75 Friends & Rats

Daphne gently tucked the cloth she had laid over her little picnic basket, stuffed to the brim with all sorts of freshly baked bread and pastries. She had woken up bright and early just to rush into the kitchen to prepare some fuel for their stomachs since they would start their journey to the Crowned Conquest today.

As usual, Daphne hadn't even seen a wink of Atticus ever since the dinner that had gone down south. She was pleasantly surprised ― and relieved ― that at least Jonah had enjoyed her cooking, finishing the entire pot of soup down to the last drop. Although, she wasn't sure why he had been sporting a black eye the next morning.

"Tripped and fell while in the kitchen," he had said when she inquired about the mysterious bruise. "Was a little too eager to finish up the soup before the servants stole some from the pot, thinking they were leftovers."