5,781 Miles Apart

Chapter Four

Osten's POV 

It is seven A.M. and sitting in this conference room is the last place I want to be. I had done this many times before when I was working with General Leger, but I stayed up a bit too late last night, even after how tired I was last night.

"The Royals of the German Federation are coming this week." Prime Minister Brice says. The people loved her so much when she was Interim Prime Minister, they elected her to be Prime Minister. "General Schreave, you will need to adjust rounds that will work with the Federation's gaurd's rounds as well. I have all of their rounds worked out from the General of the Federation here." She says, sliding a folder to me.

I take it, but I know now is not the right time or the right place to look now. "Thank you, I will look at them immediately."

She nods. "In that case, you are dismissed. I do not believe there is any other thing we need you for, is that right?" She asks, looking around the table of all others present.

Murmurs of agreement and nods pass all along the table, so I stand curtly and walk to the door."If there is anything anyone needs me for, well, you know where I live." I say grinning. I hear several chuckles around the room, and I consider it my greatest accomplishment for the day so far.

I head upstairs to my room and sit at my desk, determined to at least start my work before breakfast.

A knock then sounds on the door, interrupting my work. "Come in!" I call, turning around in my chair, so I can see the person coming to see me.

The door opens and in walks a familiar brown haired gaured. "Clay! Hey, how are you?" I ask, shaking his hand.

He sits down in the chair beside me. "Just great. I have the morning off, so I figured I would come and say hello to my new General."

"Thanks. You want to come eat breakfast with us in a few minutes?" I ask.

"Nah," he says, "I just snagged some of the food from the kitchen and spit in the food that had your name card on it." He teases.

"Oh, thanks!" I say, going along with him. "I look foward to tasting your saliva in my scrambled eggs."

"No, it was actually all over your bacon." He jokes, elbowing me in my ribcage.

I love how even though he is eight years older than me and I threw mashed potatoes at him, he was still my closest friend and willing to joke around with me.

"What are you working on?" He asks, gesturing to my stack of papers on my desk.

"Just some gaurd rounds for when the Germans come." I say, shrugging.

He nods and stands back up. "I better go so you're not late for breakfast."

I stand too. "You sure you don't want to join?"

"Positive. Thank you though." He says, walking out the door. Go easy with me on the rounds!" He yells as he walks down the hall.

I smile and shake my head before heading out myself.

"How was your first meeting?" Eadlyn asks during breakfast.

I shrug. "I wasn't really needed for most of it, so I was sent away with a folder of paperwork to do."

"Don't wait to do it." She says. "I know what procrastination is like. All the work just starts piling up." She looks down at her food and shakes her head.

"You see," Dad begins, "I don't understand how my son is a General. I'm absolutely horrible at war stratigeizing. Where did he get it?"

"Well," Mom begins, "I guess it's safe to say that I'm the war strategizer of the family."

Several chuckles emit throughout the people around the table and Dad playfully rolls his eyes.

Ahren clears his throat. "I think we'll be leaving tomorrow."

"Oh, Ahren. Are you sure?" Eadlyn asks.

"Eady, you know we would stay if we could, but we've already been gone too long." He responds.

Camille tugs on his suit coat and whispers in his ear. They have a rushed, whispered conversation and Ahren speaks again. "Actually, Camille says she will be fine handling the children and will call if she needs any help at all with running everything, so I will be staying as long as the Germans are here."

Eady lets out a quiet scream and the excitement and joy is written plainly on her face. "Thank you, Camille."

Camille smiles. "No problem. You two need some twin time."

Breakfast is finished soon after, and I head back upstairs to finish all the paperwork.

As I sit down, I hear a loud "BOO!" Come from behind me. I wasn't scared, in fact, I heard a soft pitter-patter of small feet following behind me, but for the sake if not letting whoever down, I jumped up and screamed.

I hear giggles and turn to see little Giovanna standing behind me. "I'm gonna get you."

"Ahhh!" She yells, running away.

I catch up to her quickly and pick her up, lifting her up high into the air.

"You're silly, Uncle Osten." She says, practically all giggles.

"Oh yeah?" I ask, lowering her down to eye level with me.

"Yeah." She says, still giggling.

"You know who's sillier?" I ask her

"Who?" She asks, putting her hands all over my face.

"You." I say, tickling her.

"Nuh uh."

"Uh huh." I reply mocking her tone.

I set her down on the floor and she tugs on my hand. "Will you come play with me, Uncle Osten?"

I hate to say no to her. Her big blue eyes are practically begging. "I'm sorry Gio. I can't right now."

"Aw. Why not?" She asks, her eyes watering up.

I squat down to meet her three year old stature. "I have work to do, but I promise I'll come play as soon as I'm done." This still doesn't seem to satisfy her at all. "Why don't you go play with Kerttu?"

"She won't let me play with her and Azura."

"Well that's not nice. What about Bryant?"

"No!" She exclaims. "He's got cooties."

"That's right. You'll stay away from boys forever, right?" I ask.

She nods vigorously, looking incredibly sincere. Oh how excited will Eikko be when he hears this.

"You stay that way forever." I remind her. "Maybe Nana will play with you. She always likes to play with you." I say, mentioning Mom.

"Okay. Promise to come get me when you're done?"

"I promise."

"Pinky promise?" She questions.

"Pinky promise." I say, wrapping my pinky finger around hers.

She then runs off, her dress flying up, but I choose to ignore it rather than stop her and fix it.

I turn and enter my room, ready to get some work done.