Waiting

[Railen Morana]

Railen sat watching Ryan as he set up his toy soldiers and knocked them over as the battle raged on. So like his father, and growing like a weed.
"Mum, whens daddy gonna be home?"
Railen frowned some from behind her cup of tea. "I don't know Ry. We have to be patient."

It had been over a month since his visit. He had stayed one night, then was off again.

"Cant you stay longer?" She pleaded. You've been gone for three months already on your last post. Doesn't the Baron realize you have a family?" "Its my duty love." He'd replied sternly. The look on his face told her he would rather be home with them, but there was no arguing it. And she understood. They both served the Baronship of Cove.

Having served for years as the leader of the army, he had gone into retirement, only to be called in to serve as Explorations officer. At first the trips were only a couple of weeks at a time. Now, he was asked to go further afield, to take care of secret and dangerous objectives he was not allowed to speak of.

This time though was different. She felt anxiety pulling at her gut. Her nightmares had returned once again. Horrific scenes of dismembered bodies, scalped. Dismembered heads rotting, the maggoty flesh shoved into her face. The scene switched to a battlefield, red with blood. Raiden's body laying there, scalp cut off, staring lifelessly at the sky.

More than one night she awoke sitting bolt upright to the echos of her own scream in the bedroom.