The Ember In The Storm

Part III

  "General?"

Roman stood in a night tunic, hair sprawled over his head as his beard parted to one side of his face.

"I hope I did not wake you?" Jackson looked down at Roman's hand, a wooden club within his grip.

"It's the middle of the night," he narrowed his eyes at him. "Christ, Isabella thought it was a thief when she heard your horse. Is all alright?"

"Nothings the matter," Jackson shook his head. "I require your assistance. I take the rules seriously as a General, therefore I need you to be with me on this small errand."

Roman stifled in a yawn, scratching his rough beard. "Errand? What are we, wizards? Can't it wait till morning?"

Jackson narrowed his eyes at him.

"You're the boss, of course," Roman sighed. "I'll go get changed, you should come in, it's freezing out there."

Jackson walked into the house, Roman closing the door behind them.

"Rome, are you there? Who was it!?" Scarlets voice echoed across the house walls.

"I'm here, all is alright!" Roman responded.

"Your wife calls you Rome?" Jackson turned his head to him.

"My family and friends do," Roman held in a look of embarrassment. He may have not been as young as Jackson but of course he had to understand that nicknames were something no one had control over.

"Ah," Jackson nodded in understanding. He supposed he was called that because he was built as strong as Rome?

Or it's a shorter way of saying Roman, he thought to himself, wondering why he was complicating it.

"I'll be back, feel at home," Roman walked away, disappearing from a corner. 

Not long after, little voices echoed in the house.

"I heard you talking to someone, who was it?" Isabella's voice.

"It's Jackson," Roman tried whispering.

Jackson eyebrows shot up. He had not heard Roman use his first name in months.

"Jackson? What is he doing here at this hour? Is he okay?"

"He looks fine to me. He says he needs me for something, I won't take long."

"There is no way in heavens are you going out at this hour, Rome!"

"Darling, it's my job. These things come unexpected," Roman said, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps towards Jackson.

Isabella muttered incoherently at her husband, who soon appeared in-front of Jackson in a formal wear and coat, beard barely combed through.

"How is your wife?"

"She's doing alright," Roman said once they walked out of the house.

"She is fine with you assisting me tonight?"

"Definitely, she has no problem," Roman lied as Jackson went on his horse, he helped himself to his own.

"Good."

"Sir," Roman continued to speak as the two moved further from his house. The path along the woods was cold and dark, the brightest thing in sight being Jackson's white mare, Ash.

"If I may ask, what is so important that we need to tend to it in the middle of the night? Are you sure it does not involve an ambush or—"

"No. We're paying Simon a visit," Jackson responded flatly.