Sanctuary

Chapter 15

The fire was still burning, as expected, and Tim and Jan were there. So was Olaf. So he joined them. He felt blood running in his cheeks and tried to control it. He couldn't. The others however did not seem to see he was somewhat embarrassed and said nothing, or at least they played it well.

"Is there something left in that bottle?" Eben tried to break the "ice".

"Of course there is, what do you think we are, drunkards?" Tim replied faking displeasure. All three man burst into laughter. Even Olaf had a kind of smile on his face. Eben could see it. He had finally gotten rid of the hat covering his face in shadows. Eben took a mouthful out of the bottle and gave it to Jan, who in turn did the same thing and passed it to Tim. Minutes later Nina and Maja joined them.

"What's that noise? Don't you know there are ladies around here, finally trying to sleep?" Nina said with a grumpy voice. Eben and the others froze. Had he misjudged her again? Their faces were so awkward, Nina could not play angry anymore and burst also in laughter. Maja joined her. "So, if you are no drunkards, there needs to be something in that bottle, be so kind and hand it over, will you?" Nina said, her laughter turning into a relaxed grin. So Eben did not misjudge her. She really loosened up.

Emilia also joined them. "I heard something about drinking. I could endure a sip as well". Tim handed her the bottle. She smelled it, her face turned into disappointment. "I don't know about the ladies in your time, but in mine, that was a man's drink. Don't you have something softer and sweeter?" she asked Eben. Even Nina managed to smile at Emilia's attempt to tease them. Eben was content with his evaluation of her. He stood up and went to the trailer. Two minutes later he returned with a bottle with some red and somewhat thicker content. "Will cherry liqueur satisfy your sublime taste, My Dear Lady?" Eben asked laughing. "You'll find out once the bottle empties" she returned his teasing.

"So you had that good stuff all the time and you made us drink that brandy?" Nina frowned. "Not nice of you, Eben." "Not nice at all" she added, "You should pay more attention to your employee's needs". They all burst into laughs. Finally Laura joined them too, awoken from all that laughter. "Hey, I also want to lay hands on that bottle before you "Ladies" get to the bottom of it" she said merrily walking towards them. She then noticed everyone looking at her awaiting something. "She sleeps safe and sound, don't you worry".

The next two hours went by cheering up at the fire. Somehow they all managed to put away their fear, tiredness and lack of information and mostly the lack of a plan about how they should proceed. It was like two nights ago, the last night before they left for the small airfield. They sure needed some cheering up, so Eben was satisfied to have everyone around the fire talking, laughing and telling jokes. Even Olaf cheered in. He mentioned about not being fair that he was still tied up, but Emilia's sharp look at him and then Eben, settled it. He did not push it anymore. He realized it was not healthy. For some reason he was treated well by his captors. And most important, he was still alive, something he could not tell about Thomas. Well, not directly at least. Not only Emilia had seen the resemblance. And since that thought popped up in his mind, he began questioning himself, his training and his beliefs. He had been captured and surrounded by the woman he hurt most and the people who saved and protected her. And by spending time with them, they did not differ from him or the rest of the world: they enjoyed being together, they laughed, they worried, they were scarred, they protected each other...no trace of ill thought against strangers, no demonic worshipping rituals... He did not mention it however.

Above them in the canopy, there was a loud screech. Eben and the others looked up. There was the owl again. Besides Eben and Emilia, no one knew who it was. The owl looked down to Eben, then around in a 360 degree radius and screeched again.

"Something is coming" Eben said. "The owl is giving us a warning. We are surrounded."

"So, not only you fall in love with the first "Sleeping Beauty" – no pun intended dear - that crosses your way, but now you also talk to animals?" Laura let her jovial side get the better of her.