Huntress | BOOK 01

Chapter 12

Jame's POV

We had interrupted something. I'm almost sure of it. There was tension in the air when we entered camp.

Plus, with skin like Rose's, it would rather be difficult to hide the pink that tainted her cheeks.

I only hope me asking her about cooking the deer would work to cool the air. It seemed as if it did the trick.

Rose told us to give her a little time to scavenge what green that grew around us and gather what herbs she could find for the stew.

Ned's eyes followed her till she disappeared into the undergrowth in the distance. I'm assuming she really enjoys bushes.

But it was comforting to know that there were women who were so free in the outdoors. Royal women at that.

My father demands me to marry only a woman from a noble family. A princess that can look at a deer carcass and think best ways to cook it in the wild is my only hope that I'll find someone just like her.

I won't marry for love. That's for sure. I'll marry for the sake of my people. For a man such as myself to find comfort in a woman was an impossible task.

Don't get me wrong. I have had needs before. I have visited numerous whore houses. It's just that I haven't felt the desire of just one woman. Just women in general.

I didn't realize time had passed as Rose returned with a bouquet of leaves.

"What's all that? Do you think we're cows?", Ned jokes,"That's not herbs, that's a whole small forest"

She sucks in her breath through her teeth,"I like meat just as any of you. But we got to eat healthy as well. Also, the big leaves aren't meant for eating but for cooking the meat in"

"We could just hang the meat off a stick and roast it"

She slaps Ned's shoulder gently,"But if you wrap the meat in this and cook it over the flame, it would give a much better taste and there would be a less chance of it being burnt"

"She's got a point", Tristan defends her,"We might as well sit back and let her do whatever she's planning to"

"Hear hear!", I cheer,"I don't care as to how it's made. I just want it in my stomach by the time the sun sets"

"Food is food", Tristan smiles.

Rose seemed to have calmed down upon seeing Tristan defend her. It makes me wonder, are they together? I knew he had a relationship with her sister but could he really harbor any for Rosaline?

And why did he stare at Ned with a warm smile but hard cold eyes?

If we were to get through this journey successfully and in one peace, whatever issue one of us might have against another in our pack must be solved.

Rosaline had wrapped chunks of the meat with the larger leaves just after mixing it with some herbs. It was a fresh clean kill. There wasn't much effort so as to clean it.

She placed the packs right on the edge of the flame; occasionally turning it and flipping it.

"Are you in love with Tristan?", I finally ask her when we both were alone.

I had caught her off-guard as she stopped everything and froze,"What?"

"Tristan", I ask again,"Do you love him?"

She hurriedly goes back to focusing her attention on the food,"I don't know what you're talking about"

"I know you do. Fine. I'll assume that you do anyway", I say,"but what of Ned? Why does it seem like Tristan doesn't seem particularly fond of him?"

"Me and Tristan are not together", she lies smoothly but then soon after says,"As for Ned and him. I know those two haven't been getting alone well. They used to be as close as any two men can get. But not now, I feel like it's a competition between them for something"

A competition? Over what? Ned was a prince, he could get anything he wished for. But no, this was something he couldn't spontaneously just possess. It was something even Tristan who is just a knight, had a chance with.

It was definitely over someone.

"Who do you think is the winning party?", I ask just to prolong the conversation.

"Of that, I have no clue"

Light had begun to fade and we both would have to had succumbed to the darkness if not for the hearty fire I got going.

Footsteps begin to sound and soon Tristan was next to Rose, tending to the food and feeding more kindle to the flame.

I stood up discreetly so as to give them some privacy.

I headed towards the direction I last saw Ned heading into. I stumbled into a bush but it was already occupied.

Ned was sitting behind it, flicking pebbles over a small pool of water.

"What are you doing?", I ask him,"The meat's almost done"

"James, do you think it would be wrong to love a sister?"

"No. A brother should love his sister", I reply almost by default.

"No You don't understand", he gets up to face me,"That's not the love I'm referring to"

And then the puzzle in my head was solved as abruptly as it had first appeared. Ned was in love with Rosaline.

"It's not unheard of", I say quietly, unsure of what to say,"but it's looked down upon"

He turned his back to me,"I know it is"

"Then why?", I couldn't help but ask,"Anyone in your kingdom. My kingdom even. Why her?"

But then I knew why myself. I myself had been mentioning all those little things about her in my head.

I didn't realize that Ned had turned around and was studying my expression,"You know the answer yourself don't you? You like her too"

I was quick to reply,"No. I appreciate her. She's a fine woman to be with. But love is not for me"

"You're lying"

"I'm not. I'm being sincere", I reply.

Ned picked up just sword belt that he had placed on the floor,"Forget I said anything. Clearly, I thought I was talking to someone neutral but it seems like I'm wrong"

I grabbed hold of his arm before he could storm off,"I'm not nor will I ever be interested in your sister. I've got better women if I were to marry that would provide numerous advantages to the South"

He looked at me and smiled. It wasn't a comforting one at that either,"But you itself know that no other woman can provide as much advantages to a throne than Rose. She's fit for the crown even more so than I am"

"Ned-", I was fighting a losing battle.

"I won't let this come between us and what lays before us. We have many challenges yet to face", he mentions quietly,"We're acquaintances. Nothing more. Nothing less"

And he went away.