The Silent Orchestra

11

The walk back to the soldier's camp was uneventful. Roger had led Alex to the campsite, and had talked the other soldiers into letting Alex join the military. Still dressed in their red coats and trousers, all of the soldiers were clustered around a campfire, some gnawing on roasted meat or hardtack biscuits.
After changing into her uniform, Alex joined Roger next to the fire. He was almost silently eating a piece of the meat. Alex reached for one of the biscuits, but stopped as she felt a hand on her shoulder.
She turned around to see one of the soldiers, this one dressed slightly different from the rest. He had dark, smooth hair that stuck out beneath the bearskin cap. Unlike the rest of the legion, his coat was a shade of cornflower blue. His skin was lightly tanned and his fingers were elegant and pointed.
"So, you're the new recruit", he spoke in a gruff and monotonous voice.
"I see that Carneigh brought you." Alex looked back at Roger, who nodded briefly. She turned back to the man, most likely the general.
"You're Alex, right?"
She nodded as the general kneeled down beside her.
His voice was reduced to a whisper as more words spilled from his slender lips.
"We've heard about you. Sometimes, Carneigh sometimes says your name as he tries to sleep. We worry about him, Alex. He's a very strange man."
Alex nodded.
"Every single night, he would eat little or none at all. We worry he may be ill. He seems to be rather close to you. Perhaps you know what's wrong with him?"
Alex gazed at the man and nodded.
"He's nervous.", she stated quickly.
The general nodded, pleased that someone had understood what plagued the soldier. He stood up again, glancing over at a fair skinned man who seemed to be excited over something.
"General Rowan! Roger is actually eating!"
The general nodded, then shifted to Roger, who had just ripped the last bit of meat from the bone. He tossed the scraps to the side and sighed happily, patting his stomach in delight. He then stood up and shuffled to his bedroll, lying down on it and closing his eyes.
The general nodded in satisfaction. Perhaps it was the new recruit that had cured him of his nervousness. But whatever, whoever it was-- It seemed to be working. For the first time since he joined the legion, Carneigh fell asleep without any troubles doing so.