soldier_blade | world hopping: locked to [personal profile] athelstanthescribe

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world hopping: locked to [personal profile] athelstanthescribe

Outside Sonya's door, the Georgian summer heat would've struck them both in the face, as she said. The summer heat would've gone on until late October, and certainly would've been different than either Denmark, England or even millliways. A look up showed that the humidity was close to bringing in rain: sonya didn't think it would make the heat any better.

"This way." The buildings around them were basic, three-story and red brick. The barracks were nothing if not utilitarian, but they were nothing to look at unless they were home. Everywhere one looked, there were people in various army dress and the occasional civilian. Sonya deliberately put him as military though because only family of personnel or civilian occupations were allowed on base outside of Sunday, and blending in was easier than asking questions.

Every so often an enlisted would salute them. Sonya returned the gesture as they headed to her jeep. The bar itself was just some blocks away from the area, but she didn't want to put him through the strain.

"Inside,' She opened the door for him. "Normally it's within walking distances, better safe than sorry." Also, air-conditioning.

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"He's a good man", Athelstan says, watching him go before he turns back to Sonya.

"He is." She started on her fries. "He saw through my devotion to the army and helped me work through my brother's death."

"This is just a good place to talk, in general."

"He's been a kind of second father to you, it seems?"

He follows her lead, finishing his burger.

Sonya thought of Cadfael and how he often felt like a sort of dad to her. "Something like that, or a sort of uncle. I know there are a number he considers his kids, especially if they keep in touch with him after completing basic."

She looked around a moment. Their booth wasn't exactly in a crowded part of the bar, but she still didn't want anyone to overhear.

"Word has it that he and his wife wanted a lot of kids, but sometime after they had Andrea, she developed cancer and the surgery left her unable to have anymore. Make matters worse, the cancer spread and treatment wasn't enough."

She left the rest unsaid, though he would've been able to get the rest. "This bar's their retirement plan, why he works so hard at it-and keeps his recipes under lock and key."

A flash of sadness crosses his face for Charlie's sake.

"Then Andrea and this place are all he has."

"And us..those he has pictures of." She smiled, memories of this place making her tear up a little. "I'm not lying either. He's said on numerous occasions he plans to haunt this place just to make sure we stay inline."

There couldn't be anything stronger then that. Sonya didn't used to believe in ghosts..now, she had a strange feeling such would be the case when his time came.

Athelstan laughs quietly.

"I wouldn't doubt for a moment he can manage it."

"We're to keep a stool of his on reserve, the far end one by the kitchen. Good lookout spot where he can keep an eye on things."

The thought of Charlie passing away was a bitter one, but for once..Sonya could only smile about it. There was something about having reminders..souviners..that appealed to her as a soldier. "And his ghost will cause the jukebox to just play oldies so as to get on people's nerves."

"And move glasses around if things aren't as tidy as he'd like."

"Or just wanting to let others know he's around." she laughed at the image. "Either explanation would work for him."

Charlie wasn't a violent person, but she knew from his drill sergeant days that he could get a rise out of someone if he meant to.

The server and asked if they needed anything else: Sonya asked for the check.

Athelstan nods, having eaten his fill, and thanks the server.

"So where to next?"

"How'd you feel about going on a drive?" She'd been considering since they'd first gone in the car. "The weather's not the greatest, so I can't say much on views, but it's an army base so there's plenty of open rode to drive around and not worry about traffic."

She checked the time on her watch. "We have up to an hour before I need to get on with drills."

A drive wouldn't take that long, but better to tell him now just for a sense of time.

"I'm used to overcast weather", he assures her. "And I'd like to see the country you call home."

"I can show you some of the area around the base. The rest of the country is too far and varied to travel in one day, even in these times."

When the check arrived, she set the cash on the table along with extra for the tip. "Let's go."

He reaches for his crutches and slowly gets up.

"I'm at your disposal."

She stands by incase he needs assistance walking outside. Leaving, she turns to wave bye to Andrea before heading out the door to the jeep.

Much as she knew Athelstan was capalable of opening the door for himself, she still helped him inside before going into the drivers seat herself.

He appreciates it, since his hands still aren't fully healed, and settles comfortably into the passenger seat.

Starting the ignition, Sonya rolled the jeep out of the parking lot and onto the road towards the entrance of the base. Farther onward, the signs of visible security from gates and watch towers could be seen. For all most army bases resembled small towns, they were first and foremost military in nature.

Driving by the gate, she stopped the car and waved to the guard standing by. He nodded and left their view, the gates opening a moment later.

Leaving the base, she finally turned to face him. "Feel like some music?"

Athelstan nods eagerly. "What music do you have?"

In the back of the jeep, Sonya had a collection of cassettes for the road, but habit had her trying the radio stations first. This far out it was mostly a lot of country and christian music stations, but once and awhile there was a gem.

"At the moment, depends on what's playing on the radio." Still eyeing the road, she reached for the knob to turn on the radio, frowning to herself as she turned stations. The bits of song and talk were indeed a lot of country music and gospel, and while she enjoyed country music when younger, now the rougher tunes appealed to her more.

Her hand stopped when she came to the familiar few notes of a song, smiling and instantly switching back to the right station and lowering the volume a little. At night she preferred 20s vocals and jazz, but during the day it was alternative and heavy metal.

"There we go.. 'enter sandman'. Song's a few years old, but I still like it."

"He has a pleasant voice", Athelstan decides, "even if I've never heard this style before."

"Heavy metal, modern to you, but it's been around for twenty years to me." Metal in some form or another.

Driving along, she was vaguely aware that her fingers were tapping along to the music even as she drove. Strangely enough the music seemed to fit along with the weather.

His remark made her smile. First Olivier and Ozzy Osbourne, now Athelstan and Metallica-she wasn't sure if she should feel proud or evil. "I once let Olivier listen to one of my Ozzy Osbourne albums-80s heavymetal, he liked it too."

She suddenly had the image of the two of them headbanging-he had the hair atleast.

"Does he write the songs himself?" he asks. "Or does some other person do that?"

"Pretty sure he's the one that writes them. Him or one of the other bandmembers." She hadn't read an album cover in a long time.

"Some music groups in do have others write music for them, I know that much. Hard to say which though."

She wondered how she could get some of her newer albums onto the ipod.

Athelstan nods. "Well, I think people from any time and place would have gladly listened to him sing."

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