Arthur has requested an audience with Major Tallmadge. It is the day before Christmas Eve.
(More men have volunteered for guard duty as of late. It is possible the reason for this is that Arthur has been knitting and stitching together stockings for his rotating sentries. It is possible no one has actually told the Major though, for fear that Arthur's (Anna-bestowed) sewing supplies will be confiscated.)
Benjamin had never liked snow. It was cold, biting, miserable, and almost always brought about d.eath and contagion to many an unfortunate v.ictim. Now with the w.ar as a backdrop, and a general lack of provisions, it had also tacked on the very real fear of frostbite and churchyard cough. Any time he heard someone give that dry, rattling wheeze, Benjamin could sense their own mortality nipping at their heels.
D.eath was all around them.
And yet, in spite of that ever-present terror, the worst thing to endure was assuredly the slowness of December. Winter was a time of waiting. The men were granted a small reprieve from battle due to the extreme cold, but Benjamin found it to be a time of madness. There was no joy in being left alone with his thoughts – of spending more and more time locked up inside his own head.
Perhaps this was why Arthur had requested a moment of his time. Like it or not, the man did seem unnervingly in tune with Benjamin's moods, and he wouldn't deny that he needed a moment beyond his tent. It was rather lonesome on top of the unnerving quiet; many soldiers’ contracts had expired. This was a common occurrence – most had to be renewed every one to three years – and yet Benjamin was loyal to a fault. He intended to see this fight through to the bitter end.
"Lieutenant?" Cautious, he found the man huddled up in his quarters, his back presently facing him while he sat by the fire. Arching a brow -- what was he doing? -- Benjamin cleared his throat and added, "I apologize if I kept you waiting. I've been..." wallowing; yearning for home; opting for self-pity. "Er...I've been busy."
Moving over to stand alongside Arthur, he blinked down at the lieutenant's handiwork. "What are you doing?" he asked. "Have I been invited to a sewing circle?"
Despite the quip, he was genuinely awed by the man's progress. He didn't think he'd seen so many stockings in all his life.
