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"Taegus," Kel smiled weakly at the shadow's owner.

"How many times has it been now?" The silver-haired boy scrunched his eyebrows, reaching for the boots. "You don't even look surprised anymore."

"I can't blame them," Kel shrugged. "It's only natural they'd be unnerved by the emperor making a pet out of some low rank infantryman."

"Yeah, and they all suspect the worst too," Taegus mumbled, shaking mud from one of Kel's boots. "It'd be so simple for the emperor to correct this misunderstanding."

"He's too busy saying strange things and making it worse," Kel groaned, rubbing her forehead.

The emperor's careless tongue had started with Colonel Senf offering Kel a meal to "replace her lost energy" and since reached the ears of every other officer.

He had even stared a few soldiers straight in the eyes while explaining that Kel's bed should be moved to his tent in order to make it more convenient for her to 'perform nightly duties'.

"It's like His Majesty wants you to be bullied," Taegus shook his head. "Just what did you do to make him so mad?"

Kel swallowed awkwardly.

Lied about her identity.

Planned numerous escape and revenge plans.

Disobeyed pretty much every order Calix had ever given her.

Oh, and disappeared with another man... right after making out with the emperor in her own bed.

"I'm just a newly drafted foot soldier," Kel shrugged, suddenly feeling a bit guilty. "What could I have possibly done wrong?"

Though Taegus shared his backstory with Kel, she'd never been forthcoming with her own. The boy clearly had his doubts as Kel shrugged off his question, but shook his head and dropped the subject.

"At least I know the rumors aren't true," he snorted, handing the mostly mud-free boots back to Kel. "I'd wash these in the river if I were you."

"Yeah, I was just about to head there," Kel replied. "And how can you be sure those rumors aren't true? Do you think you really know me that well?"

"Not at all," Taegus grinned, offering Kel a helping hand as straightened his legs. "But I do know there are a couple things His Majesty would definitely have noticed if it really was true."

"Ha! You creep!" Kel scoffed, slapping the boy's hand away while pushing herself to her feet.

She stopped to brush the dust off her pants while Taegus started walking toward the tree line.

".. besides, the emperor probably already knows," she murmured to the boy's turned back.

That day was the first time Kel had someone to accompany her as she cleaned up the mess from the latest bitter antics. While her duties as an attendant consisted of running around doing useless things all night and then squishing into the emperor's saddle all day, the rest of the infantrymen were busy.

Since garnering her new 'promotion', Kel hadn't even caught a glimpse of her past squad. Undoubtedly, the rumors had already reached them, and they wanted nothing to do with her anymore.

Taegus had occasionally checked in on her, but this was the first time he actually stayed with her.

Kel had tried her best to remain unbothered by the hostility surrounding her all the time, but she had to admit, it was nice having a friend for a change.

"Is it just me, or is the water getting colder?" Taegus called as Kel made her way down onto the banks of the river.

"It's the snow runoff. Of course it's cold," Kel rolled her eyes, bending down to dip a boot in the clear water.

As she did so, she felt a steadying hand on her back.

"The current is a lot stronger here than anywhere else we've camped so far," Taegus mumbled. "Be careful."

"Am I a child?" Kel retorted playfully, shrugging the boy's hand off. "You forget that I was chosen for my agility and strength just as much as you were."

"Ah..." Taegus paused for a moment before turning and exposing his own back to Kel. "Why don't you hold on to me then so I don't fall in?"

"Idiot!" Kel shouted, splashing a boot full of water at him.

"Hey, hey!!" Teagus gasped as the freezing water splattered across his back.

Without hesitating, he whirled around, snatching Kel's other boot and began shoveling water back at her.

By the time the boots were clean, both soldiers were soaking as well.

"Do you clean them in the water every time?" Taegus asked through chattering teeth as the two trekked back toward camp.

"How else would I do it?" Kel answered, wrapping her arms around herself in a vain attempt to stop her shivering.

"Then I feel really sorry for those boots," Taegus smirked. "It's freezing!"

"Since when were you such a goofball?" Kel chuckled, nudging the boy with a wet elbow.

"Ah I have been accused of that a time or two," Taegus grinned widely, his teeth still rapidly clacking together.

Kel couldn't help but think back to the intimidating golden stare she used to associate with the boy. Even now, despite his silly appearance, she could feel some sort of danger radiating from him.

It could be the soldier's instinct inside her recognizing the same instinct inside him. After all, they had both been full fledged warriors before becoming Serin's latest newbies.

But, at the same time, she felt that when Taegus's gaze was focused on her, there was something sharp underneath. Whether good or bad, she was certain some unnamed powerful emotion erupted behind those golden eyes every time they saw her.

Still, at least his company was a welcome change fro-

"You're the only one."

A discontented voice greeted the two as they stepped out of the tree line.

"Your Majesty," Kel and Taegus bowed in unison.

"Out of this entire camp," the Dragon Emperor continued, glowering at Taegus, "I'm certain you're the only man brave enough to approach what belongs to the emperor."

Taegus glanced up bewilderedly.

"I-I apologize, Your Majesty," he responded uncertainly. "I don't understand."

"This," Calix growled, grasping Kel's arm and tugging her toward him.

"This is mine."