Timeless

22

He grabs a fresh towel for Ari and in resignation just goes out with his towel wrapped around himself as he sends in Alexis.

Alexis knows that Grey is not happy and hurries especially since she feels Jeshua tensing up as well.

Once Alexis has gone behind the screen Grey drops his towel and starts dressing. "Hey don't blame me Jeshua. You could have given me clothes and made this all a lot easier."

"Yep, I could have boss. But since I don't know which drawers in that thing hold Lady Ariele's things and which hold yours, I'd have to go through them all. And I figured that you would like that even less." Jeshua explains but he's dead serious.

Grey relaxes a bit. "You made a good call on that one. You are fine officer material."

"Thank you. Since you don't generally compliment people I take great pride in that." Jeshua is very pleased. But when the announcement is made at roll call today he knows that many will not approve.

"Commander Taren dropped by earlier. He said that the general inspection is set for about an hour after breakfast. Which means that I had better hurry and eat." Jeshua says and starts for the door.

"Stay captain and eat with us." Ari's invite has Jeshua stopped in his tracks. "That is right, isn't it? You're a captain now right?" Ari is afraid that she messed up.

"No, love he skipped right over captain and made sub-commander. Which means he ranks all other officers except Taren. And boy won't there be howls about that." Grey says with a dark twinkle in his eye.

"Yeah, thanks for that." But Jeshua doesn't really mean it. He's worked hard for this position and just never thought he'd ever get it.

"Okay, sub-commander, stay and eat with us. Alexis you eat with us too." Ari says trying to make this more like a family meal.

But Alexis is horrified. "Oh, no ma'am I can't. I've eaten a little something earlier. It isn't right for me to sit at table with you."

Grey squeezes Ari's knee. Ari sighs, "Sorry, I told you I've never had a maid before. I didn't mean to make you so upset."

Alexis bobs a curtsy and starts serving them. Ari only takes a little and Grey frowns so Ari takes more and sighs.

"I'm not very hungry Grey." Ari complains. She doesn't like wasting food.

"Just try to eat. You've eaten less than anyone in the castle and I'm including the prisoners in that." Grey doesn't like how thin she's getting.

Ari does try and ends up eating more than she thought she would but there is still food left on her plate when she couldn't eat another bite. She sits quietly listening as Grey and Jeshua make plans.

"I want you up on the dais with Taren and me. We'll have the guards come up and shake her hand and while they do that we'll do the inspection. It's unorthodox but it will allow Ari the chance she needs to find the ones we can trust." Grey was saying to Jeshua.

"That's all well and good Grey but how will you know what I'm seeing? Unless of course you want me to say it out loud?" She's not looking forward to seeing into the minds of a bunch of soldiers.

"If they are clean or at least not corrupted nod your head or pat his hand. If he isn't trustworthy you won't need to do anything. Try to keep your face clear of your thoughts if you can." Grey says and sees her patient looks.

"Right, you know how to hide your thoughts better than anybody I know." Grey mutters to himself. It would be easier with his wife if he could read her like she reads him.