The ride to the camp was nothing short of a nightmare. There were fallen trees along three of my paths so I had to take a completely different route that I'd never taken. Long story short, a trip that was supposed to take five hours took ten. I was exhausted, hungry, and angry when I arrived at the camp. But the camp itself was nothing short of magnificent.

Even though it has not been that long since I've seen it, the place still takes my breath away every time. You wouldn't think this was a military camp but a small village. The general was organized and knew how to keep his troops happy. I'll give him that. I wonder how they will all feel once they realize that their camps will not be as cozy. When they are in war No, war is everything but comfortable.

As I trotted into camp on my horse I tugged on my mask a little tighter to make sure it was secure. No one can know I am here; not yet anyway. They will find out sooner or later but that will be after we are already deep in battle and I can lead them properly. Plus I don't believe the general would take kindly to me swooping in and taking over. I'll let the man have a little power before I intervene.

The inside was just as beautiful and the nightlife was quite a sight. Men and women were dancing around fires. People laughing in a makeshift tavern drinking the night away. All smiling faces. I don't blame them. It's the last good night any of us are going to have in a very long time.

If my memory serves me correctly Jonas and Jacob were towards the back of the camp. The general dumped them there because they were practically prisoners. I had tried to motion to Noah several times to drop that title so they had a better chance of surviving but of course, he had no intention of doing that. Typical.

Before I got too far into the camp I forgot that I had to make a quick stop to see the general and announce myself. His memory is the most amazing thing I've ever witnessed. It was why he led our army. Not only did he remember all the faces and names of our soldiers but he came up with battle plans himself and executed them perfectly. He truly is our best.

My heart was racing faster as I approached his tent. I hopped off of my horse and tied her to a post nearby I would put her in a proper stall later but now was not the time for that. I checked my mask with what had to be a dozen times before taking a deep breath and entering the tent.

The general and the women surrounding him jolted up, clearly not expecting any visitors. His face contorted to anger before screaming at me, "And just who the hell do you think you are? Can you not listen or did I not tell all of my men and women not to bother me this evening? How hard is it to follow some damn directions soldier?"

I bowed deeply, "My apologies general but I am new to this camp. The king has sent me to be part of your army for the upcoming war."

His face softened a little but he was still clearly angry, "Well next time learn to read the room soldier." He paused studying me for a second, "My, you look familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?" He leaned forward in his chair as if to see me better. He was a striking man even if he was a complete and utter asshole. His hair fell in loose waves around his face. His striking green eyes pierced into mine, making me shrink a bit into myself. I let my eyes roam for a second noticing how attractive this man was. He had to be over six feet with muscles that would make any normal woman swoon.

He caught me staring and cleared his throat. My heart had to be beating outside of me. I cannot believe I was just caught checking the general out, "No, sir. I must have some similar eyes to someone but unfortunately, that is all the good there is to me."

"Hm, so I assume you have that mask on for a reason?"

I nodded, "My mouth was severely misshapen since birth and it has been a burden I carry with me every day. I do know that it is allowed to wear a face mask if I have a deformity."

He rolled his eyes, "Ah, yes that ridiculous rule. As if anyone is going to care what you look like. Hopefully, your insecurity doesn't compromise the way you fight."

"It won't, general. I practice every single day with my sword and hand-to-hand combat. You will find I am very skilled and I will be of great use to your army." I could feel the sweat dripping down my back. I was hoping my fear didn't show on my face. This man looked as if he could sniff it out like a damn dog.

He scoffs, "I'm sure you will. You are dismissed, soldier. Find somewhere to camp for the night. We ride at dawn."

I bow again and exit his tent. Only when I am back on my horse and riding towards the back of the camp do I finally let my heart settle. What's more unsettling is how unruly the general acts. How dare he talk to his soldiers that way. If you want an entire army to respect you then you have to give respect back. He's only going to make enemies that way. Once I'm in charge I will be changing that little attitude of his. I don't care how 'amazing' he is, I will not tolerate that kind of behavior.

There were so many tents around me that I was sure it was going to be impossible to find both of them. How was I supposed to know which tent they were in when men and women were going in and out of tents? Were there women coming in and out of Jonas's tent? I pushed that ugly thought away from my head. There was no reason to even concern myself with who Jonas fraternized with. It wasn't like we were together or anything.

I thought I was going to have to sleep on the ground when two sets of familiar eyes landed on me and my horse. I was wearing a mask but Jacob's death glare told me that there was no fooling him. I hung my head and slowly made my way toward him, dreading the lecture that was sure to come.

I hopped off my horse and handed him to a soldier whose job was to take all of the horses to their temporary stalls. Slowly I made my way to my brother. Every step felt like it was weighted, and my heart was hammering out of my chest. If he made a scene, I would be outed sooner than I thought, and Noah would have a massive fit and drag me back to the palace. I had to make it out of here with everyone else at sunrise.

The look on my brother's face showed a mix of surprise, anger, concern, and respect? I had hoped my eyes conveyed just how much I wished he wouldn't make a scene. As if he could read my mind he just tilted his head towards his tent.

Reluctantly I followed, checking to make sure that no one saw that outburst. It would be really unfortunate if all this effort was for nothing. I needed to get out onto the front lines before anyone realized that the queen was amongst them.

Their tent was tucked into the left corner of the camp. It wasn't anything glamorous, barely enough space to fit the two of them let alone trying to add me into it.

"I could set up camp quickly next to you guy's tent. It really won't take me that long."

"Oh, absolutely not. You are not going anywhere out of my sight until I've talked to you." He jabbed his finger into my chest. "I cannot believe how stupid and reckless you are being. You survived something that would have killed anybody else, and what do you do instead of staying safe? You join the damn war. I mean what is going through your head to even think this was a good idea?" He was running his fingers through his hair and tapping his foot on the ground. If there was enough room to pace in this tent he would have been doing it by now.

"Well I couldn't just sit by and do nothing could I? Noah refused to join in a war that he caused."

He tsked at me, "No surprise there but that doesn't mean you needed to be the hero for him. All you're doing is asking to get killed."

I ripped off the mask from my face because it felt entirely too hot under here and it wasn't from the weather. How dare my brother speak to me like that. He might be looking out for me but that gives him to right to speak to me in such a manner.

"You think you know everything, don't you? Well, sorry to break it to you but you don't. I've been training my ass off for years in case I ever needed to go into battle. I knew Noah would never go into battle himself and that there might come a point where he pissed someone off so badly that they started a war with him. Look around," I gestured around myself, "the day I've been preparing for has finally come."

"Just because you prepared for it doesn't mean that you needed to go through with it. You need to just sit back at the castle safe and sound."

I laughed but it was all but humorous, "You think just because I am a queen doesn't mean I shouldn't fight for my people. That I am just someone who should sit all pretty on the thrown and never lift a finger? You should know me better than that." And so quietly I could barely hear myself I said, "You sound just like Noah."

The hurt that flashed across my brother's face was unmistakable. "I am nothing like that coward." He whispered. "I have courage. I am here fighting for my country when me and Jonas could have just run away and left everyone, including you, behind. But no, I am here fighting for this country and you. There is nothing about me that is like Noah."

"All of that may be true. But the fact you want me to sit back just like this entire kingdom wishes I would do, like Noah wishes I would do, that makes you like him. You underestimate me. Think I am weak. If Noah were to come to the battlefield right now you wouldn't like him but you would probably respect him for making such a 'noble'," I put in air quotations, "sacrifice. What makes me so different?"

His brows crease with frustration, "You really want to know so badly? You're right it is because you are a woman. Not just any woman you are my sister. I am responsible for you now that our parents are gone courtesy to your husband might I add. I cannot afford to lose you too. So please, Blair, go home. For my sanity please go somewhere where I know you will be safe."

I took my brother's hands into my own and shook my head, "You know that I cannot do that brother. I will stay here. You can either choose to support me and make sure I am safe while I am here. Or you can detest me and my decision and work against me. Either way, I am staying. This is my fight for my people and I will not sit idly while my people fight a war that their king started."

He dropped my hands with more force than he needed to and pointed out of the tent, signaling for me to get out without another word. I looked over at a wordless Jonas who had sat through this entire thing without so much as a huff. We locked eyes for a brief moment before I made my way out of the tent. Even though my brother was angry with me I was still going to set up camp next to theirs. It still felt the safest in this entire camp.

As I was putting up my tent, and failing miserably, I felt a tap on my shoulder and jumped so high that would make a cat jealous. Before my fist connected with the mysterious person's face they caught it. My head stopped spinning and Jonas came into view with a stupid grin on his face.

"Are you insane? Do you have a death wish or something I almost broke your face."

He laughed, "Well good thing I caught it than princess. Here let me help you put up your tent since you seem to be having...difficulties." He grabbed the materials out of my hands and started going to work.

I walked up next to him and tried to help out, "Yeah, well it's not my fault that tent building wasn't part of my curriculum growing up or in the castle."

"Yes well, it seems as if sword training was?" I could hear the skepticism dripping from his voice.

"Not exactly no. That was all on my own. No one is going to teach someone who is supposed to be a delicate trophy how to kill people. I did that all on my own. Everyone always tiptoed around me as a kid and even during my time at the castle. They thought that even if the breeze hit me the wrong way I would break. I had to prove them wrong somehow. Show I'm more than someone pretty. Luckily all the poofy dresses and heavy clothes hid all the muscle I was building. If they saw that I had a bunch of muscle on me everyone would freak out. Saying how unladylike it was."

He continued to work on the tent, not looking me in the eyes when he said, "Well I happen to think women with muscle are extremely attractive. It shows dedication and hard work, something a lot of people don't know about."

My face flushed and I dropped the pole that I was supposed to be supporting.

"Oh come on princess there's no way it's that hard to hold onto a poll."

"Uh, yeah sorry." Why did he have to be pretty and good with words?

We finally finished putting up the tent and by that time the sun had long since set. He wished me goodnight and a part of me so badly wanted to tell him to stay but I had bigger things I needed to worry about. I couldn't afford to get distracted by a pretty face. Even if that face said some wonderful things and had a smile that could rival the sun.

Tomorrow would be the day we rode out. Tomorrow would be the day I reveal myself as the queen to the camp. Tomorrow might be the day I die.