl calls her arrogant but she herself is so smug, it's so annoying.
Camila tried to calm herself because another remark from this Arcadian she'd be attacking her in the most unexpected ways. Perhaps shut her mouth with her own or something.
She growled in frustration at the path her train of thoughts were going but thankfully before she can make a fool of herself, Dinah landed with her griffin next to hers. Then subsequently, she was followed by the rest of their group.
Without another word but with one last glare at Laura, Camila turned to leave. She needs to be focused to be able to do her task. She cannot afford to be distracted by a certain pair of emerald eyes and luscious lips and feather soft earlobes and cinnamon-vanilla scents and goddamn it she really is unfocused.
She marched off deep into the forest cursing Laura for causing a riot in her head . . .
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🙂