The Heroes of The Elemental Academies Book 3 The Tides of War

Chapter 28: Time off

Katie
   Katie Malcovitch general commander of the Lightforce had had enough. She had been pouring over the maps of the northern region for hours. She stood in her little office in HQ, hovering over a table of reports and other documents. She shut her eyes briefly hoping to ward off the wave of sleepiness that threatened to overwhelm her. She stepped back and looked around her quaint office. She hardly used it unless she had to but being at home while her son was off fighting on the front lines felt wrong. The silence had been so deafening it had kept her from being able to sleep. She instead decided to get up and go over the reports and maps. Basically, she decided to work. The room was bare except for the table she stood over and a couple chairs set by the window next to a coffee table. It was a small room, well it was barely a room, more of a closet really. A big closet, with walls made of grey stone bricks and the floor made of soft cherry wood that was finely polished. A single ball of light hung from the ceiling contained in a glass jar. The light it provided was more than enough to brighten the whole room to allow for very few shadows.

A knock at the door interrupted her examination of the place she had been for the last day and a half. She squeezed her eyes shut once again while pinching the bridge of her nose. She wondered if she should bother answering the door. She didn't really want any company right now. It was hard enough just to keep her eyes open much less entertain guests. The knock came again, three insistent raps on her door.

Ahh! I coming already stop banging I already have a headache!" She yelled as she march over to the door and threw it open. There standing with his hands on his hips with one dark eyebrow raised was Samson.
   She peeked up at him pushing the hair from her eyes.
  "What did you need Samson?" She asked briskly. She had an idea of why the big leader of the Lightforce Academies had come to see her but she wasn't in a mood to argue with him. To her surprise he just shrugged and guestured toward the door.
  "Can we at least talk somewhere more comfortable." She sighed and pushed the door the rest of the way open. For a moment she wondered if he could even fit through the doorway considering the fact that he was easily seven feet tall and at least as wide as the door itself.
Despite her exhaustion she found herself trying to stifle a laugh as she watched Samson turn side was and shimmy himself through the door ducking his head while he did . He looked like he was trying to do some weird crab dance. Once inside he looked around, eyeing her desk that was piled high with reports, maps and other documents
"So," she began clasping her hands together in front of her.
"To what to I owe the pleasure Lord Samson?"
   She watched Samson as he shuffled from one foot to the other clearly uncomfortable.
   "Hmph, as he should be," she thought. Then Samson guestured at the door.
   "Walk with me?" He asked. But Katie didn't move.
   "Is that an order?" She asked. She knew why he was here. And she didn't appreciate other running interference. She was quite capable of taking care of herself. Samson made a tsk tsk sound at her like he was scolding a child.
   "You are almost 100 years old Katie are you ever going to stop acting this way?" Katie bristled at this.
   "You are one to talk, old man." Samson just smiled at her his eyes twinkling. Then his eyes narrowed and his face grew stern.
  "Follow me," he commanded his tone broke no argument. Then he turned and abruptly left without so much a glance back.
   Katie shrugged knowing he wasn't going to give her a choice and followed behind him.
She followed him out of HQ and they started down the hill. As they did Katie's eyes were drawn to a simple granite headstone that sat alone underneath the thick leaves if a oak tree. It was the only tree on the hill but it's trunk was almost wider than a lot of cars. The tree was old. One of the oldest Katie had ever seen with deep lines etched into the tree. It even slouch slightly to one side as if it almost couldn't hold its own weight.
The tree was interesting but it was the headstone underneath that drew her attention. She was almost too far away but she could barely make out the name and place of origin.
Isbis Protector of the Lighting Academy, Rest with God."  It had been almost two years since the young Isbis had died fighting with her son on Diablo Mountain, and seeing the grave. Seeing the reason her son had started taking risks, it sent waves of sadness through her. Katie hadn't known her well but apparently her and Seth had grown close on their mission right after she had been ripped from this life forever.
Katie felt a hand on her shoulder and tore her eyes away to see Samson his eyes somber,
His brow creased with worry.
"I know you are afraid, Katlyn," he said his voice rumbling. She took in a breath to disagree but Samson continued before she could speak.
   "And you have every right to be." The protest died in her throat. She had been expecting Samson to go on a tirade about duty and not overexerting herself.
"But, overworking yourself is no good for anyone."
"Ahh, there it is she thought dryly."
"Not to mention if something happens to Seth we will be the first to know," Samson was saying. He pushed one of his dark braids off his shoulder.
"Which is why I'm going to take you out to eat," Samson said his tone casual.
Katie felt like she had just been hit in the chest by a war club.
"T.. take me out to eat," she said incredulously. It came out as more of a squeak than she would of liked but Samson quickly waved his hands in the air as if to stop her. His cheeks darkened as he flushed.
"Not like that," he assured her his deep voice going up in pitch from his normal tone. The difference was slight but it was enough for her to notice. " I just wanted to take you somewhere to
Get some food so you would take a break."
It was true, she had been up for quite awhile. She hadn't slept more than a couple of hours in the last day at least. Not to mention she had only allowed herself sparse amounts of food. She hadn't wanted to miss any messages that came in from the vanguard. Now, at the mention of food her stomach seemed to ache with longing.
No, I.." she was going to tell him that she wasn't hungry but as her luck would have it her stomach chose that moment to let out one of the loudest gurgles of her life. The sound was somewhere between and animals cry and the sound she made when she rinsed her mouth out with water at the end of the day. She stared down at her stomach in horror when she looked back up she saw Samson's knowing smile.
"Ahh, good. I'm glad you agree," he said turning starting down the hill towards the city once again. "Now time's wasting let go eat." For the second time today Katie decided arguing wouldn't get her anywhere and followed him down the hill.
  As Katie followed Samson into the city she immediately became aware that the feel of the city had completely changed. Just a few weeks ago the city had been a hive of families going to shops and attending to other business colorful rugs and drapes had hung from balconies and sounds of laughter could've been heard from all over the city.
   Now, however the city seemed a shell of its former self. There was a notable lack of people in the streets as they walked. The people she did see walked with their heads down quickly going about their business. The urgency in their steps seemed to indicate that they didn't want to be out and about any more than they had to be, but then again Katie wasn't the best when it came to reading people. It was a skill that she had often lamented not having.
   Samson's voice came from in front of her as the people seemed to naturally part on either side of his big body.
   "While the war might not be here it is still weighing heavily on everyone's minds."
   Katie said nothing in return as they continued down the street. Samson led them on for several minutes before turning down a side street and then after a few minutes he turned again walking with purposeful strides down a narrow road, barely wide enough for him and her to fit side by side. They came to a stop in front of a large heavy oak door.
  The confusion must've been evident on her face because Samson gave her a smile that said "indulge me."  She knew she was in the Lightforce Academy, which was one of the safest cities in Elementia but she couldn't help her own apprehension at coming to such a remote place. She cast her eyes around at what was effectively a alleyway. No one was in sight.
   "I thought we were going to eat somewhere?" Katie asked. If Samson noticed her paranoia he didn't show it. Instead he nodded several times.
   "Oh we are," he insisted motioning to a low hanging wooden plaque by the door tot he building.
   "The Languid Hearth," She read aloud shaking her head. "I've never heard of this place."
  "What!! A place even you have never heard of," Samson said in mock horror.
   "You know for someone who is supposedly even older than Stratos you act like a child," she snapped. Samson stepped back a smirk on his face. Once again Katie was reminded of the old saying.  "Age does not equal maturity." It was a simple enough saying but it applied to almost all the men in her life.
   "Anyway," Samson continued. "You are going to love this place. They have some of the best biscuits I've ever tasted." Then he pushed open the heavy looking oak door and went inside. After one last look around the alley, and once again seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she follow led him inside.