Command Me To Be Well [Completed]

22 - The luckiest man

I spend a week there. The Gate feels like home. Much more than the Capital.

My dear fellow Council members can't leave me alone for an entire week, of course. They want me back immediately. I tell them to wait, because my presence is imperative here. I'm needed by no one else than the savior of this and that himself, without going into details regarding the nature of the diplomatic relations made, of course.

It's a lie, mostly. Not only the diplomatic part, but also the part where I'm needed for the greater good. Truth is, I nurse Master Auberon back to health in a day. Using some quite unorthodox methods, but still. I feel like a proper doctor now. Or a wonder-worker, rather. I succeeded where the professional medical team of the Gate failed.

I also promise the Council that if they can be patient, I might bring a surprise guest for them too, when I return. Someone to fill the empty chair in our chamber. It was left empty to remind us of the Council members who died in the war, out of respect. But also, out of confusion. Everyone knew who should be sitting there, but no one really knew how to deal with his absence.

As if he died, that was the common denominator. While everyone knew that he was alive, just terribly injured. But, again, no one knew how badly exactly, and no one dared to ask questions either.

I still don't know how I'm going to convince him, but I'm resolute enough to fill that chair soon.

Until then, we take huge walks around the Gate. He doesn't let me help him, of course. That wouldn't be him. I can't take his arm, because that would count as helping, so we walk side by side, as if the diplomatic bullshit I lied to the Council would be true, and as if we could politely keep our hands off of each other for more than a second when we're left alone.

"I walk at snail's pace," he says, for the tenth time today.

"Good," I answer, also for the tenth time today. "We have all the time in the world."

"How can you be so patient?" he grunts. "It's not like you."

"I'm too zen today to worry about such petty things as speed, baby."

"Zen."

He doesn't ask. That wouldn't be him either. He declares.

"Sir, yes, sir!" I grin. "It's such a beautiful day. I feel like in that archaic song. I'm walking on sunshine."

"I wonder why," he sighs, looking up to the heavily clouded sky.

"You finally allowed me to ride you in the old control room," I inform him. "It was on my bucket list. What's not to be happy about?"

He palms his face, snorting indignantly.

"I still can't believe that you were elected to be president. How could this happen?"

"I don't know, baby." I shrug. "I don't understand those fools either."

"You're so... improper. You're making fun of everything."

"And you're so right." I nod, spreading my hands. "Hey, why don't you just show them how it's done? And me. Properly, I mean. I bet you'd make a difference. The Council wouldn't be a pigpen anymore with you in it."

He stops in his tracks, staring at me.

"How long did you want to bring this up?" he asks.

"See, that's the problem with you." I grin. "You could be such a perfect bonehead, but you're too clever for it."

"I know you can't stay here forever," he sighs. "So the only way for me to be with you is to go with you."

I almost ask him if he would really leave his shelter just to be with me. But I don't dare to.