Winterfall

I walked the rest of the way to the castle with a few guards tailing me in the shadows. I went to the kitchen, sat down in my chair, and smiled at Roland.

"What in the hell happened to you?" he asked I had forgotten that my shirt was torn and a bit bloody.

"Fiends." I did not have the time to fully explain it to Roland. "I'm going to be busy here in a minute." I carefully leaned back in my chair and focused on Théoden. I needed to know what was going on, and I needed to know what happened to Jasper.

~ Theo's Point of View~

My heart pounded as my feet hit the stone path and I ran towards the row of houses in the middle ring. I rushed towards Jasper's home, recalling him coming off lunch with his wife, Juilete. I feared that if something happened to him, something may have happened to her as well.

But I couldn't think like that now. I had to try to get a hold of Jasper. "Jasper! I order you to REPORT!" I tried to remain calm as I sent the message, but I knew my voice spoke volumes. It was shaky and loud. I saw a few citizens look in my direction, and my voice rose two notches. Calm. I told Maria about that when it came to her and her emotions, and that is something I need to listen to now.

If something had happened to Jasper, it was on me. I had ordered him to step away from his wife and to walk Maria home. If something happened to that kid, it was on me, and I would never forgive myself for that. Jasper was a human. He was only in his mid-twenties had a lot of life still ahead of him. He was just getting his life started when he married Juilete last year.

"DAMN it, Jasper Silverstone, REPORT!" I tried to keep my cool as I sent the last message I could before reaching his house.

Arriving at his door, my speed did not slow; I did not think; I just acted. I kicked in the wooden door with ease. "Jasper?" I asked as I glanced around his home's main entrance.

His wife's scream may forever haunt me as it sent chills down my spine. I quickly peeked around the corner to see her reach for a blade Jasper had left for her. She swung at my face, and I was not quick enough to dodge the tip of the blade, which grazed my c.

"Get back!" she yelled. Damn, this woman knew a thing or two about self-defense.

"Juilete, it's me!" I shouted as I heard her swing the sword widely in my direction.

I heard the sound of the sword drop. "Theo? Damn you." She breathed. I peeked around the corner to ensure the weapon was dropped before I approached her fully. "What in the Hell is the matter with you?" She clutched her chest as she was tried to slow her breathing.

"I'm sorry." I stepped towards her cautiously. "Have you seen Jasper?"

"I. no. He just left about ten minutes ago." She was confused, as Jasper must have told her I sent him a message.

I ran my hand through my hair and looked back at the door, "I'll pay for that." I looked back at.er. "I'm sorry to startle you."

"Do you mind telling me why you gave me a heart attack?"

I froze momentarily, no idea how to word what I needed to tell her. "I…"

"Out with it, Theo." She snapped. The woman was pissed, but I didn’t blame her.

"This isn't easy." I watched her face shift from frightened to completely worried. "I haven't had contact with Jasper since I received his message ten minutes ago. I'm afraid something has happened."

She rested her hand on the wall as I watched her process what I just told her, "He always follows orders… if he has not answered…" Her eyes started to water as her hands began to shake. She knew Jasper just as well as I did. He valued his job, and worked his ass off day in and day out to make it to the Elite Group. "Please tell me something has not happened to him… we can't.." She whispered that last bit as she moved her hand to cover her stomach. "No… Theo, please tell me… I can't… it can't happen to us." She fell to her knees.

I froze. I could handle Maria's emotions and how to comfort her, but comforting another woman… I was almost lost. I walked over carefully to her, kneeling beside her, "I will find him. I will save him."

"You have to… please." She sobbed as she buried her face in my chest. "I can't raise our child alone."

A child! That was why she put her hand over her stomach. Jasper never told me he was expecting. Otherwise, I would have given him time off. Maybe he just didn’t want that. "I'll bring him home to you, I swear," I told her, giving her a brief hug before standing up. "I have to go find him. I can have Quinn sit with you while you wait." She nodded in agreement.

"Quinn, come to Jasper's house and sit with Juilete until you hear from me."

"Yes, Captain."

As I was leaving, I met Quinn outside the home and gave her a look. She understood this look well enough that she quickly moved into the home to comfort Juilete.

Knowing that Jasper was not at home, I utilized a locator spell to find his location within the city. He was thirty feet from the Incubus attack. Instead of sprinting back there, I used a few Draconic Step spells to get there quickly; they cut my travel time in half.

I should have been ready, but nothing could have prepared me for what I saw. My heart sank. There was blood everywhere. His body was ripped and shredded, making it almost impossible to identify. I knelt beside him and produced a quick burst of magic to determine if he was indeed dead. I hung my head low as my worst fear was confirmed: death.

He was dead because of me. I ordered him to follow Maria back to the castle; he would never disobey orders. I stared at his body longer than I should have. I knew I had to report back to his wife soon. A report I did not want to make. Damn it. This part of the job sucked horribly.

Bring him back. I heard Maria's voice chime in through the bond.

But we can't… The Council.

And who is going to be the Royal Head? I say bring him back. I mean it. Bring him back. I'll deal with the backlash.

Are you sure?

Yes. I know how much you care for Jasper. I care for him too. Bring him back.

Thank you, Maria.

I quickly produced the material components needed to bring back the dead. I just had to hope his soul would rejoin with his body. I figured he would return, knowing he had a kid on the way and loved his wife. I cast the spell without any hesitation.

A moment later, a soft breath escaped Jasper's lips as his wounds started to close, and his heart began to beat again. I sighed in relief as I watched his body heal. I gave him a further boost in healing to speed up the process.

He opened his eyes when I cast the second healing spell, "Captain? What happened?" He was dizzy but alive.

"You were hurt, but you are fine now. Let's get you back to Juilete." I lifted him carefully and carried him back home to his wife.

"Jasper?" His wife spoke softly as she saw the amount of gashes and blood that covered his clothes. She quickly moved over and hugged him carefully, afraid to squeeze him too tight. She looked back at me and nodded in recognition. She knew what I had to do to get him home.

Before I left the house, she stopped me and said, "You risked everything today. Thank you." She hugged me tightly and said, "Thank you for bringing him home."

"Make sure he rests for a week," I told his wife.

She nodded in agreement. "I'll make sure of it. Thank you again."

I nodded and left them be. I walked back to the street I found him on and stared at the blood-stained stone. He died because of me. I put him in harm's way. If I couldn't find his soul to bring him back, if his soul did not want to return to his body, I don't know what I would have done. I would have never forgiven myself for it. That's what I would have done.

I'll be home in ten minutes. Just give me a few minutes to collect myself, Maria. I wanted her out of my head. I wanted to be alone.

I felt her pull out without protesting. I'll talk when you’re ready.

~ Maria's Point of View~

I sighed heavily as I pulled out of his view. I felt terrible for Theo. His guard died because of an order he had given him. This was the part of the job I knew he hated; he hated death, but he learned to deal with it and cope.

"Is everything alright, Princess?"

I had almost forgotten I was sitting in the kitchen with Roland. I could only imagine my facial expressions as I watched the scene unfold. "Yeah, it is now."

He put his hand on my shoulder and stared at me, "Your face scared me. I had never seen you look like that. Well… once." The grief must have been written hard on my face.

"Sorry, Roland, for worrying you. It's alright," I said as I smiled at him.

His face twitched a bit. I don't think he believed me, but he must have seen I wasn't in the questioning mood. "Alright, I will continue with dinner." He went back to the oven, pulling out a few trays and checking to see if they were ready. "Is he coming to dinner at least?"

Theo walked in before I answered. His face was pained, something I had only seen a handful of times from him. "Let me look you over." He moved behind me and started to look over the wounds that I got in my first actual battle. "They’re healing. Good." He brushed his hands over the majority of where my wounds were located and gave me a boost of healing.

I smiled softly at him, "How…" I dared to finish the sentence, and I knew how he was.

"I'm fine." He stood against the counter and just stared. "Don't."

I nodded and dropped the subject. I knew he would talk to me when he was ready.

"Thank you." He remained staring blankly into space. "Training tonight will continue as normal."

"Are you sure?" I knew he had used a lot of strength today. I knew he was not up for it, but maybe he needed the distraction.

"Yes. I'll see you in an hour." He left the kitchen without eating.