Chapter Twelve - Elspera Keep: Homecoming
Jade was restless. She was doing her very best to hide it, but Megabyte could tell that the girl was on the very edge of exploding at any moment. The way she perched on the edge of the seat, her face practically pressed up against the carriage glass as she stared out and the countryside raced past them, biting her lip and crinkling her skirts in her hands, she showed all the very positive and obvious signs of nervous energy. He didn't know why he was the only one in the carriage who was aware of it, unless 'the Lady Jadina' had always been the type to show a great deal of nervous energy and excitement, but he supposed it was a blessing that he was the only one aware of it. It helped avoid unnecessary questions and didn't arouse suspicion.
That had been life for the past two weeks - trying hard to avoid unnecessary questions and arousing suspicion. It was bad enough that several times his parents -- Marmion's parents -- whatever -- had made comments about his change in demeanor; comments that he was clearly meant to overhear. A part of him was glad that he was not as big of an ass that Marmion was, but another part of him worried; he was just waiting for the day that one of them asked him who he was and what he had done with their son.
Worse yet was the fact that he wouldn't be able to answer them. At least not in any fashion that made sense and was acceptable.
[It's so beautiful. Wow! Are you seeing this, Marm?]
Megabyte tried hard not to grimace as Jade's mental voice rang a bit too loudly in his head, using the name that held such echoes of the birth name that he despised. It was only out of necessity that Jade had started calling him Marm, Marmion just didn't sound naturally, and after nearly calling him Megabyte twice in public, they had realized that something had to be done. He didn't like the alternative, but again they were avoiding questions and suspicions.
Unfortunately, she had gotten so used to calling him that name that she even used it in private or when speaking to him telepathically.
[Yeah, Jade, I'm seeing it.]
She actually turned her face away from the window to look at him. [You don't sound very impressed.]
[I'm … distracted. I've got other things on my mind.] Both to punctuate his words and to keep her from staring at him while she tried to peel away the layers of his mind, Megabyte shifted his attention out of the other window.
Two very long weeks had passed and they were no closer to finding out anything about their arrival in this strange world. Nor had they learned anything that might tell them how to get home. Two weeks in which they played the roles they were assigned to play and hoped that they performed them correctly; improvisation at its very best. Two weeks . . . two weeks of utter frustration.
It wouldn't have been so bad if they had Adam to talk to; the elder Tomorrow Person was always something of a shelter in the storm. Even if Adam didn't know what to do, or where to turn next, he kept control of the situation. He supported them in times like these, and his confidence gave them confidence. But Adam was not there; Adam showed no signs of being there -- anywhere. For all Megabyte knew, Adam might have been blown to another world where there were munchkins singing, a scarecrow who needed a brain and a little girl running around in a pair of ruby slippers and calling for her dog, Toto.
And for some reason, the image of Adam in Oz did not conjure up the humor that it usually did from Megabyte. He was feeling far too close to the end of his proverbial rope.
Jade did not help matters either. In the absence of their leader, she turned to Megabyte to fulfill the role that Adam played in their lives. He had gone from being follower to leader in the blinking of an eye - literally.
The question remained . . . what exactly was he leading?
He thought about clicking his heels three times, then remembered that he lacked the ruby slippers.
If only real life was as easy as the movies and television.
[What are you thinking about?] Jade hadn't gone away. She was still tiptoeing around in the back of his mind, just waiting for the opportunity to get his attention again. That was another development that he was still attempting to cope with since coming to this world -- Jade's endless attention. It was worse now than it ever had been; it seemed that she didn't wish to let him out of her sight for more than a few moments at a time. She didn't even want to let a few hours go by where she didn't reach out to him telepathically - reminding both of them that she was there.
He tried not to get annoyed with her. He really did. On some level, Megabyte could see her concern. He wouldn't want to be trapped here, in a strange place with strange people alone either - and there was really no way he could convince her that he wasn't going to just up and disappear into thin air. For all he knew, he might just wake up tomorrow and be somewhere else. Or Jade might be. It wasn't a pleasant thought and he tried not to dwell on it; but there were times like now when Jade's clinging made him want to take her by the shoulders and shake her until her teeth rattled.
Of course, what bothered him more than Jade's new and highly improved attachment to him was *his* attachment to *her.* Megabyte would never say it aloud; he would never even let her have the slightest hint of what was happening, but he did recognize that they were in this together. They were all they had, and they needed to depend on one another.
If ever asked or challenged on it, Megabyte would deny it until he was blue in the face. However, he could not deny that when he woke up in the morning and found himself still on a pitching ship, he took comfort in the fact that Jade was sleeping beside him. He wasn't alone; for all his boasting and bragging, he was pretty certain that he couldn't have handled this alone. He'd had more than his share of dealing with things alone - from his father's numerous business trips and his mother's never ending parade of vacations and lectures - no, he'd been alone enough to last a couple of lifetimes.
And a couple of hundred weird worlds. Although, if - correction, when - they got back to their world, Megabyte was going to hope that he never had an adventure like this again.
[Nothing. Everything.] Megabyte bit the response off sharply, and then winced as he sensed the sting of hurt that came from her. He sighed, and reaching across the carriage seat, patted her hand lightly in what he hoped was a deeply sincere and apologetic gesture. [I just need some quiet time, all right?]
[All right.] Her response was small-voiced and meek, but at least it was absent of the hurt and dejection that he felt from her a few moments before. Jade's head turned back towards the window and the passing countryside, but not before she turned her hand palm up, lacing her fingers through his.
With another sigh, Megabyte allowed her that indulgence. As long as it meant she was quiet and not jabbering on about the scenery and her expectations of Elspera Keep.
It hadn't anything to do with the mutual comfort they both received through that tactile contact.
Not a thing.
*****
Elspera Keep truly was a keep in every sense of the word. A miniature castle of gray and grain stone set atop of a small rise, a low valley dappled in the blooms and greens of summer spreading out beneath it.
Jade's eyes had grown wider from the moment they began their final approach. Her breathless gasps and chorus of "ooh's" and "aah's" had left Lord Bial and Lady Margot, Megabyte still could not think of them as *his* parents, giving her curious and worried looks until, at Megabyte's urging, she explained that she was simply homesick after having been away for so long. That soothed ruffled feathers, worried glances replaced by indulgent and bemused smiles. The knowing glance delivered to him by Lord Bial, and the warm pat on his arm from Lady Margot told Megabyte that in their eyes, Jade's demeanor and attitude towards the keep demonstrated that something was going right between the young couple.
While they may not have lived in a palace, or truly been royalty, they really were the rich and famous, as Megabyte had told Jade. Over a dozen servants greeted their carriage, and immediately set about unloading things in such an orderly fashion that Megabyte knew this was routine for them. It was, however, still a shock to be greeted with the title of "Lord" and to watch as the man, Legan, who was his personal valet and manservant, bowed and fluttered around him in a mixture of both strained respect and wariness. Legan was not alone in that attitude, all of the servants, with the exception of one, danced around "Lord Marmion" as though they expected him to turn into a lion and pounce upon them for dinner at any minute. It made him again wonder exactly what sort of man his alter ego had been; it made him grateful that he would never have to meet the man face-to-face. At least he hoped that he wouldn't.
The exception to the wariness he felt from each of the servants as he met -- or attempted to meet -- their eyes was in the form of Jade's lady in waiting. Of a height no more than Jade, and certainly not very much older than the young woman she was attending, she was an absolutely stunning beauty. There was no other way to describe her. A heart shaped face with a pixie smile and a dimple beamed lovingly and affectionately at Jade as she embraced the girl as though they were sisters and not lady of the keep and servant. Russet red ringlets framed her face, trailing down the center of her back and her blue eyes sparkled like clear water when she turned to look at Megabyte. There was no wariness as she regarded "Lord Marmion" with a low curtsy that made *him* blush for all the cleavage that her dress revealed.
Megabyte had known girls like this his whole life. He stared at them from across crowded hallways and busy streets, never once even imagining that he would work up the courage to talk to one of them. And if one ever ended up crossing his path, and attempting to engage him in some rudimentary conversation, he always discovered that he very quickly forgot how to form a coherent word.
The dryness in his mouth told him that he had just fallen victim to the same thing again.
Luckily, Legan was there to rescue him before he made a fool of himself. "My Lord, I am sure you will be wanting to get out of your traveling clothes and rest after your journey. And perhaps a small repast?"
"Right," Megabyte nodded, literally jerking his eyes away from the nameless lady servant. From the stance of Legan, he assumed the man would escort him to his room -- and probably lay out an entire new outfit for him to clothe himself in. The thought made Megabyte nearly bolt back into the carriage and flee. Excepting that he had nowhere to go and no reason to flee. He was Lord Marmion and he would have to accept these -- perks.
He nodded, realizing the man was awaiting an answer. "Yes. Change clothes and eat."
Megabyte waited a heartbeat, and then realized that Legan would not move first. This was not going to be fun or easy. With a sigh, he began walking towards the keep, with his manservant falling into a comfortable pace beside him. He paused for only a moment, turning back and wanting to say something to Jade, to let her know that he would speak to her later, but he didn't have to. For the first time in two weeks, the girl was wholly oblivious to his presence. She brushed past him, her lady servant on one arm, speaking to Jade of how much she was missed and how she looked after her travels.
Jade, naturally, was eating it up.
"I am certain that Sarena will see to Lady Jadina's needs, as she always does," Legan remarked.
Megabyte jerked his head to look at the man, knowing that he had heard more than a bit of acerbity in the remark. As his eyes landed on Legan again, he saw a flicker - annoyance or disgust, he couldn't be certain - color the mans' features before it faded completely, leaving Megabyte to wonder if he had seen anything unusual at all.
"Is something wrong, Legan?" Megabyte asked quietly.
The way the man lifted an eyebrow and snorted softly told him that he, or rather Marmion, had probably seen that reaction and asked that question a great many times. "You know that I have no strong opinion one way or another towards Sarena."
Legan made the name sound like a curse. But before Megabyte could call him on it, or at least point out that obvious lie -- something he was certain that Marmion would have done -- the man continued speaking. "I take it your trip was uneventful?"
If the question hadn't been so normal, so typical of what one would ask after a journey, Megabyte would have snorted with laughter. If he had been Lord Marmion, then yes, his trip was uneventful. Megabyte's trip, on the other hand, was far from uneventful.
"As well as can be expected." While it wasn't a lie, it was the most truthful answer Megabyte could give under the circumstances. "But I'm glad to be home."
"And we are glad to have you home."
Now, why did Megabyte get the distinct impression that that was a lie?
****
Megabyte's assumption that Legan would serve as his wardrobe assistant was correct. He was given very little time to take in the details of his bedchamber, after doing his best to memorize the route he and Legan took to find it without looking like he was doing anything out of the ordinary, before Legan was practically demanding that he change from his traveling clothes into something more suitable and "less road worn" for greeting the prince.
"Prince?" Megabyte choked on the word. Yes, he knew from his readings that he was related to royalty; he knew that he was in fact closely acquainted with the prince, but that didn't mean he was ready to meet the man in the flesh. "The prince is coming here?"
"Yes, he sent a missive that arrived only two days ago, stating that upon your return, he would be visiting the Keep. Apparently, he has either missed your company or, and this seems more likely, he comes to give you your orders for the upcoming wedding celebration."
Somehow, without changing the tone of his voice, Legan managed to make Megabyte feel like he was both ten-years-old and not worthy of the prince's attention. Of course, Legan made Megabyte feel like he wasn't worthy of anyone's attention. It made him wonder if there was some sort of feedback cycle going on -- Legan made Marmion feel like a stupid child, so Marmion acted like a stupid child, which caused Legan to treat him like a stupid child. . . so on and so forth.
Well, Megabyte might have looked like Marmion Ruele, but he wasn't. And he wasn't going to rise to Legan's bait. "What kind of orders?"
"You act as though I would know." The attitude and answer alone told Megabyte that Legan did know. Whether the man would tell was another matter entirely. "My Lord, off with those clothes, quickly. His Highness will be arriving shortly."
"Well, His Highness has bad timing," Megabyte grumbled and instantly regretted it. So much for not behaving like a child. He began to unbutton his traveling coat, and looked expectantly at Legan. The manservant made no attempt to leave the room, and figuring it best to not make any waves, Megabyte simply turned his back and stripped out of his clothes.
"He is the heir. He's allowed these indulgences," Legan remarked, swooping in and scooping up Megabyte's clothes *as* he shed them. It made the Tomorrow Person blush from his toes to his hair, and hope that the man would vanish very quickly. He also hoped and prayed that this was *not* a normal occurrence. If it was -- well, there were about to be some changes in Keep policy.
"I had a pitcher of water brought in so that you may wash off the road grime," Legan informed him as he gathered up the last of the discarded clothing. "If you are quick about it, it may still be warm. I've already laid out something more suitable to wear, and unless my Lord needs anything else, I will take *these things* to be washed."
"Take your time," Megabyte growled, keeping his back to Legan. He didn't move from where he stood until he heard the door to both the bedchamber and the outer sitting room close firmly behind the man.
He was glad that it was summer. Megabyte imagined that it would be rather cold in the bedchamber in his current state of undress at any other time of the year. He found the pitcher and, after cursing Legan for making him thing the water might be even minutely warm, he quickly scrubbed some of the dirt from his face, arms and chest. Megabyte never realized quite how dirty one got traveling on dusty roads. He hadn't had a bath or shower the entire time since he'd been here - a fact he tried not to dwell on very much - but had grown quite adept at scrubbing clean, shaving, and brushing his teeth, all with one pitcher of water.
That had been culture shock at first. Scrubbing with a rag that was even more coarse than burlap, with something that was supposed to be soap but didn't lather or do much of anything else other than leave his skin feeling tingly and raw, or maybe that was the rag. Brushing teeth was with a slivered branch, and toothpaste was not existent. The mint leaves that he was supposed to chew with the brushing didn't taste like mint at all - and he gagged the first time he bit into one. And shaving with a straight edge razor, on a pitching ship - well, he was lucky that he hadn't slit his throat.
Still, he would give his right arm for a bath.
He finished scrubbing as quickly as possible and went to find the clothing that Legan had deemed "more suitable."
"More suitable" clothes were of a much nicer material than his traveling clothes, knee britches and leggings that made Megabyte frown, with a white poet's shirt and a short coat that had more buttons and embroidery on it than Megabyte would have thought possible to put on any single piece of clothing.
He had the leggings on and the knee britches halfway in place when the door opened again. This time, he forgot his admonishment to not be a child and snapped out, "Believe it or not, I don't need any help getting dressed."
"You usually don't." The voice, which was not Legan's, made him freeze where he stood.
The voice was soft and feminine -- sultry, was the word that came to mind.
Megabyte whirled to face the intruder and felt his jaw drop.
Standing in the doorway of his bedchamber, looking for the entire world as though she belonged there, was Jade's lady servant, Sarena.
His mouth worked, but no sound came forth. He realized that he was still half-undressed and felt his face, as well as other parts of his body, flame as he tugged the knee britches firmly up over his hips and hurriedly attempted to fasten them.
What was she doing in his bedroom?
"What are you doing here?!" The words came out choked and panicked, his fingers fumbling with the buttons and hooks.
"I know His Highness is coming and that you have to get ready to greet him, but I'll only be a minute." She moved towards him, that pixie smile now reminding him more of the Cheshire cat than anything else. She didn't walk towards him as much as she seemed to glide across the floor, lashes lowered just enough that he could barely catch the hint of blue of her eyes. Her movements were enough to give him a momentary pause, to bring back the choking dryness and lack of thought -- and other things -- that he associated with beautiful women.
Pause that was only until her hand came out to rest on his very bare chest, until her body invaded his personal space and she nearly melded up against him. "I just didn't want to let anymore time go by before letting you know how much I missed you."
Missed him?
A heartbeat too late, Megabyte's brain caught up with what was happening in the room and made perfect sense of it. A heartbeat too late, because it only took a heartbeat for Sarena to somehow wrap her arms around him and pull him into an embrace.
If he thought his opinion of Marmion Ruele could go no lower, he was mistaken.
Not only did the man have no respect for his wife or his marriage -- he also clearly had no respect for his wedding vows.
Megabyte stumbled backwards, putting some distance between himself and Sarena's arms and lips. A part of him balked, telling him that there was something very, very wrong with avoiding a beautiful woman. Especially when that beautiful woman was throwing herself at him in ways that were every teenaged boy's fantasy. But he just couldn't bring himself to take advantage of this situation, not when the world was so strange and nothing added up.
Especially not when for all intents and purposes, he was married. Yes, it was to Jade, but he couldn't ignore marriage vows and promises as easily as Marmion. He hadn't been raised like that; not that he thought that Marmion had been. Rotten apples happened sometimes but . . .
His brain was actually rambling. Sarena made him ramble even when he was thinking to himself.
"Sarena." Megabyte paused, not quite sure what else to say. Get out? Don't touch me? Okay, that was what part of him wanted to say -- the part that was not a nineteen year old male -- but he knew he had to play this right and tread very carefully. He was Marmion Ruele.
And obviously, Marmion Ruele was a complete pig.
He tried again, "Sarena . . . His Highness. . . my cousin . . ."
"Will be arriving very shortly. Don't you have other things to be about, girl?" Legan's dry voice rang out as the man entered the bedchamber. He gave Sarena a snort and a dismissive glare before turning his attention to Megabyte. "I see your time away has made you slow and lazy. We shall fix that.
"And your discretion with the company you keep as well."
If it hadn't been for the disgust with which Legan addressed him, Megabyte would have been ecstatically happy for the man's arrival in time for rescue. As it was, he was still incredibly happy and relieved.
Sarena paled, but only slightly, and then, as if she had experienced this treatment before, she gathered her skirts and swept out of the bedchamber without a backwards glance.
"Legan --"
The manservant cut him off. "Get dressed, my Lord. The prince comes."
With those words, he exited, closing the doors behind him.
Out of the pan, and into the fire.
Megabyte wondered what other surprises this world would hold.
***
[The prince is coming,] Jade's mental voice was giddy with excitement, ringing in Megabyte's head long before he joined her in the courtyard. Not only was she excited to be meeting the prince -- a real prince -- but she was enjoying her life as 'Lady Jadina.' Unfortunately, after Megabyte's encounter with Sarena, and the cold shoulder and chastising glares he received from Legan, he was unable to share in his friend's excitement.
Joining Jade and Lord Bial and Lady Margot, Megabyte suddenly felt himself blushing again. Although Sarena paid no more attention to him than his wife's lady-in-waiting should have, Megabyte instantly felt the barbs of guilt. Guilt for a crime that he hadn't even committed and guilt for not being able to resist gawking at the woman. She was a home wrecker, but she was beautiful.
She was beautiful and she knew it very well.
Instead, Megabyte tried to focus on Jade and the excited gibbering that she was allowing to stream through his head. The way she was carrying on one would have thought that the prince was coming to see her personally. And perhaps, that wouldn't be so far from the truth - or such a bad thing. From what Megabyte had read in Marmion's journal, more than once Prince Adam had expressed disappointment in his cousin that he would treat his wife the way he did, and it seemed that the prince did share a certain amount of fondness for the Lady Jadina. Not in the romantic sense, but certainly on more than one occasion, Marmion made it painfully clear that he wished the prince would get his 'big brother' notions out of his head.
Then again, now knowing about the relationship with Marmion and Sarena, maybe the prince being fond of Lady Jadina was not a good thing at all.
Jade clutched at his arm, [Do you think he's handsome?]
Megabyte rolled his eyes, [Do you think I care? I just want to get this over with.]
[You're no fun,] her voice held a sulk.
[Whatever, kid.] If she had experienced what he had experienced since arriving at the Keep, she wouldn't be as happy as she was at that moment either.
She bristled at the word 'kid,' and stiffened slightly. "Don't call me that!" She hissed aloud, but luckily no one could hear her. Megabyte himself almost did not hear her, her words drowned beneath the sound of horses hooves.
The prince arrived in princely splendor that made Megabyte temporarily forget both Sarena and the young woman clutching his arm who was supposed to be his wife. The carriage that carried the prince was decorated in violets and gold, what could only be the crest of the royal family painted on each side.
The first to exit the carriage was not the prince, at least Megabyte hoped that it wasn't. The man was tall and wiry, with piercing dark eyes that took in everything around him. His hair was salt and pepper gray, and his hand settled comfortably on his sword as he looked around the courtyard. Evidently seeing that all was in order, he relaxed a bit -- but still reminded Megabyte of a lion ready to pounce.
The second to emerge was a man, a few inches taller than Megabyte and solidly built. Yet, when he exited, he did not have the air of wariness - he in fact, looked around the courtyard, smoothing back his sandy blonde hair and then he smirked - smirked! - and nodded casually in Megabyte's direction.
[Is that the prince?] Jade asked.
[How am I supposed to know?] Megabyte tossed back at her.
[Jade? Megabyte?] The voice in his head was familiar and he had been too long without hearing it.
[Adam!] Jade squealed in delight, her fingers nearly yanking Megabyte's arm off. [Adam! You're here, where are you?]
[I'm …oh, hang on] There was a pause while Adam radiated annoyance and exasperation; a pause long enough for the wiry, salt-and-pepper warrior to announce His Royal Highness, High Prince Adam Aldaric.
"Stewart, you know that's not necessary," a familiar voice drifted to their ears as another form emerged from the carriage.
The salt-and-pepper man actually managed a smile. It didn't soften his features, it only emphasized his hardness, but at least it was a smile.
The prince tugged his short coat and turned to face House Ruele . . . and Megabyte was pretty certain that three faces all drained of blood.
His Royal Highness, High Prince Adam Aldaric was none other than Adam Newman.
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