For the Love of Family

Chapter One

One quick note: Gerard is pronounced like JARE-ard rather than ger-ARD. Thanks for reading!

Chapter One 

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Gerard walked slowly through the camp at night. Row after row of tents was full of drunk, drowsy or sleeping soldiers, all enjoying their recent victory. Well, victory might be a strong word. They'd managed to drive out the raiders from one of the northeastern border towns after an entire week of chasing them across the plains. Still, it felt good to have accomplished something after all that work, and he wasn't about to deny his men their celebration. After all, they'd followed him through thick and thin long before now.  

He continued wandering until he'd passed out of the camp and into the strip of no man's land between the tents and the town walls. Tonight there would be celebrating inside as well as outside. No Wyndfall town could suffer Tyroshi raiders for long, and they were enjoying their first true night of freedom in far too long. Gerard smiled to himself. They'd made a difference here today.  

A quarter of an hour passed as he simply followed where his boots took him. He didn't look up to see where he was going until he saw the off-white color of canvas pass into his peripheral vision. He stopped, unsurprised to find himself outside this tent, and knocked on the center post.  

"Enter," came the curt response from within, and Gerard smiled as he pushed open the tent flap. Levi sat at a plain wooden table that faced the entry of the tent, but didn't look up immediately. He had a pen in hand and was scribbling away at some document or another with at least six more waiting for attention beneath the half burned candle. Gerard couldn't help but chuckle at the way Levi's light colored hair stood on end from running his hands through it and the smudged ink stains on his fingertips and his nose. Levi's green eyes snapped up at the sound, wondering who had the temerity to laugh at him, but they softened at the sight of Gerard. 

"What?" he asked, setting down the pen to rub his face with both hands. 

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. You might end up wearing more ink than that paper," Gerard indicated the half written letter. 

Levi smiled. "Wouldn't be the first time." 

"What's got you trapped in here at this late hour? The revelry is just outside your door." 

Levi leveled a look that clearly said Gerard knew better. "Unfortunately, these letters won't write themselves." 

"And I suppose the fate of the nation hangs in the balance?" 

"Make light of it all you want, but someone has to deal with these things, and seeing as how you're less than inclined..." he trailed off. 

"I know, I know," Gerard conceded, "and I appreciate it. I'd be lost without my second in command." 

"As long as you're aware." His tone was serious, but Gerard still caught the edge of his smirk as he turned back to the letter, and only the scratch of the pen filled the tent. 

After a few moments of stillness, Gerard shifted from one foot to another. "Don't take too long. I'm sure some of those letters will keep until tomorrow." It could have been an order, but they both knew it wasn't. 

Levi looked up with a half-smile. "Only the important ones, I promise."  

Gerard nodded and strode from the tent so Levi could finish. He greeted several of his men as he passed them before coming to the large tent he was calling home on this campaign. He nodded to the boy who stood guard outside at all times before entering. The inside was sparsely furnished, but contained everything the commanding officer of the Fifth Legion required. His own worktable contained maps and charts of the area, along with a few strategy and warfare books. One chest at the foot of his bed contained his clothes and another by the desk, his weapons and mail. The only luxuries in the tent were the plush rug beneath his feet and the decently sized bed in the corner opposite the table. There was also a wooden bath behind the tent which could be wheeled inside and filled if he so desired. He supposed those were the perks of commanding a Legion.