Embracing Love and Power

Chapter 9 - Ace

Tillie had slept through most of the day. The conversation with Timber had made her very tired. When she finally woke up again, Althea was back by her side. She grunted when she woke up, her body still afflicted with the poison.

"Hey" she softly said when she saw the girl. "Hey" Althea replied, a gentle smile played on her lips. "Sorry for my brother, he can be fierce sometimes." She began to apologize. "He is doing it to protect you." Tillie assured her. "I know, but I can protect myself, you know. Are you feeling any better?" she asked. "I am afraid it will take some time to heal." Tillie said trying to lift her arm. "You don't have to rush anything; you just need to rest." "That's sweet of you to say, but I think it's best if I leave as soon as possible." She responded.

Althea studied her face for a moment. "Is there someone waiting for you?" she asked. "No, it's just me. Parents passed away a long time ago." Tillie replied. "Would you consider staying? Althea asked suddenly out of the blue. Tillie looked at her in shock. "What do you mean?" she asked. "Stay here with me in the camp." Althea clarified herself. "You mean as in becoming a soldier?" Tillie asked. "You would have to pass the tests of course, but it would be nice to have another girl here. And even maybe a friend." She thought a loud. "I don't know Althea. I appreciate your offer but I am not made to kill anyone." Tillie replied. That was a total lie but since it was her goal to stay here as long as possible, she didn't want to arouse any more suspicion.

Althea nodded her head and was silent for a few minutes. Tillie looked at her, she knew that she had to stay in the camp to succeed but she didn't want to seem too eager.

"Will you think about it?" Althea asked. "I will, I am still way too tired to even think about fighting." She replied. Althea laughed. "I'll tell you all about the elite tomorrow. I have some soup do you want some?" Tillie nodded her head and Althea handed her the bowl.

She carefully grabbed it with her hand. When she held it closer to her face, she immediately smelled the sedative. "Why is it sedated?" Tillie asked. Althea looked at her in shock. "Give me your soup." Tillie said sternly. Althea did as she was asked. "Yours too, why would anyone do that?" Tillie asked. Tears streamed down Althea's face. "We are the only girls here." Althea softly replied. "But you are Timber's little sister, why would anyone risk that?" Tillie asked confused. Althea was silent for a couple of minutes. "I don't know." She softly sniffed.

Tillie knew that she wasn't saying everything but decided to let it slip. "Amazing how you can smell that." Althea complimented her. "what are you going to do?" Tillie asked after a couple of minutes. "I am going to tell my brother; you need a guard next to your bed tonight." She replied. "Does your brother know who to trust?" Tillie asked. She was perfectly capable of defending herself but if she had to stay awake all the time, it would be difficult in this. "He is working on it. I'll send someone and he will bring you another bowl of soup." She replied. She got up and walked towards the door. "I'll let you rest now, good night Tillie." "Good night Althea."

Althea walked out the room and Tillie was left with her thoughts. Why was de soup spiked? Who would risk everything to do that? There was definitely something going on in this camp. She closed her eyes, she had to be alert, if someone would risk spiking her, maybe then they weren't afraid to come in her room either. Tillie listened to the sounds around her. The camp was quiet, they were probably all eating. 

Suddenly she heard footsteps, someone came walking towards her. Tillie looked to her door, ready to fight even though she knew she didn't stand much of a chance. The door opened and someone entered. Tillie met a pair of green eyes staring straight at her. The man instantly saw how tense she was. "Easy, calm down, I am here to guard you." He tried to reassure her. Tillie looked confused at him. "Timber sent me to stay here with you tonight." He added. "I can protect myself and I don't know if I can trust you." Tillie responded hostile. "I know you can." He replied.

Tillie studied the man as he walked over to her and took the chair Althea had been sitting on. He handed her a bowl of soup and she gently took it. "I am Ace Knight, I brought you some soup." He said. Tillie sniffed the bowl, not taking any chances. "I am not going to poison you. If anything happened to you tonight under my watch then I would become number one on Timber's suspect list. And I don't want that to happen." Tillie studied the man as she took a sip of her soup. He was tall, like Timber, well built with a lean body. These soldiers looked more like a gathering of Greek gods, than anything else. He had a strange sense of familiarity that Tillie couldn't place.

"Why does he trust you?" Tillie finally asked after studying him for a while. "There aren't many people Timber trusts, but I never have given him a reason to doubt me." Ace replied. "Have you been by his side for a long time?" she asked. "As long as I can remember. Even before the great war." Tillie was silent for a few seconds and rested her head. "It was pretty amazing what you did out there. How you saved her." He stated. A smile appeared on her lips. "That reckless courage I have seen it before." Ace eyes lit up as he said those words.

"Have we met?" Tillie asked confused by his statement. "No, we haven't." Ace sipped his soup. "But you look a lot like her." He added. Tillie looked confused at him. "Like who?" she asked. "Like your mother." He replied. As the words slipped from his lips, all Tillie's senses came in highest form of preparedness. "I have never met my mother. Who do you think my mother is?" Tillie studied his face, to see if he was telling the truth. "She would be proud of you." He stated. Tillie felt more on edge with each word he spoke. "You haven't answered my question Ace." She looked around the room for something to defend herself with. "Don't play dumb with me, Tillie. What were you thinking coming here into the lion's den?"

Tillie felt a sickening feeling settle in her bones. "I am confused, I don't know what you are aiming for." She replied. "You know damn well what I mean." He replied. Tillie closed her eyes, the wound started to act up and she felt very tired. "Don't worry, I am here to protect you. I am here as your friend. They have been right all along placing me here. But if they ever found out Tillie, everything would be lost. Why are you risking all that?" Ace asked "What if he finds out what you are? He won't think twice about handing you over to the council, Tillie. Not even after you rescued his little sister." Tillie was startled by his words. A tear rolled down her cheek. "Who are you?" she asked. "A friend." Ace replied. "It doesn't feel that way." Tillie answered. "I am sorry, I am really a friend. But right now I can't see the point of all this."