those.
“Oh, fuck, I hope he doesn't make me sleep in the same bed with him,” I muttered as I dragged my trunk out of the tent flap. I had a vague memory of waking up in a huge bed; it must have been his.
“Hey!” I shouted at a private passing by.
“Yes, Captain?” He stopped and saluted. “I mean, Valorian.”
“Tell whoever's in charge of relocating soldiers that they can have my tent.”
The man blinked and then his mouth formed an O of comprehension. “Yes, Sir! Do you want me to take your trunk to the Leopard Lord's tent, Sir?”
“No, I'll do it,” I grumbled like a petulant kid and dragged it away.
“Yes, Sir!” The private ran off.
“Fucking Leopard Lord and his fucking pretty hair,” I muttered as I dragged my trunk through the dirt. “I hate his stupid, beautiful face. It's so stupid with those stupid big lips, all soft and stuff.”
“Sir?” A corporal stopped to look at me as if I'd lost my mind.
“Did I say anything to you?” I snapped.
“I don't know, Captain,” he said in confusion. “That's why I was—”
“Yeah, yeah.” I waved him off. “I need a fucking shower.”
“Uh, there's a line at the moment.”
“Fuck!” I shouted and dropped my trunk so I could shake my fists at the sky—as one does when they're having a sexual crisis and find out they can't even take a cold shower. Then I sat down on my trunk and pouted.
“Uh, can I help you with your stuff, Captain?”
“No, Corporal, I'm fine. Thanks.”
“Yes, Sir.”
I sighed and laid back on my trunk to stare up at the happy clouds mocking me in the bright sky. It had been a long night that had rolled into morning. All I wanted was to shower and fall onto a soft pallet, but I couldn't do either. “Fuck my life.”
I passed out before the next cloud could pass by.
Chapter Five
Thud!
“Huh?! What? I didn't take the rum!” I jumped up, flailing, and fell onto the hard-packed dirt. “What the actual fuck?”
A snicker came from my left but was cut off abruptly and transformed into a clearing throat. I squinted into the sun and rubbed at my eyes as I stumbled to my feet. Wobbly and confused, I scanned the scene, taking in my trunk, the path between tents, the Leopards who filled that path, and then the Leopard Lord, who was standing directly in front of me with his arms crossed and an eyebrow lifted.
“Uh.” I looked around at the Leopard Lord's guards, who had me surrounded, and scratched my chin. “Are we about to dance?”
The knights, all in their Sidhe forms, scowled at me.
“We playin' duck, duck, goose?” I cracked my neck. “No? Then I guess this is an ambush.” I settled into a fighting stance. “It's kind of shitty of you to gang up on me like this, but whatever.”
“This isn't an ambush, you idiot,” the Leopard Lord snapped. “I was told that you were sleeping on your trunk in the middle of the human section of camp like a vagabond. I happened to be asleep in my bed at the time, but I still crawled out of it to fetch you!” He waved a furious hand at me. “So, come along, Valorian.” He turned and walked away.
I sighed, straightened, and grabbed my trunk. “Fine.”
“Take that trunk for the Valorian,” the Leopard Lord said to one of his guards, without looking back at me.
“I can get it,” I protested.
The Leopard Lord turned and snarled, “You are about to pass out on your feet. Let Trax carry it.”
“Fine,” I grumbled and dropped the trunk.
He turned and started walking away again, but not before I caught a glimpse of a grin. “Come along, Tristan.”
“I'm coming already,” I huffed. “Sheesh!”
I trudged forward, and he dropped back to amble beside me. Soldiers nodded respectfully to the Leopard Lord as we passed. Most of them were freshly bathed and heading to their cots even though it was morning. After a battle, the army always got a day off, sometimes two. I scratched at my chest, desperately wanting a shower. Dirt, grime, and sweat had formed a crust on me that was starting to itch. But I wasn't about to ask my escort to stop at the bathhouse. We were soon in the fae section of camp, where there were more people awake. They all stopped to incline their heads to their warlord as he passed.
Then one said, “Valorian,” and inclined his head toward me.
“Hey, how's it going?” I nodded to