Rose was slightly aghast when Kaia told her they were sharing a tent.

“Why?” she asked.

“Everyone is sharing,” Hart explained, “and you are the only women in the group.”

“But I am a Ducherina and Kaia is a Regina.”

Hart sighed patiently. “And I am a Regus and Navihm is next in line to be Rei. What is your point?”

She huffed and disappeared into the tent Kaia had just finished setting up.

Hart turned to look at Kaia, who was still crouched at the corner of the tent where she had hammered in the last peg.

“I don't know why I ever wanted to meet a Lowland noble,” he said.

“Hart, you can't judge all nobles based on one girl,” Kaia chastised. “Besides, you have only known her a few days. Navihm seems to like her.”

“Navihm tolerates her. There is a difference,” Hart rolled his eyes. “I’m not as polite as my cousin and you shouldn't be either. The whole of the First will probably collapse if you two insist on running it by always seeing the best in people. Not everyone is a good as you two.”

“I’ve never met anyone who is all bad. No one is perfect and we shouldn't expect them to be.”

“We should always expect them to be better.” Hart was very rarely serious, but he was at this moment. “You shouldn’t just accept people's flaws, Kai. I’m not saying judge them for it but no one will ever be their best if you just allow them to be their worst.” He gave her a shrug and left to go set up the tent he and Navihm were sharing.

It was some time past midnight was a scream awoke Navihm from a deep sleep. He had come back from his watch just over an hour previously but came awake immediately. It was a female scream which meant that Kaia was in danger. He was out of his tent and running across the camp, bear chested and sword in hand, before the scream had even died out. He watched as Rose tumbled out of her tent, crying and screaming. A quick scan of her body verified she was uninjured so he sidestepped her and ripped open the tent flap. He sighed in relief when he saw Kaia sitting up in her bedroll, bleary eyed and hair tousled but apparently unharmed.

“What’s going on?” she asked through a yawn.

Navihm turned back to look at Rose who was clutching her elbows and sobbing.

“What is the matter, Rosaline?”

“If she says nightmare, I'm making her swim behind the boat tomorrow,” said Hart, who had just emerged from the tent holding his sword, letting the tip drag along in the dirt behind him. Most of the rest of the camp had woken and were milling about, holding various weapons. Only the professor had slept through the commotion it seemed.

“There’s a snake in my tent!” By now Kaia had emerged from the tent, Saeva wrapped around her forearm.

“I'm sorry,” she said, looking at Rose. “She must have stowed away in my saddle bags. I’m sorry she scared you. She is harmless, though.” Kaia held the snake up as if to show Rose that she wasn't frightening. Rose took a hasty step away from them.

“I’m going back to bed,” Hart announced. Navihm took a cue from him and sent everyone else to bed.

“I’m not sharing a tent with her!” Rose whispered furiously, gesturing vaguely towards Kaia who was putting the snake down by the fire.

“If it bothers you this much, Saeva can sleep with me,” Navihm said, trying to placate her.

“No!” Rose refused to be calmed. “I’m not sharing a tent with Kaia. She attracts these wild things and I don't want to be near her if a bear comes or something.” Rose began to cry again. Navihm had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes at her theatrics. She was keeping to whole camp up. He glanced over a Kaia who was staring at the weeping girl with her arms wrapped around herself. It was a cold night and Kaia just wanted to go back to her warm bedroll.

Kaia took a step towards the other girl and began to apologise again. She really hadn't meant to frighten her and she knew that Rose wasn't used to wild animals.

Rose moved away again as Kaia stepped closer. She had put the snake down but Rose still didn't want to get too close to her.

“Please, just don't come near me,” she said through her tears. Kaia stiffened, hurt, but didn't say anything further. She only noticed that Navihm had come over to her when he wrapped a blanket around her shoulders. She looked up at him. He wasn't looking at her but was glaring slightly at Rose with the clenched-jawed, too polite expression that meant he was furious.

“It’s alright,” Kaia soothed. “She’s just scared.” She placed one hand on his face and felt him relax. “You need a shave,” she said and he smiled softly at her.

“Come on.” He lead her towards his tent, an arm still holding the blanket around her shoulder. He stuck his head into the tent and found Hart still awake, sitting on his side of the tent.

“Pack up your stuff,” Navihm told him. “Mishka is on watch so you can take his spot. When Mishka’s turn is over he can sleep in his replacement’s tent. We have one person on watch all night so it should work out fine.”

Hart opened his mouth to argue. Where was Navihm going to sleep?

“I want no comments,” interrupted Navihm. “From either of you.” He eyed Kaia meaningfully.

“You’re the boss,” said Hart, doing what he was told. “Goodnight you two.”

Kaia leaned over and kissed Navihm on his cheek.

“Goodnight.” She wanted to say more but Hart was right, Navihm was in charge and it wasn't the time or place to talk about this. Everyone needed sleep and if she made a scene, it would keep the rest of the camp awake.

“We can work out a better solution later,” said Navihm, as if reading her mind. He kissed her on the forehead, scooped up his sleeping things and left. He placed his stuff by the fire and went over to Rose’s tent where she sat with her head buried in her arms.

“Go to sleep Rosaline,” Navihm told her and shut the flap.

This is one of the first chapters I wrote. It really shaped Rose's character. What do you think?

Bonus!

Hart and Navihm were almost brothers. After Healani found out she was pregnant (as a blind 14 yr old) she planned to give her child to her newly wed older sister (who was trying to get pregnant). After she saw Navihm's future she couldn't bare giving him up and changed her mind. Thats why occasionally you hear about Hart's parents joking that Navihm should have been theirs.

Two years later, Lia and Jethro were blessed with their own baby, a year after that, they were elected Rei and Reina.

Double bonus:

Hart is the only one who ever uses nicknames when talking to Kaia or Navihm. He never calls them by their first names, always Kai and Nav. Navihm's the opposite; he will always use someone's full name.