Chapter 10: More Than Meets The Eye

... Dark clouds Mondified

As much as I want to pummel the lost boys some more, I don't. Once more I have strange feeling a tingle that tells me there is more going on here than meets the eye. My only source of information is currently laying on the ground in pain.

I stalk back over to Brin's brother. "Billy, why Nimrod?" I ask.

He whimpers and tries to crawl away. I catch his leg and pull him back to me. "Billy," I say sweetly, "I went easy on you this time. I am still debating on whether or not to kill you." I tighten my grip on his leg and Billy makes a satisfying hiss of pain.

"The man in black said it was OK." He whimpers.

I pause in shock. "Napoleon?" I prompt. He only looks at me in mute confusion.

"Would you have gone through with it?" I ask. I am not sure why I bother knowing his past reputation.

"I..." He turns beet red and looks away.

I ask. "If you had known he was mine?"

"Never. I swear." this time he looks me straight in the eye telling me the true. I sigh and let go of his leg. Whatever his lack of morals I had put some fear in him the last time we met, and I hope some respect. Maybe I can use that to my advantage.

"You need to ask before you take." I say to Billy. "As I told your sister you are among civilized people."

I give the boy one last glance of disgust, before heading away to look for Nimrod.

"Well done. Chronos." Saber intercepts me as I storm my way across the field.

"Now what?" I snarl at him prompted at the idea of taking out my real anger on someone I know who will be able to fight back.

"Back off." He raise his hand in defense. "I didn't come here for a fight."

Somehow seeing Saber standing there with his hand out and looking all worried and confused. It defuses my anger. I can never seem to stay angry with him. He has such a good heart that I can feel it even from 10 feet away.

"This should not have happened." I say calming down. "Where were you?"

"I came over here as soon as I noticed the boys were missing." He frowns at the pile of pained teenagers.

"They have been chomping at the bit for the last couple of days." He drops his arms to his side only raise them again to cross them over his chest. He biceps bulging as he flexes his muscles. "I am sorry, I really did believe that I have taught them better. But it would seem they have a long way to go."

"Less carrots and a shorter stick." I suggest, getting back my usually humor.

He gives a short huff at my poor joke. "Or a bigger stick." He sighs as he looks at them again. "You're not hurt?" he adds in concern.

"I can handle the likes of the lost boys. But what upsets me is they were harassing Nim."

"Nim?" He faces seems to grow cold. "Damn!" He spits out to no one in particular. "I promise you Chronos. This will not happen again." Saber says still looking grim as death. "Everyone should be safe in the Compound." He seems to be promising this to more than just me or his self. Saber takes his duty as protector very seriously.

"We can just be grateful that I was the one who caught them. I am not sure what would have happened. And quiet frankly I am not sure we want to know. I do not think we can afford to have these kinds of problems, now."

"One bad penny." He seems lost in his own thoughts. "If it doesn't work with our new neighbors, then things will have to to go back to the way it was. Before the raid. before you." He drops his head to his chest. "I don't think we can do that. I don't want us to do that."

"That is very grown up of you." I tease him lightly. "I am sure that not every one feels the same or can even think that way."

He looks up and says "I like to think that I can see the big picture." He give a self mocking laugh.

"That is what I like about your Saber always ready to help out the short people."

Now he really does laugh. Wholeheartedly and with a great boisterous voice.

"Get out of here you LITTLE trouble maker. I think I will call this little exercise your lesson for the day."

"La, and here you thought I was just going to teach them to breath."

"I really don't care." He waves me away as he head over to the teenagers, they are now sitting up and looking guilty.

I give myself one last breath, to clear the last of the anger, and than go to look for my lovers.