Forgotten Embers

73. For Our Sakes

'Surely, it is for the dead we find ourselves silent here before our King as we march onward into fate.'

Her despair had evaporated at the spirit's presence, but the fact that Avera had seen him also intrigued her. Knowing him was one thing, but seeing their spectral friend was entirely another, and to hear him... that was something very rare, indeed.

'Perhaps, she is a seer, as well, then. Though, she may not know it. He did lead her to us, and she did speak with him as I do. I saw and heard it. Eliezer cannot see; he merely senses, but he knows him when he comes.'

She stopped in her stride and turned to her friend. "Eliezer," she said, admiringly.

He paused, turning to her with an affectionate smile and inquiring eyes. "Yes, my dear?"

She smiled back at him, her heart filled with a loving warmth. "I'm sorry... about before," she said, addressing him with a heartfelt apology for her prior response to his comforting reassurance of good.

He shook his head with a sigh. "Miss Garner," he said, standing in the ashy field of burned down trees and remnants of grass, "you know that the thing is already forgiven you and the matter I have very much forgotten. You know my feelings. How could I ever hold a scrap against you?"

Her face flushed. She would have hugged him were it not for the public nature of the setting.

"I um..." she bashfully replied.

He grinned broadly, delighted. "Come along," he said, taking hold of her arm, "to the city we must march."

She smiled. 'Eliezer...'

Her heart was full of affection for him.

'Even here, all is well.'

It had always been a wonder to her how much brighter any situation seemed when she had him to partner in it. Her heart fluttered happily as they walked together through the dust of fallen ash towards the city and its desolation.

She saw the bodies lying on the ground and frowned, a chilling though crossing her innocent mind.

"Do you suppose Timothy made it?" she asked him, remembering her brother.

He looked at her with eyes of concern as they both travelled on. He continued to pull her along with his hand wrapped around her arm.

"I don't know," he told her honestly, unwilling to lie to her, even for her comfort.

Her eyes dropped as her heart sank, and he saw her sadness.

"We'll look for him," he promised her. "If he is here, we'll find him and bury him properly."

"Alright," she nodded.

She was always very thankful for his tenderness and care towards her. His face had only recently recovered from the pain her brother had caused him, and that was only the outward injury, which surely could not compare to the hurt he which had inflicted to her companion's heart, yet here he showed compassion for her concern and promised to honor the memory of a man who hated him.

"Eliezer," she said, her heart brimming with loving admiration.

His eyes moved back to her as he went.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"Dorcus, my dear," he said, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath in, "you are making it awfully hard for me not to make a public spectacle of my affections."

"Oh, am I, Mr. Webber?" she asked, amused.

"Yes," he replied emphatically, "very much."