J Luc Pitard: I agree fully. I don't think Blake can last very long against his brother's charm ;) and I'm glad you enjoyed that part about her coming to him versus his father's ideas of how a marriage should work. I actually hadn't meant to add the conversation where Eveline states that, but it just kind of flowed out while I was writing. Thanks so much for the review!
SmellofRoses: Welcome new follower! I'm so happy you're enjoying this story and don't worry, if I decide to be a cruel author and have Esmee not end up with Jared, I'll give you first grabs at him! Lol. And thank you very much! My head does feel better. I still have a couple tension headaches come and go but nothing like that one week. Hopefully that won't be happening again anytime soon. Not fun.
000
Stina led Esmee down to court the afternoon after her wedding; both of their groups of ladies-in-waiting tittering a few steps behind them, excited to be making way to the gossip mill that was the great hall at this time of the day. Stina stayed close to Esmee, arms linked with hers and led the conversation, which Esmee didn't mind, as she wasn't much of a talker herself and enjoyed Stina's easy attitude that offered her a bit of respite from deep thoughts.
"Lady Yolanda told me about this seamstress in the city who makes her dog's clothing. I thought I'd send a messenger to her to come and fit Pyre for some outfits." Stina said giggling.
Esmee burst out laughing at the random suggestion that was completely ridiculous. What on earth would any dog need with clothing, let alone a wolf? "You want to dress my wolf up?" Esmee managed to get out while attempting to calm her chuckles.
"He'd look so darling!" Stina said with a mischievous smile upon her face that Esmee was sure she used many times to get her way.
"I'm not sure Pyre would agree…" Esmee replied, not being able to even bring a picture up in her mind of her pet in clothing.
"Oh pish! He won't even notice it's there and it would be so fun." Stina continued to argue and though Esmee highly doubted Pyre wouldn't notice she found herself relenting to her sister-in-law's request solely because she was adorable.
Gods help me when I have children, they'll get away with everything, Esmee thought and oddly enough it didn't engulf her the way the idea had just a day or two before. Esmee figured it had to with the optimistic atmosphere Stina gave off and if she hadn't planned on relenting anyways, she would have done so for that reason alone.
"Very well, have at it, dear. But if Pyre bites this pet seamstress he and I are not to blame." Esmee conceded with mock severity.
Stina squealed in excited at her new project as they reached the doors to the great hall, causing Esmee to giggle along with.
Once they entered the great hall the occupants bowed to Stina and Esmee as they made their way to the front of the chamber. Though Esmee would not be Queen until her coronation in two days, as her status as King Jared's wife, she was higher ranking than anyone in the room, including her sister-in-law. This was uncomfortably new to Esmee, feeling as if too much revolved around her now, and the weight on her shoulders would tip her over at any moment. She wondered if this was how Jared felt all the time-it was hard to tell with his stoic behavior-and found herself slightly surprised that her heart ached thinking of Jared having some much to bear.
"Oh look, it's our brothers!" Stina said, pointing towards the two men who were in fact together off the side, talking with goblets of wine in their hands.
Noticing that the brother she spoke of was Blake, made Esmee's breath catch in her throat and her good mood dropped instantly. She had hoped she would be able to avoid him a little bit longer after the wedding, especially with the way he had watched her all night long at the banquet following the wedding ceremony. He was hurt, Esmee imagined, just as much as she was and it pained her that he'd have a constant reminder of her marriage because she lived in the same home as him; as large as it was.
Stina waved to the two men as they walked over and Esmee forced herself to stand up straighter, clasping her hands in front of her stomach to keep them from shaking the way they always did when Blake was around. She feared not only hurting him but risking someone finding out about their past relationship. What kind of scandal would ensue after that? Would Jared annul the marriage after he found out? It would be easy after all, they hadn't consummated anything. These were worries that Esmee feared she'd live with every day along with her love for Blake.
The men greeted them with polite bows, which seemed ridiculous since they were all related now. But Esmee learned quickly that during court it was always best to keep etiquette, despite familiarity, so she supposed that was what these two were doing.
"I hadn't expected the His Majesty to let you up for air today." Nolan teased as he sent his sister a sly smile.
Esmee kicked his shin in answer which caused a chorus of laughter from Stina and Nolan, though Blake stayed quiet. Etiquette and propriety be damned with a comment like that.
Esmee was ashamed her brother would say such a thing in front of Blake, who she was sure was crushed by any mention of the night before. Not that her brother knew of her relationship with Blake, nor did anything actually happen that Blake would need to feel dishearten over; but nonetheless she couldn't imagine what she would do if Blake had gotten married the day before and she had to hear talks of the extra matrimonial activities.
"Esmee! I didn't know you had such behavior in you." Stina admonished mockingly.
"My brother is the only one so far in my life with the talent to bring it out in me." Esmee answered dryly, as Nolan stood there looking quite pleased with himself.
"I find my brothers have the same ability." Stina answered, shooting a glance at Blake who barely seemed to register his sister's comment as he was staring too intently at Esmee; which caused Stina to frown.
The tense posture Esmee produced at the arrival of Blake, had not been lost on Stina, who immediately wondered what her brother had done to make her sister-in-law uncomfortable. In truth Stina hadn't liked the way Blake had watched Esmee since her arrival at the castle when he thought no one was looking. It bordered on dangerous possession, Stina thought and it worried her.
"Lord Nolan, how are you finding our home? My brother tells me you trained here before?" Stina asked, a large smile back upon her face; hoping if she kept a conversation going that no one else in their group would notice Blake's looks and he would eventually find himself back to reality. The urge to pinch him was strong, but she curbed it knowing it would just bring more attention to what her brother was doing.
Nolan smiled back at Stina charmingly, "I'm being quite entertained actually; not as much as my first stay, but if it continues on this track it'll even top then."
"I highly doubt that." Blake answered, a secret smile on his face, finally falling into the conversation after daydreaming about the petite woman standing next to his old friend.
Nolan turned to his sister, a knowing smile on his face that made her blush as she remembered him walking in on her and the King, during their first kiss with each other. After distressing his little sister just enough he looked back at Blake, "I don't know, I'm becoming more surprised every day."
Blake raised his eyebrows at Nolan in curiosity as Esmee held herself back from kicking her brother again, or stomping on his foot, possibly even pulling the strawberry blonde hair that matched her own like she had when she was five and he had stolen her doll from her.
She was distracted by these tempting ideas when through the doors walked the King and all-including herself-dropped into bows or curtsies. Ignoring everyone else Jared walked right up to her, raising her from her low position on the ground.
"Good day, Esmee." Jared said once she stood up. Slowly the other members of the court followed suit around the room.
"Good day." Esmee answered, slightly shy knowing that everyone in the room thought they had gone to bed together the night before and were most likely thinking about it as they watched the King with his wife.
"Care to dine with me for lunch?" Jared asked, noting Blake's fixated gaze on the two of them behind Esmee's back. Choosing to ignore his brother he turned his eyes back down to the sweet face before him who had answered with a simple "yes",
"Come with me." he said, taking her hand, leading her out of the court; aware he had been rude by not acknowledging the other people in the small group she had been conversing with when he had walked in. But the need to get her away from his brother was great, as he hadn't liked Blake's interest in the two of them in the slightest.
Turning back to her, Jared wrapped an arm around Esmee's waist, pulling her into his side, "I thought we could dine in the conservatory again."
Esmee looked up at him flashing a smile of delight, not one of the forced ones he had already learned to pick up on, "That sounds wonderful."
Esmee chuckled slightly as she remembered their first and last meal in the conservatory together, and the conversation she had had about Pyre's dog bed and how ridiculous he thought that was.
"Something funny?" Jared asked, brows raised in question.
"You're sister has decided to bring in a dog seamstress to fit Pyre with some outfits." Esmee answered, laughing fully at just the thought.
"They have dog seamstresses?" Jared looked positively appalled making Esmee laugh harder.
"Apparently." Esmee said, "I didn't have the heart to tell her no, so poor Pyre will just have to put up with it."
Jared groaned, "My sister…I swear I'm going to have to marry her off in the next two years. I think she may need a child to dress up."
"She told me once she hopes I give her nieces." Esmee answered quietly, slowly warming up to the idea of children; at least just enough to talk hypothetically about them; as she was beginning to accept that she was married now and there wasn't much she could change about that fact.
Jared smiled down at her, the image of Esmee holding a babe in her arms hitting him so profoundly that in that second he almost thought he would give anything to have that dream become a reality. But that wasn't true, he wasn't willing to give up Esmee's comfort for it, so he'd wait until he could seduce her to the point that there was no doubt in her mind that his bed was where she wanted to be. Children could wait, though felt a new surge of hope that it wouldn't take too long for them to reach that point.
"I'm glad you can mention children without nearly fainting today." Jared whispered in her ear, instead of allowing her to know the fantasy running through his mind.
Esmee looked up at him, horrified, "What do you mean by that?"
They had reached the conservatory at this point, so he chose not to answer the question at first; wanting to sit her down for that serious of a discussion with no other ears around. Once they went through the doors leading to the bright room he quickly dismissed all staff and helped her into her chair; mindful all along of her urgent expression.
"You didn't think I noticed that every time the topic of children came up you looked stricken? Or that each day that brought you closer to our wedding it was if you were walking further into your own grave?" Jared stated calmly, as if the words and the truth behind them didn't sting him.
"That's not true." Esmee argued earnestly.
"It is." Jared said patiently and Esmee found herself almost wishing he wasn't being gentle and understanding; it made her feel even worse that she couldn't be the wife he deserved, "That's one of the reasons I'm leaving it open to you for when we progress." Jared grabbed her hand that had been grasping onto the ledge of the table as if holding on in case of a blow. He rubbed his fingers over her knuckles hoping to assuage the tightness within her body.
There were questions Jared desperately wanted to ask, as he thought more and more about their predicament, namely the aversion she had had from the start to their marriage. Though he had understood that Esmee wasn't the type of girl to take the job as Queen lightly-as she was no ignorant girl chasing after a dream of a pretty crown, dresses, and absolute power-and that she most likely hadn't been happy at the prospect of being married off to a man she didn't know; the more he got to know her the more he had to contemplate the possibility there was more to her reluctance than that.
Esmee was a dutiful young woman, who clearly loved her people deeply and knew her responsibility to them; and also had most likely known since a young age she would be betrothed to someone she didn't necessarily love. So why was she having such a hard time adjusting to being Jared's wife? Jared had refused to go too in-depth with that question so far, because there was one nagging answer that felt like a punch to his gut.
But looking at her now, those gorgeous ocean eyes of hers staring at him through dark eyelashes, Jared couldn't escape the possibility that there had been someone in her life before their betrothal, and that's why she wasn't able to embrace the life she now lived.
Jared kept this suspicion to himself though, having no evidence on the matter and nothing more than his instinct to go on with this theory; which he had never been one to rely on before anyhow. He was a man of logic and couldn't figure out what it was about his wife that seemed to cut through those traits and bring out a whole new person that he hadn't known existed.
What Esmee did next shocked Jared, as instead of answering him in words she rose from her chair to stand in front of his. Instinctively his hands reached out to her waist, pulling her even closer so she was practically straddling the arm of his chair. Placing her small hands on his shoulders she leaned down, kissing him softly on the mouth.
Jared's grip on Esmee's waist tightened as their kiss became deeper, stronger and he pushed his chair slightly out, so he could pull her down upon his lap, never breaking the contact of their lips. One hand ran up her body, until it reached the nape of her neck and began to lightly massage the skin there, causing a moan from her to spill through her mouth in his. The other splayed against her small back, nearly the entire width; she was so petite to his broad.
Pulling back, Esmee slowly opened her eyes to look into his, seeing raw desire and affection in them; a complete turn from his usual constrain against any forward emotions. She found herself wanting all the hidden parts of Jared to be unleashed with her; longed to see the side of him that he kept under guard as King of Thidon.
Esmee wasn't sure exactly what had caused her to kiss him, but she knew partly it had to do with the brief look of hurt (though quickly concealed) that had flashed over his face as he spoke the simple truth that Esmee wasn't as invested into their marriage as she should be. Esmee wanted to console Jared, and a strange and fantastical part of her was beginning to wish there could be two of her; so no one would be hurt in this untidy of arrangements that was called marriage and alliance.
Realizing she was still sitting on the Jared's lap, Esmee blushed, standing up with the dignity she had left. Smoothing down invisible creases in her dress, that gave her an excuse not to look directly at Jared until she was more composed, she felt a hand reach out to rub her back gently; stifling her breath suddenly.
Jared stood up behind her, hands still on her waist as he brushed her hair-only half tied back-over her shoulder as he leaned his mouth down to shoulder, offering a simple kiss to it, "You're adorable when you blush."
She turned her head to the side to look at him, "Are you making fun of me?"
Jared smirked at this, planting a soft kiss to her forehead, "Never; But I am admiring you."
"We should really eat before the food becomes cold." Esmee was managed to get out, despite her lack of breath at their close proximity; wondering how she could be in love with one brother and dangerously attracted to the other at the same time.
"You're right." Kissing her forehead again he gestured for her to sit back down, "So no more distractions, dear wife. You'll just have to wait until later." Jared winked at her, causing Esmee to flush again at his words.
000
"Come in." Jared answered the knock at his study's door without bothering to look up from the booklets holding information about this year's crop growth in the south that were strewn across his desk. Once he noticed it was his sister though, he did and gave her a nod in greeting, gesturing to the seat in front of him, knowing Stina wouldn't interrupt him unless it was a matter of importance.
Stina took it, sliding gracefully into the seat and putting both hands on her lap, "I'm sorry to disturb you, Jared."
Jared brushed her off with an easy gesture before asking, "Is there something the matter?" he knew his sister enough to know the instant he looked at her that she had something weighing on her mind, confirming that she did indeed have something important to discuss with him.
"I wanted to speak to you…" Stina said, hesitant in the delicacy of what she was about to bring up into conversation, unusually without the ability to find the right words.
Jared closed the booklet in front of him, taking a seat himself at his desk, giving his undivided attention to Stina, "What is it?" he asked gently.
"It's Blake." Stina murmured finally, though still not quite positive how to broach the topic entirely, guessing that Jared's feelings for Esmee were growing deeper and deeper each day.
Jared leaned back in his chair at that, brushing his hands through his hair, "What has he done now?"
Stina shook her head, "Nothing yet…that I know of." Taking a deep breath she continued, "I've noticed him watching Esmee…a lot." Stina locked eyes with her brother, despite the difficulty of the words.
Jared sat back up straight, "What do you mean?" He asked soberly.
Stina shrugged her shoulders in an attempt at casualness, "I'm sure it's nothing, but there's something about his gazes I do not like and I think it's affecting Esmee as well. She gets tense whenever he's near. I think he makes her uncomfortable."
What could Jared say to that? He had noticed the looks as well, starting at the ball a month and a half ago, the one he had found Blake and Esmee speaking privately to one another in the garden. Since then Blake had seemed to stay away from Esmee but his sister was right, the lingering glances had remained. Until now though Jared had tried to brush it off, arguing to himself that his jealousy after what happened in the garden was getting the better of him, causing him to imagine something that was not there. But here was Stina-a girl much brighter and aware than she allowed to show-bringing him her own concerns over Blake.
"I think he lusts after her, Jared." Stina stated bluntly.
Jared kept his composure, though just that particular idea made his blood boil in a way he hadn't felt in years. Not since his father was alive and he was fighting a losing battle against a lunatic's destruction of all that Jared held dear.
"I warned him away from her." Jared finally managed to get out, voice tight attempting to keep his control.
Stina shook her head, "And if he were smart he would have heeded that warning; but you know Blake, he lets his jealousy of you get the best of him. He has to have everything you have."
"Well he's out of luck this time." Jared nearly growled out, "Esmee's my wife and I trust her enough not to betray me with him."
"I don't believe she would either." Stina said vehemently, worried that's what her brother thought she was getting it, "Esmee is certainly not the type to do such a thing, but Blake doesn't have nearly the same moral code. I think you should watch him, make sure he's not up to something."
Jared nodded his head, "Already being done." Stina raised her eyebrows at this, but didn't ask anything further, recognizing the tone in Jared's voice that stated he would confess nothing further.
Stina stood to take her leave, but before walking out the door she turned back to Jared, "I really do like Esmee, Jared. I think she's good for our family and our country. I'm happy she's the one you ended up with."
Jared glanced at his sister, giving her one of his discreet smiles, "So am I."
Author's Note: This is a shorter chapter than I normally post on this story. But I was having difficulties with the rest of it and decided to leave that scene for the next chapter, so you guys could get an update faster. Let me know what you think!
