Chapter 43 Summarized information
Ira's POV
Cool breeze blows against my shoulders, carrying along the smell of soap.
“The fuck, Cat! Turn the damn detergent into the water directly. Do you really have to dust it out into the wind?” Chloe scolds from her squatting position on the floor.
Catherine rolls her eyes, dusting the little bits in the sachet right over Chloe's head.
“Cat!”
“It's Catherine.” She says and I look up from the cloth I'm washing to find the smile I knew she'd have on her face.
“Why are you here again?” Chloe tilts her head, her face sour. "Shouldn't you be with team A?"
“Well Ira invited me to work with you guys and yes we are friends. Working isn't a crime so I can do as I please. Moreover, I'm helping a friend.”
Sia silently hands me a pile of black shirts and black pants. They’re heavy and smell just like their owner.
Even soaked in water I can almost feel Commander Ruel’s warmth. I shake my head at the unexpected thought, forcing my hands to remain steady.
“Catherine, you know, if you really want to help you can do so by actually working, not just standing there.” Sia says softly.
Almost as soft as Ruel's warm breath on my neck yesterday.
Goddess! What did I just think?
“I heard it,” Catherine says, squatting beside me, her hands reaching for Ruel's trouser.
I frown hating how my stomach twists in annoyance. It seems like… like I don't want her touching his clothes… like I don't want anyone touching his clothes and that's so weird because why would I be protective of his clothes?
“And what exactly did you hear?” Chloe scoffs, scrubbing the bed sheet in her hands harder.
“I heard everything that happened yesterday.” Catherine says, flipping her hair over her shoulder with a smug grin.
Sia rolls her eyes. “You didn’t hear everything because you weren't there. What you heard was gossip.”
“Gossip is summarized information, so yes I heard everything.” Catherine says proudly, leaning closer to me, her voice dropping to a lower whisper so the other ladies on duty don't hear.
“They say the Alpha King looked angry.” Catherine drops in a dramatic voice, her smile falling when she doesn't get her desired reaction from us.
“Of course he looked angry. He never smiles. That man looks like a he drinks the blood of his victims.” A woman nearby spits out, surprising us with her boldness.
“Bitch, we weren't talking to you.” Catherine hisses but the woman who looks to be in her late thirties abandons her clothes and turns to us.
“You do know even if you whisper we can still hear it right?” She says, folding her arms.
“Well yeah, but curtsey demands that you choose not to hear it.” Catherine shoots back.
The woman frowns dropping her arms. “Well I choose to hear it.”
I choke on a small laugh and Catherine sends me an unpleased stare.
“Let's just, ignore the bitch.” Catherine sighs, leaning even closer that our shoulders brush. “People said the alpha king's voice dropped so low the temperature within the room turned to ice.”
“Goddess, someone shut this idiot up.” Chloe complains.
“That’s an eaggeration,” Sia mutters, picking up another cloth.
Catherine ignores her. “And every warrior is talking about Sergeant Scarface’s betrayal.”
That gets our attention. Chloe's eyes furrow in confusion, Sia’s scrubbing grows slow, even the uninvited woman beside us leans her head backwards a tiny bit, just enough to hear clearer.
“And what did he do ?” Chloe asks.
“Ou! Are you… interested?” Catherine mocks flatly before clearing her throat and continuing.
“Sergeant Scarface has been ordered by the king to lead the next attack beside commander Ruel.” She informs, watching for my reaction but I simply frown in confusion.
Because I don't get it. “If the king ordered him to lead beside commander Ruel, does that not make the king the traitor?”
“Nah, the king won't put Scarface if he was following the order here at the base.” Catherine says.
Chloe shakes her head. “If anyone should lead beside commander Ruel, it should be Sergeant Elric, not Sergeant Scarface.”
Sia squeezes soap through the fabric in her hands. “Even if Sergeant Elric was appointed to lead beside the commander, that too would have been an insult. The commander must be furious.”
Her jaw stays tight. “Scarface doesn’t work with people. He works against them. He’s chaos in a human body.”
Catherine leans so close her shoulder bumps mine again. “And the King told them they have to work together.” She scoffs. “I believe we all know an angry commander spells doom for everyone of us.”
“Dear goddess,” Chloe breathes out, already sounding exhausted.
“What exactly did the King say?” I ask, keeping my voice neutral.
Catherine leans back, stretching her arms dramatically. “Oh, he gave the commander a second chance and told him to finish some mission before year end. With Scarface right beside him.” She glances around as if expecting a guard to burst in on us with a shout.
“It means the King does not trust the commander alone.” I whisper more to myself than anyone else.
“Or he wants to punish him quietly.” Catherine winks.
I shake my head, wondering where she gets the drama from. She's so energetic.
“They say the king spoke like he was disappointed in him. Like Commander Ruel is a child who keeps misbehaving. Will you believe the commander’s letters were never replied by the alpha king? Such incompetence.” she whispers so close to my ear that I literally feel the warmth from her breath.
“Why didn't he just punish him another way? Making a Sergeant operate at the same level with a commander is definitely not going to end well.” Sia says.
“Maybe the chaos is what the king wants. For now he has no dirt on the commander so perhaps he needs him to react and earn his dismissal.” Chloe says. “Manipulate bastard,” she mutters under her breath.
“When you say dismissal, what exactly do you mean? You think the king will really remove him from office?” I asks, looking at each of them in wait for a response.
“The king will do anything just to prove a point.” Chloe says, a deeper sadness in her voice.
Catherine sighs. “Scarface is bad news. He frowns too much. Fact is it’s always the frowning ones.”
Sia glances at her with an are-you-serious look.
A moment passes where only the squishing sounds of clothes getting scrubbed and the gentle splash of water fill the atmosphere.
The static rhythm helps my head relax under the hot sun.
Apply soap… scrub…then rinse.
I repeat them consistently, trying to silently sort out my raging thoughts. But my mind gets too loud.
“What do you think will happen now?” I ask.
Sia frowns. “We’ll possibly get stricter rules. More patrols… a lot more punishment. Don't worry, you'll be exempted from the stressful once since you are the commander's… personal servant.”
“I also heard Mae is going to be executed.” Catherine says and to my surprise, Chloe shrugs.
“She brought it on herself. Should never have taken a knife. And she actually stabbed Ira's pillow. She would have killed her if Ira was sleeping on the bed.”
“She deserves it.” Sia mumbles.
I inhale deeply. Even death doesn't feel weird to these people. What sort of he'll have they had to go through to feel so numb?