Jax stood when he heard an unclear voice that sounded vaguely like Genevieve's from just beyond the bank of the river. "Whoops," he said with a grin and a laugh, trudging to shore as he caught a glimpse of her quickly trying to make her way back to camp. She seemed innocent enough, Jax smiled, a shame she was traveling with a man with little to no shame. He climbed out of the river and walked around for a few minutes, letting himself air dry before throwing on his clothes. It was a bit damp, but it was bearable. He had been covered in head to toe in mud, blood, and whatever else was spilled across the battlefield. Some dampness wouldn't kill him, that was for sure. He grabbed the duck by the neck and began his walk back to the camp, hair still wet and plastered against his skin. The thick scent of sweat was finally gone, replaced with the freshness of the water he bathed in, the dirt that had managed to work its way onto his face also finally being washed away. He had always thought it was worth a good laugh, a member of the royal family living the way he did, even abstaining from the daily baths that his family was so accustomed to. It was a nice luxury to have, but not one that could be had beyond the caste walls.

"Do a bit of exploring while I was away?" Jax asked with a raised eyebrow and a crooked smile, dropping the duck a few feet from her as he made his way to the horse. Jax opened the pack, fishing out a knife he preferred to use to strip an animal and sealed shut the pack once more, going back to the duck. He took a seat on the dirt by the animal and dug his knife into the plumage, pulling the blade away shortly after a quick swipe. He idly plucked the fowl, his gaze on the duck, but looking past it. He was practically on autopilot, having done this dozens of times in the past. "Try not to worry about catching me in the buff, princess." He continued to pull away feather, eventually looking up at her with a small smirk, "If you really wanted to see, all you had to do was ask." He withheld any laughter, looking back down at his task, the fowl missing a good portion of its plumage now. "If we're going to keep traveling together, you're going to have to be smarter with your actions." he continued, his gaze not shifting, "We're not in your small town anymore. There are people that would jump at the opportunity to steal you away and do whatever they please. And if you're going to wander around like that again, you best arm yourself." Jax didn't bother to mention that he had as big a stake in her safety as he did. The king was not a man to show mercy to those that denied him whatever it was he desired, especially to his kin.