Waiting

"I have some hard news."

"Figures."

Jake took a deep breath and offered an attempt at a good-humored smile.  "They've grown impatient.  The Council has demanded his return and....moved the speech up from Friday."

I balked.  "To when?!?"

"Tomorrow."  His smile grew a little, and his eyes warmed just enough to grant small comfort.  "I think you should be the one to tell him."

I balked even more.  "Me?!?  Why me?!?  You're the Ambassador for North America!  I'm just some Second-Human hybrid..."  I sighed as letters from Nicks flashed in my mind.  "...who was appointed as his personal guardian by his father, the king."

Jake's smile was a big, silent, "Yup.  Exactly."

He had a few more requests in preparation for this momentous occasion, and after running stats through my head, I sighed.  "Screw it.  Why not.  I'm financially effed anyways, what's one more day?"

"And that's why you're so awesome."  He grinned and kissed me.  I'd be lying if I said that didn't boost my confidence just a little.

When Tristan returned, I led him out to his deck and handed him a cigarette.  "Here.  You'll need this."

He gave me a quizzical look but sat down and pulled out his lighter. I waited for him to light up and then spoke.  "Your speech has been moved up from Friday."

Tristan paused mid-light, hand cupped around the cigarette and flame flickering across his fingers.  "To when?"

I waited for the cigarette to be lit, then took it out of his mouth and sucked down a deep drawl for myself.  Deep breath.  "Tomorrow."  The smoke swirled around that word, and I tucked the cigarette back between his parted, and frozen, lips.

Tristan didn't move.  Not an eyelash, until the lit end almost toppled over down his arms.  "What?!?"

I explained to him all that Jake had told me, and Tristan was visibly shaken.  So was I.  We were supposed to have a week to prepare, a week to perfect every word, every moment of delivery, but because the Council of 300 decided to act like children and demand what I personally think wasn't theirs to demand, we now had 24 hours.  So we drilled, and drilled, and drilled.  We ran through that speech until we were both cross-eyed and exhausted.

But we couldn't sleep.  Rather, Tristan couldn't sleep and because he couldn't, I wasn't allowed to.  So instead of getting the few hours of rest I wanted, instead of sinking into a deep, peaceful sleep far away from childish councils and impending histories, I was dragged out of bed and into the dark morning air to keep the young prince company.  What does he do when he can't sleep?  He buys mac and cheese at WalMart and people watches.  What did I do?  Sleepily push the cart and make audible notes on his oh-so-bachelor-style grocery list.  Mac and cheese, canned ravioli, sugar cookies, soda.  The only reason why he didn't grab beer is because he's fully stocked.

I called in sick to work because Jake had requested it, Tristan needed my moral support, and I actually do feel sick.  Sick with worry, sick with nerves, sick with exhaustion (look, I have this thing with sunlight- if it's pouring through the window, I'm up.  Even if I've only slept for 2 hours).  We are mere hours away from what may very well be one of the most important moments in modern history, what may be the catalyst into a new and unforeseen future for both Earth and Gora.  And at this very moment, Prince Tristan sleeps by my side, well into the day, while I sit up and feel my stomach clench with a myriad of emotion.

Our entire lives have built up to this one moment, with most of it snowballing within the past ten years.  Five years, Tristan was in exile from both worlds, wandering the planet, experiencing adventure after adventure, mind-blowing stories that shake the listener to the core.  Five years, Jake stood in his place and guided me into the Shadow World, teaching me how to survive and training me how to fight, all the while building a relationship that would lead to this moment, to this day.  The next five years were spent with Jake in Gora, Tristan here with me, and I adjusted to the incredible power a fully-developed Seer gains through the Awakening.  Ten years of heartache and torment, of joy and sorrow, laughter and tears, courage and terror, sacrifices made by Gorans and Second Humans alike....all cumulating into what the universe awaits for tonight.