Out in the wild, Arthur's ever-growing group had set up camp within the middle of a boulder crop. With the heavy mists surrounding them, Steely Dan said they could go wild on the campfire. No one would be able to spot it so easily.

  "I'll go forage for food nearby," San said, and had Arthur join him.

  They tried to busy their minds with plant scavenging, but their thoughts keep flicking back and forth to each other.

  I wonder what kinds of other foods San likes to eat. Arthur held a lavender stalk before him.

  His thought wandered to lavender cake on a plate. The thought opened into a dream moment where he and San were seated at the table in the inn and the cake was placed before the man. He felt at ease as he watched San's delight at every bite. The man was a surprisingly messy eater, so cream strayed to his cheeks. Arthur felt compelled to lick the cream off the man's face. Each lick inching toward his moist, sugar coated and slightly parted lips. His desire to taste that sugar from the man's mouth had him wrapping his arms around San in a tender embrace.

  He gasped and slapped his cheek.

  "No, no! What am I thinking?!" He mumbled and refocused on the quality of plant life before him. He never would have imagined such a thought could be in his head.

  San had seen Arthur go through a moment and hoped that he was alright, but he felt shy to ask, so continued with his mushroom picking.

  His mind was soon thinking about the kinds of food Arthur was used to eating. The man was a prince, so he was likely to have sampled the best foods during the best feasts. His heart warmed at a fantasy of him and the prince strolling along a lane of sideshow booths at a market festival. Arthur stopped at a target game to win him a stuffed toy. Their eyes and smiles were only for each other as they leaned in to check the softness of each other's warm lips.

  "Waah! What am I thinking?" San blushed and averted his eyes from Arthur's presence nearby. He had no idea such a thought could be in his head.

  Both of them returned with armfuls of mushrooms and plant life they could fry up. Guevera's pocket couldn't stop twitching at the interesting expressions she was witnessing between the two of them.

  Steely Dan and Galahad were having a healthy debate, to which Galahad was fuming about being outdone by a slimy snake in a topic of business and politics.

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  "A snake shouldn't know the machinations of man!" He pointed his finger at the aloof beast.

  "Do you need glasses? Sonny boy, I've been roaming these lands long before you were a whoopsie from a romping good time."

  Before Galahad could continue the argument, the noch dragon had suggested everyone get some good rest. As much as they were still in the mood to talk, they couldn't deny their yawns and bodies crying out for sleep.

  "I'll sleep over here." Arthur gestured to a spot against a dry rock, which was at a safe distance from San.

  Galahad frowned, noticing a weird vibe between the two.

  "They make an interesting pair, don't you think?" Guevera said to him.

  "Witch, keep your thoughts to yourself." He turned around to get comfortable on the clean, dry ground near the fire and pulled his cloak around his body.

  Guevera sighed and sat crossed-leg next to him. She pulled her cloak around herself and closed her eyes to sleep.

  Chifton's mind wandered into old memories, which he should've forgotten, but having the bratty prince around kept him remembering.

  "Hey, wild stallion." Steely Dan quietly called out to him.

  "Chifton. But yeah, I'm a hot stallion." Chifton snorted.

  "Don't flatter yourself." Steely Dan watched the sleeping youngsters. His eyes lingered on Arthur, recalling a memory about his decided purpose. "Aren't you going to tell the once and future king who you truly are?"

  Chifton's eyes narrowed. "Who do you think I am, snake?"

  Steely Dan chuckled. "Come now, I'm a sea dragon. We can see through disguises. I think you should tell him soon. He will need to know."

  Chifton huffed and began to fill his head with Honey Mountain Dew grass and a fond memory. He closed his eyes to sleep.

  Steely Dan shook his head. He closed his eyes and did the same.