"We make camp here for tonight. As soon as the sun is pecking tomorrow morn, we head." Xiana said as she pulled her horse to a stop on the banks of a river. The small clearing was perfect, it was covered by trees and bush. 

" I'll get the fire going," Ryden said as he dismounted his horse. Xiana and Drago both dismounted at the same time. Zion was last to hit the ground.

" Zion, you deal with the horses," Xiana told the prince as she turned to Drago. "Drago, we are going hunting," Xiana smirked to her dragon brother. 

"Yes! About damn time!" Drago spoked loudly with excitement in every word. He grabbed his sword and pulled it from its sheath and laughed manically.

"Can I come with you?" Zion asked looking to Xiana with puppy dog eyes. Xiana shook her head to him and a soft smile on her lips.

"No, I need you to stay here. Where it's safe. Xiana muttered to him before turning around and pulled her sword from its sheath. She inspected it before placing it back into its casing, strapping it to her hip. Xiana then reacher for her bow and arrows.

" We will be back in two hours." She spoke looking to Zion, who stared at her not saying a word. Drago turned around and followed behind Xiana into the darkening forests.

"Stay safe," Zion muttered just loud enough for them to hear. Xiana lifted her hand in the air signalling she heard him.

"Why don't you talk to her?" Ryden spoke out once they had disappeared.  Zion looked at the boy who had begun to pile sticks and branches in a pile to begin the fire.

"About what?" Zion asked confused.

"How you feel..." Ryden said stopping what he was doing and looked up to Zion, who just looked so confused. "About Xiana."

"What feelings?" He asked him.

"Really? Do you not feel it." Ryden asked him, standing up and walking towards.

"Answer me these questions. Who is she?"

"Xiana, Dragons soul. Right hand to the King." 

"What is her purpose?" 

"To protect the kingdom and it's people."

"What do you see when you look at her?"

"A feirce and beautiful warrior. A woman who has incredible abilities and a generous personality." Zion said without a second of hesitation.

"When she enters the room, how do you feel?"

"Everything. I feel safer, happier, excited and fearful." 

"And when you look at her, what do you feel?"

"When I look at her, my heart quickens. My chest tightens and my breathing stops. Everything around us becomes non-existent. I feel like I," Zion said but stop for a moment.

" Love her." Ryden finished off his sentence for him. Zion stopped for a moment as if that word helped everything to make complete sense. But immediately shook his head with a laugh.

" No, no way is that possible," Zion told Ryden. "Even if it were true. We could never be together. She is a warrior of the Kingdom, a Dragon's soul and I am a Prince. Soon to be King."

"It's not as impossible as you think it to be. It's like you said, you are to be King." Ryden said walking over to him. "And when you sit on that throne, no one can tell you what to do and what not to do. You make the rules. you can decide who to love, who to spend the rest of your life with." 

"Even then, she does not reciprocate those feelings," Zion said shaking his head, a slight hint of hopelessness in his voice could be heard through his words. 

"How are you so sure of that?" Ryden asked. Zion looked at him for a moment before scrunching up his face to the boy. 

" You are but a boy. What would you know about such matters of the heart." Zion asked in a condescending voice.

" Much more than you believe, Prince Zion," Ryden spoke as he turned around and sat down next to his fire. The aura around them changed dramatically. "I may only be Sixteen. But I too was in love and she was a beauty. Brown hair, soft skin and the most infectious laugh."

"What happened?" Zion asked sitting on the other side of the now lit fire.

"We both grew up, south on the kingdom. She was from a poor farming family, I was from a noble family. My father found out about the two of us, that we had planned to elope within the week. He and three of his followers went to her house and burned it to the ground. But not before killing my Love and her family." 

" I am sorry Ryden. I had no idea that you had gone through so much." Zion said sympathetically to him. 

"It's alright. It was two years ago. I still hold the memories in my heart, but I have moved on." 

"Good. I hope your future is brighter. And with your love watching over you, I'm sure it will be." Zion told him, trying to boost his moral slightly more. Ryden smiled at his words before going back to making sure the fire was still ravaging on. 

They sat in silence for the rest of the time it took for Xiana and Drago to hunt. It was Xiana who first appeared from behind a bush with a large deer on her shoulder. Drago walking not too far behind her with a sulk on his face.

" We're back," Xiana called out grabbing their attention. Zion looked up with a smile to her before looking to Drago. 

" What is wrong with him?" Zion asked pointing to the giant man who continued to sulk.

" He is just upset at the fact I managed to get the catch." 

"I would have got it but,"

"You're just too slow," Xiana smirked at him and she dropped the dead deer to the ground. "And because I got the Kill, you get to prepare it."

" Must I? You know how much I hate doing that!"

"And we have a long-standing deal. So come on." Xiana said chucking her craving knives to him. "I'm hungry."