Two Princes In Panama

Chapter 24: Bernardo

"Where my people go, I follow. Leadership starts from the ground floor and there is no better floor than the battlefield. The people should see their leaders in action so they have a framework of what I expect when I can't be there. Also, I'm pretty good at protecting myself. Combat is where I feel at home." He rolled his eyes at me, "You can lead from a command center." I smiled seeing how nervous he looked, "Are you scared for your husband?"

"Now is not the time for smugness," he said, a hand raised in the air. "You're going to end up getting yourself killed out there when you could remain safe."

"I have faced bigger threats and worse odds. Trust me when I tell you I will come home safe and sound to you, baby. I've lived to tell the tale of fighting the crowned prince of Asia I doubt I will even remember this battle when I'm old and gray," I tried to reassure him but he wasn't hearing it. "Anything can happen," he said with deep sadness as he looked towards his feet.

"Look, Myles, I have to go, I know you don't agree with me on this but I am going to kill them. I have to do what I know is best for this nation. Acts like this are what it takes to be a king. I know that you have your side of this kingdom and I know I am not qualified to do what you do because I just don't know that side of ruling the nation. So when I say this, know that I mean it with the utmost level of respect, I know what is best in this kind of situation, so follow my lead on this without trying to talk me out of it. I don't pretend to know what is best for the common folk's daily lives, so please don't jump into this side of ruling when you just don't have the experience," I stated.

He stared at me hard, and I waited for his reaction. I wasn't sure if I pushed back too hard or not, but really didn't want to do what he wanted just to stay on his good side. That was not how I wanted a relationship to work, we had to be real with one another. "I won't argue with you anymore about this, it's not like anything I am going to say is going to change your mind since it already made up obviously."

Restraining myself from pulling him to me as he walked into the room."Don't do that," I said. He looked up at me and asked, "What?" I couldn't lie to way his face went calm made me upset when he said those words. "Don't give up on me like that, I am trying to do what I know is the right thing for everyone and I'm sticking to it. I feel you are trying to make this into a personal attack when that's the opposite of what this is," I said.

He seemed to loosen as he heard what I was saying. I had never felt so vulnerable with a person. "Dont think I am giving up on you, or us. I need a moment to calm myself because I don't want this to turn into an argument, so please let me do that." I took a deep breath and nodded at him as he walked to the bedroom and burrowed in the covers.

Making my way to the closet and rid myself of my civilian clothes and reached for the dresser where my field clothes lay folded in crisp squares. I started with my compression underwear. I pulled them up and felt the smart fabric harden along my thighs and loosen where I needed more room. Next were the socks that had the same technology, followed by the matching undershirt. After I put all of that on, I took a glance at the black uniform shirt and pants that provided a delightful contrast to the underclothes that were charcoal colored and pulled it over my arms. Lastly, I strapped up my boots and left out of the closet, through the bathroom and into our bedroom.

"Myles, I'm about to head out are you going to be okay," I said to the lump under the covers. "Ok, I will be just fine here on my own," he responded with no visible movements. "Baby boy, are you really mad at me. This is really the last thing that I want to do to you, but I can't let not wanting to disappoint you cloud all my judgments. I have a responsibility to the same people you work to please," I said as I walked over to where he was laying down and pulled the covers from over his head and looked at his face. He used his hands to cover his face from my view.

"Speak to me," I asked as I placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him gently. I was being very careful not to do anything that he would feel as physically aggressive. I knew that if he felt that way even in the slightest that he would shut down on me forever. "What is there to say? What more do you want from me? I said how I feel about the situation and you did as well," he shot back.

"I don't know. Actually, I know what I want to hear you say. I want you to tell me we'll have a serious talk when I get back home. We are going to talk about how we can make things flow better when we face similar important decisions that we disagree on. I want you to tell me to be safe. Maybe that you'll miss me."

"Okay," he said, looking at me. "We will define our roles when you get back, because we are currently running our nation separate ways and that needs to stop. You already know to be safe, and yes, I will miss you for some stupid reason," he said before turning over so he wasn't looking in my direction. With a smile, I kissed the side of his face and left the room, knowing the conversation would resume when I got home.

Making my way downstairs, Mileta and Alejandro were standing at the door wearing the same clothes that I was wearing. "Sir, are you ready to go," they asked. "Yes, who is staying here with Myles," I asked, not wanting him to be here alone. "We position five guards in strategic positions as we speak," Mileta answered quickly. "Okay, let's make this happen," I said, ready to put an end to this chapter in my life.