War of Winter (Iron Fey Fanfiction)

Chapter 19 - Soil Among Diamonds

Soft flakes of snow floated down upon the soldiers shoulders as they marched along the forest floor. The generals rode atop tall warhorses, stoic and faces full of empty expressions. Crystal rode atop Blackbird, lost in her thoughts.

She wondered what Summer's new weapon was, and how it worked. What Snare had told her in the dungeons had worried her, not only because he wasn't telling her all the information included, but also because of how he told it. He hadn't wanted to show it, but he was terrified, as well.

"You look troubled," a familiar voice said beside her. She fought the urge to roll her eyes as she turned to face Thistle. He gave her a small smile and it was the first time she noticed how radiant his eyes were.

"I...was just thinking, is all. About the upcoming war. Summer's new secret weapon that will apparently decimate us all," she said.

"Ah, yes. The talk of that spy, Snare, I think his name was," Thistle replied. He shifted in his saddle, reaching in his cloak pocket. He withdrew a small apple, about the size of an small orange. He handed it to Crystal. "You're hungry, I can tell. You get that look when you're hungry."

While this scene might have been rather creepy in Crystal's eyes, she was rather hungry. Her stomach growled as she hesitantly reached out and took the apple from his hand, their fingers brushing briefly. She took a bite and almost sighed as sweet juice filled her mouth.

At least Rowan wasn't bothering her. He rode several ranks up by Winterbrey and Mab. He had avoided her since their last interaction a couple nights ago. She didn't mind his absence at all. In fact, she was rather enjoying herself. She took another bite of apple and smiled to herself.

She didn't notice Thistle watching her with a strange look as she continued eating.

*******

The march through the forest finally came to a halt a few days later, the generals passing information down the ranks that they had reached the campsite. Crystal craned her neck to see past the trees. It was about two miles from the Reaping Fields.

"We have tomorrow to prepare for battle with Summer, then we march to the Fields," the general nearest to her told his troops. But Crystal wasn't listening. She spotted her mother up by Mab, apparently in deep conversation. It seemed as if the Duchess was not getting her way, judging by the look on her face and how cold it had grown in the past ten seconds.

The troops began to make camp and Crystal dismounted, wincing and discreetly rubbing her bottom from how sore it was. She had to remember to get a better saddle for Blackbird. She led him over to a nearby tree, unsaddled him and roped his reins loosely over a low hanging branch. After brushing him down and giving him a small chipmunk she'd caught earlier, she headed into the forest to find dinner for herself.

Night was falling and, despite her excellent eyesight, she preferred to hunt during the day; more animals were out anyway. She thought about what Snare had said in the dungeons. They had left him there, with only a disgusting little goblin to guard him. Although Crystal didn't know why; he wouldn't last very long.

When she returned to camp, pleased to see several blue bonfires built with soldiers sitting around them, laughing and drinking and sharing inappropriate jokes, she felt a sense of calmness envelope her. Yes, they were going to battle tomorrow, and many would not return. But now, they were all here, and everything was all right.

Well, almost everything.

"A small rabbit, that's it?" the irritatingly beautiful prince with blue eyes and divine lips said from behind her, his cold breath caressing the skin of her neck. She could just feel him smiling.

Crystal turned, glaring at him and wanting to freeze his lips together to keep him from smiling. But, in doing so, she would probably get frozen via Mab herself. "That's all I wanted, your Highness," she snarled, annoyed.

"Pity, I was going to share my much larger rabbit with you, but seeing that you've already caught one..." he smirked, waiting for her to take the hint.

She didn't. "Well, that sounds like a personal problem to me," she sniped, promptly turning her back on him. She got about two steps before she felt his cool hand on her elbow.

"Crystal, wait. Please," his voice was pleading now, his smile gone from his lips.

But Crystal didn't care. Didn't want to care. "Leave me alone, Rowan," was all she could force past her lips. She tried her best to also force the rising lump in her throat away, but it was a hard battle, especially with the troops of tears gathering behind her eyes along with the lump.

Rowan hesitated but let her go, watching as she walked briskly away from him, to the far side of the camp where there were only three soldiers sitting around a small fire. Crystal sat down beside a soldier she didn't know the name of and met Thistle's eyes across the fire. He was giving her that strange look again.

It was only now that she noticed the parts of a tattoo peeking up from under his shirt. Everyone was dressed in casual clothes, none of the armor they'd be wearing soon. Thistle's gaze suddenly dropped to her lips. Crystal dropped her gaze, her cheeks heating, and listened to the careless banter of the other soldiers.

It wasn't until the moon was almost at its peak in the sky that Crystal realized how long she'd been sitting there, staring into the fire. She'd watched Thistle retreat into his tent, wanting strangely to go after him. But, she'd hesitated. For four hours, apparently.

Now she clenched her teeth as she spotted Rowan gazing at her longingly from a few yards away, his blue eyes a stark contrast to the darkness surrounding the camp. The moon may have been out but the darkness of the forest outweighed it. Crystal abruptly rose and retreated away from the bonfire when she saw Rowan start to approach her.

Somehow, she found herself heading towards Thistle's tent. She needed an escape. She needed to forget about Rowan for a while. She needed to forget that she wanted him, and that she was scared of whether or not he would make it through the battle or not.

Thistle looked up as she ducked under the tent flap, hoping to convey what she wanted through her eyes. He froze and met her gaze, letting the hunger sitting in his green eyes finally show.

There was only two candles on his nightstand, and Crystal was thankful for them to hide her blush as she wordlessly approached him and pressed her cold lips to his. Thistle hesitated for only a moment, waiting to see if this was a cruel joke or if she would pull away before giving in and kissing her back hungrily.

Crystal made quick work of removing his shirt and then her own as he scooped her up and laid her down on the small cot in the corner. He tried to speak to her, to ask her if this is what she really wanted, but she silenced him with a rough kiss on the mouth, and he said no more.

The candles went out at the small breeze Crystal sent their way, and through the night she made herself forget Rowan and the war and what Snare had said to her about Summer's weapon. She made herself forget the slaughter that would ensue on the Fields as Thistle nipped at her neck and rocked against her, making her groan.

And as she raked her fingernails down his muscular back, appreciating the dragon tattoo adorning it, Crystal made herself forget that she even cared.