Twilight's Last Gleaming - Chapter 8

So things have been pretty crazy lately. I drove my dad to the hospital yesterday so that he could have a procedure done on his leg, and I picked him up later in the day. He's doing well so far so I'm not worried at the moment, and you shouldn't worry either. However, I definitely know what it's like when someone you love has health issues, as many of us do. My dad has an old leg injury, which gives him a lot of pain. Sometimes it's hard seeing him hurting so much. So during this chapter and the next I am pouring out my heart and soul. I'm sorry for getting a bit deep there and talking about my personal life, but I figure some of you will relate to my story and to this chapter and the next, you know? Lots of people have health issues after all, this isn't some unique thing. These feelings are ones that almost everyone will experience at one point or another, it's just a matter of when.

It was approximately one week prior to Arthur's visit to the American camp. It was morning, and the sunlight was streaming in through Arthur's bedroom window in golden beams, casting shapes on the oak floor. Arthur was curled up in a ball under his blankets, with only his nightcap sticking out. Arthur grumbled sleepily as the light woke him. Slowly he opened his eyes. Yawning, he rolled over, and was about to go back to sleep, until he saw something that caught his eye. Arthur was surprised to see a wax sealed envelope on his desk. That's a bit strange, he thought. Perhaps Quincy snuck in while I was asleep and dropped it off. Arthur rose out of bed and stretched, before making his way over to the desk. His eyes widened when he saw who the letter was from. Surprisingly, the letter was from Alfred's colonel. Arthur was even more confused now. He snatched it up and quickly peeled off the red wax.

Dear general Arthur,

Alfred is not well. His leg is suffering from a malady caused by the lead bullet. We have removed some more fragments from the bullet, which had previously gone unnoticed. We hope that soon he will be feeling back to normal. However, for now he suffers pains of the stomach and head, and seems to be confused. Many soldiers who suffer the lead poisoning have maladies of the head, just as Alfred has now.

I never thought I would be writing you, considering that our nations aren't on good terms, but for some reason beyond explanation, Alfred seems to wish for you to be present. Perhaps the lead is talking. You may visit if you wish, but it will be a supervised visit. Maybe you can get him to stop whining. Lately he has been asking over and over again during his fits where you are. Needless to say, no one around is sleeping well lately, as he has his fits at all hours of night and day. He also has mentioned something about a treaty. If you and Alfred plan to sign a treaty, we can also discuss that during the visit.

Respectfully,

Colonel Hughes

Arthur's brows knit together in concern as he contemplated what the letter said. He set the letter back down, walked back over to the bed, and put his head in his hands. He sighed, and breathed deeply in and out a few times, feeling a bit stressed out. Arthur felt that he was partially responsible since it was the war which had caused Alfred's injury. If the war had never even happened, surely Alfred would be healthy right now. I have to make up for this, by taking care of him, he thought to himself, standing up suddenly and going to his wardrobe to start packing. I'm coming for you Alfred, don't worry.

Arthur arrived at the American camp by mid-day, at around 2 o'clock. The camp looked much different during the day. The place was swarming with soldiers. Arthur observed dirty, beaten-down looking men hanging around cooking fires, cleaning muskets, washing clothes, and eating. All of them stared at him as he approached the camp. Some men even opened the flaps of their tents and poked their heads out to see what the fuss was all about. Then Arthur recognized a tall, lanky man with a full beard, stern expression, and aged white hair to be Alfred's colonel. The man was walking towards him as Arthur sat atop of Marzipan. Arthur dismounted, and walked towards Colonel Hughes.

"Hello general Arthur", the man said coldly, keeping a stoic face.

"Hello colonel Hughes, it's a pleasure meeting you", Arthur replied, in a polite, but not entirely sincere matter.

"Let's get right to the point, are you going to sign a treaty with Alfred?"

"Yes sir, we will as soon as Alfred is well."

"And what inspired you to end the war pray tell?

"Just a change of what I deemed important. It's a bit of a long story, but I guess you could say that we're both tired of fighting and wish to come to peace."

Colonel Hughes nodded.

"Do you have any weapons on you?"

"No sir, I do not". Arthur said. "You may search me if you wish."

"Already ahead of you on that one", replied the tall, bearded man. His eyes, surrounded by wrinkles, watched Arthur intensely and observed him as his men patted Arthur down and searched his saddlebag. Once they were confident that Arthur was unarmed, Colonel Hughes spoke yet again.

"Follow me, we will tie up your horse, then I will lead you to Alfred."

Arthur followed the man, and walked through the sea of men, who were very curious as to what was going on. Arthur felt hundreds of eyes fixated on him, watching his every move as he tied up Marzipan. Finally, the colonel led Arthur to Alfred's tent.

"I apologize in advance sir. He's not very agreeable at the moment."

Arthur lifted the flap slowly as he prepared himself mentally for the worst. Colonel Hughes followed him inside, and stood nearby. There, sitting on the bearskins in his pale blue nightgown was Alfred. He was not sleeping as he was last time. Instead, he was quietly reading a book. Arthur had been expecting to see something much worse. Alfred looked up and as soon as he met Arthur's eyes he dropped the book and got a huge, goofy grin on his face.

"ARTIE!" exclaimed Alfred, as he started to get out of bed. His doctor, who was standing near his bed immediately grabbed him and made him sit back down. "I am so glad you came!"

The doctor and the colonel exchanged looks of confusion, seeing how happy Alfred was.

Arthur smiled sweetly and walked over to Alfred's bed, all the while maintaining eye contact. He sat next to Alfred on the bed, just like he had a week ago. Alfred quickly hugged him and Arthur wheezed as Alfred embraced him a little too enthusiastically.

"Umm...Alfred...ughhh can you...be a little more...gentle...ughhh."

Alfred loosened him grip.

"I'm sorry Arthur, I'm just so excited! Hey guys, can you leave us alone for a minute or so?"

The doctor and the colonel shared another look, and hesitantly, colonel Hughes replied.

"As you wish sir. We will be right outside the tent should you need us."

The two left, and Alfred smiled. Arthur sat back and withdrew from the embrace.

"Artie, I'm so glad you're here. I want to talk about some things. I was getting really tired of fighting, and when you said that you wanted to sign a treaty I was relieved. I never expected you of all people to give up on something like that."

"You don't know me as well as you think you do."

Alfred's blue eyes widened, and sparkled with curiosity. Damn, we're so close. I want to...I want to kiss him, Arthur thought. His lips look so soft...

"Look, Alfred, I don't talk much about my feelings so you don't know what I went through. You don't know how our fighting, how your Declaration of Independence, and how the war affected me. I was...a mess to be honest."

"This whole time?"

Arthur nodded and looked sadly at Alfred.

"First I was depressed, then it turned into anger and I just ruined EVERYTHING. I was so selfish, I ended lives for crying out loud. All because I was too proud to give up and suck up my pride. I'm such a jerk. Alfred...I lost sight of what was important..."

Arthur trailed off as he struggled to form the rest of the words. His eyes closed shut tightly, as a burning sensation formed inside of him from trying not to cry. However, Alfred understood perfectly. You are what's most important, is what Arthur had wanted to say.

"I behaved the same way didn't I? So that means we're equal."

"No! I hurt you too! Look at your leg..."

"It's healing."

"The men say you are doing poorly."

Alfred shrugged and replied, "I have good and bad days. And I'm not actually going mad like they seem to think. The poisoning isn't that bad. They just think I've gone crazy since I want you here."

"Well I am NEVER, EVER going to hurt you again", Arthur said, looking up into Alfred's eyes with sincerity and love for the other man. Alfred's cheeks flushed pink, and his mouth parted slightly as he looked down at Arthur, who was sitting next to him on the bearskins in his everyday green uniform. Alfred smiled. Then unexpectedly, he doubled over in pain, clutching his stomach and falling down onto the bed face first. He moaned loudly as his face contorted in pain.

Arthur froze in shock, not knowing what to do at first. He snapped out of it soon though, and ran out of the tent.

"Help! It's Alfred! I think he's having one of those fits!"