[h2]Aden[/h2]

Aden might not have not been able to find out the fate of his friends and comrades at the moment. But Zoe’s admission that there would be a least somewhere did at least give him a measure of hope. 

Then Zoe’s next chosen topic struck him. 

“Guard important people me…. Me?” An actual laugh. His dark eyes meeting hers with mirth in his. “Can you imagine me guarding a general? Or royalty?”

He took a breath. Leaning over the distance between them. 

“Why? Do you head up the Honor Guard or something of that sort.” He took another drag of his cigarette and gave a friendly wiggle of the cigarette. “Father work in the court and have the king’s ear?” 

Another drag of the cigarette. 

“But I guess I would do anything to help the war effort. If guarding some snobby noble or officer in the rear is how they want me to help; then I’ll do it.” He waggled his wounded arm. “Besides less chance of catching bullets I guess; right.” 

He paused, shaking the ashes in the tray of Zoe's now abandoned cigarette. 

"I'm sure the Empire will last a week. Three weeks at the least." A sad smile on his face. "Long enough for my next assignment. Whether that be the meat grinder or guarding some stuck up member of the royalty... No offense to present company of course." 

[@Dyelli Beybi]