Not Even A Distance

015

"Have no worries about me."

Jake doesn't argue further. He leans back against the wall, his eyelids drooping with exhaustion.

"Alright," he mutters, "I'll try to get some rest then. Wake me up if anything happens, okay?"

Humming in response, "All fine, I will take that."

He closes his eyes and soon drifts off into a fitful sleep. You sit there, scanning the surroundings as you keep watch, trying to block out the horrors of the day.

As you sit with him, the hours pass by, and time seems to stretch and distort. The sounds around you are eerie, and the silence only amplifies the anxiety coursing through you.

Jake tosses and turns in his sleep, muttering unintelligible words. It's clear that even in sleep, he's troubled. Instead of waking him, you come close and gently taps his left arm. The rest of the night feels like you're caught between a tiger and a lion, ready to pounce at any moment.

As the first light of dawn appears, Jake stirs beside you. He sits up, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"God, I don't think I've slept that poorly in weeks," he mutters, his voice hoarse with exhaustion. Then he looks at you, "Why didn't you wake me up?"

You look at him and say, "I thought you needed the rest more than I did. At least, someone had to keep watch." You offer him a small, tired smile.

"Don't worry about it, Jake. We made it through the night."

Little did knows, you couldn't sleep, even for a short nap, because when you did, the terrible memory of your mother's death and the servants' fates flooded your mind like an unbearable nightmare.

Jake frowns at you, concern etched on his face. You shrug at his reaction, glancing at the horizon where the sun is beginning to rise.

He sighs at your silence, "Very well. Just promise me you'll take a break when we can."

You nod, though you both know that finding time to rest won't be easy. Together, you stand up, ready to take a walk.

Looking away, you ask him, "Aren't you supposed to head back to the castle?" Both of you hurry along, Jake has his look side to side at every chance- ready for any threats.

He turns to look at you. "I was supposed to, but we need to go to Captain Benjamin to get his help for the kingdom," he says. "Also, I can't leave you all by yourself at this timye." Nodding, you understand what he means.

Noticing a slippery path ahead. You nudge him and tap his arm. "Be careful. You almost slipped on the wet gasoline."

"Thanks," he says, glancing at you. "You know, you've got a knack for the obvious." There's an edge of sarcasm in his tone but also a hint of affection.

"Whatever you say, nonsense boy." You suppress a soft giggle.

"I'm not a boy, I'm a man."

Both of you continue making your way to Captain Benjamin's command center. The urgency of the situation is palpable as you navigate through the busy hallways, soldiers rushing past you in various states of preparedness.

You finally reach the command center, where Captain Benjamin stands over a large map, surrounded by his officers.

"I've been expecting you, Your Grace," the Captain says.

Jake nods, "Yes, sir. We've been trying to get here as fast as we could."

Then Captain Benjamin gestures for Jake to step forward and points at the large map spread out on the table. "Tell me what you know."

Jake steps up to the map, his eyes fixed on the indicated area. "The attack came from the east side of town. It was sudden and swift, with several bombs detonated almost simultaneously. The damage was immense."

Benjamin's face tightens. "Bombs? That's not the work of some lowly criminal. This is the work of a professional. What do you think?"

"I have my suspicions, but I need solid evidence to back it up."

Captain Benjamin raises an eyebrow. "Suspicions? And who do you think is behind this, Your Grace?"

"I'm not sure yet,"

"But whoever it is, they're well-trained and well-funded. This wasn't a random act of violence. There's a bigger picture here, I can feel it."

As the conversation between them turns to discussing potential next steps, Jake turns to Captain Benjamin.

"I'll need your help, sir."

"You have it, Your Grace. What do you require of me and my men?"

"I need you to come with us to the castle," Jake replies sharply. "I believe there's something amiss there, and I'll need your expertise in investigating the situation."

Upon arriving at the castle gates, the guards eye the group with suspicion but open to allow you entry upon recognizing the Duke.

Jake walks through, summoning Keeho to prepare for the meeting. "All the lords and officials must attend by my order. No exceptions."