Hey all! I am so sorry for such a slow update. I can't promise speedy ones anymore due to work and having no internet at home =( I am trying my best! Thanks for all of your support!

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"But elder Tunis you must understand! Monsters are heading towards Cedon. It is only a matter of time." Lora slammed her fist on the table. They had been talking to elder Tunis Po for two whole hours and nothing was getting done.

Kima placed her hand over Lora's fist to calm her down, "Please listen to Lora. We are all caravanners here and have seen this with our own eyes."

Tunis sighed and shook his head, "Even if this is true, we have no such man power available for your ideas. Not all of us can drop everything we are doing, especially if all of you are travelling in the caravan this year."

Lora sat back in her chair defeated. Jasper cleared his throat. He had been quiet the majority of the talk, "Not all of us are planning to collect myrrh. I would like to stay behind and help form a patrol."

Tunis nodded, "It is nice to see that in a young man, especially since you have only just moved here. Yet one person cannot protect an entire village."

Tobias spoke up, "No, but everyone can help. People can work in shifts and still fulfill their daily tasks. All they need is some training. Lora and Trista's parents can help as well since they all have had experience with monsters."

Tunis looked solemnly and just shook his head. His role as an elder had never been so troublesome until last year. Eventually he stood up and looked at all the young determined faces before him, "I have listened long enough. I will inform you of my decision in the near future. I need time to think."

The group stood up and thanked the elder for his time, but as they left the elder called out again, "Lora can I speak to you for a minute?"

Lora turned back around to face Tunis, "Yes?"

"I wanted to express my gratitude to you for all of your hard work. Being a caravanner is not an easy task."

Lora nodded her head, "Thank you. I will continue to work as hard as I can." Lora turned to walk out when Tunis stopped her again, "You didn't by chance happen to hear from my son during your travels? We do miss him here."

Lora felt an anger rise within her and clenched her hands into fists, "No, I haven't heard from Jun since he abandoned us." Before Lora could let Tunis get in another word she rushed out of his house.

"What's wrong Lora?"

Lora stopped and turned around to see Tobias leaning against the elder's house. He had waited for her. Tobias walked over to her, "The others went to the fields to train and help Kima and Jasper fix it up."

Lora let out a frustrated sigh, "Did you hear that?"

Tobias just shrugged, "More or less. I keep hearing this Jun fellow's name it sounds so familiar to me."

Lora began to walk further away from the elder's house, "Maybe you have met him in your travels. He is Tunis's son, the one who betrayed us."

"And the one you loved." Tobias added.

Lora turned back at him astonished, "How do you know that?"

Tobias joined Lora at her side with his hands in his pockets, "Your brother hinted at it, but your face says it all."

Lora crossed her arms but softened her expression a little, "It was only a matter of time I suppose."

Tobias nodded, "Come on let's go for a walk. I've told you all of my secrets it's about time you share some of yours." Tobias held out his arm for Lora to take mocking a gentleman's air.

Lora let out of breath of air and took his arm, "Alright, I suppose I owe you anyways."

Tobias waited patiently for Lora to speak up again as they walked around the outskirts of town for some privacy. Eventually Lora let out a large sigh, "I always grew up following Jun around since I had no older sibling to pester. He was just a few years older than me. I think most of the time we were together as kids he barely tolerated me."

A small smile appeared on Lora's face as she began to remember the good times with Jun, "Since he was the elder's son he was always looked highly upon. He always had to be polite and respectful."

Tobias smirked, "He must have been kept on a tight leash by his parents."

"I suppose he was, but he never showed it. I came to admire him for it. He was a born leader so it was no surprise he was chosen to lead our caravan when he came of age. It was hard to see him go off without me, but Nem had just arrived so I was busy taking care of my brother."

Tobias led Lora to a striped apple tree and they both sat in the shade, "So then if he was travelling all this time, how did you two come to fall in love?"

Lora leaned back balancing on her hands, "Well, I think I had fallen for him before I realized it. I had always loved him since I was a little girl. I think the distance sparked our romance. After his first year of travelling we spent almost every day together when he was in Cedon. Over the next two years it just came naturally for us to be together. He even made me promise him once I was of age to travel with him in the caravan. We even had secretly planned…" Lora cut herself off feeling heat rush to her cheeks and tears brimming in her eyes.

Tobias perked up and looked at Lora who was almost in tears. He brushed away one of her locks with a look of sympathy, "You were promised to each other."

Lora nodded quickly and turned her head away from Tobias's gaze, "I, I haven't told anyone that before. Only Jun and I knew."

Tobias sat back and listened to Lora sniffle. He had an insane urge to go strangle Jun if he could find him.

Lora eventually turned to face Tobias once she was more composed, "I'm sorry Tobias."

"For what? Letting me see you upset? That's good Lora. You're usually so composed it's nice to see I'm not the only one with problems!"

Lora gave a weak smile, "Well I'm glad you think so."

"So how did the caravan catastrophe come about?"

Lora shrugged, "I honestly don't know what sparked it. All I received was a letter from him one day saying that he wasn't returning this year. He needed to find himself. He also said that the myrrh he had collected was being delivered, except we never did receive the myrrh. I have a feeling it was stolen. I was under such scrutiny by the village during that time. Jun had only written to me about the matter, not even to his father. Tunis was heartbroken and didn't know what to do. So I decided to clear my name and took up caravan duty with my father."

Tobias nodded, "And so now you're here with me."

Lora laid down on the grass and closed her eyes, "Yes. It has turned out much better than I thought."

Tobias leaned over Lora, "Well I hope your heart will heal soon." Lora could feel Tobias hovering above her. He had gotten uncomfortably close.

"Lora, I need to tell you something." Lora could feel Tobias's breath tickle her cheeks now. Lora opened her eyes again to see a very sincere looking Tobias. She had a feeling what was coming next, but she wasn't ready, "We need to get back Tobias! The others are probably wondering where we are."

Tobias leaned back away from Lora, he got her message plain and clear, "Alright then. We should get over to the farm."

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I hope you enjoyed the chapter =) I'll try and post the next one soonish, I just need to edit it a bit!