Thread two

Holden put his mask back on. “I trust you.”

Taylor was wandering the halls still

Audrey shook her head. "You just met me."

Seth sat down and ran his hands through his hair, itching to listen to a song or something.

Ella started humming, her life reached maximum weirdness.

“Your point?”  Holden asked

"You shouldn't trust anyone," Audrey concluded. "Especially not strangers." She got a distant look in her eyes.

"That was possibly the worst description I've ever heard," Valerie said. "What do you want us to do about it?"

“That’s true. Good thing you aren’t a stranger.” Holden smiled

"Valerie has a point." Ella said

Audrey crossed her arms. "I am, in every aspect, a stranger to you."

Seth didn't know what to do so he eavesdropped on the conversation happening in the other room.

Ella \*poofed\* next to Seth, "hi." She whispered.

Seth jumped. "What- hi," he said back.

Holden shrugged. “Okay.” he walked back into the room

Audrey crossed her arms. This guy was cOnFuSiNg. She narrowed her eyes at him and followed. "I guess I trust you too," she said hastily.

Ella walked over to Taylor, "Sup."

"Hey." Taylor said, rubbing their fists

“sTrAnGeR dAnGeR!” Holden yelped

"Are your hands okay?" Cole asked Taylor.

Seth repeated Ella. "Sup."

When everyone ignored her and left, Valerie shrugged and wandered around, hoping to get outside the caves.

"Uhhh." Ella looked back and forth between Seth and Taylor, "Cool."

Audrey rolled her eyes. "YoU'rE sO dRaMaTiC," she muttered.

"I'm fine. I was just punching walls out of boredom." Taylor said casually, like that was something people did all the time

"Oh I punch floors." Ella added helpfully

It was not. "I think you need better ways to entertain yourself." Cole told them

"Punching people is also fun." Taylor was smirking

Valerie was wandering through the caves, still on alert. Hoping no one was around, she slipped her knife out and held it, the weight reassuring in her hand.

"I SECOND THAT, besides unless you have a good book on you I suggest you shut your pie hole." Ella warned

"Why?" Taylor didn't like getting ordered around

Cole held up his hands. "No books, sorry."

"See? It's fine. I normally always have a book with me- and a small bomb." Ella smirked

Valerie was still wandering around.

"You have a what?" Cole asked.

"Normally- I have a small bomb on me, but I left it up in my room." Ella said

"You just left a bomb lying around? Are you serious?" Cole’s eyes widened

"No, I have it on me." Ella held up a small sphere.

Taylor looked faintly nervous

"Not sure why though." Ella mused

"That's not better," Cole said. "Well, it is a little better. But seriously, you just casually have a bomb, and you've been carrying it around?"

"Yeah! I also have several daggers." Ella added

Valerie heard loud voices and decided to follow them.

"Not surprised anymore," Seth said. He didn't have any weapons, but he did have some pennies.

"WHAT?" Ella asked

Valerie was still following the voices.

Taylor cussed "[redacted] WHY DO YOU HAVE A BOMB! AND DAGGERS!"

Callyah heard the voices as well, but her job was to stay with the queen.

"Why not?" Ella looked at Seth and Cole

Valerie heard Taylor and walked into the room. "I have knives too," she offered.

Quinn was wandering out, her ears perking up as she heard the voices.

"THANK YOU!" Ella put her hands on her hips

Taylor shook their head "[redacted]. You all are [redacted] crazy."

"Calm down, we're all here. You don't need to yell," Val said irritably.

Anika was still staring intently to Klay, not realizing he had stopped talking, she had sorta spaced out and was an ~unsuspecting target~

Anika was never an unsuspecting target with Callyah around, though

Klay was deep in his own thoughts.

Anika hadn’t realized she was still leaning forward in her seat and was closer to Klay cause she had ~zoned out~

Klay tried to match up the girls face with someones he knew,

Anika wasn’t really thinking about anything she was supposed to she was more in a tired faze of relief that they finally had a lead.

Anika hadn’t realized it cause she was half-asleep from pure exhaustion but she had leaned her head on the closest thing to her side which jUsT sO hApPeNeD to be Klays shoulder and had fallen asleep.

Klay gently shook her awake, "Hey, Queen Sleepy, you should probably sleep in your bed if you're that tired."

“Mmmm” she mumbles, her eyes still closed and she was still mostly asleep.

Klay gently lifted her up ad started carrying her to her room...

Anika shifted her head and ended up resting it near his chest as she slept.

Klay was trying to be very quiet-

Anika slept peacefully given this was the longest she had ever slept straight for a week at least and it had only been 10 minutes. And Anika who was an adorable sleeping bean was clinging to Klays arm almost possessively as she slept

Klay smiled a bit at her.

Anika continued to sleep like that, a maid was walking past when they saw the queen and gasps, “is the queen alright?” she asks looking alarmed.

"Ah, yes,..she's just tired." Klay says.

The maid nods then frowns, but doesn’t say anything as she rushes away from the queens bedroom door to let them in.

Klay gently sets her down on the bed.

Anika, still clinging to his arm slowly let go.

Anika feeling his warmth slowly leave her shifted in her sleep and threatened to wake up.

Klay placed a blanket over her, careful to not wake her up.

Anika went back to sleeping peacefully. Her door was opened quickly and Anika’s mother stalked in and saw them both. Her eyes went between the two of them and smiles at Klay, “Have you even kissed her yet?” she says judging like, not even saying hello or questioning him being in the queens room and why she was asleep.

"What?" Klay's eyes flew to the queen's mother.

Valerie existed.

“Or maybe more than that.” Anika’s mom muses, studying him, “Your handsome enough, and if you are in her room she probably likes you, or maybe your just a fling. It’s been quite a while since she dated anyone.” The queens mother went on, “The last one was a pity that she let go but she doesn’t listen very well to her own mother.” she says.

Paisley also existed

"I-" Klay was in a state of shock, the poor thing.

The former queen frowns, “Well speak dear boy.” she tells him a bit forcefully.

"Well..um.." Klay stuttered

The queens mother looked bored with him already, “Well do something.” she says with an eyeroll before leaving briskly.

Klay stood in complete embarrasment.

Anika stirs after a while and yawns a bit her eyes slowly opening.

Callyah was now there in the doorway, casually watching them

Anika turned over and saw Klay she smirked a bit, “You sure do have a tendency to be in my room.” she points out teasingly.

Valerie continued existing and Ploofy waited for DrAmA

Paisley looked around the cave bored.

"Well, Queen Sleepyhead, I do have a tendency to end up here." Klay replied

Callyah was still in the doorway watching them impassively

Valerie left the room and was wandering around.

“Mhm, I can see that.” Anika says with another smirk. She sits up and looks at her formal dress she had still be wearing and frowned, “One second.” she says and jumps off the bed and locks herself in the bathroom coming out a few minutes later dressed in this.

Cole waved to Val

"That suits you," Klay notes.

Surprised, Valerie instinctively waved back "Hey."

Anika glances down and smiles a bit, “You think?” she says with a slight raised eyebrow.

"Hi. Where are you going?" Cole asked

Callyah held in a sigh.

Taylor existed, rubbing their fists

"Yup" He flashes her a smile

Anika gives him a smile and she walks over to her counter where all her jewelry and her crown was positioned. But instead of grabbing either she unlocked a locked drawer and pulled out a dagger-knife that nobody, not even Callyah knew she had and puts it in a pocket in her pants and turns to him like she didn’t just pull a dagger out of a jewelry drawer.

Valerie shrugged. "I was hoping maybe outside. If I could actually find an exit."

"There's a garden around here somewhere, but I think it's enclosed," Cole said.

Callyah continued to stand casually in/near/by the doorway

"I was hoping that there would be another exit to these caves. Because, like, what castle has a secret passage without a secret exit." Valerie explained.

Taylor sat down in the middle of a hallway and waited for someone to trip over them. Because Taylor.

"You have a point. But it's probably concealed really well so it can't be used unless there's a real emergency. There might be other passages that lead back into the castle," Cole added unhelpfully.

"Probably," Val agreed with a sigh. "I was hoping on summoning my falcon."

"I think you could do that from the garden," Cole said. "I'm pretty sure palace gardens don't usually have ceilings."

Anika winks at Klay and glances at Callyah to see she was still guarding by the door.

"Yeah, but," Val shrugged, "It's not the same. The palace would probably distort my call. It's fine though. What about you?" she asked, changing the subject.

Klay stood there awkwardly.

Anika smirks at Klay looking uncomfortable and she glances at Callyah again before saying, “Hey Callyah can you go make sure nobody is down the hall? We are going to go find the others and my mother might get the press again if she sees either of us.” she tells her.

Klay didn't feel the need to mention to Anika anything about her mothers little..chat with him.

Taylor was sitting in the middle of that hall for convenience

After Callyah had gone to do what Anika had asked Anika stood there seeming to be considering something and before Callyah could get back she quickly takes a step closer to Klay and has to stand on her tiptoes given her lack of height and she quickly kisses him.

"What about me what?" Cole asked, confused. Had he misread?

Klay felt a pulse of shock go through him before he kissed her back, just lightly.

Anika leans back after a moment her cheeks slightly redder than normal.

Klay was a bit speechless.

"I mean, what are you wandering around for," She clarified.

Anika rocked on the heels of her feet which were barefoot at the moment and she was looking a bit nervous.

"I..don't suppose your mother put you up to that, did she?" Klay asked

Anika shook her head, “If she had the press would be here right now, probably with cameras.” she informs him looking up to smile at him still nervous looking.

Taylor was forgotten

"Oh. I just was kind of bored, so I figured I'd just walk around some." He tripped over Taylor's outstretched legs. "Sorry," he said, regaining his balance.

"Yeah." Valerie fell silent, not really sure how to continue the conversation.

Taylor looked up at Cole with a smirk. "No worries." They got up

"Well..." Klay started.

Anika’s cheeks were still warm as she said, “Sorry, I shouldn’t have-“

"No..its fine. Really." Klay assured her

Anika didn’t look very convinced with his response.

"I guess I should..like..go to my room." Klay sighed

Anika nods, “Okay.” she says, feeling extremely humiliated.

Klay left, giving her a small smile.

Anika gave him a small smile back but after he left she flopped on her bed and was cursing herself for doing something stupid, *why did you do that? Idiot. Idiot. Idiot. Your the queen and everybody will over dramatize this and you’ll look like a fool. Which you are.*

Callyah was standing in the hallway, just far enough away from the door that the queen couldn't hear them, blocking Klay's path.

"So how'd it go?" Callyah asked, flipping one of her knives open and closed casually.

"I...umm.." Klay looked for an exit

Valerie kept walking, hoping she was going in somewhat the right direction of their rooms. She ~coincidentally~ happened to be walking slightly towards Callyah and Klay.

"Look," Callyah said, snapping the knife closed with a loud *click.* "I'm sure you've got 'the best of intentions'--" she said that part in a high voice, fluttering her eyelashes-- "towards the queen and all, but let me make one thing clear. If you're just playing with her, if you lead her on, if you treat her with anything other than the respect she deserves, I will end you. Slowly and painfully. Do we understand each other?"

"Yes!" Klay squeaked, terrified.

Anika shook her head at herself as she lay on her bed and mentally was hitting herself.

Callyah nodded curtly and strode past him to the queen's room.

Anika barely even looked up when Callyah came into her room and she just said, “Did I learn nothing from last time?” she asks referring to the last time to had kissed a guy which was 3 years ago.

Klay let out a quick sigh of relief once Callyah was gone.

Val turned the corner and saw a relieved Klay.

Callyah sighed and leaned against the wall next to the bed. "I think Klay will be better than the others. And if he isn't... well, he understands the consequences."

Anika nods slowly, “I mean he’s got to be better than the arranged marriage between you know who.” she shudders slightly.

Callyah nods in agreement. "You want to talk about him? I can take--" she pretended to check her watch-- "about thirteen more minutes of sappy cuteness."

Klay was walking to his room when he stopped in front of a portrait of a younger Anika.

Anika sits up and smiles at her a bit, “He’s ridiculous and for some reason I like it.” she sighs, “The press is going to eat him alive.”

Valerie was still wandering around.

Paisley was also walking around.

Valerie bumped into Paisley. “Oh, sorry.”

Paisley stumbles a bit but manages not to fall over, “Oh it’s fine.” she assures her, “What are you doing?” she asks curiously.

The portrait of Anika that Klay had stopped in front of was one of her on a wide beach and she looked so young and carefree before being queen.

Taylor was being Taylor again. Aka punching walls and people out of boredom.

“Well, I was looking for a way outside the castle, like outside outside, but now I was just going to head back to the main room.” Val said

"True," Callyah said. "He needs to learn how to deal with them. Or not," she added, remembering that he was going to be sent to find the group responsible for, well, everything.

Anika nods and sighs, “They were such a pain today.” she adds, “I mean not any more than normal but still.”

Paisley nods, “I think I saw a door to an outside path that way.” she points down a hall.

“Thanks,” Valerie nodded thankfully to her.

"If you don't want to deal with them, no one can force you to," Callyah reminded the queen.

KLay smiled a bit.

“I know.” Anika sighs, “my mother is almost as big a pain as them, probably more.” she says with a frown.

A maid hurries past Klay, then a few more until it seems like everyone in the palace was going somewhere. One stopped, and was breathing quickly. “sir there is quite a large protest happening at the palace gate.” He says before hurrying off.

"What's happening?" Cole asked a maid that passed him.

Callyah pulled back her hood and took out the small comb pinning back her long brown hair. "She is," she agreed.

Valerie passed a large group of bustling maids. "What's going on?" She asked, stopping one of them.

"What?" Klay asked, following the maid.

Taylor was wherever the other would end up because plot convenience

“A large protest at the main gate.” A maid told Valerie and another told Klay and went back to hurrying somewhere.

Anika frowns, “You hear that right?” she asks when she thought she heard a loud bang, which was the gates being shaken by protesters.

"Well that clears it up," Val muttered, fingering one of her knives again. She went to go find the group because hopefully the queen would be with them and able to explain.

Callyah nodded, pinning her hair back up and putting her hood back over her head. "Sounds like the gates. Whatever happens, you need to stay close to me, okay?" she asked. "And you might want to put some shoes on."

"Do you know what they're protesting?" Cole asked Taylor.

Anika nods, “Okay.” she hurries and pulls on some shoes, she was still wearing this as she pulls her hair back quickly and grabs her crown.

"No idea." Taylor tugged on their hood

Valerie saw Taylor and Cole and walked over. "I'm guessing you you are looking for answers too?"

"Yep." Taylor popped the P

"Yep," Cole agreed. "What's happening?"

Callyah opened the door and slid one of her knives into the palm of her hand. "Stay with me," she reminded the queen.

“We should probably find the queen,” Valerie suggested,

Anika nods, “Will do.” she assures Callyah but something tells her that might not happen. She hurries to the front entrance of the palace and opens the door onto the balcony and steps out which ensues quite a bit more banging on the gates.

Aire hurried out quickly

Callyah stayed at the queen's side.

Paisley followed the others to a large room with windows to see outside. She spotted Anika on her balcony about to address everyone.

Anika clears her throat, “Hello everyone.” she says in a regal tone, she looked very queenly even though she was only wearing her crown and an outfit besides a dress.

The crowd silences when they see the queen but then continue their noise. Anika frowns, “Silence.” she says in a calm and commanding tone, she had to use quite a lot of energy to charm speak this large of a crowd.

Paisley gasps quietly at the huge amount of people, it was honestly a scary sight with them all covering their faces.

Valerie thought she heard something and headed toward the noise.

Taylor made a small face. They could tell that the queen was using charmspeak

“Now can someone tell me what this is about?” Anika asks calmly.

”Many reasons *your highness!*” one says mockingly, “You being unqueenly and going to date a simple boy while there was a threatening attack on your own life and many others!” more yelled.

Klay felt the blood drain out of his face. *How could they have known? And did Anika know? Was this all just set up?* He thought

“I see.” she says retaining her calm, collected and regal expression, “Now I want you to know the news will lead you astray from the truth and i am working day and night to find the threat on our world to give you and your children and future generations a safe life.” she tells them. “And I would like you to also leave anyone else out of this.” she says meaning Klay.

Valerie made her way out behind the queen just in time to hear the last accusations. *Well, they're not wrong*, she mused to herself.

Klay felt betrayed. He turned around and started walking back to his apartment, down by the stables.

Anika looked overwhelmed for a second her guard slipped but she cleared her throat, “Everyone please go home and rest.” she orders and they do but only cause she had to charmspeak them. She opens the doors to the balcony and stumbles inside. She had to hold onto the wall to keep from falling over. She had never had to charm speak a crowd that big and they did NOT want to leave.

For plot convenience Anika was walking or more like stumbling down the same hallway as Klay to get to her special room where she went when she had used too much charmspeak but she was so out of it she lost her way.

Taylor wondered if they should find the kitchens and get food.

Paisley felt hungry and she said, “Okay um so I think the queen might need to rest or something and I’m hungry anyone else?”

Klay winced as his damaged arm scraped across the wall. The thorn injuries hadn't fully healed yet,

Anika held onto the wall as she walked down the hall, trying and failing to look okay. She could barely see in front of her which is how she bumped into Klay.

"I am too." Taylor said, smirking for no reason

Paisley nods, “Okay well should we ask someone the way?”

"Probably." Taylor agreed

Klay looked behind him, and barely hid his disgust when he saw who it was, "I can't believe you did this," he mutters.

“Okay.” Paisley looks around and stops the first maid who walks by and she asks where the kitchen is, she gets directions and starts to lead the others the way she was told to go.

Anika looked very confused, “Did what?” she asks holding onto the wall with a white knuckled grip to avoid falling over.

"Stop pretending, Anika. Who did you tell? Your mother? Your sister? Maybe your father?" Klay asked

“Tell what?” Anika asks still confused, she wasn’t thinking very clearly, “I don’t talk to my family unless it’s to yell at them.” she says her voice small from using so much charm speak.

Klay snorted, "And you expect me to fall for your innocent act? Anika, you must have told someone, unless Callyah did."

“Tell them what?” Anika asks again her knuckles so pale from having to hold onto the wall for support.

Valerie followed Taylor and Paisley, thinking.

Taylor followed Paisley, preparing to use their charmspeak just in case

AuDrEy eXiStEd.

"About what happened! About you, kissing me!" Klay tells her.

Anika frowns, “I didn’t tell anyone and neither did Callyah, they just-“ she takes a sharp intake of breath, “figure stuff like this out.” she finishes clutching her side with one hand and the wall with another.

"Figure stuff like this out? Really?" Klay spat

“What am I supposed to say?” Anika asks her voice getting very small “I’m sorry I like you, I’m sorry I-oh.” She takes another sharp intake of breath and is leaning on the wall as if it’s her only support.

Only now did Klay notice how pained she looked, "Are you okay?" He asks, no emotion in his voice.

Valerie spoke up. "They were right."

Taylor looked at Valerie "Right about what?"

"The crowd. They were right about the queen." Val replied

Anika shook her head, “I’m Fine.” she says, even through her pain she noticed the absence of emotion and it just made it worse, she slowly stood up to face him trying not to wobble and failing, “I didn’t mean to hurt you, and I-“ she’s cut off by wincing then continues, “I guess I didn’t handle it very well.” she says quietly.

"Hm." Taylor thought over what the protesters had said. *They were.*

Klay sighed, "Its fine..and really, you need to get to a doctor or something."

"She hasn't done anything to help them in the past years." Val continued.

Anika looks both pained and sad, she wanted to tell him how it wasn’t okay and that she really was sorry, sorrier than she ever had been which was stupid but she didn’t cause she knew it wouldn’t help, “Doctors don’t help.” she mumbles quietly.

"What does help?" Klay asks.

“Just resting and being useless as usual.” Anika says and she’s being super pessimistic but she doesn’t care.

"Well, we should get you to your room then>" Klay told her

Anika nods and resists the urge to wince as she does, “I can make it, you probably don’t want to be anywhere near me.” she says slowly letting go of the wall so she can try and walk past him into a different hall to her room.

"Agreed" Taylor muttered

Paisley nods but stays quiet.

Valerie glanced at her, a small smirk playing across her lips. "You know, you were supposed to disagree with me so I could rant about it to someone."

Paisley snorts, “I mean it’s true.”

"No, Its fine. I can help." Klay reached for Anika

Val sighed. "We need to help her, don't we?"

Anika was too worn out to fight him so she just lets him help her.

Paisley nods with a sigh, “She has been doing this alone for the whole time.” she admits.

"She'll die five seconds into it if we don't." Val agreed.

“Id give her 15” paisley says with a smirk.

"Not long enough to complete her goal." Valerie finished.

“Yep.” Paisley replies, “I mean, nobody can do that on their own.”

"Her guards won't be able to help her though," Val pointed out. "They've been stuck in the palace just like her."

Paisley nods, “Maybe we should take her out into the real world. Show her what it’s really like, then see if she can figure something out. With our help of coarse.”

"To the city? She'll be eaten alive." Val shook her head

Klay held out an arm for her.

“Oh come on she’s not that soft. I bet you with the groups help she would make it.” Paisley reasoned

Anika reluctantly took his arm, she knew he was still mad at her but she was too tired to do anything else.

"Yeah, but if anyone finds out she'll be gone in seconds. She'll have to disguise herself, and Holden and the other guards will have to back down so that no one notices." Valerie pointed out.

Paisley nods, “Yeah that might be a problem with Callyah.”

Klay leads Anika to her room.

Anika opens the door and turns to look at Klay, “Thank you.” she says in a small voice as she looks at her feet awkwardly.

"You're welcome." Klay says gruffly, turning to leave.

Anika watches him turn to leave and before he could get out of earshot she whispers almost too quiet for anyone to hear, “I am really sorry.” she says.

Klay doesn't respond.

"We can make it work," Val decided.

Anika bites her lip, wincing from the effort before turning to go lie in her bed.

Ella found ANOTHER window to stare out of. She was staring at a bunny shaped cloud she named Alex.

Anika stumbled over to her bed and pulled off her shoes and put her crown up before falling into the bed.

Klay sighs, biting his lip.

Anika had forgotten to close the door but she didn’t care as she mutters something colorful about herself into her pillow. She knew the only way to help her pain was to not fall asleep so she had to keep cursing herself.

Ella spotted a spoon on a counter a few feet away, she stared at it narrowing her eyes, it rattled and danced off the counter.

Anika kept cursing herself into her pillow and trying hard to stay awake and not break down from exhaustion and humiliation and sadness.

Ella balled up her fist and the spoon skittered in her direction, TELEKINESIS! The spoon rammed into her ankle, she silently groaned. She moved on to moving a cookbook.

Anika kept cursing herself, getting harsher and harsher.

Klay winced as he heard what Anika was saying to herself.

It was a fairly small cookbook but Ella still had a very hard time moving it.

Anika stops talking and sighs quietly into her pillow and has to sit up so she doesn’t fall asleep. She starts gently hitting her head against the wall, not enough to hurt her but enough to stay awake and she keeps muttering, “stay awake, stay awake.” Over and over, her eyes closed.

Holden was in his room, trying to get some rest.

Anika continued to be a total jerk to herself

Taylor was wherever they were. Because Taylor goes where they want and no one can stop them

Valerie was with Taylor and Paisley because they were talking about how the queen would need help.

Paisley added, “Callyah will be the hardest to convince.”

Valerie snorted. "We might have to just kidnap the queen until she's accepted the realities."

Taylor was bored and hungry. They wandered away from Paisley and Valerie over to the kitchen

Paisley laughs, “I actually think we just have to sneak her away. She may not understand the realities but I think she realizes she can’t do this alone.”

"I mean wait until Callyah accepts she has to tone it down, but yes." Val nodded

Ella flexed her fingers in to a claw, beckoning the cookbook, she never really used her telekinesis and could only life small things. She let out a loud sight and the cookbook flew into her gut. "OWWW!"

Paisley nods.

Anika blows out a breath and keeps gently hitting her head against the wall and muttering to herself.

"We should find her. I have some questions I need her to answer." Valerie said.

“Okay.” Paisley agrees and follows Valerie.

Callyah came in then, having been out securing the gates. and saw the queen hitting her head against the wall. She took the queen by the shoulders, forcing her to stop. "Hey."

Anika opened her eyes and found Callyah there, “oh gosh how long have I-“ She doesn’t finish.

"Do you have any idea where the queen stays?" Val asked Paisley.

"What happened?" Callyah asked gently.

Paisley shakes her head, “We could ask Klay or Holden I’m betting they know where she is.” she notes

Taylor heard someone get hurt and started running towards the sound

“I had to charm speak the whole crowd which you know I can’t do without draining myself and Klays mad at me.”  Anika sighed

Cole followed Taylor, not sure why he was running after them. ·

Klay sighed sadly.

Valerie stopped a nearby maid. "Where are the queen's quarters?" The maid wordlessly pointed and Valerie started in that direction.

Callyah muttered something under her breath about idiot boys and sat on the bed next to the queen.

Ella decided her stupid powers weren't worth puking up her breakfast. She wandered around for a bit.

“I couldn’t even fricking stand up straight while he was yelling at me.” Anika says flatly but she was annoyed with herself. If she was going to be yelled at she at least wanted to not look like a complete fool in the process.

"He yelled at you?" Callyah asked. Clearly someone had not listened to her. "While you were exhausted from charmspeaking everyone?"

Taylor opened the doors calmly, like they hadn't run through the palace to find the source of that sound. "Hello?" They called quietly

Anika sighs, “Callyah it’s fine, I’m a queen complaining about a guy while I should be helping my world.” she looks disappointed in herself

Valerie knocked on what she hoped was the queen's door.

Ella picked a random window, unlatched it and slid out onto the small ledge.

"You've had a day," Callyah reminded her. "You want me to stay here and help you stay awake?"

Cole was following Valerie and Taylor.

Taylor looked around, taking a piece of fruit from a random bowl

“Yeah thank you.” Anika says in a small, tried voice.

Callyah heard a knock at the door. She stood up and opened it, seeing Valerie, with Taylor and Cole down the hall. "What are you doing here?" she asked, more in surprise than aggression.

Ella slid to the next window.

"We need to talk with the queen," Valerie said.

"Now is not a good time," Callyah told them, signing so her brother could see. "The queen has had a long day."

"It's important," Val said firmly, putting her foot in the doorframe so Callyah couldn't try and close it.

Anika sits up a bit more, “No no it’s fine, i need to stay awake anyways.” she assures Callyah.

Callyah looked down at where Valerie's foot was in the door, then back up at Valerie. She turned to the queen. "Alright," she said, letting them in.

Cole followed them inside the room.

Valerie stepped inside and glanced around, half in awe and half in disgust.

Anika raises an eyebrow at them as if inviting them to start talking.

"Are you okay?" Cole asked instead.

Taylor walked into the room, chomping on a piece of fruit

Ella fell asleep on the three inch wide ledge.

Anika shrugs, “I’ve been better.” she admits.

Klay smiles a bit at his adoptive father, "Yeah, sorry bout' that Erret,"

Valeri sighed. "Good. We got that out of the way. What's the first thing you want us to do when we're looking for these people?"

Anika considers this, “Well we need to think of a way to draw them in somewhere.”

Callyah interpreted for her brother from her position next to the bed -- she wasn't going to sit down in front of them.

"Draw them into a trap?" Cole asked.

“Yes, we can’t find them because there are too many places for them to be.” Anika answered

"She won't like that," Val said, gesturing to Callyah. "After all, the only thing that would draw them into the trap would be you."

"We're not using the queen as bait," Callyah said firmly.

"Can't the twins change their appearance?" Cole asked. "It wouldn't be perfect, but with the right clothes and makeup, we could probably pull it off."

Taylor was just watching in near silence

Paisley nods and tries to shift into Anika’s appearance but something wouldn’t let her then instantly she has the same long dark hair and dark eyes.

"That's actually not a bad idea," Callyah said. "But they won't believe it's her unless she's with me, and there's no way in hell I'm leaving the queen alone."

"And they'd have to act just like her too. Same stance, the same way they walk, the same tone of voice." Valerie pointed out.

"That can all be learned," Callyah said. "And it'll take a while to set up this kind of trap anyway."

Anika nods slowly, “Yes, we can train for this.” she says slowly.

"Where? Everyone will know if we stay here." Val pointed out

Anika’s brows furrow, “Out.” she says quietly.

Paisley raises an eyebrow.

"The queen said out," Callyah said, herding them all out the door.

**Let me help her?** Cole signed.

**No,** Callyah said.

Valerie shrugged and said, "Think about it. You'll know where to find us."

Jo suddenly had an idea, "Why dont I guard the queen instead of Callyah? I'm technically qualified..."

"No way in hell," Callyah said.

Jo rolled her eyes, "It would be most reasonable, but of course, youre' being a [redacted] as usual."

“No no no don’t leave that’s not what I meant.” Anika says quickly, “I mean we have to train outside, outside the gates.”

Callyah ignored Jo, instead saying, "Getting the queen out of the palace would make it more difficult for the group to find the queen."

Valerie narrowed her eyes. "How far outside the gates are we talking?" She asked slowly.

Klay was busy with one of the palace horses, when he noticed who owned it. Anika.

Anika smiles a bit and it’s a slight bit mischievous, “As far as you can take me.” she tells Valerie.

The horse Klay was taking care of neighed with affection and flicked her tail.

"Okay. I think I might know a place. But it's a long long ways from here." Val said, still thinking it over.

"Oh god," Klay mumbles, gently petting the horses head.

"We can get you at least as far as (Cole and Callyah's hometown)," Cole supplied.

"Actually, the place I was thinking of isn't to far from there."

Anika looked determined, “Okay than.”

The horse shook her mane and neighed again

"Everyone needs to pack," Callyah said. "Is an hour enough time?"

"I'll need to stop by somewhere on the way out, but yes." Valerie told Callyah.

"Okay then," Callyah said. "Go ahead."

Cole approached the queen and bowed before saying, "Can I help with your pain?"

Anika tilts her head slightly, “You can try.” she says.

Cole held out his hands, palm up.

Callyah didn't notice -- she was too busy mentally running through what she needed to take.

Anika watches intently, “Do I put my hands on top?” she asks him.

"Yeah," Cole said, smiling. "I have to be able to touch you."

"No, it's on the way to where we need to go. I'll have to go there once we've left the castle." Valerie explained.

"Oh. That makes a lot more sense," Callyah admitted. "Is there anything you need to pack? If so, you should do it now. And if not, would you mind gathering the others?"

"Okay. I'm just going to change first." Val agreed, leaving the room.

Anika did as he said and placed her cold hands on his.

Cole closed his eyes and concentrated. His hands went blurry under the queen's as he slowly drew the pain out of her.

"Cole, what are you-" Callyah remembered he couldn't hear her. She'd sign-yell at him when he was done.

Anika shivered slightly as the pain left her and she gaped slightly, “Wait that doesn’t hurt you right?”

Cole opened his eyes and dropped her hands. "Better?"

Anika nods slowly, “That doesn’t hurt you right?” she asks again.

"It doesn't hurt. Just exhausts him a little. He'll be fine," Callyah promised before Cole could lie.

Callyah gave Cole a look as he stepped back and stumbled a little. **You took too much, didn't you.**

**I'm fine. I helped her,** Cole signed back.

Anika furrowed her brows at this exchange, she wasn’t sure what they were saying but decided not to butt in.

**Go pack,** Callyah signed. **And if you're already packed, then go rest. And stop [redacted] taking too much.**

"Okay," Cole said aloud. He bowed to the queen again and left of the room.

Callyah turned back to the queen. "You need to pack, too. And we need to find you a hood or a mask so you'll better blend in."

Anika nods, “Okay I have one.” she says and doesn’t explain why or how she got it as she pulled a black one out of a closet.

Callyah nodded. "And we need to pack you some more... normal-looking clothes," she added. "Most Masked and Hooded aren't as well-off or fashionable as your wardrobe suggests."

Anika flinches, “I know.” she says looking slightly ashamed.

"I didn't mean it like that," Callyah said gently.

“I know.” Anika says quietly, “I think I need to figure out how to actually help them all before I’ll feel better about myself.” she says.

Callyah put a hand on the queen's shoulder for a moment before pulling a plain-looking black backpack out of another closet. "This looks good," she said.

Cole passed Audrey in the hall.

Anika nods, “Okay is my outfit still uhh too much?” she asks gesturing to the outfit she had been wearing all day.

Audrey didn't notice Cole at first. She was too absorbed in changing the color of her nails over and over again at the simple flick of her wrist.

Anika’s horse nudges Klay a bit harshly and was stamping her hooves.

"A little," Callyah admitted. "Maybe if you changed into a plain T-shirt?" She gestured to her own light blue dress with its neat row of buttons. "I need to change too."

"Oh, stop  it." Klay complains to the horse. Telepathically, of course.

Anika nods and goes and grabs something from the closet and changes quickly.

The horse whines, “My queen is coming soon!” It thought giddily.

Valerie made it back to her room and changed into the clothes she was wearing when she had came to the castle. It's not like they were dirty. She slipped her knives back into their proper sheaths and went to look for the group.

Callyah changed too -- into a pair of faded blue jeans and a dark gray sweater that looked surprisingly good with her gauzy white cowl. She tucked her butterfly knives into her back pocket and pinned her long hair into a bun with her comb. It made her look *very* different.

Cole waved to Valerie as she passed him. "Audrey's over there, but I don't know where the others are," he told her.

Valerie nodded gratefully to him and went over to Audrey. "Have you decided whether or not you're going with the queen?"

Anika changed into a white knit sweater which was tucked into a pair of faded, ripped jeans and she made sure to hide her dagger in her boots which were black. She pulled her hair back into two loose buns and came out of the bathroom. She studied herself in the mirror with a small smile.

Audrey looked up. "Depends on if Paisley is going," she said. "If my sister isn't going, then I'm not going. If she is, then I am as well."

"I think she is. Meet at the queens rooms in an hour." Val said, then moved on the keep looking for more people.

Paisley had gotten lost and finally made her way to were the others were, “Oh there you are Auds!” she calls.

Audrey turned to Paisley and a bright smile appeared on her face. "Paisley!" She greeted cheerily. She loved her sister more than anything.

Paisley smiles as she walks over, “Did you hear that apparently we are taking the Queen out to train for some trap?”

"My sister is definitely going," Cole said, "but she probably doesn't want me to go. She thinks I'm too young," he admitted, following Valerie because he had no sense of direction in this crazy place.

Callyah smiled too. There was some difference to their skin color -- she definitely had rosier skin than the queen -- but the two of them looked like they could be sisters. That would definitely make hiding the queen easier.

"Yeah, I did--and I dunno if it's just me, but I don't want to escort some snobby queen who thinks she's better than us anywhere." Audrey scoffed

Valerie glanced back at him. "How old are you?"

"Sixteen," Cole admitted. "I think I'm the youngest here."

Paisley shrugs, “I mean we do get to get out of her snobby castle that way.” she points out.

"Well, then I get that. If you came with us, could you actually help or would you slow us down?" Valerie asked bluntly.

"Ooh la la, a younger boy!" Audrey purred, shooting her sister a smirk. The two of them were, by far, the flirtiest people on the face of the Earth.

Paisley smirks back at her sister and her hair changed color, to a dirty blonde color then back to red.

Cole didn't see Audrey speak, so he didn't respond, instead telling Valerie, "I can take away people's pain, and I have four years of medical training. On the other hand, I'm deaf. What do you think?"

"Good enough. You seem pretty good at lip reading," Val said, ignoring Audrey and Paisley.

Audrey knew a little sign language, but not much. She signed **hi, I'm Audrey** for Cole.

"I'm really good at faking it," Cole admitted. "Years of practice."

He signed **hi** back to Audrey.

Valerie nodded. "Why were you following me?"

"I have no idea where anything is, and I'm already packed--" Cole gestured to the bag slung over his shoulders, "so I figured I'd follow you since you looked like you knew where you were going."

Paisley didn’t know any sign language but she could speak French pretty well which she did when she was mad.

**You know, you're really cute,** Audrey signed back with a small smile. Not that he would be able to fully make it out from behind her hood.

Paisley wasn’t sure what her sister had signed but she was sure she was flirting.

Audrey spoke French as well. It was the language of love, how could she not know it?

**Thanks, I think,** Cole signed back, kind of confused.

Callyah turned to the queen. "What else do you want to bring?"

Valerie let out a small laugh, still ignoring Audrey. "Not really. But thanks, I guess. And don't mind them, they flirt with everyone."

Audrey frowned a little at his cOnFuSiOn. "Oh well," she mumbled. She turned to Paisley. "J'ai pensé que je devrais peut-être investir dans un masque. Ce capot est si irritant."

"Oh, okay." Cole turned a little pink -- he hadn't really understood that Audrey was flirting. Apparently a lot of that was communicated in tone, which, um, wasn't a thing he got.

Valerie shook her head and started walking again, looking around for anyone. "You really didn't realize that?"

”Ouais tu devrais, ils ne sont pas aussi mauvais” Paisley says pointing to her own mask.

"No," Cole admitted. "Flirting doesn't really work in sign language."

"I guess that makes sense," Val agreed. "How did you lose your hearing? You don't have to tell me, but-

Audrey smiled and flicked her wrist, causing her annoying hood to transform into a simple red masquerade-style mask. She was glad that now at least theboys could admire her full red lips and big brown eyes, along with her bright red hair that flickered to strawberry-blonde every now and then.

Paisley smiles and flicks her own wrist and her mask matches Audreys.

Anika turns to Callyah, “Okay let’s go.” she says her jaw set in determination.

Audrey grinned at Paisley. "Twinsies!" She said happily.

"It's okay," Cole said. "I don't really know. It just sort of-- happened when I was four."

Callyah nodded and opened the door for the queen.

Paisley grins, “Twinsies.” she repeats.

Anika leads the way out and has to avoid maids and a few other guards as she goes to find the others. She spots them down the hall and walks over.

Vallerie nodded, not feeling the need to say anything else.

Audrey wrapped an arm around Paisley, smiling happily.

Paisley leans into Audrey who was just the tiniest bit taller than her otherwise they looked like the same person.

Anika walks towards where they all were, “Is everyone ready?” she asks.

Audrey's smile faded and she glared at Anika.

Paisley’s smile was a bit smaller at Anika came over she doesn’t answer her.

"I guess. How are we leaving?" Val asked

"I think so," Cole said, pretending not to see the twins' expressions.

**You shouldn't come,** Callyah told him.

**I'm a healer, remember? You need me, so I'm going,** he signed back.

“Probably horseback and obviously we can’t go through the front gates so we have to go the long way.” Anika informs them.

Audrey pulled Paisley closer. "Are *you* ready, Your Royal Highness?" She asked in a voice so sweet it sounded mocking. "We wouldn't want to set off on a journey without your nails being freshly done, or your hair perfectly curled!"

"You can stow that attitude right now, Audrey. You've lived just as privledged of a life as she has, with the added bonus that people don't try to kill you. No one is forcing you to come if you don't want to, so hold your tongue," Callyah snapped.

"Dang," Cole whispered.

Anika frowns at Audrey and she tilted her head her two messy buns hanging on the back of her head and she pulled at her surprisingly normal outfit, “Yes I’m ready.” she says in a sweet tone to match Audreys. Anika made sure to put her hand on Callyah’s arm to tell her it was okay.

Valerie rolled her eyes at them. "I'm assuming everyone knows how to ride?"

Paisley frowns at Anika but doesn’t dare glare given how Callyah was glaring at them.

"I don't," Cole admitted.

“I don’t know, I might need to ride with someone.” Anika says eyeing Cole.

Audrey glowered at Callayah and Anika. "Actually, I go where she goes," she spat, gesturing to Paisley. "So yeah, I'm going."

Paisley nods, “Same with me.” she tells Callyah and Anika.

"Great. Why don't Cole and Callyah ride together and Paisley and Audrey ride together?" Valerie said quickly before the situation could escalate.

"Or I could ride with Cole!" Audrey volunteered enthusiastically, giving a sweet, condensed smile.

Anika sighs, “Okay then we will figure it all out once we get down there.” she tells them and starts to walk towards the stables.

Cole was afraid to say it out loud, but he was *not* going to ride with Audrey.

Audrey, clueless as ever, flounced off toward the stables.

Callyah followed the queen, taking a deep breath and reminding herself that she had to wait until they were outside the palace to stab Audrey.

"If you want, you can ride with me instead," Val whispered to Cole, putting a friendly hand on his arm. "It's not like she doesn't already hate me anyways. Just because Callyah might want to ride alone so she can better protect the queen."

**Thanks,** Cole signed.

**Anytime,** Val sighed back, then moved to the front to talk with Callyah.

Audrey twirled her hair obliviously, hooking her arm around Paisley's.

"Hey, Valerie," Callyah said without looking as she approached.

"You're going to have to back off when we're in the city," Valerie said. "You can't be so protective of the queen or everyone will know something is up."

"My job is to protect her," Callyah reminded her. "If Audrey and Paisley insist on behaving like brats, that'll give us away much faster than I could."

"We can split up. I'll deal with them. Somehow. But if you shadow every move she makes it'll look weird. The people- they're right. About how she's really not a great ruler. And they hate her. I get you want to protect her, but the best way to do that is to step back a bit." Valerie said, keeping her eyes straight forward. She was all too aware of how close to treasonous her words were becoming.

Paisley hooked her arm with Audreys and went with the others, ignoring Callyahs comment

Anika led them to the stables forgetting it was where Klay was probably.

"She became queen when she was sixteen," Callyah said quietly, slowing down a bit so the queen couldn't hear her. "She's lived under intense scrutiny all her life, her mother treats her like dirt, boys use her for her status, and even her own lady-in-waiting is usually more concerned with her appearance than with the queen. She barely sleeps, and she's getting worry lines at age eighteen. If I don't protect her, there's nothing else there for her."

Anika was looking around herself quietly, unaware of the conversation going on behind her. She had a calm but determined expression on her face. She might not know that they were talking about her but she knew what people thought of her and she knew most of it was pretty much true and she was determined to prove she could be better. To them and to herself.

"I'm not saying to completely stop doing what you're doing. But you also have Holden and the other person to protect her. She doesn't always need you watching her." Val reasoned

"Holden has the attention span of a goldfish, and Everett is staying behind." Callyah informed Val

Anika led them down another hall and into a narrow passageway.

Paisley was eavesdropping on Callyah and Valerie’s conversation.

"I can't argue with you about that." Val agreed

Audrey was eavesdropping too.

Callyah took a deep breath. "Look, I'm not going to act like her bodyguard. I understand how to act like a normal person. But I go where she goes."

Paisley was extremely good at overhearing conversations that weren’t her own and she also had a very quiet whisper so she turned slightly to Audrey and gave her a look that basically said, *idiots*.

Audrey rolled her eyes as if to say, *I know, right?*

Anika stops, “Okay we are here.” she says opening a large, wooden door that led to a more hidden part of the castle. The stables.

Paisley grins at her sister, and says some more not so nice things with her eyes about them, before they get to the stables.

Audrey immediately grabbed a horse with pure black fur. "I want this one," she decided.

Paisley goes to one that’s pure black that looked like the horse Audrey had chosen twin.

Anika ignores them and calls out with a few affectionate clicks, “Desire!” she calls with a few more clicks and a beautiful but somehow more simple looking horse with a long mane comes trotting.

Anika doesn’t see Klay for a moment and when she does she kinda freezes when he was walking with Desire, her horse.

"I'm gonna call this one...Samantha," Audrey decided happily.

Paisley grins, “I’m going to name mine Minnie.” she says happily.

Valerie went to the back of the stables to a small grey horse named Tug. Inspecting him, she decided he was strong and had good form. (Rangers Apprentice anyone? XD)

Desire trotted up to Anika and she basically used her as an excuse to not have to look at Klay.

"Nice!" Audrey exclaimed, smiling at her sister.

Seth spotted a white and black speckled horse. The horse was tall and gangly, kind of like him. He strode towards it.

Paisley gives her sister a smile and strokes her horse, Minnie’s nose.

Anika was noticeably ignoring Klays eyes even though kyla isn’t online

Valerie took Tug out and glanced around for grooming supplies and tack.

Audrey sidestepped onto Samantha in one swift, graceful move.

Quinn looked around at the horses. She didn't really like animals, but what had to be done was what would be done.

Paisley was running her fingers through Minnie’s mane when she frowned, it was so knotted. She glanced around for a brush.

Seth wanted to give the horse a name, but he couldn't think of any.

Paisley brushed out Minnie’s mane and after she was done she got on a crate and swung her leg over and got on smoothly.

Callyah found her horse -- a dark brown mare with a lighter mane.

Cole followed Valerie, since she'd offered to let him ride with her.

Quinn tentatively touched one of the horses, cringing as she thought the horse would turn away. It didn't.

Anika tried to look around for Callyah to save her from having to get out of an awkward silence with Klay.

"Do you know how to ride?" Callyah asked Quinn.

Anika silently curses and Desire walks in front of her and nuzzles her and Anika is very grateful.

Quinn didn't answer, so Callyah turned to the queen, who was very deliberately *not* looking at Klay. She glared daggers at him for a moment before saying to the queen, "You're sure you have everything you'll need?"

“Yeah I’m good.” Anika assures Callyah.

Klay nervously stroke Desire's head.

Holden hops on his white horse with chestnut dapples. “Buttercup!” Holden said.

Audrey smiled at Holden. "I like that name," she said sweetly.

Callyah stepped closer to Klay, getting right into his personal space. "Apparently, you didn't understand me."

Paisley grins at her sister but since she had some SeLf CoNtRoL she didn’t flirt with Holden.

Desire trotted away from Klay, she was scared of Callyah’s sudden harshness and she trotted over to Anika.

Holden wanted to flirt with Audrey, but Auburn was busy trying to read back to what she missed. So far, all that caught her eye was insults about Holden. Auburn kept that a secret.

"I- Listen, I didn't do anything to Anika. I honestly wish I could take back the..the kiss. So just, go murder the actual bad guys here." Klay looked down

"So, yelling at her and blaming her after she'd just dealt with an angry mob isn't 'doing anything'?" Callyah spat

Anika flinches a bit and hops on Desire with a smooth, skilled motion and doesn’t look at him. Her eyes showed hurt but her expression was determined and regal. She rode past both of them briskly and silently and rode Desire outside to get both Desire and herself some air.

“Head count! Who is coming.” Holden said, because Auburn was done with the huge recap

Cole raised his hand.

"Me!" Audrey piped up.

“Me.” Paisley adds.

Holden nodded.

"Yelling at her and blaming her? Is that what she told you?" Klay looked annoyed.

"So you're calling her a liar? Oh, much better." Callyah said sarcastically

Anika rode in a few small circles with Desire and clicked affectionally. She tugged on the reigns gently to get her to speed up and she rode up to the top of a hill that led to the path they had to take.

Holden pace palmed. “Not smooth.”

"And who are you to defend her when really, you weren't even there?" Klay shot back

Paisley hops on Minnie and struggles a bit with the reigns unsure how to use them right.

"Me," Quinn replied, before attempting her best to try and get on the horse.

Anika looked over the hill, her eyes scanning the city she could see from her hidden perch. She was set and she rode back to the stables, “Let’s go, everyone grab your stuff and let’s go. If you need help just ask.” she says her eyes scanning the stables, she barely even looks at Klay before pulling the reigns to turn around Desire and she rides outside.

Paisley frowns a bit and finally gets the reigns in her hands in a semi-decent form.

Holden pulls buttercups reigns.

"I have the best hearing of anyone in this palace. I can hear the queen's horse on the hill outside right now. And you weren't exactly being quiet, Klay." Callyah glared at him

Cole climbed onto the horse behind Valerie

"Fine. Believe the queen. Just like everyone else in this [redacted] kingdom does. But its all just lies." Klay said bitterly

Audrey rode perfectly. Her parents had forced her to take riding lessons when she was younger.

Paisley finally remembered how to ride and got Minnie to follow Audrey.

Quinn finally managed to climb up upon her horse -- who she decided to name Strider.

Anika was on the hill and apparently Desire could sense the tension and anger and pain she was hiding cause she stamped her hooves.

"No reasoning with an idiot," Callyah said, turning around and taking a step away. Instead of taking a second step, though, she whirled back around and kicked Klay square in the center of his ribs, knocking the air out of him and sending him flying backwards into a pile of... used hay. She climbed back on her horse and rode over to where the queen was waiting.

Klay saddled up his horse, Fate (oohh Desire and Fate) and mounted him after getting up. He would get back at Callyah..later.

Anika pats Desires side to try and calm her but she just stamped her hooves again, “Shhh baby I’m fine.” she says talking to Desire like you would to a person. “Calm down, I’m fine shhh.” she tries again and finally she calms down.

Paisley goes outside following Audrey.

*You'll help me get back at the [redacted], right?* Klay asked Fate. Fate whinnied.

Desire whinnied a bit because she heard Fate do the same.

Anika waited for the others to come out to her.

Callyah signed to her brother, **Keep an eye on that [redacted],** and pointed at Klay.

**You just kicked him into a pile of poop,** Cole signed back.

**He was being an [redacted],** Callyah explained.

**Where did you learn to do that?**

**High school.**

A strong burst of wind hit Anika and her hair whipped around her face and she flipped it out of the way her eyebrows furrowed as she glances around but the wind had gone as quick as it had appeared.

Klay slightly hated the fact that Fate was such good friends with Desire. It just hurt all the more.

Holden bounced up and down as he trotted up to where Anika was.

Paisley rolled her eyes at their ridiculousness, “Let’s go idiots, her *royal highness* is waiting for us.” She says riding outside.

Callyah immediately went on high alert, her hand going to her knives in her back pocket as she slung one leg over the horse so she was sitting sidesaddle and could jump off if she needed to.

Audrey frowned slightly as Holden went over to Anika. She knew he was one of her guards, but sTiLl.

Anika glances back when Holden rides up, “Are the others coming Paul?” she asks.

Audrey glowered at Anika. Perhaps it was because Holden seemed so intent on protecting her that Audrey disliked her.

Anika waited for Holden to answer her.

Paisley rides next to Audrey.

Callyah stayed sitting sidesaddle as she rode next to Anika, still on high alert.

“Yes they are.” Holden replied

Ploofy existed. Valerie trotted up with Cole on Tug to Anika, Holden, and Callyah.

Taylor had been there the entire time

Anika was mostly quiet as she waited for everyone to come up to the hill.

Desire was trying extremely hard to turn around and Anika figured it was for Fate and she wasn’t ready for *that* conversation so she held the reigns firmly.

Fate tried to go into a gallop, but then they would be beside Anika and Desire...no way that was happening,

Once everyone was out of the stables she leads them onto a hidden trail that leads out of the castle. She doesn’t say how she knew this was here which was probably best.

Paisley follows then speeds up on Minnie to catch up with the queen, “Do you know where your going?” she asks in a rude tone.

Anika frowns, “I know how to get out of the palace grounds.” she replies calmly.

Paisley doesn’t argue and goes back with Audrey.

Aire found a beautiful white horse which she decided to call Summer's Breeze, Breezy for short.

Anika turns to make sure everyone is there, she looks satisfied before she turns back to the trail and says, “Okay everyone, this trail isn’t super wide so only two at the most at the same pace.” she tells them and goes off at a trot

Jo was riding one of the wilder horses, Lotus. She smirked as Lotus tried to pull away from the path.

Anika frowns as Jo’s horse, Lotus almost rams into Desire, “Josephine keep him under control.” she orders blandly.

"Whatever," Jo mutters, rolling her eyes. Lotus had been a wildee, before being brought in.

Anika frowns again, “Josephine please go back a bit and make sure everyone is here.” she says calmly.

"Ok, then . I'll go see if your boyfriend is fine." Jo said sassily

Anika looked ready to fire her or worse but she keeps a calm tone, “Do as I say and with respect.” she warns her, before letting her go.

Rolling her eyes, Jo rides to the back of the group.

Paisley almost gets hit by Jo and she has to quickly move Minnie, “Watch it!” she warns coldly.

Anika sighs and tries to ignore them.

Aireana sighs a bit, urging Breeze into a trot.

Callyah rode alongside the queen.

Klay ensures that Fate is walking, not running. He didn't want to be anywhere near Anika right now..

Anika keeps Desire at a steady trot and after what felt like hours finally making it to a large field with a forest, she turns around and says, “Okay we made it out of the palace grounds.” She says calmly but her eyes are nervous and excited, “We can stay here given how late it is.” she gestured to the sunset, “Unless you all want to go somewhere else?” she asks. Desire was stamping her hooves and turning in a circle, “Chill baby you can run in a minute.” she promises her quietly.

Paisley shrugs, “What does her royal highness want to do?” she asks snarkly.

Valerie shrugged and dismounted, then helped Cole off as well.

Paisley frowns but also gets off Minnie and walks her into a clearing covered by trees.

Anika pulls her hood up to hide her appearance in case they meet anyone. She was wearing something like this just add a hood and that’s Desire

Desire stamps her hooves again impatiently and Anika smiles a bit and strokes her mane, “Okay baby one run.” she whispers before letting Desire run. Anika rides her at a fast gallop and weaving through trees she was breathing quickly but she was free. At least for a while.

Valerie raised an eyebrow but decided Callyah would deal with it. She realized how unprepared they were and tried to slip away.

Paisley noticed Valerie trying to sneak away and she walks Minnie over to her,

"I'm going to get supplies- tents and stuff," she said shortly, sidestepping Paisley and Minnie.

Paisley’s face lit up a bit, “Like at a store? Can I come?” she asks eagerly.

"No. Not a like a store." Valerie snapped. "And even if it was, you wouldn't be coming with me."

Holden laughs. "Can I go?"

Valerie studied him. "Fine. You might be a tiny bit useful. But don't say anything, just look suspicious."

Quinn gently pet her horse, feeling slightly more confident than she did earlier.

"Do you anyone else to come?" Someone asked

"Oh, stop it Fae." Klay complained out loud as Fae tried to go faster.

Holden nods. "I can conjure money."

Aire sighed. *These people...*

"I said we're not shopping. Just grabbing a few things," Valerie said irritably. "Does no one here listen?"

"Fine." Holden pouted

"Then follow me. Quietly." Valerie said, slipping into the forest.

Paisley frowns but stays silent.

Anika ignored them all and went racing into the woods with Desire. She could hear hooves behind her and she silently hoped it wasn’t Fate cause that wouldn’t be a fun conversation.

*Don't you dare,* Klay warns Fate, as she pulled forward.

Desire whinnies loudly and keeps galloping around the trees making Anika’s hair whip back around her face.

"You [redacted] horse." Klay mutters.

Valerie left the forest, stepping into the city. She tugged her hood farther down and waited for Holden.

Callyah kept the queen within her line of sight, but gave her some space to run.

Anika heard Klay and she wanted Desire to speed up but of coarse she didn’t and she turned around.

Desire whinnies at Fate and Anika silently curses her luck.

Taylor was somewhere

Holden clopped after Valerie.

Paisley sat down on a log and Minnie lay down next to her.

Valerie turned around. "Got off your horse," she said, gesturing to his horse the ground.

"You go ahead. I'll hold Fate back." Klay mutters to Anika.

Anika frowned, “I would if I could.” she assures him but Desire wouldn’t budge.

Holden strokes Buttercup's mane and hops down.

Paisley had leaned her head on a tree and was sitting down, she eventually fell asleep.

Anika was glaring at the ground, not even giving Klay her attention.

"Now follow me," Val said, stepping into the back alleyways of the city.

"Then I guess I'll go ahead." Klay says.

"Buttercup. Eat her hair." Holden patted her flank and sent her to Paisley

Valerie didn't wait for Holden, walking purposefully through the winding streets.

Anika doesn’t reply for a minute and waits her glare only growing the longer he was there. Desire stamped her hooves and flipped her mane, “Shush baby I’m fine.” she whispers hopefully quiet enough that Klay couldn’t hear the lie in her words

Holden rushed after Valerie.

Buttercup wandered over to Paisley, trotting quietly. As she approached her, she bent down and started chewing her hair.

Paisley awakes with a start and squeaks in surprise, “What the heck, no no stop!” she exclaims in surprise. Minnie wakes up too and whinnies at Buttercup.

Valerie continued through the streets, hearing Holden stumble behind her.

Buttercup whinnies and continues eating

Minnie comes over and bites at Buttercup to get her away from Paisley.

Callyah watched Klay and the queen, ready to butt in if the queen needed her.

"So..umm..Bye," Klay says, already starting to ride ahead.

Buttercup rears and trots away to a near-by meadow.

Anika frowns slightly and doesn’t respond as Desire finally would move.

Valerie paused at a street corner and waited for Holden.

Holden caught up.

Audrey eXiStEd.

Val pointed to a warehouse across the street. "I'm going in there. You wait here," she instructed.

Paisley looks at her hair that buttercup had chewed on and frowned indignantly she flicked her wrist and it was back to normal.

Callyah got off her horse -- she wasn't much of a rider -- and led it over to Desire and the queen. She muttered a few unkind things about Klay under her breath before looking up to the queen. "Cole said Valerie, Paul, and Quinn are going into the town to pick something up, but we should be ready to move on when they come back."

Holden didn't want to wait, so he walked around the marketplace, putting things he might want into the void.

Valerie crossed the street  and went into the warehouse.

Anika nodded to Callyah absentmindedly

Klay silently rode along.

Anika decided she needed to be a better queen for them and said, “How far did they go?” she asks, “We can meet the halfway back.” she tells Callyah.

Holden had now a whole stash of random stuff.

Audrey smiled at Holden and his ~new things~.

Valerie quickly grabbed a few packed tents, sleeping bags, and backpacks.

Holden packed some things that might be nice to have. A brush, toothbrushes, nail polish, marscary? masacre? What was it even called? Holden didn't know, and all he did know is that girls used it, and they might want it. (mascara)

Anika waited for everyone in the forest.

Valerie came back out carrying everything in the backpacks and sighed at Holden. "Get your lazy [rEdAcTeD] over here, *Cygnus*!" She yelled across the street, walking in the right direction.

"WATCH YOUR MOUTH!" Holden said, but followed her.

Valerie snorted and handed him two of the bags. "If we go this way we should meet up with them."

Paisley stood up and shook her hair indignantly and hopped on Minnie to catch up with the others.

Klay was still there.

Holden attempted to snap the bags, but he could only put one in the void.

Valerie led the way through the city and back to the forest.

Holden followed her, occasionally picking a flower.

Valerie sighed at him and they met back up with the group. Thankfully Tug was smart enough to follow them.

Anika was trying her best to ignore Klay.

Paisley rode up on Minnie and being the drama causer she was rode up next to Klay, “Hi cutie.” she says all flirty like.

Audrey saw Paisley flirting with Klay and decided to join her. She rode up on Klay's other side. "Hi there," she greeted sweetly, twirling her hair.

Valerie rolled her eyes at Paisley and Audrey and handed them each a backpack. “Since you guys are going to complain about the cold and uncomfortableness, there’s tents and sleeping bags in there,” she told them.

Holden snapped his fingers, and down came all sorts of girly accessories. "And I  got these," he said, not looking at Klay or Audrey

Valerie gaped at him and muttered a few choice things about idiot swans. “You bought *makeup*?!”

"Not bought." He corrected, looking a bit guilty.

“You stole it?” Val asked

Paisley keeps flirting with Klay and ignores the others, until her attention turns to Holden, “Audrey we like bad boys right?” she says her eyelashes fluttering.

"Not stole either. I *traded* it. Sorta..." Holden mumbled

Anika looked annoyed with them, “Okay I don’t care how you got it just stop fighting and let’s go, it will be dark soon.”

Audrey smiled at Paisley. "But of course!"

Holden distributed the items.

"Masacre for you, eye shadow for you, this thing... what even is this thing." Holden said, waving around a curling iron.

Audrey laughed. "That's a curling iron, silly," she clarified.

Paisley giggles, “Cutie, it’s for hair.” she says taking it from him.

"Why does it have a plug? Nevermind, its probably some torture machine like everything else you guys use. Such as high heels."

Paisley rolls her eyes and giggles before putting it in a bag.

"Aww, beauty is pain!" Audrey reminded him happily. "Lucky for me, I don't need a curling iron." She flicked her wrist, and her red, shining hair was curled into perfect locks framing her face.

Holden's face twisted, confused, and then a look of obviousness. "Duh."

Paisley flicked her wrist without looking up and was still matching Audrey. She finished putting the stuff in a bag and looked back up.

Valerie sighed and got back on Tug.

Anika was silent and nobody had noticed as she had got Desire in a trot to ride a bit away.

Audrey chuckled. "Hey, Holden, how would you like to be matching with me and Paisley today?" She asked, getting a teasing glint in her eyes.

Paisley glanced at her and a smirk played on her lips, “How red should our lipstick be?” she muses.

"I'd be honored I guess." Holden said

Quinn was awkwardly sitting on her horse, silent. She honestly didn't care who she would share with.

Valerie was in charge of survival, Holden was in charge of toiletries. "Well, I will start making the tents when I am done with whatever the twins have cooked up for me..." Unfortunately, there was only four tents that they could get. They  were big, but less privacy. "Who wants to share with who?"

“I have my own tent that I’ll grab on the way,” Valerie told them, “So leave me out of that.”

"Okay..." Holden said

Anika had ridden back and she frowns, “Anywhere away from him.” she mutters, gesturing at Klay.

Paisley glances at her sister a mischievous look on her face, they both loved playing matchmaker and here was a chance.

Klay sighed and urged Fate into a trot

Audrey returned Paisley's grin and turned to Holden, snapping her fingers and turning his hair a curly red.

Valerie reined Tug in and waited for someone to tell her what the plan was.

Anika frowns slightly.

Paisley smirks at Holden then glances at Audrey and has a silent convo with her then gestures at Klay.

Klay furrowed his brow. Would they ever stop riding?

Anika finally stops at a long stretch of beach, “Okay everyone we can rest here tonight.” she calls.

Audrey grinned at Klay and nodded at her sister.

Paisley grins and rides up next to Klay, “Hi cutie.” she says.

Holden combed through his now LusCiOuS LoCkS

Klay raised his eyebrow at Paisley, but dismounted Fate as though he hadn;t heard anything.

Valerie got off of Tug and quickly took off her saddle and bridle, rubbing him down before she started setting up her stuff.

Audrey twirled her hair at Klay. "I'm Audrey, and this is my sister Paisley," she purred.

Paisley hops off of Minnie after Klay and she practically purrs her next words, “Since your obviously done with the queen and good for you by the way, do you want to sleep in our tent.” she says. And she knows exactly what she’s doing and she flutters her long eyelashes.

"I know," Klay said, dusting off his jacket, "And I'll be fine in my own tent."

Holden looked severely uncomfortable at Audrey and Paisley both flirting obviously with Klay.

"Ugh," Valerie rolled her eyes, "*Cygnus*, come over here and help set up the tents."

“Oh cutie, no no you don’t want to sleep alone, besides they didn’t get enough tents.” Paisley purrs

Audrey frowned at Klay a little. "Aww, bummer! We would've had so much fun!" She glanced at Holden. "We could've done your hair and everything!"

"ON IT!" Holden jumped at the chance to not look at the girls.

"Audrey, go play with swan boy or something. I'm busy." Klay told her

“Well I mean if you wanted to be with her royal snootyness be our guest.” Paisley says smoothly.

"Yeah, we were just inviting you to have a little fun," Audrey said innocently, twirling her hair.

Holden ignored the swan boy comment, especially the 'play with him' part.

“Yeah, but I’m sure Valerie wouldn’t mind putting you with her royal lameness,” Paisley says coolly

Valerie sighed and left them to set up their own tents. If she was right about where they were, she could go grab her stuff and be back before the went looking for her.

"Hey. Stop seducing him and be useful to the team for once." Holden said, and then was shocked that he would be so mean.

Klay was busy taking of Fate's saddle, and trying to ignore the little girls.

Paisley frowns, she turns to Audrey and tries to figure out how to get the queen and Klay together, they were both self-absorbed. Perfect for each other.

Audrey sighed. "C'mon, Paisley, he's too obsessed with Queenie over there to notice us," she said bitterly.

Paisley nods with a scowl and goes with Audrey.

Anika hadnt heard since she was a ways off.

Audrey flounced over to Holden. "Hi, Holden," she said sweetly, smiling. "I was wondering if you could help me with my tent."

Valerie was trekking through the woods, thinking she recognized some places.

Paisley was over by Minnie and she helped make her a pile of leaves to sleep on cause she’s paisley.

Anika was down a ways on the beach and she looked lost in her thoughts.

"Okay." Holden said, but sorta thought that she was a hooo.

Audrey smiled gratefully at him and handed him her backpack. "I think it's really selfless of you to help me," she said sweetly, batting her lashes.

Holden couldn't help but smile, then mentally chided himself. He was supposed to dislike her. "It's really no trouble. All you have to do is connect the poles."

Valerie stepped onto one of her usual game trails and relaxed a little bit. She threw back her hood, sure no one was round to see her, and strode confidently down the path.

Audrey sighed dreamily. "Still. You're super strong. I don't think I could hold up the poles," she joked, laughing.

Holden laughed. "I think you could. Even if you can't you always have me to hold them up for you."

Valerie stepped into a small clearing where one of her hunting cabins was nestled. Letting herself in, she took a deep breath.

Audrey blushed a little. "Thank you, Holden," she said quietly. Never in all her years of flirting had she actaully liked a guy because he seemed nice. And yet, here she was.

"Your welcome. Now lets.... how do you guys say it?.... its something like glamour plus camp. Camour? Glamp? Glamp! Lets glamp this thing up." Holden smiled

Paisley finished the ‘bed’ for Minnie which was a waste of time cause horses sleep standing up but since she’s clueless she didn’t know this

Anika was still far off and she had sat down, surprisingly Desire lay down next to her.

Audrey laughed. "Yeah!" She agreed enthusiastically, snapping her fingers and giving her and Holden matching hot pink feather boas.

Valerie moved around the small cabin, writing a quick letter to her uncle to explain everything and telling him not to worry. She then collected as many throwing knives as she had sheaths for, her bow, regular knives, and arrows.

Holden laughed wholeheartedly and got to work, snapping his fingers, getting small decorations, pillows, and blankets.

Audrey, meanwhile, was preoccupied snapping her fingers and trying to perfect she and Holden's outfits.

Valerie packed herself a small back with a change of clothes, a sleeping bag, and her own tent. She started walking back to the beach, feeling more comfortable with her weapons in hand.

Holden was decorating while Auburn was trying to find the perfect picture of a glamp.

Callyah was on the beach too, a little ways away from the queen, giving her space.

Cole was helping set up the tents.

Seth was watching the others make camp and stroking König.

Aire decorated her tent with white curtains and twinkly lights. And lots of feathery pillows.

Seth set up a tent. Well, he tried to. After a lot of cursing, he kicked the failed tent and climbed a tree.

"Ya need some help?" Holden said

Seth looked down. "Me?" He blushed. "No, I'll just stay up here."

Holden looked confused. "How are you supposed to sleep?"

"Don't have to, I guess." Seth crouched on a branch. "I got some sleep a while ago."

Shaking his head, Holden climbed up the tree. "You still need sleep" he said. "But you have to share a tent... so maybe we should make a tree house. How about that,"

Jo decorated hers with sparkles. Lots of sparkles.

Paisley had crawled into a tent with Audrey and had drifted asleep.

Anika was a ways down the beach, she figured they were all asleep or getting ready to sleep and she tugged at her hood. She hadn’t realized how itchy and annoying they were until she had to wear one herself. Desire trotted around her trying to make her smile and it worked, she even laughed a little the melodic sound floated through the breeze.

Seth furrowed his eyebrows. "Sure."

Holden conjured small wood planks and a hammer.

"Oh, this is serious." Seth grabbed a wooden plank.

Klay ignored Fate's irritated nickering.

Desire nickered quietly to Fate before nuzzling Anika, making her laugh again. Desire trotted off and Anika was chasing her trying to catch up.

"Everything I do is serious." Holden said, striking a pose and getting to work

"Don't go about giving *me* girl advice, Fate girl...You dont even understand." Klay laughs a bit.

Seth laughed. "Hard not to believe that."

Holden smiled and started arranging the planks, conjuring things like nails, hammers, and conjuring things away like branches.

"I'll let you build the treehouse," Seth said. "I'll grab some food or something." He climbed down the tree.

Anika ran quickly and stumbled a bit thanks to the sand but finally caught up to Desire. She only had caught up for a second before she fell behind again and she stopped out of being ridiculously tired, she sat down and Desire trotted over a what would seem like smug look on her face, “Oh don’t be all high and mighty now.” Anika says with a laugh as Desire nuzzles her. Anika stands again and walks down to the water, the wind whips at her hood and it falls back and for the first time since the portrait in the palace she looked carefree. But it was only for a moment then she quickly pulled her hood up.

Fate pushed Klay's arm with her nose, "Goodness, aren't you the little matchmaker?"

"sLaCkEr" Holden called

Paisley wakes up from the noise and scowls but she quickly flicks her wrist and she no longer has bed head and she goes towards Klay to be an annoying little ~flirt~ In attempts to be a matchmaker

"We need food!" Seth called back. "Uh... is there any food?"

Paisley doesn’t respond and flounces over to Klay, “Hi cutie.” she purrs, ignoring Fate who was nudging Klay away from her.

"Okay." Seth turned around. "Hm."

Taylor existed in a pocket dimension out of sight and out of mind.

Ella didn't need a tent, she'd slept in a LOT of uncomfortable places, the woods were a piece of cake. "It's the wood's there's got to be a deer around just start a fire and BAM! Cooked venison."

Paisley waited for Klay to answer her.

Anika led Desire down the beach or more like Desire led her.

"Noooo not the deerrrrrrrrr." Holden said, pounding the last board in place for his massive treehouse.

Seth looked up at the tree house. "Nice!" he yelled up to Holden.

Paisley grew impatient with Klay and Fate who wouldn’t stop nudging him away from her so she went over to Holden and Seth, “Hi boys!” she purrs.

"Hi! Wanna look at my treehouse? I'm naming it Castle Byers" Holden called down

Paisley smiles, “Sure!” she calls up.

"Hey Paisley!" Seth said. "What's the haps?" To Holden: "Why Castle Byers?"

Paisley shrugs, “Klays horse is practically shoving him onto the beach and Audrey is in the tent or something.”

"Its a Stranger Things reference." Holden informed them

"Oh," Seth said. "Another movie reference. I need to watch more TV."

"Perhaps." Holden said, lowering the ladder so Paisley could get up.

Paisley climbs the ladder and looks around mildly impressed.

Seth was still on the forest floor. "Aw, my boy's all grown up," he said, trying to sound like a proud parent.

Holden rolled his eyes and pulled up the ladder. "No Castle Byers for you."

"Aw..." Seth said, mock shaking his fist. "I guess I'll just eat poison till I die. That," he added, "was a reference. I don't actually mean that."

Callyah smiled, watching the queen and her horse.

Cole was fiddling with his swiss army knife and generally being ignored, but he didn't particularly mind.

Anika gives Desire a small smile.

Seth walked over to König and stroked him.

Callyah came down the beach to the queen. "You know, I just realized, we can't call you by your real name while we're out here."

Anika glances back at her, “I suppose that’s true.” she muses still sounding like a queen and rubs Desire’s snout.

"Should we call you Anna(Frozen style)? Ani(ah-nee)? Nic?"

“Ani is nice.” she says quietly, even though when she said it she remembered when Klay called her Annie.

Holden was up in his tree house

Paisley had wandered back to the ground and was feeling tired so she went into her tent and lay down.

Seth found some black caps and munched on them.

"Okay," Callyah agreed. "Ani it is." She was quiet for a few seconds before asking, "Are you doing okay?"

"cOOOllllE my bOiiIIIIII" Holden said, and made rapid movements with his hands, unwittingly spelling out 'rararratttatttet cows hate wifi'

Anika considered lying but decided Callyah would just call her out for it, “Not really.” she mumbles.

"Cows hate WiFi?" Cole called up from the ground.

"No come here. Why would I say that?"

"Is it about Klay?" Callyah asked. "Or just the general [redacted] of being on the run from your own home?"

“Both.” Anika admits.

Cole obediently climbed the ladder to the tree house.

"You want to talk about it?" Callyah said gently. "Or we could just stand here and pet your horse."

Anika sighs and sits down and Desire lays down, “I’m supposed to be a good queen.” she says looking mad at herself.

Callyah sat down next to her and nodded for her to continue.

Valerie existed once again and was hunting a deer. This was Ploofy had read though everything and Val realized they would need food. She was quietly stalking it, her hood still off.

“But apparently I’m just as bad as, well I guess as my mom if I’m thinking about stupid boys when I have a world to save.” Anika sighed yet again

Cole noticed Valerie through the window of the tree house, but he didn't realize who it was. Just a shadow among the trees, really.

"I think you forget you're only eighteen sometimes," Callyah said gently.

Anika shakes her head, “And so does everyone else so I have to.”

She was standing behind a tree, loosely gripping her bow. The deer had stopped to graze and Valerie knew she only had one shot. In a single smooth motion, she stepped out from behind the tree, drew the arrow back, sighted, and released. The arrow punctured exactly where she had been aiming, right behind the left shoulder. Letting out a deep breath, she walked over to the still warm body and drew the arrow out by the base.

"I know." Callyah sighed. "You shouldn't have had to grow up so fast."

“Yet here I am.” Anika says with a sigh.

Flipping her hood back up, Valerie realized how close she had gotten to their camp. She lifted the deer over her shoulder with a groan, knowing her back would hurt the next day and started walking back to camp.

"And I'm here too," Callyah reminded her. "Anytime. I promise."

Holden was partying in his tree house, making it Castle Byers

Anika glances at her gratefully, “thank you.”

Cole was still in the tree house, watching him in confusion. Finally he shook his head and climbed back down the ladder.

Valerie walked back into the camp and dropped the deer. “WHAT THE [REDACTED] IS GOING ON HERE?!”

Callyah leaned back a little, staring at the waves on the beach.

"Language!" Hoden shouted

Cole had missed what Valerie had said, but her expression told him it wasn't positive. He held up his hands in the universal gesture for "please don't kill me, I had nothing to do with it"

Holden was still dancing in the treehouse, humming to 'Never ending story, Stranger Things edition.' He conjured a pillow over Val's head and it dropped right on her

Valerie batted the pillow away, glaring at him. I mean, the effect was ruined by her hood, but you could feel the rage emanating off of her. "Why are you [REDACTED] dancing in a [REDACTED] tree house? What that [REDACTED] are those?" She fumed, gesturing to the glamps.

Holden did a salsa move and twirled. "I am dancing because I can, I built the treehouse, and those are the glamping tents! And watch your mouth before I drop something else on your head." he said and turned into a dip.

"What part of we're trying to sneak away so no one can follow us do you not [REDACTED] understand?!" Val yelled up at him.

**The yelling isn't helping,** Cole signed in small motions.

Holden sighed. "They are portable glamps, Val. never ending sttoooorryyyy ahhhhahhhahhh. reeeeeeeeach the stars." Holden said

"THEY'RE UNNECESSARY! Who's going to carry all that extra weight? It sure isn't going to be me or Tug!" Val snapped, signing **It makes me feel better and he won't listen if I don't raise my voice.** at Cole.

Holden snapped, and all the decorations were gone. He pressed a button on the tents, and they collapsed. He then snapped those away. "I am going to, Val."

Cole sighed. **Let me try?**

"Don't call me Val," Valarie growled, but backed down. **Fine. But if he doesn't listen I'm leaving him behind tomorrow.**

"Don't call me Paul and we will have ouselves a deal." Holden shouted down

Cole walked over to Holden. "Where are we right now?" he asked.

Valerie rolled her eyes. "Would you prefer useless, idiotic, completely clueless moron?" she asked sarcastically.

"In the woods." Holden called from the treehouse

**You're not wrong, but you're not helping either,** Cole signed.

"Adding tHaT to my nicknames..." Holden muttered

Valerie huffed and turned back around to the deer, pulling out one of her knives and beginning to gut it.

Cole bent down so he could read her lips. "Need any help?"

"No," Val said coldly, then sighed. "I'm fine. Thanks though."

Cole shrugged. "Let me know if you do," he said before wandering off to climb a tree.

Holden awkwardly conjured some beef jerky.

Valerie finished gutting the deer and was cleaning and sectioning it. "Get a fire started," She ordered Holden, keeping her gaze focused on what she was doing.

Kyra walked through the woods with determination in her step. She had no idea why she'd been sent in here--but she was here, and she was going to do her job.

Taylor was somewhere. They had no idea how they got where they were.

Kyra made sure to step quietly--not wanting to be heard. She didn't like these woods, there was no ceiling--she couldn't see the chessboard. She was looking up at the sky when she made her first mistake--stepping on a stick. It's loud *crack* filled the air.

Valerie finished cleaning the deer carcass and set it above the fire to begin the smoking process. Noticing Taylor was gone and remembering she hadn't seen them in a while, Valerie decided to looking for them.

Kyra held her breath, hoping that nothing had heard her.

Taylor was wandering like a ghost when they heard a stick crack. They froze, looking around

Kyra pressed her back up against a tree--her eyes wide and alert. [REDACTED] that stupid stick.

Valerie headed into the forest first because that was where she was most comfortable.

Taylor smirked. "Come out." Charmspeak twisted around the word. Taylor was getting more tired, even with just those two words

Hearing foreign noises, Valerie slipped through the trees towards them.

Kyra felt herself being pulled away from her hiding spot against her will. Her feet walked out into the clearing without her permission, revealing herself to a group of 6 or 7 people. She scowled. *[REDACTED].*

Taylor leaned against a tree. "Nice of you to join me."

Kyra's dagger was at their throat in a moment, and she was behind them--her blade pressed against their throat and her hand over their mouth. If they couldn't speak, they couldn't do that--that thing that made her reveal herself again.

Valerie didn't hear anything else unusual and made her way back to the campsite.

Taylor scowled. They didn't dare move though.

Kyra didn't dare uncover their mouth. If she did--then she'd risk being controlled again. But--she needed to interrogate them. So she whispered, "I'm going to uncover your mouth now--any fancy words and I'll slit your throat, got it? If you answer my questions with lies you'll meet the same ending."

Taylor smirked. *That's what you think, Pretty Girl*

Kyra slowly uncovered their mouth, but kept her dagger against their neck.

"Now, are you here alone, or do you travel with companions?"

"Alone, as far as I know." Taylor would've shrugged.

Valerie made her way back towards their camp, thinking about the treehouse and glamps.

Kyra narrowed her eyes, "Have you seen any people in these woods since you entered them?" She pressed her blade into their neck--not enough to draw blood, but hopefully enough to ensure them that she was serious. Not that she'd ever--ever killed someone. But she could fake it until she made it.

Taylor just looked annoyed. "[redacted] no."

Valerie suddenly stopped, a wave of bad premonition washing over her. She glanced around, wondering where it was coming from, and gripped her bow a little tighter.

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to be lying to me if I were you. You happen to be in a very..." Kyra paused for a moment--"compromising position."

Taylor pressed their neck into the blade more. "Try me, Pretty Girl."

Kyra almost burst out laughing. Instead, she went for a chuckle. "Pretty Girl? Oh, you are so dead."

"Do I look intimidated, Pretty Girl?" Taylor was just having fun teasing Kyra now.

Hearing faint voices, Valerie suddenly knew. Someone was in her forest. Notching an arrow to the string, she silently approached where she thought the voices came from.

"You look like you're about to have your throat slit," Kyra deadpanned.

"I feel like I don't care." Taylor rolled their eyes, still smirking

"Do you have a death wish?" Kyra asked.

Valerie approached the voices, slowly circling closer to them. She tilted her head, one of them seemed familiar.

"Depends on the situation, Missy. I'd rather there be more glitter if I were to die now." Taylor sounded serious

Valerie was concealed behind a bush. Holding in a gasp, she realized the person being her at knifepoint was . . . Taylor?

Taylor wasn't at all concerned by the fact that a knife was at their neck.

Kyra flipped Taylor around--oblivious to their eavesdropper--so that their back was pressed up against the tree, and her knife was still at their throat. She glared at them as she said, "I'd be happy to end you, but I have a feeling that you're hiding something from me, and I want to know what it is."

Because Ploofy wanted a dramatic entrance, Valerie stood up. "That would be me," she announced.

Taylor smirked, eyes glimmering with humor

Kyra whirled around--making her second mistake: Freeing Taylor. She pointed her knife at Valerie, hoping she looked rather threatening.

"Pretty Girl, I swear I had no idea anyone else was here." Taylor waved a little at Val

"Now I really want to kill you," Kyra said, her knife still pointing at Valerie.

Taylor started laughing.

"I--you're either really foolish, or completely insane," Kyra said to Taylor.

Valerie nodded to Taylor and raised her bow a bit more, making sure the girl could clearly see it. "What are you doing in my forest?" she asked protectively.

Taylor was trying to smother their giggles. *Gods. Halp.*

"*Your* forest?" Kyra questioned. "Who gave you ownership over these woods? And stop pointing your bow at me, or--" she moved so that her knife was once again pressed against Taylor's throat. "He dies."

Taylor's laughter died, replaced by stony anger. They glared at Kyra. "Never misgender me." They hissed

"I've lived here for years," Valerie said evenly. "And I've never seen you before. And if you were to kill *them*, then I'd be forced to kill you. Which would be a shame, since you'd have to chance at escaping and all of my questions would remained unanswered." Kyra's eyebrows raised, her confidence replaced with apology. "Sorry--I--I mean--I am a murderer, but--I--sorry," she said to Taylor.

Taylor sat on the floor, anger drained and replaced by exhaustion. "[redacted]." They yawned

Kyra's eyebrows raised at Taylor, "You aren't even the slightest bit concerned that I'm about to kill you?"

"You don't look like a killer," Valerie mused, stepping closer and slightly lowering her bow.

"Nope. Just never misgender me. I'd hate to break that little nose of yours." Their eyes were half closed

"And you don't look like someone who owns a forest," Kyra shot back. "I am sorry for that. I might be about to kill you, but that's a mistake I try never to make. I'm also quite attached to my nose, I'd hate to part with it."

Valerie snorted. "I didn't say I owned it, I said it was mine." she corrected. "There's a difference."

Taylor laughed quietly before slumping, snoring softly

"Are they...asleep?" Kyra asked in wonder.

Valerie remained silent, subtly stepping closer to the girl.

"Don't you dare move any closer to me. I need to figure out who you are first," Kyra said.

Taylor leaped to standing, looking back and forth frantically

"Or what?" Valerie challenged, still loosely gripping her bow and arrow.

Kyra raised her eyebrow at Taylor. She wondered if they were mentally stable. They didn't seem to be. "I'll kill you--obviously. You two don't look that difficult to beat in a fight," Kyra bluffed.

Taylor looked at the two of them "What did I miss? How long was I out?"

"Less than two minutes...?" Kyra phrased it as a question

"In which she said thinks she could kill us," Valerie added.

Taylor looked relived as they leaned against the tree trunk again.

"I *know* I could kill you," Kyra said.

"I could also break that pretty little nose." Taylor offered with their eyes closed

"It's nice to know that you find me so...pretty. Or maybe it's unnerving. I can't tell." Kyra mused

Taylor turned a little red. "Unnerving would be the best choice for us all."

She rolled her eyes at them. "You wouldn't make it two steps before I put an arrow through the very painful fleshy part of your calf," Valerie told Kyra confidently.

Oblivious to Taylor's flush, Kyra said, "That is of course, if you hadn't told me that. Then again, you may be bluffing--in which case I'd just have to kill you first."

Taylor continued chillin'

"I wouldn't even need my bow for that," Valerie said coldly.

"Right--of course you wouldn't." Kyra said sarcastically

Valerie laughed. "Gotta say, I admire your bravery."

"Why thank you," Kyra smiled sweetly.

"But it's getting annoying," Val continued. "Could you just admit why you were here, concede that you would never have killed Taylor, and let us be on our way?"

"And wouldn't I have killed Taylor?" Kyra then turned to Taylor, "Oh--can I call you Tay?" She smirked.

"Let's go with no," Valerie jumped in before Taylor could act on her murderous expression. "No to both of those.:

Kyra raised her eyebrows, "What's so wrong with the name Tay? I rather like it, don't you Tay?" Kyra asked Taylor.

Ella had no idea what was going on, apparently there was a castle- and some TV- show, she didn't watch TV, she read. And trained.

Seth was probably on the forest floor; Holden was up in the tree house and Seth didn't want to disturb him.

Taylor looked at Kyra with a smirk. "Call me Tay again and you'll be dead before you take another step"

"Screw it." Seth climbed up the tree and knocked on the floor from under the house. "Holden, lemme in. I'm tired."

Anika had laid her head down on Desire and wasn’t yet asleep and she doubted she would sleep as she looked out into the crashing waves.

Paisley was asleep in the tent.

"What they said." Valerie agreed. "But I'm thinking we can't let you go now."

Holden lets Seth in.

"Thanks." Seth walked in, handing Holden some black caps. "Love what you've done with the place."

"Thanks" Holden told Seth

Taylor turned to Val. "That applies to you too." They warned

"Yep." Valerie agreed, still keeping her eyes of the girl.

Tay had fallen asleep once again, snoring quietly

Seth's ferret, Dally, climbed on his shoulder. "Hope you don't hate rodents," Seth said, stroking Dally.

Anika was sitting on the beach and had laid her head down on Desire’s side, still not sleeping. Dally climbed down Seth's leg and curled up in the corner. Seth had brought sleeping bags so he handed one to Holden. He unpacked his by Dally.

Desire quickly stood up from underneath Anika making her fall backward into the sand and muttering a few colorful words. She sat up and brushed the sand out of her hair and looked to see what Desire had gotten up for and she saw it was Fate and she grumbled something before standing up.

Because Holden left before Seth could hand him the sleeping bag, he set Holden's up. He scratched under Dally's chin and handed him a few \*dead!\* crickets. Dally ate them up.

"Language." Holden said as he appeared behind Anika.

Anika frowns at him and gave him a look that basically said, *Watch your mouth and don’t forget who your talking to*

*Watch your mouth and don’t forget who your talking to.* Holden thought

“Go guard the campsite Paul.” Anika orders.

Klay was alive, but sadlllyyy Kyla has a virtual science lab thingy to attend.

Taylor shook their head, waking up again.

"Ugh. I just wanted to know if you were okay." Holden pouted

“I’m fine.” Anika says simply.

Seth was vibing up in the treehouse. He opened his battered copy of The Outsiders and started reading, even though he had most of the book memorized, word for word.

Holden shook his head. "No your not, but okay." he sat next to her in the sand.

Callyah was still on the beach with the queen -- and now Holden -- unaware of Val and Taylor's encounter with Kyla.

Anika frowns but doesn’t say anything when he sits down, “Paul you aren’t very good at following orders are you?” she asks but doesn’t seem mad just stating the obvious.

Audrey sat down under a tree, watching her nail color change every five seconds. Her appearance seemed to change like the wind. Just like Audrey, in a way. Audrey was reckless and did things to live in the moment. She never thought anything out or planned anything through, and she was always changing her mind. She was truly a free spirit.

"No, he is not," Callyah grumbled.

"I'm horrible at it." Holden said

"Oh, good, at least you realize." Callyah mused

Anika snorts, “At least you’re honest.” she says but her tone is flat and tired.

"You need to rest," Callyah told her quietly.

Seth walked out the door of the treehouse, Dally on his shoulder. He sat at the edge, watching everyone. He munched on some black caps.

"And what are you planning to do with me, how could *I* be any use to you?" Kyra asked. If they knew who she was, then they'd find her very useful, but they didn't need to know that.

She could feel the ragged strips of her left over mask resting on her shoulder as her heart pounded in her chest. She glanced to the left. She did that when she lied. But they didn't need to know that either.

Seth returned to the treehouse and tried to get some sleep.

"Well, there's a few things I would like to know. Including but not limited to what you're doing in my forest and what over there is so interesting you looked away from me," Valerie shrugged.

"I'm in here on..." Kyra paused--searching for the right word. Her mind fell upon, "business." She ignored Valerie's question about her glance to the left, and asked a question of her own, "And I would like to know who you are--both of you," she glanced at Taylor. Or should she say--tAy.

Anika frowns at Desire as she sits in the sand.

"You need to rest," Callyah told the queen quietly.

"Well, we're here for business too" Valerie said slowly. "And you can call me . . ." Now it was her turn to search for a word. "Huntress, I suppose."

Anika shook her head but says, “I know, I can’t yet though.” she says and something seems important to her.

"So you're with them?" Kyra said, gesturing to Tay. "And Huntress? I know like--three. Four, including you. Couldn't think of anything more original?" Kyra teased.

Callyah held back a sigh, instead asking, "How can I help?"

Seth fell asleep and Dally the ferret climbed down the treehouse to explore.

“I need to do it alone.” Anika says and she looked like that was her final decision.

"How alone is 'alone' going to have to be?" Even if the queen told her not to follow, Callyah was going to anyway.

“As alone as possible.” Anika replies.

Callyah nodded and did some quick mental math.

Valerie shrugged. "It's what I am. And I don't feel the need to share my real name."

Dally prowled into the forest, trying to find a rabbit or something.

Anika nods and stands up, “Get some sleep.” she tells Callyah.

Callyah gave her a look, like *don't even pretend like you don't know I'm going to follow you,* and stayed sitting on the sand.

Dally spotted a rabbit. He pounced and uh snapped it's neck with his lil teeth-

"Fair enough, neither do I," Kyra said. "And them?" She gestured towards Tay. "Who are they--what's their 'Oh-So-Original-Title?'"

Anika smiles slightly, she knew Callyah would follow her but maybe just maybe she could get away once. She clicked for Desire and she came, she swung her leg over and got on easily. She patted her neck and whispered, “Come on baby.” and she rode off at a slow trot but quickly turned it into a gallop.

"Official wall puncher," Valerie said wryly. "But what about you? What should we call you? What brings you here?"

Callyah got on her own horse and followed at a loose distance -- she could still see the queen, but anyone else on the road wouldn't know they were both there.

Cole was in a tree. That's really it.

Dally dragged the rabbit back up the tree and dropped it on Seth.

Seth woke up to the oh-so-wonderful sight of a dead rabbit. "Eugh, Dally! What did I say about bringing in your catches?"

"I can assure you, you don't want to call me by my title--and I won't let you call me by my name," Kyra said with a smirk. "And I told you, I'm here on business. That business is collecting information. And I think you might have some for me."

Anika could feel Callyah following her, she had gotten quite good at sensing her bodyguards presence even if it was a distance away. She sped up Desire and was very thankful that she was fast. Desire had to jump over a crashed car and she kept going. She didn’t tell Desire to stop running until she got to what would seem like just an abandoned field of roses. But it was a field she had planted herself a long long time ago. Nobody but her knew about it cause she had snuck out that night. She smiled at the sight and she looked behind her and sighed with relief when she realized she had finally lost Callyah. She hopped of Desire and walked around a bit and finally sat down.

"What would a simple huntress have information on, besides the local game trails?" Valerie asked, giving a small laugh.

Callyah lost the queen at the car wreck -- she was afraid to make the horse jump, and besides, it was the only path in or out of a thicket of woods. It would be secure enough with her blocking the only point of entry, and she wasn't about to get off the horse to go down the path.

Desire didn’t look so calm in the field and was stamping her hooves nervously. Anika furrowed her brow, “Baby it’s fine come here.” she says and clicks a bit but Desire doesn’t move.

Holden saw a new person. "Hey. WHo are you?" (to Kyra)

Valerie sighed. "Really not the time, *Cygnus*."

*Oh no--not another one.* Kyra would have to fight off three of them now. "None of your business," she said to Holden. "Who are you?"

"Ho-" Holden cut himself off. "Should I tell you?"

"He's an idiot who is going to go looking for his boss," Valerie said quickly, giving Holden a galre. "And you still haven't answered my question."

Paisley woke up and walked out of the tent, “What’s going on?” she asks tiredly.

"Stranger danger." Holden said to Paisley

Kyra pursed her lips, still clutching her dagger in a knuckle white grip, "Well, you're traveling with these ones, aren't you? Why would a simple huntress be traveling with these two idiots?"

Anika looked at Desire with a sigh, “Okay then stay there if your going to be stubborn.” she says and keeps walking around. Desire whinnies loudly.

Valerie facepalmed. "Guys, why are you here? I had everything under control."

Seth picked up Dally, who had the dead rabbit in his mouth, and put him on a tree branch. "No eating dead rabbits in Castle Byers."

Kyra's eyes widened as more people came through the trees. [REDACTED], now she was really outnumbered. She needed to get out of there, fast.

"Wanna come up to Castle Byers?" Holden says to Kyra.

Kyra raised her eyebrows at Holden. Then she turned to Valerie, "You're right, he is an idiot."

"NO CAVORTING IN CASTLE BYERS," Seth yelled down to the others, making Dally jump.

"No! Go get Callyah," Valerie snapped, then turned back to Kyra. "I don't know how his boss puts up with him," she admitted.

"His boss?" Kyra questioned, trying to sound confident, even though she was outnumbered.

Paisley snorts, “Yeah the queens guard.” she says all but giving everything away because she’s an idiot.

"It's none of your business." Valerie told her, "But yes. He has a job. He's not very good at it though. Paisley, why would you tell her that? Now we have to take her prisoner so she can't tell anyone!"

Kyra's eyes widened. The queen's guard. This--this was exactly where she needed to be. She tried to cover the grin that formed on her face. "The queen, you say?"

"Yeah the queen of New YooOoork." Holden said in a New York accent

Paisley didn’t notice her mess up, “What?” she asks then realizes, “She is the queen, like I said the queen of boredom.” She covers smoothly.

"I swear, I'm going to [ReDaCtEd] kill you and feed you to your own swans," Valerie muttered.

Kyra ignored Holden. "Hmmm, seems you have the information I need after all," Kyra smirked.

Cole climbed out of his tree and saw-- well, a lot of things. He quietly walked around so he was more-or-less behind the girl in the mask and signed, **What the hell is going on?** to Valerie.

Seth climbed the nearby branches, swaying from one by his hands.

Holden hops down from the tree.

Kyra knew she was outnumbered. She knew she was probably going to be captured if she didn't flee now. But like in chess--sometimes you had to make certain sacrifices to win. So she'd let herself be captured--she'd put up a fight, so that it wouldn't be too suspicious. She just had to make sure that they didn't kill her.

**Not now,** Val signed back, momentarily gripping her bow and arrow in the same hand.

"Scary lady. I am Cygnus." Holden said, bowing, but his fingers ready to snap

An idea popped into Kyra's mind--if they knew who she was, they wouldn't kill her. They'd want information. So she revealed herself. "Pleasure to meet you Cygnus," Kyra said sarcastically. "I'm the White Queen."

Cole crossed his arms, hugging himself.

Callyah was still out by the car, completely unaware of everything

"He's also going to grab you while Cole gets his sister," Valerie said, trying to do DaMaGe CoNtRoL.

Seth watched Holden's and Kyra's interaction, Dally on his head.

Holde snapped and ropes encircled the 'White Queen'

Paisley scowls, she messed up and she knew it, surprisingly.

Anika was still walking through the rose field when she heard a loud snap. She froze, she looked behind her and Desire was still stamping her hooves and whining loudly.

"ANIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII" Holden screeched

"What the-?" Seth was still hanging from the tree, but one of his arms had slipped off of the branch. "Holden, what are you doing?"

Kyra struggled--not enough to break free, but just enough to look like she was putting up a fight. Everything was going to plan.

Anika rushed over to Desire, “Baby go, you were right now go find Fate.” she says and Desire gallops off and Anika turns around she knew something was there, and it most definitely was not Callyah.

"Are you [ReDaCtEd] serious?" Valerie asked Holden, "You can't even-" she cut herself off and moved to take the "White Queen's" knife.

Desire comes galloping past Callyah and back onto the beach, she starts stamping her hooves in the sand near the others and making loud noises.

Kyra let the Huntress take her knife. She had other weapons. Weapons they didn't know about.

Paisley has to jump out of the way to avoid Desire, “What the-“ she yells.

Callyah heard the snap, and Desire's panicked whinnying as the horse ran past her. She vaulted herself off the horse she had been riding and over the car -- not something she'd realized she could do until she hit the ground -- and started running down the path.

**I don't know where she is,** Cole signed. **She and A-N-I-K-A are gone.**

Anika felt a slight zap and there was a blinding white light around the field she went over to it and touched it and pulled her hand back with a Yelp.

Desire whinnies louder.

Valerie saw a few hidden knives and quickly took them. They were in many of the same places she had often kept hers.

Callyah heard the queen's yelp and ran faster.

"Well, delightful." Val muttered. "Try to calm the horse down at least."

Cole looked panicked. "Um," he said slowly.

Desire wouldn’t calm down no matter what, She nudged one of them, hard and kept whining.

Anika whirled around to look around the field, “Where are you?” she calls her voice low.

Kyra's eyes closed, hoping, hoping the Huntress didn't check where she'd hidden it.

Paisley gasps slightly and says, “Guys the-“ she stops herself, “Ani is gone.”

Callyah skidded to a stop and examined the white light.

"What!?" Seth's other hand slipped and he fell from the tree. "I'm good," he groaned, in a heap on the ground. He only fell 7 feet.

Kyra kept held her head high as she was bound by the ropes. She would never let go of her pride--not even when she was prisoner.

"Are you okay?" Cole asked, offering him a hand up.

Callyah resisted the urge to yell and charge at the barrier like some stupid macho knight -- instead, she creeped around the edges, looking for any place she could slip through.

"Thanks," Seth said, heavily leaning on Cole. "Sorry, I think I hurt my ankle. Sprained it or something."

Cole braced Seth with an arm and helped him over to sit on the ground. "Can I check it? I'm a medic," he added. "Surprise."

Valerie tied the White Queen's hands together and thought for a moment. "Ugh, Cygnus, I'm trusting you with making sure she doesn't escape. She doesn't get anything, okay? Nothing at all. I'm going to go look for them."

"Sure," Seth responded. He sat down and stuck out his foot, which was swelling.

Kyra resisted the urge to breathe out a breath of relief. She hadn't taken it. Her poison was still safe. She turned her head towards 'Cygnus,' "Cygnus, eh? Hmmm...better than 'Huntress,' at least."

Valerie snorted. "If you rather, you could call me Falconer."

"Falconer? And what does that name represent? Surely mine is obvious." Kyra asked

Anika crept through the fields and she jumps back when a black hooded figure jumps out. She pulls out her dagger she had hidden from Callyah and held it like she had seen Callyah do many times.

Cole sat down next to Seth and gently felt his ankle, careful not to put too much pressure on it. "Yep, it's just twisted," he said after a second. "You want me to wrap it?"

Callyah continued to search for an opening. When she couldn't find one, she threw a rock at the barrier experimentally

Desire galloped over to Fate and Klay and was whining loudly and being generally annoying to get their attention

Seth winced. "Yes, please," he said thankfully.

Valerie gestured to her armband. "I have a falcon. She's sure to be somewhere around here. I just haven't called her yet, despite her new fanclub."

When Anika pulls out her dagger the force field momentarily dropped out of surprise to the figure but rose up again.

"Hmmm, a falcon. Good birds--sharp, intelligent," Kyra said thoughtfully. "And I'm sure I don't have to explain my title to you?"

Cole took out a roll of bandages from his bag and carefully wrapped Seth's ankle. When he was finished, he put his fingertips on Seth's ankle and closed his eyes. His hand went blurry  for a moment as he drew the pain out of Seth.

Callyah took her opportunity -- she hurdled over the field and just barely made it through, rolling behind one of the rosebushes. She pulled out her knives and flicked them open, stealthily creeping towards the queen.

"I don't watch a lot of TV," Valerie said evenly.

Seth let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks so much," he repeated.

"You're welcome," Cole said, having opened his eyes just in time to catch the tail end of what Seth had said. Faking it, what what.

Kyra rolled her eyes. "White Queen--winner of the chess game with Bandit Artinious Rook--yes, I know his name's ridiculous--dangerous, wanted criminal? Rumored to be part of the rebellion? I won't confirm or deny that rumor by the way."

Anika heard someone behind her and she whips around which was a bad idea cause the figure grabs her and has a very sharp knife that seems to be dripping with poison positioned right below her chin.

Callyah stayed hidden, watching through the gaps in the rosebush's branches.

"Never heard of it," Val scoffed. "But seriously, guys, if she's gone when I get back there will be [ReDaCtEd] to pay after I track her down."

Seth tentatively stood up, but didn't put too much pressure on his foot.

Anika gulps and noticeably is holding her dagger wrong and the figure easily takes it from her.

Cole leaned back on his hands and tried to catch his breath as covertly as possible. The hood helped.

Callyah started slowly circling behind the figure, still not standing enough that she could be seen.

"I'll count on it," Kyra said dryly. This girl was a fool--if she knew who she was, then she'd be interrogating her for information. Especially at the mention of the rebellion. Hopefully the Queen would be less foolish.

"And while I'm gone, get her new clothes!" Val called, "We don't know what she might be hiding that we can't find."

The figure whispers in Anika’s ear, “I’ve been waiting to get my hands on the queen for a longgg time, and here we are.” He says in a raspy voice.

Seth heard Cole breathing hard and put his hand on his shoulder. "You good?"

Holden kept the ropes around Kyra

Cole nodded. "Just been a bit of a day," he lied.

"As long as you let me keep my chessboard," Kyra said. "You can check it--it's a normal chessboard. I don't cheat."

“No.” Holden said, and checked her for the chessboard. “You don’t get to tell me what to do.”

Callyah mentally smacked herself for not teaching the queen the weak points of the body earlier and continued to creep around the roses, finally coming to behind the figure.

Val disappeared into the forest where Desire had emerged from. The tracks were super clear- to her at least. She jogged silently through the forest, every sense on alert.

Taylor was somewhere

Holden then proceed to find the board and inspect it

Kyra glared at Cygnus, "See? There's nothing wrong with it. It's a normal chessboard. So if you dare harm a piece in that set, you can regret it while you burn in hell."

Valerie could tell she was getting closer, he premonition was tingling.

The figure was about to drag the queen away but before he did that he got a dark look under his hood and he took the dagger and ran into down her left arm, “Now you can have a matching scar.” he hisses in her ear and Anika cries out and would have crumpled if he hadn’t been holding her by the neck.

Callyah leaped out from the rosebushes and jabbed her knife into the figure's left shoulder, throwing her right arm around his neck and digging the point of her other knife into his chin. "Release the queen," she ordered.

The figure let’s go out of surprise but he turns around and knees Callyah in the stomach and grabs her wrist and pulls it behind her, hard.

Anika crumples to the ground, whatever was coating the knife that had sliced her arm was making her woozy.

Holden is humming 'Watermelon Sugar' unaware of what is happening, but guarding  Kyra.

Taylor turned their head to look at Kyra. "White Queen, huh. I think Pretty Girl suits you better."

Holden didn't like her ah ti tooode, so he summoned some cloth and tied it around her mouth.

Kyra bit Holden's finger as he was tying the cloth around her mouth.

Callyah gritted her teeth in pain, but she drove her heel -- her *high* heel, mind you -- into the figure's, ahem, manly parts. She spun out of his arm lock, grabbed his other wrist, and launched herself up, planting both heeled feet on his chest before pushing off into a backflip, forcing him to let go of her.

"Gah!" Holden said, pulling back "Fine. Taylor! We need your voice. Pronto."

Valerie herd grunting and ran towards it. Stepping into the clearing, she quickly took everything in. Anika on the ground, bleeding, Callyah fighting, and the strange person. Instinctively, she drew her bow and fired at Callyah's opponent.

Kyra shook the cloth off her face--Holden hadn't done a very good job tying it, since she'd bit his finger. "Pretty? I'm many things, but I'm not sure pretty is one of them. I've got more thorns than roses *Tay*, trust me." She emphasized the nickname, smirking.

The figure rolls into the roses yelling choice words.

Anika had her eyes closed tightly and couldn’t move.

"Watch him," Callyah said to Val, before running over to the queen. She put one hand on her right wrist, taking her pulse.

"Can you get-" Holden paused. "I don't want to misgender you. Girl? Boy? Non-binary? What are you pronouns" Holden said to Kyra

Anika wasn’t breathing quickly and she couldn’t see straight so she lay there and tried to get away from the pain.

Valerie hesitates, a billion things running through her mind. First of all was the fact that she missed. When she shot instinctively like that, it was almost always deadly. Also, did she wish she killed the person? She quickly chased over to the person, standing over them.

"Actually, go get Cole," Callyah said over her shoulder. "As fast as you can." She brushed some of the queen's hair off her face. "It's okay, you're safe," she said softly, trying to keep her calm.

"Thank you for asking," Kyra said dryly. "I'm a girl--pronouns she/her. I suppose that I should've asked Tay this--but my blade was to their throat, so I was a bit preoccupied."

Valerie glared suspiciously at the person on the ground before running back to get Cole.

Cole stood up, seeing Valerie running into their camp. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Ok anyway- TAYLOOOOR WE NEED WHITE QUEEN T SHUT UPPPPP!" Holden screeched

"Long story, but we need you. I'll explain on the way. Holden, you're being too gentle with her," Valerie added, barely breathing hard.

Cole nodded and followed Valerie.

Valerie took off on the direction of the queen and Callyah.

Cole followed her. She was fast, but he had a bit of an adrenaline rush from overtaxing his ability on Seth, so he could keep up.

Callyah kept talking to the queen, trying to keep her responsive.

Seth was still at the campsite, testing his foot. He couldn't walk on it. "Great."

Valerie pulled to a stop in the clearing. She gestured for Cole to go over to Callyah and Anika and went over to the person to feel for a pulse.

"Fine." Holden cocked his head, and pressed a specific nerve, causing her to pass out.

Cole dropped to his knees on the queen's other side and gasped. **She got cut?**

**I think it was poisoned,** Callyah signed back.

Cole cursed out loud, prompting Callyah to sign **language** at him. **Get to it,** she added.

Cole picked up the queen's wounded arm. His vision blurred for a second -- he could sense she was in a *lot* of pain -- but he pushed it aside and started examining her wound.

Kyra swore in Chinese as she lost consciousness, "[REDACTED BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I SHOULD TEACH YOU CHINESE SWEAR WORDS AND NEITHER DOES KYRA]."

"Val did I do a good job?" Holden said, gesturing to Kyra's heap of Kyra XD

Kyra heard shouts and yells in dreamland--well, there were more nightmares than dreams. Fire and cries for help. A single white queen on a chessboard. Checkmate. She lost. Kyra probably looked like a wimp, with a tear running down her cheek. But since she was asleep, she couldn't exactly do anything about it.

Valerie stumbled back, feeling a little bit sick. *I just killed someone. A person. A human, with a life and a family- No, they were evil. They tried to kill Anika.*

Cole started to treat Anika's wound, pouring water in it to flush out the poison. Callyah held onto her, watching her brother work.

Ella was asleep in a tree, not pleasant but she could see pretty far from 36.8 feet up.

Blinking and feeling slightly nauseous, Valerie bent over the body and took out her arrow and Callyah's knife.

Ella groaned and snapped awake, she smelled blood, "Oh shoot what happened?"

"Alot." Holden mumbled

"I'M COMING DOWN!" Ella called, launching herself off the branch she was on. She landed on her feet, one leg out to the side and the other underneath her, "Oh and  that branch is mine now. Sooo- what are we doing now?" *Other that almost breaking my ankle* she thought feeling the stabbing pain in her left ankle.

Valerie cleaned both of the weapons and stumbled back over to Anika and the siblings.

Taylor was struggling not to stomp over to Kyra and strangle her for calling them Tay

"Some one remind me NOT do do that again until I've practiced more." Ella grumbled

Cole kept working, but Callyah looked up at Valerie. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Fine," Val muttered, trying to convince herself that it was just like killing the deer earlier. "He's dead."

Taylor settled for smirking at Kyra like they knew something she didn't. Because Taylor.

“Good," Callyah said bitterly.

Valerie shook her head and slumped against a tree.

"What?" Callyah asked. She drew in her lips for a second. "It's because you killed him."

"I'm fine," Val snapped. "I kill things all the time."

"But he's a person," Callyah said. She sighed and gestured for Val to come sit next to her.

Ella leaned up against a tree, HER tree.

Val glared, then sighed at sat down next to her.

Klay wasn't certain what he was doing but ~w h a t e v er~

Kyra was suffering from nightmares.

If she wasn't asleep, her cheeks wouldn't be wet. She never cried. Ever. She just--didn't. If she knew that there was a tear on her cheek, she would've wiped it off and pretended nothing happened. But nightmares were--well, nightmares. Kyra's nightmares were different than others. They were comprised of scattered images. Like a chess piece on a board, small and little--then it would grow big and tower over her. Or she'd see flashes of fire and burning buildings. Sometimes--on very rare occasions, she'd see people--faces. And oddly, these nightmares struck such fear into her heart that oftentimes, she would awake without the memory of her own name.

Taylor's smirk faltered as a tear slipped down Kyra's cheek. They looked away, feeling like a horrible person

"I know," Callyah said, almost gently. "It's your first time taking a life, right?" She wasn't really asking. "And on the one hand, you saved her life, and mine, but on the other, it was someone's life. And you're like me, unfortunately for you, which means you're just going to bottle it up and deal internally. But I'm going to tell you this anyway. It's something my captain said to me when I first started out guarding the queen. You just learned where you draw your line, Valerie."

"The think is," Va said slowly, "It wasn't any harder than killing anything else. That's the scary thing about it. If anything, it was easier because I didn't have to think about hiding myself before I shot him. I just- I just did. And I'd do it again."

"Which scares you." Callyah noted

Kyra felt a pain in her neck. It sucked. Her eyes fluttered open and she became very aware of her cheek against the dirt. Oh--right--she'd been knocked out. Her eyes flitted around the clearing--Taylor was staring at her. She searched for the reason and her focus narrowed to the drop of wetness on her cheek. [REDACTED]. She brought her hand up to brush it away.

"The White Queen is awake!" Holden declared

"Goodie gumdrops," Audrey muttered.

No- I mean, yes, a little bit. But not really." Valerie let out a frustrated sigh. "I just thought it wouldn't be so easy."

Holden helped her up, since she was still tied up.

Kyra raised her eyebrow at Cygnus, "Question--why are you helping the prisoner? I mean--I don't  mind, but I've been captive many times before, and...well, let's just say my treatment was a bit--harsher."

Audrey gLoWeReD at Holden and that dArNeD qUeEn.

Holden cocked his head, "Well just because we don't trust you doesn't mean we can't be courteous."

Kyra rolled her eyes, "You really have no idea what you're doing do you?"

"Well, could you be curteous to me and give me a piggy back ride for the rest of the day?" Audrey asked sarcastically.

"It's deceptively easy," Callyah admitted.

Valerie stood up abruptly. "We have a prisoner. I'm going to make sure Holden isn't being an idiot and see what she knows about the man."

"I'm afraid that would be rather difficult considering how I'm tied up, and considering the fact that you're around 5 inches taller than me," Kyra said to Audrey.

"She was talking to me, queenie." Holden said to Kyra

Taylor walked as close to White Queen as they could/dared. "Nice of you to wake up, Sleeping Beauty." They snarked

"Wait," Callyah said quickly. She signed to Cole, **Can we move her?**

**Let me bind her wound first,** Cole signed with his free hand.

"Can you wait until Cole binds the queen's wounds? I don't think any of us can carry her alone, and I'd prefer not to be wandering around in the dark unable to protect her, Cole, or myself."

"My goodness--what is it with you guys and nicknames--I've been called...hmm...let's see--Pretty Girl, Sleeping Beauty, Queenie--I'm starting to think you're enjoying my company," Kyra smirked.

Valerie glanced at the queen. "I can carry her. She won't be any heavier than the deer I caught earlier. But yeah, all right. Someone will need to grab him if we want to be able to ask the prisoner about him."

Audrey glared at Kyra. "Yeah, I was talking to Pretty Boy, so back off."

Holden facepalmed. "If anything, it shows that we don't care enough to call you your real code name."

"Code name? It's not a code name--it's a title. And if you were actually in touch with the world, you'd have heard it before," Kyra said indignantly.

"I am 'iN tOuCh' with the world." Holden then proceeded to quote Stranger Things while doing the Renegades dance.

Callyah nodded.

Cole finished binding the queen's arm and placed his palm over it, his hand blurring as he drew some-- but not all-- of the pain out of her. "Okay, you can lift her, but try to keep her arm as still as possible." He walked over to the man's body and carefully lifted it up. "Can we put this over your horse?" he asked Callyah. "He's heavy."

Callyah shrugged. **Sure.**

Valerie lifted Anika up and started walking back to camp.

"You know--I wish I spoke Idiot so that I could tell you off in your own language," Kyra said to Cygnus.

"OHHHHH," Seth called from the distance.

Holden scoffed, and mustered up the Chinese that he knew from going to China in the fall. "[rEdAcTeD because Holden will be embarrassed that he just cussed the [redacted] out of Kyra]"

Cole slung the body over Callyah's horse's saddle. The horse calmly followed them and Valerie.

Valerie kept walking back towards the camp, trying to be gentle with Anika.

Kyra responded with a very...um...colorful Chinese curse that she was quite proud of. It went something like this, "[REDACTED. THIS IS SOOOOOOOOOOO REDACTED. I DON'T THINK ANYTHING ELSE I'VE EVER WRITTEN NEEDED TO BE THIS REDACTED. LIKE--[REDACTED], THIS NEEDS TO BE REDACTED.]."

Seth rubbed his ears. "Right. Okay. I'll stay here with Dally who can't curse because he is a ferret. We have good fun."

Holden then decided to strike the final blow

Valerie continued walking back towards their camp.

"我会用力踢您的[编辑过的]，使您的椎骨像PEZ分配器一样从您的嘴中弹出，

你在白纸上绝对白色蜡笔"

Ella sat against her tree, not sure what to do, if she was the only person a the camp(that she knew of) She could easily take a horse and run away on the other hand she could help the Queen she blamed for her family's deaths. To her that was simple, but now more complicated than it should be.

(I will kick your [edited] hard and make your vertebrae pop out of your mouth like a PEZ dispenser, Your absolute white crayon on white paper

Oh my gosh the crayon part would hurt-)

Kyra just smiled, "Oh, sorry--could you translate that? I might speak Chinese, but as I mentioned before, I don't speak idiot."

Callyah came back and saw the camp in a general state of disorder, including someone tied up, and people cursing in a language she didn't know. "What the [redacted], you guys?" she yelled.

"I DIDN'T DO NOTHIN'! I WAS ASLEEP IN A TREE\_ who's that?" Ella jumped up, "Don't answer that I don't care."

Holden slapped Kyra and walked away.

"Rude." ELla muttered

Valerie set Anikah down gently and turned back to the group, her eyes flaming. "WHAT THE [REDACTED]? What part of she's our prisoner do you not understand? And why, for gods sake, is everything such a mess?"

"Paul, did you just hit someone?" Callyah asked.

The horse got impatient and twitched the body off it.

Cole decided it would be best to stay out of his sister's way, so he turned to Valerie and asked, "Could you put her in one of the tents?"

Kyra's face burned. She was going to kill him. He was going to rot in the depths of the infernal pit for the rest of eternity. She smiled. Yes, he would go first. Because you never hit a girl--you just don't do it. And you especially don't hit Kyra. Not unless you want to die a very, very painful death.

"Yes he did, now HOW, WHY?- Someone explain NOW!" Ella demanded

"Dally, it's us against the world," Seth told his ferret.

Holden nodded. "I'm sorta sorry..."

Kyra just smiled at him, "You just made a very, very big mistake."

"Holden Bradford Paul, you just hit a tied up girl, and you are fired."

"I swear," Valerie growled, lifting Anika into one of the tents before stalking back out.

Holden turned to Kyra. "Oh what did you say? I don't speak idiot." he then went up in his treehouse

"I hit tied up people all the time, it's legit part of my job." Ella said casually

While up in his treehouse, Holden contemplated his life decisions.

Kyra just stared after him. Maybe she should use the poison on him instead of the queen. She would enjoy watching him foam at the mouth, gasping for air as a look of betrayal crossed his face. Yes, that would be nice.

"Not the point," Callyah growled. "HOLDEN PAUL, GET YOUR [REDACTED] OUT OF THAT TREEHOUSE BEFORE I PULL IT DOWN AROUND YOUR [ALSO REDACTED] EARS!"

Valerie marched over to Kyra and grabbed her. "You're going to be more trouble than you're worth," she muttered.

"I can climb up and get him if you want." Ella offered

"Oh, I'll get him down," Callyah assured her.

Cole went back to treating Anika's arm.

Holden didn't hear her. He was busy quietly being disappointed in himself for hitting a girl.

"Hmmm, I don't know, I'm worth quite a lot. Do you know how much money you'll get if you hand me in? Let me tell you, it's quite a sum." Kyra told them

Valerie glared at her and snapped, "Stay here." She went to get the body off of the horse.

Holden made up his mind. He went to the balcony of his treehouse and addressed the people. Prepare for a long speech full of post lag people

Callyah had already left to help Cole with the queen.

"Hey, can I come up there?" Seth called up to Holden.

Kyra smiled to herself. This was wonderful. Now she just had to play a game of chess with the queen.

Valerie picked up the corpse and shuddered slightly. It had already cooled and stiffened,

"I'd like to formally apologize about being such an idiot. I shouldn't have hit the 'White Queen' even though she was getting on my nerves. I hereby renounce my flirting. I should be focused on Ani's-cough cough- everyone's safety. Thank you for listening to my TED TALK." Holden glanced at everyone, then Seth. "Yes you can come in. And White Queen? I still dislike you."

"You're flirting? What a price to pay," Kyra said sarcastically. "And don't worry, I still dislike you too."

Valerie gaped at him and growled a few things that I'm not going to repeat. She dropped the body in front of the White Queen. "You know him."

"YOU'RE STILL FIRED!" Callyah yelled from inside one of the tents.

"Thanks," Seth said, "but what a price to pay. The world will never be the same with an absence of Holden flirting, " he deadpanned.

Holden conjured feathers and dropped them on the WHite Queen, carefully so none would get on the body. He then threw a pebble at Seth "OKAY CALLYAH. BUT DOES THAT MEAN YOU CAN'T GET  ON MY CASE FOR NOT PROTECTING SOMEONE?"

Kyra spit blew the feathers away from her face and looked at the body. There was a thin scar running down it's face. Huh. Even better--Rook was dead. Oh, how lucky she was. She grinned, "You don't know how long I've been waiting to see his dead body--of course I know him. That's Rook--Artinious Rook."

The pebble hit Seth in the arm. He laughed and carefully climbed the tree, avoiding putting pressure on his foot. Dally scampered up by him. "Oh, and I forgot. There's a dead rabbit up there somewhere," Seth called up to Holden, "Dally caught it."

"That's really all you're thinking about?" Valerie asked sarcastically. "Come down here and start digging the grave."

Taylor was still nearby. They looked a bit unnerved by the body.

"But Valerie. One: Your not my boss and two: even if you were, I'm fired" Holden pointed out

"Maybe not, but I've still got a bloody arrow that I don't plan on keeping. It can either go in the fire or it can go [ReDaCtEd ReDaCtEd ReDaCtEd]." Val yelled up at him.

Holden was tired of her bull carp. "You can do it yourself." he said, slowly. "I'm not your servant or your slave. I'm not indebted to you."

Valerie blinked at him. "Well, I'm not dealing with it." It helped when she pretended it was it it, not a person. "So I hope you don't mind the sounds of the wolves ravaging it tonight."

"Weren't you the one who killed him?" Holden asked

Taylor's eyes were fixed on the body. They were slowly turning greener and greener

Kyra watched the exchange with fascinated eyes. This was really quite interesting.

Seth was eavesdropping on the conversation. Finally, he made it to the treehouse.

Dally was eating his rabbit on a different branch.

"Yes. But I wouldn't have had to if you could actually do your former job," Valerie said harshly.

"You said watch White Queen!" Holden pointed out

"[redacted]" Taylor cussed, still staring at the body

"Audrey would've done a better job at that than you," Val scoffed. She knew she was being unreasonable, but she didn't really care. Ploofy felt really bad because Valerie was being a complete [redacted].

Holden sighed. "Your being unreasonable."

"Anyone want to play a game of chess?" Kyra asked. Little did they know--she'd just started the game, opening the board.

Ella was staring at the body, she walked about thirty feet from camp and started to dig a grave, "Wanna put him in here?"

Quinn looked at the person. "I can play," She offered.

"No," Valerie snapped at at White Queen. She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I'll be back. Later." She said, whistling to Tug so he would follow her.

Ella climbed back up her tree, so much for running away.

"Splendid," Kyra grinned wolfishly. All she had to do was get the majority of the group to play her. Then of course, the poison painted on the pieces would kick in, and they'd be paralyzed.

Taylor looked more green than skin colored.

"So how'd they find you?" Ella asked Kyra hanging upside down from a low hanging branch.

Callyah came out of the tent, then. She took one look at Kyra and her chess board, and said, "Don't touch the board or the pieces." She turned to Taylor. "You're... Tyler, right? Are you okay?"

"I found you--then I threatened to kill Tay and you guys kidnapped me," Kyra said cheerfully. "Now, chess?" Kyra said to Quinn.

Quinn nodded. "Right"

Taylor made a face. The greenish color dissapeared. "First of all, my name is Taylor. Second of all, excuse me while I go strangle Pretty Girl." Taylor started stomping over to Kyra

"Not *'you guys'*  them." Ella motioned around the camp, "I have no idea you existed until, umm like two minuets ago, and if you think I WANT to be here you're dead wrong."

"Don't touch the pieces," Callyah said to Quinn. "And I'm sorry," she added to Taylor. "Cole told me your name, and he fingerspells *really* fast." She took a breath. "And you, Ella, either leave or stop complaining about not wanting to be here." [Redacted], she was glad she wasn't queen.

Quinn furrowed her eyebrows at Callyah. "Why? Are the, I don't know, deadly or something?"

"Why hello," Kyra said to Taylor. "Care to watch the game? Oh and," she said to the person she would be playing. "Would you mind freeing my hands? It's a little hard to play when you're tied up."

Taylor glanced back. "No worries." They'd freak out more if they were misgendered

"DON'T!" Holden warned

"I dare you to make me stop complaining." Ella challenged

"Don't untie her," Callyah said immediately. "The pieces probably, I don't know, blow up on contact or poison you or something like that. Anything a prisoner is eager for you to touch, you should never touch." She ignored Ella.

Taylor looked at Kyra and sat nearby

"You know I've had a my fair share of hostage situations, although in most I WAS the prisoner, honestly it could be worse." Ella mused

Tug trotted after Valerie, nudging her shoulder gently. "I don't want to talk about it," she muttered, walking out of sight. Tug shook his head and nickered softly, still following her.

"I'll touch the pieces--they won't do anything to me. At least let me play on my own," Kyra said cheerfully.

"I like her." Ella said.

"Fine," Callyah said. "But your hands are staying tied. You're smart, figure out how to play with them bound."

*\*Quinn narrowed her eyes, but didn't say anything.

"Mean." Ella had a little sympathy foe Kyra, for some reason... "Well I'm bored."

"Well then, someone will have to move the pieces for me. I can call out the squares." Kyra eyed the board

Taylor got back up. "I'll move the pieces"

Callyah sighed. "And we're back to square one. You can't play in your head or something?"

"I swear, If you don't take a little pity on her I will club you over the head Callyah!" Ella called

Quinn crossed her arms. "Probably not the best idea, Ella."

"Why of course I can--but that does get a little lonely after a while, besides, I like a challenge," Kyra smirked.

Taylor smirked at the ones who were arguing.

"Oh- thanks but all my ideas that DO work are the ones people doubt." Ella muttered

"I don't take pity on people who are friends with the person who just poisoned and tried to kill t- my friend," Callyah told Ella. "And trust me, oh White Queen, I'm sure none of us are skilled enough to 'challenge' you."

"WAIT YOU ALMOST KILLED THE QUEEN?" Ella shouted, "WHY DIDN'T IT WORK?"

"Probably not," Kyra agreed. "But you could try. I mean, how bad could it actually be. If I'm willing to touch the pieces, there can't be anything wrong with them, can there?" "And I am NOT friends with that scumbag. I'm glad to see the light gone from his eyes. He deserves to rot in the depths of the infernal pit for all eternity, thank you very much."

Seth watched the conversation from the treehouse. Dally ran over to Seth and he petted Dally.

Taylor looked at the 'harmless' pieces. "Chess, huh." They mused

"It's a poison you're immune to," Callyah said immediately. "Or you know exactly where the triggers are and where not to touch them. And Ella? Shut up, please."

Valerie was stepping through the tress, Tug following her. Once she decided they were far enough from everyone else Valerie took her hood off and collapsed against Tug.

"NOPE!" Ella shouted

"Oh come on--how bad could a game of chess be? I mean--we could always do verbal chess, but I doubt any of you know chess notation," Kyra said.

Taylor poked a piece of Chess. "Harmless." They announced

"Sure. If anyone knows chess notation, go ahead and play with her, but don't be surprised when you lose- TAYLOR, WHAT THE ACTUAL [REDACTED]?"

"See? They're not dead. They look quite alive to me," Kyra said.

Taylor laughed at Callyah "Worrywart. I'm fine."

"Ugh." Callyah let out an exaggerated sigh. "Fine, *one* of you can touch the pieces --I vote Ella-- but when that person keels over from contact poison, don't say I didn't warn you."

"Okay!" Ella flipped down and pulled out a black glove.

"Okay, who wants to play with me?" Kyra asked. "If you want me to be able to use my hands, then you can just--I don't know, hold a knife to my throat the entire time. That way, if I try anything, you can just kill me." This was a dangerous gamble, and Kyra knew it. But it was a sort of 'go all in, or not at all' thing. And she was going all in.

Callyah begrudgingly internally admitted that, hey, at least Ella wasn't stupid. "She can move the pieces for you," Callyah said.

Valerie hugged Tug, who curled his neck around her shoulder. “I didn’t mean to do it,” she said quietly to the horse.

Ella also produced a compact gas mask that fit over her purple masquerade mask.

"Shouldn't just one person touch the pieces? I already touched them, in that case." Taylor pointed out

"I'm not even going to ask where she got that," Callyah muttered, settling against a tree. "She's got a glove," she added to Taylor. "It'll protect her, probably."

Ella shrugged, "Hey Callyah was the one who thought they were poisoned!"

Taylor fidgeted with the chess piece in their hand

"I would be genuinely surprised if they were entirely innocent," Callyah said with a quick glare at Kyra.

"You wanna be white?" Ella asked Kyra.

Kyra just smiled back at Callyah with a twinkle in her eye. "Hmmm, yes, I do think that would be fitting, considering my title," Kyra said.

"Okay, and I trust her." Ella glared and Callyah, pulling odd her gloves and gas mask, "I've been poisoned before."

Callyah sighed internally, rescinding her earlier admission that Ella wasn't stupid.

Taylor started setting up the pieces

Callyah officially gave up and started wandering through the woods a little.

"White goes first." Ella said

Valerie continued having her therapy session with Tug.

"White always moves first. If you please, move my pawn to D4." Kyra said. Kyra called out the squares and played the game with Ella. Her opponent was quite inexperienced, and so Kyra won easily. And now Ella's hands were tainted with poison. She'd be knocked out in a few hours. "Well then, who's next?"

"Well that was fun thanks." Ella told Kyra

"You're welcome," Kyra said cheerfully, knowing that she'd practically just slaughtered Ella.

Quinn debated about playing, before raising a hand. "I'll go."

"Splendid," Kyra said.

Taylor plucked a piece from the board, looking at it closely

Quinn looked around. Glove. Yes. She needed a glove.

"You know, we do need that to play," Kyra said to Taylor.

"I know. Just looking, Queenie." Taylor was quite proud of that nickname

"Alright with me, as long as you don't hurt it." Kyra told Tay

Taylor fingered the piece, staring at it like it held the secrets of the universe. A smile flitted across their face

Tug laid down and Valerie leaned against him, thinking.

"What shape is your face making?" Ella asked

Taylor looked up, smirk in place. "You talking to me?"

Kyra grinned. *This* was fun.

Taylor picked up another piece, looking at that one now

Holden was supremely bored

"Now Taylor, I'm afraid if we want to play, we need that piece. You can admire their beauty later." Kyra told them

"WHOA, did you just call a chess piece beautiful?" Ella asked

Taylor passed back the pieces, smirk more of a real smile.

"Paul, Ella, you should go up in the treehouse and see if you can spot any more of our little chess piece friends," Callyah suggested.

"Okay." Ella agreed

Valerie was thinking. Her thoughts went something like this.*I should go back. But I don't want to deal with them right now. I hope they buried. Maybe if I stay out a little longer they will have buried it and then I can go back. Besides, Tug is comfortable. But what if they start to worry? They'll be fine. I'll be fine.*

"Paul, can you bury the body?" Callyah asked. She wasn't *worried* about Valerie, exactly, but she was definitely aware of the fact that Valerie had been gone a while.

"Chess *is* beautiful," Kyra said as she began to play Quinn. ( @TheObliviousWhale )

Quinn pursed her lips, surveying the chess pieces. It had been a long time since she had played chess--but she still remembered some of the moves.

Valerie fell asleep against Tug.

Dally finished the rabbit and curled up on Holden's sleeping bag. Seth laid in his own.

"Knight to C3, if you please," Kyra said.

"Its a ferret!" Holden said in delight

"Yeah," Seth said from his sleeping bag. "His name is Dally."

Taylor moved Kyra's pieces around for her

Ella's head hurt.

Valerie was peacefully sleeping. She trusted Tug to wake her if he sensed any danger.

"dALLy!" Holden screeched

Kyra won the game again. These guys were falling right into her trap. Already, 3 of them had touched the pieces. "Alright--who's next?"

Quinn narrowed her eyes at Kyra. She got a sinking feeling in her gut that *something* was going to go wrong soon.

Taylor smirked. "I'll play." They'd never played chess and had no idea what the rules were but it seemed cool

"Wonderful, I trust you know the rules?" Kyra asked

"Nope! Let's play." Tay was grinning at the board

Ella leaned against her tree. The world was spinning.

"Well then, essentially, the object of the game is to kill the King--you use the other pieces to get the King to 'Checkmate.' Once you've done that, you've won. But you can also resign--which is the same as forfeiting. Each piece moves a different way. The pawns," Kyra gestured to the pawns, "can only move one space forward--except when they begin, then they can move two. They can only move one space diagonal when they take. They cannot move backwards," Kyra went on to explain the rest of the game to Taylor. After a long speech about her favorite game, she said, "Does that make sense?"

"Let's play." Tay repeated.

"Yeah, Dally." Dally rubbed up against Holden. "Traitor."

Kyra began to play with Taylor. They were really quite dreadful. She could've won a game with them in her sleep.

Holden stroked its head.

Taylor annoyed Kyra every chance they got

Ella shut her eyes, and sank to the ground.

"He likes you-!" Seth said.

Kyra grit her teeth, "Oh come on--you can't possibly be that stupid--you have to know that if you move there I can take your queen and put you in check."

"Of course he does." Holden said pompously. He then protectively cupped his hands around Dally. "Hes mine."

"Right. Dally loves me more, don't you bud?" Seth cooed.

Dally stared at Seth and climbed on to Holden's shoulder.

Seth fake clutched his chest. "The rejection- I can't-"

Taylor snickered. They did the most idiotic moves they possibly could

Ella groaned.

"Checkmate," Kyra called out. "Gosh--no offense, but I do believe that was the easiest game I ever played."

Taylor was trying not to laugh. They failed. "YoUr FaCe! PrIcElEsS!" They collapsed in a fit of giggles

Kyra's face would best be described as: -\_-

Taylor struggled to compose themself. Every time they looked at Kyra, they'd start giggling

"What? You were really rather terrible," Kyra said.

Valerie continued sleeping.

Taylor tugged on their hair, smirking

Kyra rolled her eyes. "Now that I've slaughtered Tay in chess, who would like to play me next?"

"Love you too!" Holden purred.

"Who are you declaring your love and affection to this time, Cygnus?" Kyra asked.

Taylor instantly stopped laughing. "Never call me Tay, Queenie." Their hands had curled into fists

Cole finally finished treating Anika's arm. He'd managed to flush out the poison, and her bleeding had slowed. Carefully, he stitched up the wound with a hot needle, keeping one hand on her arm to draw out the pain.

"And why not? I think Tay is a fine name," Kyra said, her eyes twinkling in amusement.

"Queenie," Quinn mused to herself. "Reminds me of my own name."

Taylor wrinkled their nose. "\*Mumbles\*- fine. No one else"

Kyra smiled at Taylor, letting a chuckle escape her lips, "Oh, now I feel special."

"You should, Queenie." Taylor smiled. The smile was a little part smirk too

Kyra just smirked right back. She didn't want to admit it, but she might feel just a teeeeeny bit bad about paralyzing these guys and handing them over to the rebels. But she had to. She didn't have another choice.

Callyah sat down in front of the chessboard. "Can I borrow your glove, Ella?"

*Oh well--there were other ways to get Callyah to touch the poison.* Kyra thought

Taylor had zero suspicions, surprisingly.

"Actually, wait, never mind." Callyah reached into her bag and pulled out a pair of latex gloves. "I forgot I had these." She tugged them on and smiled. "Your move, Princess."

Callyah waited for Kyra to make her first move. She wasn't *bad* at chess -- she beat her dad and Cole pretty regularly -- but she wasn't going to be able to beat the White Queen. It didn't matter. She didn't want to win, anyway.

Taylor wandered away

Kyra asked Callyah to move her first piece forward. That dang girl was wearing gloves. Shoot. And because of these [REDACTED] ropes, Kyra couldn't--well, I dunno--flip the board into her lap. Then again, she was wearing long sleeves and jeans, so...[REDACTED]. She'd just have to fight her off somehow. [REDACTED].

Callyah moved the piece to the correct spot. "So how does a chessmaster get mixed up with stabby murderers?" she asked casually as she made her own first move.

"It's a long story," Kyra said bitterly.

Callyah noted the sharpness in her tone. "You don't want to be on their side, then?"

"It's complicated," Kyra said--hoping to end the conversation as she told Callyah to move her next piece.

"A lot of things are complicated," Callyah said drily. "Calculus, for example."

"Fair enough," Kyra said.

"You know, I taught myself to fight by getting beat up?" Callyah moved her own piece. "You can't tell my brother that, by the way."

Valerie continued sleeping.

Kyra raised her eyebrows, “That doesn’t sound enjoyable. I was taught by my father—self defense classes. And then of course, by...people on my side.”

"It wasn't," Callyah admitted. "The first thing I learned was that most people don't protect their weak spots. Especially boys," she added. "And the second thing I learned was that, with most people, as soon as you hit them in their weak spot, they stop fighting, because they didn't realize you could hit them back."

Kyra tilted her head to the side, well, as much as could consider long she was tied up, “You’re not an idiot,” she observed.

"Aw, thanks." Callyah said sarcastically. "Your move?"

Kyra made her move—or well, she asked Callyah to move her piece.

Callyah moved the piece. "So, is your group the kind that backs off the first time they get hit?"

“No, we’re the group that hits,” Kyra said, her eyes still on the board—completely immersed in the game.

Kyra wished she could be out of these ropes—she longed to be able to play the game instead of looking at it. But she would. Soon. Everything would work out. It had to. What could go wrong? Well, she had to find a way out of these ropes...maybe she could convince someone to untie her? A part of Kyra’s brain knew that her plan was falling to pieces. That was the part of Kyra’s brain that Kyra paid no attention to.

Valerie’s peaceful sleep was slowly turning into a dream and from there a nightmare.

Kyra looked across at Callyah. This one was going to be difficult to beat. And no, Kyra wasn’t talking about chess.

Taylor was leaning against a tree, half asleep

Kyra thought—who would unite her? They’d have to be an idiot—her mind immediately went to Holden—or maybe Tay. Two possible moves. But there were consequences with each of them. Then again—she could wait… No. She didn’t have time for the ‘Pretend to be their friends and then betray them’ plan. Besides, some of them would be paralyzed within the next hour. But not enough of them. Oh, [REDACTED].

Valerie shifted against Tug, her heart racing from the nightmare.

Taylor was getting a little stiff, like they couldn't move. They ignored the feeling

Kyra knew that the poison was probably beginning to take effect now. [REDACTED]. She'd have to find a way out of these ropes, and fast. That girl had taken all her blades--and this rope was thick. [REDACTED], [REDACTED], [REDACTED], [REDACTED].

Taylor's nose itched

Kyra could threaten that the paralyzation would kill them without the antidote...that might work… Oh, [REDACTED], she was so screwed, wasn't she.

Taylor couldn't move to scratch their nose. They were getting annoyed

Kyra's flitted over to Taylor. Shoot. [REDACTED]. [REDACTED, EXTREMELY REDACTED, OH SO VERY REDACTED.].

Taylor was seriously getting annoyed. Like I-may-k///-you-once-I-figure-out-how mad

Kyra's hands began to struggle where they were knotted in the rope. But she wasn't going anywhere. [REDACTED]. She'd just have to go for bluffing. She'd say she had the antidote, and she'd only give it to them if they gave her the queen. Or not--that was a bit too straightforward. Maybe she'd say she'd give it to them if they untied her. Yes. And then she could send up the flare. It was probably still in her boot. Probably. She hated counting on 'Probably.'

Taylor fumed.

Kyra continued to play the game of chess with Callyah, wondering when the others would notice their paralyzed friends.

Taylor wished they could at least talk. Alas, they couldn't. Which was probably better for everyone's health.

Valerie woke up in a cold sweat. Tug nudged her worriedly. "I'm fine," she whispered, "Thanks though."

Kyra's eyes--which she hoped weren't as filled with as much panic as she felt curling inside her, flitted over to Taylor's, locking eyes with them. [REDACTED]. Now they probably knew that she was responsible for their paralyzed state. And since they barely touched the pieces...well, that meant that it would probably only last half an hour--maybe less--not enough time to make this work. [REDACTED].

Taylor's eyes met Kyra's. Their eyes held only confusion and betrayal. With dash of anger for added fun.

"You, we should go back, shouldn't we." Valerie sighed, rubbing Tug's neck. The little horse heaved himself upwards, pulling Valerie into a standing position with him. "Can I ride you back?" She asked, and took the answer at a no when he ignored her. Of course, he was a horse, but he was a smart horse. She shrugged and started walking back towards their camp, taking the long route.

Kyra looked away. This was bad--very bad. Extra bad. The worst, actually. Now she just had to...to get them to notice their paralyzed friends. Yes. That was it. And then she'd bribe her way to freedom. Her plan was foolproof! Definitely. [REDACTED].

The poison had effected Ella, she was slumped against her tree, fighting it as mush as she could.

"It's strangely quiet," Callyah said, looking up from the board. "Taylor? Ella? You okay?"

Klay sighed with relief as he heard Fate. He must be closeto camp.

Anika didn’t know what was happening but the poison had sunk into her blood and was making her even more woozy and in pain.

Desire was in a panic.

Cole put his hand on the queen's arm and tried to draw some more pain out of her, but he knew he couldn't pull it all out.

Anika shuddered and tried to curl into a ball but she couldn’t get any more in a ball then she already was. Her left arm was practically paralyzed and she knew it somewhere in her now jumbled up brain.

"CALLYAH!" Cole yelled.

Callyah knocked over her king and stood up, running to the tent. She ducked under the flap and dropped to her knees next to the queen. ""I know, I know it hurts, but you need to relax, okay? Cole's doing his best, but he needs you to hold still," she said gently, putting one hand on the queen's shoulder.

Anika took a shaky breath and tried to nod. She forced herself to stretch out and relax but every part of her wanted to go hide from the pain.

Taylor was furious. They will k/// everyone when they figure out how.

"You're going to be okay. Focus on me, alright?" Callyah said calmly, even as she signed to Cole with her free hand. **Go check on Taylor. They're not moving.**

Cole nodded and slipped out of the tent. "Are you okay?" he asked them.

Anika didn’t nod because she had used up her energy to even move so she just tried to take another shaky breath.

Desire was stamping her hooves and looking around for Fate and Klay.

Paisley hadn’t been able to stand seeing the sight of Anika’s cut and all the blood, she had gone pale and hurried away.

Taylor couldn't move. They were yelling internally

Aire was...I don't know...on a trail ride with Jo.

Desire was stamping her hooves and shaking her mane trying to get Fate and Klay to follow her.

Paisley was sitting a ways off unable to look at Anika.

Callyah started singing one of the songs she'd learned as a kid, trying to distract the queen from her arm.

Cole turned to Paisley. "Do you know why they're not moving?" he asked.

Paisley looked up, “I-i think maybe they touched the new girls chess pieces.”

*[redacted. Million times redacted]* Taylor thought as loudly as they could.

*You're even more pushy than Fate,* Klay thought to Desire.

Cole knelt next to them and put a hand on their shoulder. They weren't in pain, at least.

*Come and help!* Desire whinnies bossily.

Taylor's nose was being ANNOYING.

*Help? What's wrong?* Klay thought, nervously. Why would Desire need help?

"Can you blink still?" Cole asked Taylor. "Twice yes, once no."

*Anika hurt!* Desire thought and stamped her hooves.

Taylor's eyes moved just enough to roll their eyes. Their eyes remained in the same position

"Taking that as a no, then. Aside from the eye rolling -- which I'm genuinely not surprised you can still do -- can you move *anything* else?"

Anika felt the poison run back to her arm where the pain was the strongest and she shuddered and closed her eyes tightly.

A million thoughts raced through Klay's mind, *I'm coming right away!* Klay assured Desire, mounting Fate

"I know," Callyah said, rubbing her other shoulder gently. "Cole will help you again when he comes back, okay?"

Desire led Klay and Fate over to where Anika was laying.

Anika didn’t take those words as super encouraging but it was mostly cause she couldn’t take any meaning in anything besides, pain.

Taylor would've snickered if they were able. They also would've nodded. Instead, they just seethed

"Oh my stars...Anika?" Klay paled.

Anika could barely hear him and was drifting into a sort of unconscious state but she wasn’t quite there.

"Another no, then." Cole mentally ran through his supplies. "I don't have anything that can help you, but I'm going to keep an eye on you in case something changes."

Callyah glared at Klay and whipped out a throwing knife from her boot. It embedded in the wood of the tent next to his head. "Out."

Taylor mentally sighed. *[redacted]. [VERY REDACTED]*

"No...whats wrong with her? WHAT HAPPENED?" Klay asked worriedly

"Take an educated guess." Callyah snapped. "And stop shouting."

"Why are you so [redacted] overprotective of the queen? I asked a question. What happened to her?" Klay stared at Anika

Anika tries to reach over to touch where the knife had ran down her arm which would be a terrible thing to do.

"Don't touch it," Callyah said gently, taking the queen's free hand. She held it loosely, letting the queen pull away if she wanted. "And I'm [redacted] overprotective because it's my [redacted] job."

"Really? Is it really your job to never give her any freedom? Like earlier, with your whole 'I go where she goes' thing. It's [redacted] stupid." Klay spat

Anika didn’t have the strength to pull away nor the need. She whimpers a bit but other than that is silent.

"I give her freedom," Callyah fired back. "Because of me, she's allowed to go places and isn't locked up in her bedroom. My job is to keep her safe, which means I go where she goes, because when I don't, [redacted] like this happens."

"Don't you think she ever wants to be *alone*? The whole thing is, she shouldn't *need* a guard. But you haven't been able to kill the [redacted] people that you are supposed to be protecting her from." Klay snapped

"You're right, she shouldn't. The world should be a [redacted] safe place where an eighteen-year-old girl doesn't have to be with a guard all the time. And if you think it's so [redacted] easy to [redacted] kill someone, next time her life is in danger, you can come and shoot the attacker, [redacted]." Callyah glared at Klay

"But that's your [redacted] job, you idiot. Maybe you should have actually done it instead of whining about how hard it is." Klay mutters

“Help. .up. .please.” Anika rasps out.

Klay turned to Anika, and held out his hand for her.

"Pick a [redacted] lane, Klay. Should I or shouldn't I be doing my job?" Callyah was careful not to raise her voice, not wanting to disturb the queen as she helped her sit up.

Anika closed her eyes tightly and took a few shaky breaths before opening them again after sitting up.

"To answer that question, I should say that you shouldn't need to do your job, but since you have to, do it *right*" Turning to Anika, Klay asked, "What happened?"

"I'm done," Callyah announced, squashing the voice in her head that said he was right. "Don't act like you understand the position I'm in, *horse master.*"

Anika frowns slightly, she ignored the pain which had now resided in her left arm and her side.

"Horse-Master?" Klay raised his eyebrow, "Thanks for the compliment."

Anika shivers a bit her back against a tree and she had to take a few more shaky breaths.

Callyah ignored his statement. "Go get Cole."

Taylor continued rolling their eyes for no reason

Paisley had been eavesdropping so she quickly went to get Cole.

"What's up?" Cole asked Paisley as she approached.

“Callyah needs you with Anika.” paisley says.

Cole stood up and came back to the tent. "Hey," he said, kneeling next to Anika and putting a hand next to her now-bandaged cut. His whole arm started to blur as he drew as much pain out as he could.

Valerie existed with Tug once again.

Anika strangles a quiet gasp as the pain clears a bit, she studies him, “Are you sure it doesn’t hurt you?”

Meanwhile, Kyra was...not so subtly trying to free herself. She wasn't having much luck. She'd probably have to go with the bluffing plan. This really [REDACTED] sucked.

"I'm fine," Cole lied -- he looked pale.

Taylor was trying to talk. Nothing happened

Kyra searched for something to say. She just needed to find a way out of this. There had to be a way out of this--some sort of counter attack, or defense--

Anika frowns but still was too tired to figure out if he was lying or not. She tried to stand up and her knees buckles and she had to grab the nearest thing to her which was Klay

Kyra piped up, "So, no more chess? Are you all afraid of losing now?" She smirked, trying to cover her obvious panic. Her plan was failing. Everything was falling apart. This was just [REDACTED] splendid.

Despite her nap, Valerie was tired. Probably because most of it had been a nightmare, but still.

"Careful," Cole said. "Your body is not ready to be standing. You need to rest. Sleep would be good."

"You keep falling for me, don't you?" Klay smiled a bit.

Callyah didn't bother to hide her disgusted sigh.

Anika shuddered a bit as her grip tightened on Klay’s arm, her knuckles turning white.

*No response. Great. Just--great* Kyra thought

Klay winced a bit, but didn't say anything.  His arm was still healing from the thorns.

"Easy." Cole helped support Anika. "Seriously, you need to lay back down. Callyah shouldn't have even let you sit up."

Taylor's eyes flicked to Kyra. *Help me Queenie* They thought

Anika slowly let’s go of Klay’s arm and she scowls a bit since she was so stubborn even when she was in pain, “Fine.” she says.

Cole helped her lay back down, and Callyah found her a pillow.

**Make sure she doesn't roll over,** Cole signed. **Have someone come get me if she needs me.**

**Stop taking too much,** Callyah signed back.

Cole rolled his eyes and left the tent.

Anika was lying on her back with her head facing away from everyone and she scowls a bit.

Kyra met Tay's eyes again. She could almost imagine them calling for help. Unfortunately, help wasn't exactly something Kyra could give. See--her goal was to get them captured, possibly killed--they didn't matter. But the queen did. And they were traveling with her. Stupid Kyra, Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid. [REDACTED].

Paisley walks past where Kyra was and frowns at her, “Whats with that look?” she asks with a scowl.

Kyra struggled to cover her panic with confusion, "What look?"

Callyah stood up, too. "She needs to sleep, so everyone else out."

Cole knelt down in front of Taylor. "You still doing mostly okay?"

Taylor rolled their eyes. *Do I look ok? I can't move.*

Cole laughed. "I know. It's not any worse, though, right?"

Paisley frowns again, “Never mind.” she says since she’s an idiot sometimes.

Anika wouldn’t look at anyone as she faced the far side of the tent. She was too embarrassed and she felt useless and stupid.

Kyra watched the interaction between Cole and Tay. Or well--Tay didn't have much of an interaction, considering the fact that they were paralyzed.

Callyah waited for Klay to leave before burying her face in her hands. "I'm so sorry."

Holden was in his treehouse, sleeping.

Anika glances at Callyah, “It’s not your fault.” she says and it sounds like she thinks it’s her own fault.

Taylor really wanted to itch their nose. They ended up just rolling their eyes again, as it was the only motion they could do

"No, it is. It's my job to keep you safe, and I let you get hurt." Callyah replied

“It’s still not your fault, I’d be dead if you hadn’t done your job.” Anika assures her.

Holden woke up and went to Anika

They would figure it out soon--Kyra needed them to figure it out soon--at this point, her only plan left was to bluff and bribe her way out of there.

Paisley being the shallow idiot she can be walked away to sleep alone.

Callyah sighed and stretched out next to the queen, staring up at the tent's ceiling. "If I'd done it *right,* you wouldn't have that gash in your arm."

“You can’t prevent everything from happening.” Anika reminds her gently.

Callyah took a deep breath. "Okay, you're right."

"Hey you okay?" Holden asked

Callyah laughed. "Wow, Paul, I think you just won the prize for dumbest question I've been asked today. No. No. she is not."

Kyra didn't think she'd ever felt as anxious as she felt now. She was just waiting--waiting for someone to bring up the paralyzed state of their friends.

Anika squeaks in surprise when Holden appears and she considers saying quite a lot of rude things.

Valerie walked back into camp with Tug, noticed how chaotic everything still was, and noped it out of there.

Kyra looked towards the tent, which was filled with chatter. *Just come out of the tent. Come on--*

"So what happened?" Cole asked Taylor conversationally. "You eat a mushroom?" In reality, he was attempting to distract them while he checked their pulse and breathing.

“Paul go sleep it’s late.” Anika tells him, “You too Callyah.” she says.

Callyah sighed. "Fine, but you need to sleep too, and I'm staying here with you."

Taylor gave him a smirk filled look. *You really think that? Mushrooms are gross.*

Anika doesn’t bother arguing.

Kyra's hands began struggling again. Damn whoever tied her like this--they really knew how to tie an effective knot.

"I just wanted to check in." Holden sighed

Quinn sighed dramatically, eyeing Kyra.

"So why can't you move, then?" Cole asked, more serious this time. They weren't holding anything, not as far as he could tell.

"I'm fairly sure they didn't eat a mushroom," Kyra said with a smirk. *Finally.*

"Sorry, did you say something?" Cole asked her, turning away from Taylor for the moment.

"Yes, I did. I said that Tay didn't eat a mushroom. In fact, there's a perfectly logical reason for why they're not responding to you."

"Great," Cole said. "And?"

Kyra pretended to look exasperated, "You really  haven't figured it out yet?"

*Oh good,* Cole thought to himself, *we're back to the whole playing-the-pronoun-game-with-the-deaf-kid-and-then-getting-impatient-when-he-can't-follow thing. Yippee.* Aloud, he said, "Obviously not, but I've been a little preoccupied for the past hour."

"Well, it's rather obvious. Let's see--what did Tay do in the last hour...?" Kyra smirked

Taylor mentally crossed their arms. *This better be good.*

Kyra answered herself, "They played a game of chess with me. Now how could that *possibly* be related to his state right now?"

Taylor struggled to move. Their muscles strained, trying to move

"And I am a *villain,* so how could you possibly expect those chess pieces to be innocent? I mean, come on--did you really think you could trust me to keep my word?" Kyra asked

Taylor sniffled softly. *Yes I did. I'm so [redacted]!* They avoided looking at Kyra

Valerie decided she would go for another walk before heading back to camp.

"So it's obvious that he's paralyzed," Kyra said, misgendering Tay on purpose, ignoring the pang in her chest.

Taylor wanted to scream. *STOP MISGENDERING ME*

Quinn narrowed her eyes at Kyra, before looking at Taylor.

Kyra felt like her insides were curdling. Guilt sucked. She watched Tay glare at her--she'd have time to feel sorry for them later. Not now. Now, she had to play the villain.

Quinn glanced at Taylor again. "How long until the poison wears off? It's not permanent, right?"

Kyra shoved down her guilt and said, "Oh, it's killing them now. They'll be dead in the next 10 minutes." She managed an evil grin. She hated herself so much. So [REDACTED] much.

Taylor stared at Kyra, raw pain in their eyes. They eventually looked away

Kyra wanted to get out of there. She wanted to get out of there and never, ever, ever look back. But first she had to do this.

Holden was ready to slap her again

Quinn felt...angry. And betrayed. And very stupid for even thinking that she could trust Kyra.

"There is a way to save them, of course, but you'd have to convince me to give it to you first," Kyra said smirking. She hated herself so much. She was so terrible. She was just a [REDACTED, VERY REDACTED, EXTREMELY REDACTED].

Taylor refused too look at anyone

Quinn clenched and unclenched her hands. "Is there something that you want?"

Kyra struggled to keep her face looking confident--like she had everyone under control. She'd be fine. She had to be fine. There wasn't really another choice. "Oh yes," Kyra said. "I'd rather like to be untied now. Besides, I can't get the antidote if I'm not untied."

Cole put a hand on Taylor's shoulder, half to keep them calm, half to read them for pain again. "It's killing them, but it doesn't hurt?" he asked skeptically.

Quinn crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "There really is no guarentee that you won't try something after you're released, is there?"

"No--it's slowly dissolving their insides," Kyra said cheerfully, completely disgusted at herself.

A tear, barely visible, slipped out of Taylor's eye. They didn't notice

"Nope--but if you don't release me, they will die. Unless you don't care about their life, there's really nothing you can do." Kyra said

"That would hurt," Cole told her. "There are nerves in your 'insides'."

"I'm sure the pain will come eventually," Kyra said. Oh come on--this dude's power was really mucking it up.

"So you want- what, to be untied?" Cole didn't believe her, but he was mostly stalling.

Valerie was heading back to camp.

"Why yes--besides, I can't get you the antidote unless I'm untied. You don't know where it is," Kyra said confidently. She was an idiot--a terrible, cruel, emotionless husk of a human.

Quinn pursed her lips, thinking.

Another tear slipped out of Taylor's eyes

Kyra stole a glance at Tay. Their cheeks were wet. Kyra hated herself. She was such a [REDACTED--OH SO VERY REDACTED].

Walking back into camp, Valerie almost noped it out of there again.

Cole studied her, still keeping a hand on Taylor's shoulder. "I don't. But considering you would have been searched and you seem to think you still have it on you, I would guess it's either in a hidden pocket somewhere or in one of the chess pieces."

With his free hand, he signed **Help** to Valerie.

Striding over to the group, Valerie asked, "What's going on?"

"So--what are you waiting for? Untie me," Kyra said, trying to sound impatient and light--like everything was going to plan. Everything *was* going to plan. And she hated it. She hated it so much.

Anika hadn’t fallen asleep and had regained some strength in her legs so she stood up and crept out of the tent only to bump into Klay and stumble.

"And yes, you are absolutely correct--it is in one of the chess pieces. But unless you know the sequence to open it, I'm afraid you still need my help." Kyra smirked

"Anika! You scared me," Klay said.

Cole glared at her. **Is she bluffing?** he signed to Valerie with his free hand.

Taylor's heart hurt. They didn't know really why though. *It's just betrayal. Calm down.* They told themself

Kyra kept glancing to the left as she lied.

**I still don't know what's going on,** Valerie signed back. At least, she hoped that's what she said. She wasn't great at it.

Anika almost fell over but managed not to, “You can’t be just standing in the shadows then!” she protests.

Valerie *actually* said **I still don't know what badgers**, but Cole got her general meaning. **Watch her eyes,** he signed, still keeping his other hand on Taylor's shoulder. Aloud, he asked, "So this poison liquifies their insides? Or just dissolves them into fine particles?"

Kyra almost didn't want it to work. But it needed to work--if it didn't work, that was checkmate--she had nowhere else to go--she would lose. And she didn't lose. She couldn't lose. No losing. Nope.

"Whoa, hold up. Poison?" Valerie asked.

"I'm not completely sure..." Kyra said. "Artinious never told me what the poison did--just that it paralyzed people and killed them." She glanced to the left. She knew exactly what the poison did.

**Is she looking to the left?** Cole signed.

Valerie scowled. You'd think killing someone would make the problems go away, but no. "From touch?" She asked skeptically. **I think so.** She signed to Cole.

"So? You do need to untie me. Or else Tay--Taylor dies. Is it really that hard of a choice to make? You're running out of time." Kyra sang

Taylor stared numbly forward

"How, exactly, does it kill them?" Valerie pressed, leaning forwards.

"But we don't know if you're telling the truth," Quinn argued. "You could be lying, and just looking for a way to escape."

"I just told you, I don't know," Kyra said to Valerie, her eyes glancing down to the left. "And I also might not be lying. Either way, they're still paralyzed, and you still need to antidote. I believe you have around 5 minutes now."

"Cole?" Valerie asked, turning to face him. "Did she say anything about it before I got here?"

"A little. She said it was dissolving their insides, but they're not in pain." He indicated his hand on Taylor's shoulder.

She nodded slowly. "From touch? How would the poison get in there if they didn't consume it?" she asked, turning back around to the White Queen.

*Not in pain, you say?* Taylor's heart ached. *Not likely.*

"They will be--soon enough, but we don't want to get to that part, do we? So it would be better if you untie me so that I can get you the antidote." Unless of course, they found a loophole in Kyra’s plan. But they wouldn't do that. Nope. That--that wasn't possible.

"The poison is from a tiny eastern worm. I painted it on the tiles--it's extremely strong. It sinks into their skin--so yes, just from touch." Kyra was telling the truth, her eyes didn't glance to the left.

"Or," Cole said, pulling out a pair of latex gloves, "I could break all the chess pieces until I found it."

Valerie shook her head. "I'm calling it. Poison doesn't move from the skin like that. It can't dissolve someone's innards without pain." Of course, she had no proof of this, but her gut was telling her that nothing was wrong. And she trusted it- it had gotten her out of tricky situations in the past.

"And then if you did that, then you'd shatter the compartment in which the antidote is stored in and it would spill out all over the ground. What a shame that would be." Kyra faked sympathy

"Break it over them, then," Cole said without hesitation. "Or inside a plastic bag."

"Fine then," Kyra said. "Taylor will die. I don't mind. Their death isn't really that important to me. But I do believe it's important to you, so you might want to rethink that decision."

Taylor winced internally. *This hurts. Why?*

"Those pieces are sturdier than you think," Kyra said to Cole. She was panicking. Lots of panic. Extra panic. But she couldn't let them know that.

Cole tightened his grip on Taylor's shoulder. "Okay. So we untie you, you give us the antidote, and then what?"

"Okay? Does that mean you'll untie me?" Kyra asked, a triumphant grin forming on her face.

"It means I'll think about it. What guarantee do I have that you'll give us the antidote, though? You clearly don't care about them." Cole said

"And how do we know it's even an antidote?" Val added.

Kyra felt a pang in her chest. She didn't care. She wouldn't care. She resisted the urge to grit her teeth, "Well, you don't really have any other choice. Besides, it's not like I could fight all of you off--I'm outnumbered."

"Good point. What stops us from torturing you until you give us the antidote, then?" Cole asked. "Or killing you if you let them die?"

"My life doesn't matter," Kyra said as emotionless as possible. She wasn't afraid. She wouldn't be afraid. She couldn't be afraid. "Besides, either way, they die."

**What do you think?** Cole signed to Val.

"Tick, tock--your time is running out," Kyra said.

"What, like you've got a watch?" Cole said sarcastically.

**She's bluffing.** Valerie signed back. Hopefully. **I can tell. My ability and all that. I'll tell you later, but I don't think anything bad is going to happen.**

Anika scowls a bit at Klay but she just sighs and stops scowling, as if giving up trying to fight him on anything.

"No, but I do know that Tay won't be around for much longer. Only a few more minutes before they die. You'll know when--the foaming at the mouth is pretty hard to ignore," Kyra said grinning evilly, before her eyes glanced left. She hated what she was doing--she hated who she was--she hated what she had to do. She hated this. She hated herself.

Cole took a deep breath. **I trust you,** he signed to Valerie. **And I still can't sense any pain from them. Physical pain,** he added. When this was over, Taylor would probably need a hug.

They just needed to untie her. Soon. Very soon. Kyra probably only had 10 or 15 minutes left before the paralyzation wore off.

She nodded to him. "I guess we'll have to see then," Valerie said. She sat down in a criss cross position and unslung her bow from her shoulder, setting it beside her.

Holden was there apparently, just staying silent.

[REDACTED] this girl and her stupid premonition. But Kyra couldn't afford to give up now, "I suppose we will. But honestly, I think it's odd that none of you have noticed that there's another person here who is probably also paralyzed. What good friends you are."

Cole sat down too, next to Taylor so that he was in between them and Kyra, keeping his hand on their shoulder. "Did someone else touch the pieces?" he asked.

"Who would that be?" Val asked

"That girl that played me first--what was her name again?" Kyra said.

"Ella." Cole signed a swear word. "Holden, can you find her?"

"Yep." Holden replied

Klay shook his head a bit. He'd nearly forgot about..well..the kiss. And the protests.

Callyah was awake -- she slept *really* lightly -- and in the tent, but she elected not to interfere just yet

Valerie waited patiently, watching Kyra. This was one thing she was incredibly good at- waiting in uncomfortable positions for long periods of time.

Taylor was just staring ahead, eyes dull and uninterested

Anika sighs again, “I argued for you.” she suddenly says.

Kyra needed to find a way out. There had to be one. She was just in check. There were ways out of that. Yeah. She'd be fine. Totally fine.

"What.." Klay asked. "Do you mean?"

“I mean I protected you and argued for you not against. I told Callyah you were different from the others.” Anika says looking hurt then.

Klay furrowed his brow, "The others?"

"I imagine they have only seconds left now," Kyra said to the others, glancing to the left. "And Ella is probably already gone."

Cole forced himself not to believe her. "Holden?" he yelled. "How's Ella?"

Taylor looked blank. They felt blank. Not the best feeling in the world, for sure.

Valerie continued stoically watching the White Queen.

“Every single boy I’ve ever met has either been a set up with my mom and they are all idiot princes or some idiot whom my mother approves of and I said you were different.” Anika says.

"Why?" Klay found himself asking.

*Because she thought you would be different, you [redacted],* Callyah thought but didn't say.

Anika studies his face, “I don’t know.” she admits but then realizes that’s a lie, “Maybe I was lonely. Maybe I thought I could shake my mother’s pathetic expectations or maybe I like you. But I did think you were different.” she finished.

Kyra looked at Tay. She instantly hated herself for it. Stupid Kyra. Stupid Tay, for touching one of the pieces. Idiots. They were both idiots.

"So far there seems to be no foaming at the mouth," Val observed.

Taylor noticed Kyra looking at them. They looked back at her, almost sighing with their eyes

Cole smiled at Valerie's observation. "Don't look at her," he whispered to Taylor. "Don't give her that power. We're going to get you through this, I promise."

"It'll come. Unless, of course, you untie me and let me save them," Kyra bluffed, glancing to the left and tearing her eyes away from Tay's.

"Am I?" Klay's amber eyes met Anika's dark ones.

"I'm willing to take that chance," Valerie told her evenly.

Taylor closed their eyes, the best they could do without talking

Anika’s dark eyes found his and she considers this, “We’ll see.” she tells him waiting to see what he would do with that.

"So how much longer is this supposed to take?" Cole asked Kyra. "'Cause I have to say, I'm still sensing literally nothing from them."

"I wonder how Tay feels about you taking that chance with their life." Kyra mused

"You took it first," Cole reminded her. He obviously couldn't hear the venom in his voice, but he could feel it.

And that little spark in her eyes was exactly what Klay needed. He leaned over, and kissed her.

Taylor was asleep. They rarely sleep so this is a rarity.

"And I'm not sure--remember, this wasn't my plan. I'm not the leader of this rebellion," Kyra said, telling the truth. She wasn't the leader of the rebellion. She hated the leader. Whoever they were, they really sucked. She ignored the pang of guilt in her chest that Cole's comment spiked.

*Oh, God,* Callyah thought.

Anika squeaked in surprise before gently kissing him back.

"Taylor will be fine," Val told her, "But question. Let's say we believe you have the antidote, and that it's actually an antidote. Would you be willing to test it first, to prove nothing would happen to them?"

"Absolutely," Kyra said without doubt. "But there's not much in there--only enough for 2 people. Maybe 3.

"So what were you planning to do if you managed to poison all of us?" Cole asked.

Taylor made a quiet snuffly noise in their sleep

"Do you honestly think I'd tell you that?" Kyra asked. "I'm not the sort of villain that makes a long speech about their plans, right before they fail utterly."

"So you admit you're failing utterly," Cole said. "Got it."

Klay finally pulled away, "Now, Anika. Am I different?"

*NOPE!* thought Callyah.

She raises an eyebrow, “Maybe a little.” she says.

Kyra just rolled her eyes.

"If you admit you're a villain, then why are you with them?" Val asked

Paisley walked over from wherever she had been and scowls a bit at Kyra before saying, “Please tell me you guys aren’t trying to out idiot each other?” she says.

Cole didn't see her speak, so he didn't bother to be annoyed.

"You're excused," Val told her.

Taylor woke up again, eyes opening.

"Good." Klay smiled a bit.

“Good.” Anika repeats with a small smile, Desire comes trotting over and she nudges Anika’s left arm gently and it sends a tingling sensation and she shivers as it goes up her arm.

"It wasn't my choice," Kyra spat out bitterly.

"Then why didn't you leave?" Valerie asked evenly. "Surely it wouldn't be that hard."

"eLLa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Holden said

"They have methods of tracking their members. There is no escape. This is the only way to survive. It's not like the chess pieces and walk off the board. They have to play until the end," Kyra said stonily.

"Until checkmate? Good thing I just removed one of their pieces then." Val said

Holden couldn't find ella because the user wasn't on, so he circled back to the camp.

"It's a trade," Kyra said. "But it works out better for me. You remove me, and I get two of your 'pieces.'" She glanced to the left.

Taylor looked a bit freaked out by whatever they saw in their dreams

"Yeah, I still don't think you're a killer," she told her conversationally. "You don't have the eyes."

Kyra was panicking. The poison had to be wearing off by now. Soon, Tay would be able to move. And then she was screwed. Oh so screwed. "You act as if I have a choice to kill," Kyra said bitterly.

"Don't we all? There are other methods. For example, I could permanently cripple you by slicing your tendons. You'd survive but you'd never be the same. And it'd give me plenty of time to escape whatever you have planned." Valerie said reasonably, as if this was a perfectly normal conversation to have with your prisoner.

Taylor looked at Kyra

"I suppose you could. But maybe then I'd just leave Tay and Ella to die. That is, of course, if Ella isn't already dead," Kyra glanced to the left again and refused to meet Tay's eyes.

"What's so fascinating over there?" Valerie asked innocently.

"Over where?" Kyra bluffed. But then, of course, her eyes flashed to the left again.

Audrey was sOmEwHeRe.

"To your left. Besides that idiot Holden and the tents, not much from what I can see."

Kyra looked to the left, "No, I don't think there's anything interesting over there, why do you ask?"

"No reason." Valerie shrugged. "Say, didn't you tell us that they'd be dead by now?"

Kyra tensed. "Well, Ella probably is. Tay didn't touch the pieces for as long, so maybe that's why they're not dead yet." She tried to keep all emotion from her voice, hoping it wouldn't crack from fear, or guilt, or--whatever.

Holden came back to Kyra.

"Oh look, the idiot's back," Kyra said, although her voice was shaking a bit. She was done for. Tay's paralyzation was probably wearing off now. She was going to die.

Taylor was staring at Kyra. They were waiting for her to notice

"Oh do shut up before I tear your vocal cords out." Holden muttered

Quinn sighed. "That could get messy."

Kyra's eyes flashed towards Tay, who was staring at her. She didn't even try to conceal her panic this time.

Taylor started to get up, almost falling over a few times

"You know, Bratford, that was more violent than I expected from you," Valerie told Holden. "I'm impressed."

"Woaaahhh Taylor slow down." Holden extended his arms to steady her. "How is she alive? I thought the poison was fatal," he accused

Taylor gave Holden a look of *You want to be next?*

Kyra was going to die. Great. Just great. [REDACTED]. She was actually going to die. She was doomed. The only thing to do now was, "I resign."

Holden's eyes flashed. "You liar."

Quinn turned her head towards Kyra. "...you resign?"

"Yes, that's what you do in chess. You can kill me now," Kyra said bitterly.

Audrey watched with great enthusiasm.

Holden took a deep breath to calm himself and asked "Can I slap her again? Or is it unethical."

"We don't want to kill you," Valerie told her. "As misguided as that may be."

Taylor stalked up to Kyra and flicked her nose, hissing "Never misgender me again." Before striding off

"Did you just...flick my nose?" Kyra asked.

Taylor was out of earshot.

"And no offense, but if I were you, I'd probably kill me. Unless of course, you want to torture me for information. But I warn you, I'm very resilient," Kyra said.

"Don't antagonize them," Val sighed. "Alright. Here's what we're going to do. Everyone listening?"

"Yeah, you kind of just lost your only bargaining chip," Cole told her as he stood up and followed Taylor.

Quinn gave a small nod, staring at Kyra suspiciously.

Taylor punched a tree, hissing in pain

"Hey." Cole held out his hand to Taylor. "Don't do that."

Kyra stared at the ground. She really hated herself now. She lost. She NEVER lost, and she just lost. [REDACTED].

"I am..." Holden then looked and shouted "SQUIRREL!" He then was paying attention

Audrey jumped. "What?"

Kyra continued to stare at the ground. She was so screwed. So, unbelievably screwed. Welp, at least now she had time to try the 'make them trust you and then betray them' plan. As if they'd ever trust her now. [REDACTED].

Taylor snorted softly. "Too late." They said quietly

"Okay. So first of all, you're going to tell us your real name. I refuse to keep calling you White Queen. Second of all, we're taking you with us. Thirdly, someone will always be watching you. Fourthly- actually, I haven't gotten that far yet." Val tod Kyra

"Can I?" Cole held out his hand, offering to take away their pain.

Dianei was being a maid. Yep. A maid. Cause that's her job. She stopped and looked at the ground. There was a note...

"Great. And why would I tell you my name?" Kyra asked.

Taylor shook their head at Cole. "I'm fine."

"Because if you don't I'll start cutting your tendons just like we talked about," Valerie threatened.

"Fair enough," Kyra said. "And what if I lie? How would you know?"

Cole dropped his hand. "You want to talk?"

"You won't lie, because Val can tell." Holden informed Kyra "ALso, I will have a knife to your throat." he said cheerfully.

Audrey smiled. "This is entertaining."

"And how can 'Val' tell? Last time I checked, her ability didn't make her a human lie detector," Kyra said.

"Oh, I don't really care whether it's your real name or not. I just am not going to call you White Queen." Val rolled her eyes

"It is isn't it!" Holden said brightly

"Fine," Kyra said. There really was no point in telling them a fake name anyway. What could a name possibly do? "Kyra. It's Kyra. Happy now? What do you want me to do next, take off my mask?"

Audrey laughed at Holden, flashing him a ~fLiRtY~ smile.

Taylor smiled at Cole a little. "Maybe later." They tugged on a dread in their hair.

"You need to be alone?" Cole asked.

"Not yet, but eventually. Bratford, stop flirting with Audrey and go find Callyah, will you?"

"What is seeing my face going to do to help you?" Kyra asked, still bitter about failing her plan.

"Just for a bit. I'll find you again." And with those words, Taylor walked into the trees, soon swallowed.

Audrey scowled at Val.

"Its bradford." Holden corrected (or at least I think it is.... lemme check

Cole nodded and climbed the closest tree, leaning against one of the leafy branches.

"Just go do it." Valerie rolled her eyes at him.

"Callyah is with Anika, but I'll find her anyway, cuz I'm a good person." Holden said, winking at Audrey and setting off to get Callyah.

Taylor had a small meltdown out of sight and earshot

Kyra scowled. She knew she'd screwed up. She just--[REDACTED]. She was so screwed. "What do you need from me anyway? Why keep me with you?" Kyra asked Val.

"Well, we can't just let you go," Val pointed out.

"But you could kill me," Kyra countered, not sure why she was advocating for her own death.

Taylor sniffled and continued walking away from the group.

Callyah looked up when Holden entered. "What did you guys light on fire?" she sighed.

Audrey smiled after Holden winked at her, and she twirled her hair a little.

"You have information in there that I'm sure we can get out eventually," Valerie told her.

Ella's eyes were closed, she had figured out about the poison too late- but her job was one big game of chess- the king was never the same target but she never lost. She took what energy she could and focused on the chess pieces. She forced all her mental energy out to the pieces.

"Right, sure you will," Kyra said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I have time." Val said

"I'm fairly sure you don't want to sit their and listen to me ramble about how I was blackmailed into this," Kyra said bitterly.

"Actually, that sounds interesting," Callyah said, coming out of the tent. "Go right ahead."

"Wait--you're serious?" Kyra asked

"Well, not now. But when we get there, yes." Valerie told her.

"Get where?" Kyra asked. "Or do you mean it the other way? Because I would be happy to bore you with the story."

"We're going to a place that I know for reasons that we can't tell you right now." Val explained, then started backing away. "But I think Callyah can deal with you now."

"Oh, certainly." Callyah sat down in front of Kyra. "And I'd just like a second to say, this is why you guys should [redacted] listen to me when I tell you not to [redacted] touch things."

"Splendid. So, Callyah, up for a long rambling story involving a bar, a chess game, and blackmail?" Kyra grinned wolfishly.

"Wait, you told them not to touch anything and they still did?" Valerie asked incredulously. "Those [ReDaCtEd] [ReDaCtEdS]."

"Yes, people are idiots," Kyra said.

"They listen worse than my brother," Callyah told Valerie. "And... keep it brief."

Taylor punched another tree. They cursed loudly

"I can do that," Kyra said, ignoring the sound of cursing that she'd heard coming from the trees.

Valerie shook her head and walked away, going to check on the deer.

"Well, it all started with my match between me and Artinious Rook. Gosh, his name is ridiculous. So it was in this bar--yes, not an ideal setting, but that's where it was. So, I played the match, and I won. Sort of. See--Artinious could've won. But he didn't. He let  me win. And that's when I noticed that there was something wrong with the pieces. At first I thought that they were rigged, but it was just a word, scratched on the bottom of a piece. This word--I won't tell you what it is--was a password, apparently. Because it's what Artinious told the bartender after the game. And the bartender showed him into a back room. So me, being the absolute [REDACTED] idiot that I was, walked up to the bartender, said the password, and I was brought into the room too. And then I joined the rebellion because if I didn't, they'd kill me. Or worse--they'd tell people that I could've lost then, and then I'd lose my title, and my reputation would be ruined. Tada!" Kyra announced

Anika had crept up behind Kyra and she smiles slightly, “Hello Kyra.” she says calmly

Kyra froze. [REDACTED]. No. No, this was NOT possible. [VERY EXTRA REDACTED].

Anika was calm and she had one eyebrow raised.

Paisley frowns, “How do you know this person?” she asks.

Taylor came back, cradling their hand

"You know her?" Callyah asked.

Cole jumped down from the tree. "Ouch," he said, seeing Taylor's hand.

Anika smiles a bit, “Why doesn’t Kyra answer that.” she says.

Valerie decided the deer was done and put out the fire. Deciding that it should cool down for a while, she went back over to Calyah and Kyra, and now Anika too she noticed.

"You--you don't exist," Kyra said, her voice panicked. "This is a dream--a hallucination. Yes, that's right. I'm going insane."

Taylor nodded in greeting to Cole. They were pretty sure that something in their hand was wrong. Not that they actually cared

Valerie waited for one of them to explain, her arms crossed over her chest.

“Don’t I?” Anika says before stepping around Callyah to be in front of Kyra, “It’s been a while.” she says studying her.

"You doing a little better?" Cole asked them.

"Not long enough," Kyra said bitterly. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Less likely to murder everyone if that's what you mean." Taylor smirked

“Still bitter about that night?” she asks with a raised eyebrow.

"That's good," Cole said. "Took it out on your hand, huh."

"Why wouldn't I be mad? That--that is NOT something that you can just--just expect me to forget," Kyra spat.

"My hand's fine." Taylor moved their hurt hand with barely a wince. "I've had worse."

Anika looked amused, “I almost did--been pretty busy lately.” she muses looking unbothered by Kyra’s fury.

Cole managed not to sigh. "You want to talk, or go back, or just hang out here?" he asked instead. "You could even talk and I'll look over your shoulder and pretend to listen but not read your lips," he added, mostly joking.

"We should probably double check that Queenie hasn't been killed yet." Tay mused, tugging on a dread

Holden was listening quietly

*That's not a good idea,* Cole thought to himself. He'd seen how much Kyra's betrayal had affected them, and he didn't want them to have to go through that again. He wanted to ask why they even cared. But instead of saying any of that, he just said, "Okay."

Seth was asleep.

Dally was with Holden, wherever he was.

"OH I'M ALIVE!" Ella said stumbling back to camp, "So Callyah you can start yelling at me for not dying."

"I believe I get a solid 'I told you so,'" Callyah yelled back. "And I [really redacted, wow] told you so."

"Yeah, well I've been poisoned before, and thanks to everyone who-" Ella rolled her eyes. "Besides that poison was NOTHING compared to ropes end."