Unusual Love ║ Warhammer Harlequin And Guardsman Fanfic

Part 7: Secret Actions

Jandrie had just gotten done handing out a couple of fruits to a few juvies who had been hanging back and tending to the wounded. They enthusiastically took them. The introduction of just a few fruits had drastically improved moral.

The next day Jandrie emptied out most of his pouches and his backpack. He met Gavin by the brake in the line.

"You gonna be alright over there Jan?" 

"Yeah, I'll be perfectly fine. No need to worry."

Suddenly there was another presence. A sister of battle. Her helmet obscuring her face. 

"Guardsmen." She said flatly with an inflection that sent a spine-chilling sensation rushing up Jandrie and Gavins bodies. She was a short woman. Even with her armor she only stood about 5'2. "Do you have anything to report from this section?"

"No sister. We've been holding this portion with no resistance." Jandrie said snapping to attention. 

"Good. Keep me informed." She said as she turned and walked away.

After a while Jandrie and Gavin decided that the coast was clear. Jandrie once more got low and began the long crawl to the grove. Meanwhile Celakra was walking with the groves exarch while he tended to the trees. Celakra had to respect the old man's dedication to his craft. Watching him work he had obviously been perfecting his craft for many centuries. Whenever he would look away, she would reach up and pick some fruit. It was nice to have Vinask off her back for the moment. Other than the exarch she was the only one in the grove. She had been hoping though for a certain interloper to make an appearance. She had had fun toying with him the other day. 

She walked down a few rows looking up and down as she passed them. She jumped and grabbed one of the branches and muscled up to sit on it. The exarch passed under her.

"Looking for anything in particular young one?" He said looking up at her.

"No, just making sure your safe." She said back down to him. He had kind eyes that seemed to be infinite. She surveyed the area. A small bit of movement caught her eye. She lightly crept across from branch to branch over to where she had seen the movement. To her delight there was a familiar guardsman picking fruit off the trees and placing them in his bag. She leaned on tree.

"Planning on stealing the entire grove?" She asked playfully. Jandrie jumped a little and spun on his heals in surprise. 

"Not this time. Just whatever I can carry." He said. Celakra jumped down from her vantage point and dropped a fruit into his bag. 

"Then take the ones from higher up. They're sweeter." She told him truthfully. Jandrie at that put his hand on his head flatly then raised it so that it was at about her height. She laughed and looked away. "I guess I could help you out." She said with an exaggerated tired but playful tone. Jandrie looked up at her. Her face a shining beacon of warmth silhouetted by the canopy of leaves behind her. She wasn't at all what he had been told Xenos were like.