29

I woke up when the sun started to rise. I couldn't feel Corey next to me anymore. I opened my eyes and looked around and saw Corey getting dressed.

"Come back to bed." Corey looked over at me.

"I wanted to let you sleep a little more before we left, but since your up you should get dressed because they are going to want to leave soon."

I knew he was right and that they would want to leave since we needed to stay on schedule. There is a limited time left for us to do the ceremony and with not knowing what the weather will be it's going to be safest to get there as quickly as possible. I understood what I was there for since I showed his other son also had a engagement and was safe. It was his father trying to show power since whoever I was I would come from a high powered clan in most peoples minds. It's normally what happens with head children who will be learners one day everything is for alliances. Very few actually get to choose who they want to marry. That was never going to be the case for me since my old clan was very worried about who I would marry and that they would treat me correctly and be able to provide. Corey fell under all those categories but he is someone who they wouldn't of been able to control.

I got up and got dressed. Something simple that I could travel in and my cloak. I started to pack up and that's when I put my weapons back onto my thighs since Corey had left the tent. I had kept them hidden since I didn't want him to know that I had brought weapons. I left my hair down and completely natural since we were just going to be riding for the rest of the day again today. We would ride until sundown again for the at least another day after this. We didn't eat before we left and wouldn't eat again until we made camp.

Tensions seemed less high today and everyone was a little more relaxed. Still nobody really said anything. Me and Corey stayed close riding next to one another.

I was tired from riding all day. Neither me nor Corey had slept well at first and I could tell Sam seemed tired as well so he most likely didn't get very much sleep either. It's hard to be nervous when your tired and hungry. It makes it so that is what you are focusing on and less about the future of what is to come so in a way it's a good thing we didn't eat or sleep well. It also isn't healthy for your body either though. The ride seemed to drag on more than yesterday's did though. Although the sensory was beautiful. It was a perfectly clear sky and we were going up part of mountain side since it was the most direct rout. It wasn't a very tall mountain compared to others in this region but it was still high enough that we could look over the grasslands underneath it. We could see some antipopes and other small heard animals. It was different than normal because we weren't all watching out as closely for predators or enemies because the area was once dragons territory so I knew no predator would dare go on it and Coreys father had said we were in ally territory so we wouldn't have to worry about being ambushed. For those reasons I was relaxed and everyone else was more relaxed as well. It was nice to not have to be on guard for a little while.

We stopped after descending the mountain as by then the sun was starting to set. We found a spot in the grassland that grass wasn't as tall so we would be able to see things coming more easily. We all set up our tents and set up our sleeping bags. This time Corey came over and helped me and then helped his father. Corey also just put his sleeping bag in my tent instead of even pretending like he would be staying in his fathers. Then we got a fire ready and ate and drank some water with the food we had brought with us. It was very peaceful. Me and Corey stayed up a little later than everyone else watching the stars and pointing out different constellations. Eventually we went into the tent. We laid next to one another and he held me in his arms and we had similar experiences the next day and night as well.