Timeless Two

24

Grey goes to Anna's tent and isn't surprised to find Taren there as well. Anna isn't totally surprised but is concerned by this visit. "I'm here to tell you that I resign, effective immediately. I will perform the duty I swore to Ari that I'd do, but other than that, I will no longer be in charge of the army.

"Taren, you will be in charge until such a time as Anna decides otherwise. You will make a fine leader. I would recommend Jeshua as a second in command, but that is entirely up to you.

"Anna makes sure that the bodies of our family members are interred with the respect they deserve." Grey says with determination, but there is a sadness that belies his strength.

This request alarms Lady Anna far more than anything else has since this whole invasion thing began. "Why Grey, won't you be there as well?"

Grey doesn't answer and just smiles as he takes his leave.

"Grey? Grey!" Anna says now truly alarmed. She turns from the now empty doorway to look at Taren in pain. "I'm going to lose most of my family tomorrow." She no longer has any doubts as to that, although she's not sure how Grey is going to pull it off.

Taren goes over and holds Anna in his arms. He knows that she is right. Grey wouldn't do what he did otherwise. Grey has no plans on living.

Jeshua notices what the time is and reluctantly breaks the mood the lovely walk has put them both in. There is just something so peaceful about running water and silence. "I'm afraid it's time to return now Alexis. It's nearly meal time and then I go on duty."

Alexis sighs. She'd argue with Jeshua, but that isn't done. She reluctantly takes her feet out of the water and dries them off. She puts her boots and socks back on with intense dislike. "You know, the outfit the trees have us wear is far more comfortable. I wish that I could wear that here."

"If you wore that outside of the vault even I would have a hard time keeping the men from attacking you. Now that this campaign is done, hopefully we can go home soon." Jeshua says with real longing in his voice.

"You miss home that much do you?" Alexis is curious, she hadn't thought that Jeshua had reason to miss home.

Jeshua gives her a smile, "Not particularly, but at home there is more freedom and less work."

"Ahh, you miss the female companionship. Of course." Alexis knows this is true and although it hurts she is able to act like it is nothing.

"There is that, of course, I won't deny it. I like women and they seem to like me well enough, but there are less mines there than here. I mean it literally and metaphorically. They are out just to have a good time and don't expect anything more." Jeshua says not realizing the tears Alexis is trying hard to hide.

"Of course. A real relationship takes work and effort. Too hard by half to deal with." Alexis says hiding her own pain.

Her words seem to agree with him yet Jeshua is sure that he's found one of the mines he'd talked about. "You understand." Jeshua says relieved and is therefore confused when Alexis refuses to be near him.

"Yes, I understand. Listen Major we'd better get going or you're going to be late for duty." Alexis says moving off into the direction of camp. Jeshua has to move fast to catch up to her.

"What did I say Alexis?" Jeshua asks trying to figure out how such a lovely day has turned upside down.

"Listen Major, I understand that you don't want anything real. Shallow relationships suit you fine, most likely because you can't handle anything real. Friendship also takes energy and work Major. You don't want a friend, you just want someone you can brag to about your conquests." Alexis stops and turns to him. "That might work for you, but it's not what I'm interested in. I was willing to be your friend, but not your brag buddy," she starts walking again.

Soon they are in sight of camp. "Once we reach camp, I'll go to my tent and you go do whatever Major. Other than dealing with each other when our paths cross I don't think we'd better see each other. I do thank you for protecting me last night and I'm glad that your arm is all better." They reach the entrance to the camp, "I can take myself from here. Goodbye Major, I hope you find joy in the life you choose."

Jeshua is left standing there holding his cast and feeling strangely empty inside. He starts walking forward when the gossip of the other members of the camp break into his consciousness.

What he hears makes his eyes grow wide. He stops one of the enlisted men and has him repeat what he'd just said. "The general confronted the judges a little while ago. He wouldn't let them in, but then he slapped his prisoner, Ariele. I've never seen him so angry. If I were you Major, I'd stay away from him if you can. They say that Ariele is cowering in fear from him. But then so are all those that encounter him."

Jeshua lets the man go. "Damn. I should have been here. He wouldn't have hit her if I had been here to watch over her." Jeshua is sure that Grey didn't want to take Ari to the confrontation with the judges. And there aren't that many people he'd trust to leave in charge of Ari.

"Major Jeshua?" The soldier says hesitantly to the still standing major.

"Yes, corporal?" Jeshua replies. No use taking things out on the innocent.

"General Grey has requested your presence as soon as you returned sir. He will wait for you at his tent." The corporal sighs, he's glad it's not him the general requested.

"Thank you corporal," Jeshua has a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Nothing good is going to come of this.

He walks to Grey's tent without showing any of the reluctance or dread he feels. He sees Grey entering just ahead of him. He takes in a deep breath and goes that last little bit of space.

"Good luck Major," One guard says as Jeshua knocks on the door. The other guard doesn't say much but there is a great deal of sympathy on his face.

"Enter!" Grey hadn't calmed down much, if anything his temper has gotten worse as the bruise on Ari's face darkened.

"Sir!"Jeshua says coming to attention inside the tent. He doesn't like the sound of crying he hears from the cot on the other side of the room.

"You weren't on base when I needed you Major. Why is that?" Grey's voice is low and calm and many have been fooled by that to believe that he isn't angry, but Jeshua knows that's when he's the angriest and he starts to sweat a little.

"Lt. Alexis wished to go for a walk outside the camp. I escorted her. I didn't realize that I would be needed before my duty shift came up."Jeshua says far more calm than he feels. If Ari is crying than the rumor that Grey hit her must be true.

"You are carrying your cast now. You no longer need it?" Grey switches topics and leaves Jeshua's head spinning.

"When Dr. Jaylen took new xrays it showed my arm as being healed so well that it didn't even look to have been broken. I was going to drop this off in my tent but I forgot it and just took it with me on the walk." Jeshua is embarrassed by that omission.

"You heard what happened?" Grey finally says after letting silence sit for some time, broken only by the soft sounds of Ari's sobs.

Jeshua sighs, "Yes. I hadn't realized the judges were so close or I wouldn't have left like I did."

Jeshua means that as an apology to Ari as well as to Grey.

"It doesn't matter now Jeshua. What's done is done, there is no going back now." Grey says heavily. He leans forward onto the table that serves as his desk and rubs his eyes and then his temples.

"I'm done Jeshua. Tomorrow, I will take Ari to the trial and perform the duty that I promised her I would. But other than that Taren is acting general. After tomorrow it will be up to Lady Anna about who is to be the new general, but I think it likely she'll keep Taren and I've suggested that you should be the new second in command. I can't guarantee that he will follow up on my suggestion, but it's out there.

"This world is messed up Jeshua. I've become a monster, don't let that happen to you. Go get you some food." Jeshua salutes stunned at what Grey had told him. He walks to the mess tent automatically. He gets and eats without even tasting the food.