Unspoken Fears

Chapter 11~ It Wouldn't Be Today

    A little late... sorry! Also it seems wrong that Natalia didn't like tea. I don't like that she doesn't like it.        

Part One of Charles' plan was apparently exhaustion. He gave us one full day at the mansion of rest. But the next day he got serious.

The mornings started out the same. I got up a little before the rest of the group and met Charles in his office. He had soft music playing, and brought in a pot of tea. He gestured for me to pour myself a cup.

His kind gesture took me by surprise, all I could do was say, "Thank you," and pour myself a cup of tea before remembering I didn't even like tea. The steaming tea filled my teacup, though, and I knew better than to waste anything. When you were kindly given something, you gracious accepted it, no matter what it was.

The spiced liquid burned my tongue and I eyed the dish of sugar cubes. Sugar- sweets of any kind- were a luxury. Charles, I'm sure, didn't understand that, but I would skip the sugar.

"I thought I'd give everyone until 6:30." He glanced at his watch. "Then we'd start."

I nodded and blew on the hot tea. "What's the plan?"

"The first step I think should be physical fitness. We all need to be in prime condition, I don't know what we'll face. Then I'll meet with each of you individually to practice your abilities."

We finished drinking the tea, which seemed to have improved by the bottom of the teacup, and then Moira appeared in the office doorway. "Lovely, I was just going to wake you all," Charles greeted. He stood up from his desk and stretched briefly. "We'll start with breakfast and then out on the lawn." He pressed a button on the wall and announced into the speaker mounted next to it, "It is a lovely summer morning, the sun is taking the morning dew and it is time for us to be up and facing the day. Please convene in the kitchen at your earliest convenience. And by earliest convenience, I mean in fifteen minutes or the second wake-up call may be a glass of water to your face. Thank you." He finished in the same chipper tone he started in and turned to us, hands clasped together. "Now, since we are all already up and ready for the day, I thought we would start breakfast for everyone. Care to join?" Charles left the study without waiting for a reply.

Moira and I glanced at each other, eyebrows raised in surprise. "He takes this seriously," She observed as he disappeared down the hallway.
I stood up and straightened my shirt. "He knows lives are at stake. We can't fault him for taking that seriously."

Moira frowned slightly, contemplating my words. "True." We started heading down the hallway together. "As nice as his British accent is though, I would not want to wake up that way- his voice blaring into my room at the crack of dawn?" She shook her head. "I respect it though. Like you said, lives are at stake. I wonder... I wonder if he feels responsible for us. He did bring us together, and now he opened up his house to us... if something were to happen to us, would he blame himself?"

When I opened the door to the kitchen, Charles stood at the kitchen island wearing a striped apron over his clothes, furiously scrambling some eggs. He gave us both tasks to do, and in a couple of minutes Hank joined us, yawning, his hair unbrushed, but dressed for the day. Erik came in next, a scowl on his face- he didn't appreciate rude awakenings. Maybe I should warn Charles for tomorrow, then again, I'm sure Erik will make it known in no time. He never did have a problem letting his preferences be known.