V08 - Chapter 84

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--- Fort Alnus ---

October 2nd, 2025


Early in the Sharpe is doing his morning run. Each morning when he is back on base, he has his morning workout routine. He enjoys working out in the morning, before the base comes alive and before the girls wake up.

It is a time he can think about recent events and plan for the future.

After doing a two-mile run around this American football field, she stops by the HUMVEE that he checked out for base use. Looking inside the passenger side, he sees Selina sitting there all button up in winter clothes, fast asleep.

When she started coming over to his place, she started to join him in his morning workouts. He understands that she just wants to share in his activities, the small amount of bonding time this war allows.

He opens the door and sees her wake up slightly.

"Hey kid, mind handing me my water?" He said, catching his breath.

Selina runs her eyes and yawns. After a short stretch, she looks at him. "Hmm? Oh ok." She said and the reaches over to grab his water bottle. Once she does that, she hands it to him.

He takes it and runs his hand over her light blue mitten beanie. She giggles and pushes his hand away. "Stop..."

He chuckles and then takes a drink. When he is done, he hands it back to her. "Alright, let me do another round and then breakfast breakfast."

"Yeah!" Selina said in a soft sleepy voice. "Can... can I invite Noriko? She has been wanting to say hi before you leave for Elies."

He thinks about it and nods his head. "Alright, I don't see why not. Text her if she is interested. I shall be back."

As he begins to run again, doing a final go, he thinks about Noriko and how they met. He considers what happened to Noriko as a personal failure on his part. Not stopping her from being taken, not being there to stop that. He is upset that he did not foresee that the Empire stole his people. That is his job to predict these things, that is what he trained for.

In hindsight, it was obvious that the Empire kidnap their people during their attack on Philadelphia. He saw an opportunity for peace back in Italica and tried to take it. But deep down inside, he thinks he knew what happen but just did not want to accept it. Seeing her in the Throne room, leased like someone pet put what this world represents into context.

He feels bad that she is pregnant. Being only sixteen, it is far too early to be a mother, especially a single mother. The worst part is that the child is the son or daughter of Prince Zorzal. He wonders how Princess Pina will handle that. He believes it will be best that she and her Rose Knights never find out. The child is an American child, not one of the Empire(1).

Out of all that, he is happy that Selina and Noriko have bonded together. It is unsettling they were able to bind because of a similar experience. He struggles to even imagine what if Selina was impregnated by these slaver rapists.

Still, he is happy they are friends. Their friendship has helped Selina break out of that shocked. While the healing process for her will take a long time, she truly has come to her own. He sees great things from her.


--- Apex Liberty ---


After he finished his morning workout, Sharpe, Selina, and Noriko went to Apex Liberty for their breakfast hour.

Sharpe sits there and watches Selina spread mayo on her hash browns. "Selina... I love and all, but I cannot approve what you are doing."

"I can do as I please! I think what you do is wrong," Selina said in a defiant tone.

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