Weakness

Chapter 19 Truth Stained Lies

"The Truth."

Ace entered the tent remaining by the door. "Pan!" She called out and he appeared instantaneously.
"Ace, your awake." He replied relief in his voice as he looked her over. Then his eyes hardened, "what was that? Who was trying to find you?"
"The king of Spades." Ace answered in complete honesty making pans head whip towards her.
"Why is he looking for you?" Pan demanded eyes darkening as he towered over her.
"The man who took me. Is one of his Lords. He had the king of Spades brand me so I couldn't run away." She let the pain of her reality flood her voice so he could not pick up on the little lies embedded in it. Pan looked at her pity marred his features making Ace want to scoff. She hated pity. Pan nodded.
"Well I blocked it. So he can't find you here." Pan replied something about what she said seemed off though most of it was genuine, yet there was something wrong with what she said. There was a lie. He could feel it, but why would she lie to him?
"Pan!" Slightly yelled running into Pan's tent interrupting the two, "Ace is..." the boy trailed off as his eyes landed on the red head. Looking at him with wide eyes.
"Awake. I know." Pan filled in waving his hand at the girl. He walks over to a wooden desk sitting behind it, "everyone likes disobeying the rules." He mumbled as he went back to flipping through one of his books, "now booth of you leave before I figure out a clever way to punish you for coming into my tent without permission." Slightly wanted to point out he did technically have permission, but thought better of it, not wanting to get in trouble. Ace on the other hand had no problem calling Pan out And was about to do so if Slightly hadn't of grabbed her wrist and dragged her out of the tent.
"I need to talk to you." He hissed in her ear as he lead her towards the medical tent. She let him lead her as he let go of her by the bed before making sure the flap was shut securely and poked his head in every nook and cranny to make sure nobody was in there. Before he sat down on a chair. Ace copied his movements on the bed she realized was the same one she woke up in when she first came here.
"What's your story?" Slightly asked, Ace went to open her mouth before slightly interrupted, "the truth." She glared at him. Closing her mouth.
"About what?" Ace questioned.
"Your back story? How did you wind up in Neverland? because I'm pretty sure you lied about that. How did you know my father?" He raddled off.
"Which question do you want to know because they all are long stories." Ace spoke up and this time it was Slightly's turn to glare.
"Ace." He whined making said girl roll her eyes.
"I met your father when I was on a mission." Ace started getting Slightly's attention, "there was a warlord in the kingdom that the King wanted gone. I had tracked him to the northern villages when I came across yours. There was a fight your father happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and I ended up taking an arrow for him. I eliminated my targets, but by that time I had lost too much blood. If your father hadn't taken me home patched me up... I don't like to think about it." Ace trailed off loooking at Slightly's face, "he had to take off my cloak and shirt in order to remove the arrow. He saw my scars, all of them. When he noticed the one on my arm he figured that's how we marked our ranks sense he already knew who I was." Ace let a smile play in her face as she remembered the kind man who had taken such a risk to save her, "we met you know." She stated lightly almost a whisper, "you were young I'm not surprised you don't remember me." She smiled sadly at Slightly as the boy had glossy eyes thinking of the family he had lost, "I truly am sorry Slightly. He was a good man. When I heard he had been drafted I had to pull a few strings to get placed in the regiment he was in. I was only able to stay for a few days. The Ogres attacked a castle South so I had to keep moving, but when I spoke to him. Is when he gave me the letter. He told me if anything were to happen to him. To give it to you. When word got to me he had died and they sent his body home. I was on the front lines. I couldn't leave. So by the time I made it to your village your mother was dead and you had disappeared. I thought I had failed your father, but I couldn't bring myself to destroy the letter. So I held onto it, and now I'm glad I did." Ace finished smiling sadly at the son of her old friend. Slightly smiled back as he held the folded up letter in his hands delicately.
"Thank you Ace." He finally spoke up looking the girl in the eyes. His warm chocolate colored ones filling with tears, "for brining a piece of him back to me." He finished and he could see Ace's eyes turn a bit glossy with the unshed tears, "It talks about you, ya know." Slightly said sniffling and wiping his eyes. Desperately trying to reign in his emotions.
"Really?" Ace asked curiously.
"Yeah, he says I can trust you and only you." Slightly explained making Ace smile. She was glad her friend trusted her with his son.
"Now how did you really come to, Neverland?" Slightly asked changing the subject making Ace chuckle.
"In my defense, I didn't lie too much." She said raising her hands in an I surrender motion. Causing the boy to raise an eyebrow.
"I was on a mission. I had eliminated my target, but I didn't realize he had a daughter. The poor little girl came running out of her hiding spot to find her father's body." Ace began her face grim, "sometimes I hate my job." She mumbled so low Slightly questioned whether he was meant to hear it, "I couldn't watch the little girl mourn her father so I turned around to retrieve one of my daggers when I turned back around the little girl stabbed me with the dagger that used to be in her father's head." Ace explained making Slightly's eyes widened.
"The rest of it you already know. I was bleeding. I ran. I accidentally said I believe and that's how I got here." Slightly listened intently to her story.
"Alright how did you become the Ace of Spades?" Slightly interrogated.
"That's a story for another time." Ace interrupted not wanting to talk about herself anymore. She wasn't sure how much she wanted to tell him. Slightly nodded suspiciously. His curiosity wasn't quite quenched but he was willing to let it go for now. And he was lucky he did as the tent flipped open revealing Rufio. His mop of black hair was sticking up and a relieved smile was on his face as he looked at the red headed girl.
"I saved you some food." Rufio said as he came to sit next to Ace. Handing her the food. She toke it with a greatful smile as she began to eat saying a Small thank you. She began to eat and a comfortable silence fell over the three, "You scarred us" Rufio spoke up causing Ace to look at him. She smiled gently at him.
"Awe, you do care." She finished making Rufio shake his head in amusement, "Rufio?" Ace asked seriously making the boy sober at her seriousness, "you mustn't tell anyone about my scars. Please." It was supposed to be a demand, but it came out more like a plea. Rufio nodded. He understood she didn't want others to know. She didn't want them to pity her.
"You don't have to be ashamed of them." Rufio spoke up making Ace look at him curiously, "I won't tell, but you don't need to hide them. We were all lost for a reason. Some of these boys have their own collection of scars." He finished a sad smile on his face. Ace looked at him and she could see the hidden meaning in his words. He had his own collection of scars. She placed her plate down and pulled the boy into a hug. She blinked her eyes to get rid of the tears. She had never had someone say that. She had never felt like she could show emotion or talk to someone who may understand even a little bit about what she went through. Her sisters would understand, but she was supposed to be their leader, their rock, she couldn't show them her weakness. She couldn't show them just how much what she had gone through effected her. She felt another pair of arms rap around her back. She turne a little seeing the familiar golden hair of Slightly. She twisted in Rufio's hold so she could rap an arm around Slightly as well and for the first time in a very long time Ace let the tears fall from her eyes. She didn't try to stop them. She tucked her head into Rufio's shoulder and silently cried letting the two boys hold comfort her.

After a few moments she toke deep breaths calming herself down as she pulled away wiping her eyes.
"Sorry." She whispered softly as she looked at the two boys that had become as close as brothers to her.
"Its alright." Slightly spoke up for the both of them. Ace smiled as she pulled away wiping all evidence she had been crying from her face. She stood up and walked towards the tent flap.
"Thank you for this." She said as she looked back at each of the boys, "but it's been a long day. I think I'm going to head to bed." She smiled at the boys one last time hearing two goodnights echo behind her as she left. She smiled softly to herself as she walked out of the medical tent and to her own. She slipped through the flap and removed her shirt and pants. She unbound her breast rapping and placed a long baggy shirt on over head that came down to about her thigh before she crawled into bed under the covers and blew out the candle she had used to see to get dressed with. She curled up in the warm animal skin blankets and fell into the dark Abyss of sleep.

***
Ace awoke to her name being called sitting up straight in bed to look around. "Ace! Ace!" A little voice whispered wondering into her tent. "Yes?" Ace asked softly looking at the little boy in the opening flap. He rubbed his eyes but she could still see the tear stains on his cheeks. "What's wrong, Cole?" She asked getting out of bed and kneeling down in front of him.
"I had a nightmare, Ace." He whispered softly, She could tell he was having trouble holding back the tears.
"Would you like to come lay with me for a bit?" She asked looking him in the eyes. He nodded gently and She scooped him up and carried him to her bed setting him down gently. He curled into the blankets and She laid down next to him.
"Ace?" He whispered.
"Yes, Cole?" She responded
"Can you sing to me?" He whispered in a soft sad voice that sounded like he was going to cry.
"Of course." She whispered back and began a lullaby. "Just close your eyes the sun is going down. You'll be alright no one can hurt you now. Till morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound." By the time she finished the first chorus he had already fallen asleep. She smiled gently down at him, and pulled the covers up to his neck. Kissing his forehead before whispering, "Bonum nocte, parum frater." (Goodnight, little brother)

Author's Note:
Hello, everyone. I am so sorry it had taken me so long to post this. I've had this done for a while, but my summer was so crazy and going back to school with everything! I tore my ACL so with surgery on top of college. I just haven't had the time to update! I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Thank you for reading. Leave a comment!
-Becca