Curse - Septiplier

15: Suspicious Situations

Mark's POV

My eyes went up to the sky, finding the sun up there befriending the nearby clouds as they worked their way across the sky. I hoped that they wouldn't collide and grow thick enough to cause rainfall. I was enjoying the sun, and personally I wanted another day like yesterday, swimming with Jack and just relaxing, getting used to the water and the feeling of it as he and Agro urged me towards my fear, leaving it ebbing away as Agro helped me to swim, and Jack encouraged me to try. That man was changing me in drastic ways, that was for sure. Whether they were good or bad only time would tell, but I had more than just a feeling that our friendship, especially since it was against the rules, would not settle well with the General. I knew this for sure when he stepped out in front of me as I walked towards the field, my feet making a loud noise as the scuffed to a stop abruptly on the cobble. His eyes were narrowed, eyebrows knit together in anger, and I swallowed roughly, suddenly realizing that my job, and my life, rested fatefully in this man's decisions.

"Mark, if you ever duck out of practice like that again, or allow the prince to speak like that to me again, I'll make sure you're as good as useless." The anger in the General's voice was genuine, and taut with underlying tones of threats that he made only by blinking, and staring me down with a narrowed glare. His eyes held a window to thousands of ways he'd broken prisoners before in the wars that he served, and I knew that he was clearly unhappy, and he would make sure that I knew it. I wasn't sure what was making him so upset, but the hair on my arms stood on end, a shiver ran up my spine, and I was suddenly uncertain of what to make of the situation.

"Sir, those were the King's orders, that I tend to the prince when needed. Despite that, it doesn't make me his babysitter. If he chooses to be angry and snappy, then that's his deal and not my own." I said, looking up at the General in speaking in a calmly defiant matter. I wasn't going to let him threaten me about something I couldn't help, and the General leaned forward menacingly.

"Funny, I don't see him speaking to you that way." The General spoke in a warning, low tone layered with ice. He was making his point, and he was making it clear that he was onto our friendship, onto our bond that was quickly forming. I felt fear now, truly this time. He was keeping this from the King, and I had a feeling that my retorts would only further his reasoning to make sure that Jack and I never interacted again. My jaw locked, and I suddenly felt defensive of Jack, as if this argument was my fault and I had to fix it.

"I also treat Jack like a human being instead of a pawn." The words left my mouth before I had an appropriate amount of time to consider them. The General's eyes blazed as my words hit the innards of his ears, and I swore I saw every muscle in his torso go rigid under his jacket after I had spoken. "Even if you get rid of me, or make me useless, that still faults you over me." I reminded him, and then I brushed past him without another word. Some part of my being winced on the inside, reminding me that I was speaking to my commanding officer, but I had to brush it off and continue to the field where I knew Jack was waiting. I could feel the General's eyes burning into the back of my head, and when I turned around to double check, he barely caught my gaze before slipping in between the doors and into the castle. I felt a shiver; the chilling breeze of a storm approaching, and I didn't want to be anywhere near the General for some reason.

I turned quickly, hurrying towards the field as I turned over what just happened in my head. The General had always treated me with the utmost respect, and even at my worst he tried to see my side of things. I wasn't sure what was pushing him towards threatening me, and it was the first time he'd ever done it. I knew that I had a couple of options here, but both of them locked me in some form of stalemate, a mental argument with myself that restricted me from deciding. I could side with the General, keep my job and my high ranking position, but I would lose my friendship with Jack. I could keep being friends with Jack and defending him, but what would that mean for my job? My life? What would it mean to my brother, who was watching me from above? How would he feel? I suddenly felt insignificant, and useless all at once, but those feelings dissipated once a hand rested on my shoulder. I turned to meet Jack's bright gaze.