Future History

Chapter 5: I want to go home

Once again men were drinking heavily while stuffing food into their faces. I sat beside Kronos at the large table, Jenky beside me and General Tiberious was nowhere to be seen. Neither was Charles for that matter. I could see the three boys looking over to Jenky with a knowing look, the phone girl was holding a pitcher of ale and staring at Jenky, then me, then the boys. She had made it all look way too obvious. I shook my head and put my face into my palm. This was going to be a long night. After running from Charles I pushed past a few people and ran straight to the nearest servant exit. I wound up closer to the dining hall than I expected so I just found my way there and sat down at the table. After the food was brought in I noticed the hall fill up rather fast with drunk and sober men. It did not take long for Kronos to enter, a frown upon his brow at me and for the sober men to be drunk. The already drunk men, still hitting the ale since the night before, were starting to pass out of stagger away and I was starting to see a pattern in their actions. The slightly drunk men would take a servant girl, pull her onto his lap and try to woo her. If the girl was not interested he would let her go and try another. Some men were taking already claimed women from the laps of overly drunk men who did not seem to notice or care. Some men left with a woman on his arm and grin on his face. I was suddenly glad I was up here with Kronos and not down there with them. I cut my eyes to Kronos and thought maybe I was not so lucky. His pale green eyes were watching me.

"You were not in your chambers this morning." He said with his deep voice.

"Excuse me?" I looked at him, turning in my chair so I did not have to turn my neck so much.

"You must be escorted." His eyes narrowed slightly. "You were on your own."

"I escorted her." Jenky said from beside me. When I looked at him, he shot me a wink and took a sip from his goblet.

"Kate had asked me to show her around." Jenky met the eyes of Kronos and they shared silent thoughts. For a moment I thought Kronos would not believe him.

"Very well." Kronos stood from the chair and snatched at my arm. I stumbled to my feet and looked to Jenky for help. Jenky shook his head slightly and I frowned. Kronos pulled me down the steps and past his drinking men.

"Make this the last night men." He shouted over my head and was responded to with an eruption of cheers and shouts. One man made a remark about his king being lucky or something about getting lucky but I was sure that fraise was not used in this time. I watched Kronos as he held my forearm and pulled me to follow him up the stairs. His tunic was long sleeved but I could still see the muscles of his shoulders bunch as he moved. That back of his broad and wide. I could not even see past it. Once at the top of the stairs, Kronos must have not realised and stumbled forward a step or two. Then as he began to walk toward a hallway he staggered side to side for a moment. Big bad warlord was drunk and staggering about his castle. I was about to laugh when I realised that the big bad warlord was drunk and dragging me about his castle. Pulling on my arm, I tried to stop walking but his momentum kept me going. We stopped outside a room I knew, it was the room I was placed in the night before. Kronos pushed the door opened and looked inside to the dark bed. I watched as he stepped into the room, dragging me to follow as if he forgot I was there, scan the room and look around as if for something. When my arm was finally released I shot away from Kronos, cradling my sore arm. Why did he have to use the same arm King Henry bruised? I thought as I looked at the bruises on my arm.

"Get some sleep." Kronos turned to me and stepped forward. His face looked a little pale and his eyes slightly red. For a moment he seemed distant and in another world.

"Are you alright, my lord?" I asked stepping closer. His eyes snapped to mine and staid glued on me. Stepping closer to me, Kronos placed a hand on the back of my head, his hand was warm and gentle, not forcing as Charles had been earlier. Stepping closer again, our bodies were inches apart, I could feel the heat radiating from him as he leant down to me. Kronos looked down to my lips and I fought the urge to move them. His pale green eyes then floated down lower and paused before closing. His forehead pressed softly against mine. My lips parted in a silent gasp as he stayed there for a moment. It was not an awkward twinkling, he pressed his head to mine for a good five seconds before standing up straight and walking out of the room. For some reason I felt cold when he left the room and lonely.