Chapter Sixteen
In one way, Adam had been absolutely correct - Megabyte did think of a way to deal with Sarena. For what it lacked in creativity and originality, it made up for in the directness of the approach. Put simply, Megabyte went out of his way to avoid the woman. Which, surprisingly enough in a keep the size of Elspera was not an easy thing to do. It seemed to him that if he wasn't spending time with Adam and Hagen, and Sarena wasn't attending Jade, then she had a curious knack of appearing wherever Megabyte happened to be.
It was making him incredibly uncomfortable and more than a little guilty. The guilt only made him angry, because he knew that it was guilt that he had no reason to feel. Still, it did not change the fact that Sarena did not seem to get the hint. It was obvious that the woman was used to having her way with men, and that Lord Marmion was no exception, and she seemed unable to accept that while he was away in the northern provinces some thing had changed between them.
Namely, Megabyte noted to himself as he checked the saddle and bit on his horse, that *Lord Marmion* gained a conscience.
Whatever. It didn't matter. Sarena was currently out of sight, if not out of mind, and as far as he knew, she was performing her duties of tending to Jade hand over foot. Although Sarena's behavior towards Lady Jadina bothered Megabyte more than he would have ever said aloud, he did and said nothing to change it. After all, what he could he say?
"Hey Jade, your lady-in-waiting is a two-faced back-stabbing skank?"
All right, so he could say that, but it wouldn't do a particular lot of good. Jade probably wouldn't believe him anyway, especially when Sarena was also honey goodness to her lady Jadina. And from what Megabyte had managed to figure out, things were a bit more complicated than that. Sarena had been raised by Lady Jadina's side, raised to be her companion and personal maidservant, and before coming to Elspera Keep, the two had been closer than sisters.
The knowledge that Megabyte gleaned from some of Marmion's older journals and correspondence, and from simply taking Adam's advice and trying to listen to servant gossip, was that the wedding had almost not happened because Marmion had not wanted his new bride to bring any 'trappings' of her old house with her. That included servants. Marmion felt that if he was going to be forced to wed the child Jadina that she would start off their marriage as not only his wife, but his subject in Elspera Keep, a member of House Ruele with no other ties or linkage. Fortunately, Lady Margot had stepped in, and with a quiet word to Queen Carrina, Sarena, and two other ladies-in-waiting and one steward had joined House Ruele with the marriage.
"My lord, you are going riding?"
Megabyte glanced over the back of his horse to meet the curious, and somewhat contemptuous glare of Legan. How Marmion ever managed to get stuck with a personal valet that seemed to loath even being in his presence, was one of those mysteries that Megabyte had not figured out yet.
"Yes, Legan. I am going riding."
"Alone?"
Megabyte bit back the very smart-ass retort that immediately painted itself on the tip of his tongue. He was trying his hardest to not make waves, to show a different, kinder, gentler side of Marmion Ruele, but Legan did not always make it easy. "Yes, alone. It gives me a chance to think."
That wasn't necessarily a lie. During the time that Adam had been at the Keep, and Megabyte sorely missed his old friend even if the elder was only a telepathic call away, the two of them had discovered that if they wanted privacy, the best way to find it was on horseback. Marmion and the prince had gone riding quite frequently, and after the first few days of fear and soreness, Megabyte had actually become accustomed to riding a horse. He would still prefer a motorized vehicle any day of the week, but he, and his horse, Brazar, did get along much better these days.
"Is your father aware that you are taking leave? I was under the impression that --"
"My *father* decided that he had some business to attend to at the Palace and that I could be given one day where I did not have to oversee everything. That is why he has the Duke of Rigora in his service as well." Listening to himself talk, Megabyte shook his head slightly and returned his attention to Brazar. A few weeks ago, he would never have spoken with such formality, but it seemed that this world was growing on him. The only times of late that he allowed himself to be just Megabyte was when he was alone with Adam, who was back at the Lion Palace, or Jade, whom Megabyte was lucky to see at meals or for an hour or so before they retired to their separate sleeping quarters.
"I did not mean to imply that my lord was shirking his duties."
Megabyte yanked on the saddle strap. "Yes. You did."
Their eyes met and held, a silent war of wills. Legan did not correct the accusation, but rather than push the envelope even further, Megabyte let it go. He didn't want to deal with it right now.
He also did not wish to deal with the sultry, feminine voice that called out from the stable entrance, "My lord?"
The words "Go away, Sarena," somehow seemed childish, so Megabyte did not say them. Instead, he chose an equally childish way of dealing with her - he ignored her.
"I assume you come bearing a missive from the Lady Jadina?" Legan asked, the disgust apparent in his voice. Megabyte noticed, belatedly, that the stable hands and groomsmen had made themselves scarce when Sarena appeared.
Great, he had a starring role in a soap opera.
"I was out merely out walking and noticed that milord was out as well," Sarena dismissed Legan with a toss of her head, gliding towards Megabyte and Brazar. "I was wondering if my lord would be in need of anything before going on what is surely to be a most lonely and tiresome ride?"
Megabyte looked at her, and nearly broke into peals of laughter when his next words froze her in mid-stride. "Where is my wife, Sarena? Shouldn't you be at her side?"
Until that moment, Megabyte had not thought that it would be possible to see Sarena unnnerved, her usual poise and grace slipping away as her eyes widened to the size of saucers. She clutched her hands in front of her, blinking at him and drew a sharp breath. "She is with the Lady Margot. In the kitchens."
Megabyte watied, and when it became clear that Sarena would say no more, he prodded her. "And what is she doing there?"
Sarena now stared at him as though he had sprouted another head, and even Legan showed a bit of concern, although Megabyte was certain that he was more concerned for his own hide if Lord Marmion had lost a few screws.
"There is a new cook, from Albarasque no less. The Lady Margot thought that it would be a fitting touch and honor to do such for the Damiar Princess and her party."
"Hnn," Megabyte nodded thoughtfully, pausing as he was poised to hoist himself into the saddle. "Well, why don't you go and get her, Sarena. Tell her that I wish to see her quite urgently. I'm sure that she won't mind being rescued from the kitchen and my mother's shadow."
Sarena's eyes did bulge out of her head. Her jaw worked soundlessly, and for a moment, Megabyte was afraid the woman would have a stroke right there in the stable. It took her a full thirty seconds to regain her composure, and another ten to form words, "Certainly my lord does not wish to interfere in the goings on of household management. Your mother would be most displeased with you. If you have need --"
"Legan," Megabyte slid his eyes from the Jade's personal maid to his valet, "Apparently Sarena is having some difficulty comprehending my words. Could you kindly escort her to the kitchen and see that she seeks out my wife as I have asked?"
Although Megabyte was not looking at her, he had no problems feeling the wave of anger and indignation that rolled off of Sarena. He heard her sharp breath, and heard the loud crunching of the straw and grass beneath her feet as she stalked from the stables. He felt Legan's mirth and saw the man smirk.
"My lord, a man who plays with that much fire -"
"Legan. See that Sarena delivers my message to my wife," Megabyte cut the man off with a wave of his hand, his eyes already beginning to dart around the stables. He found what he was looking for, a single groom daring to attempt to duck quietly in to tend to the horses, "You there! Prepare Lady Jadina's horse, we're going riding."
"A-a-al-lone to-to-together?" The groom stared at him in utter shock, stuttering a response when he might never have dared to speak up otherwise. "Mi-mi-l-l-ord?" The last was added quickly, and the man flushed from his neck to the roots of his hair.
"Unless there is a problem with my wife's steed? Is she ill? Or overtired?"
"No-no, no milord. She will be ready shortly." The groom hurried more deeply into the stables, nearly stumbling over his feet as he did so.
"Oh and Legan?" the Tomorrow Person and Lord of Elspera Keep called after the back of his departing valet, "See if someone in the kitchen can prepare something for us to eat. I don't think we'll be back in time for supper."
****
Sitting down at his desk -- and after truly asserting himself as Lord Marmion today, Megabyte didn't see any reason not to think of the things in this world as his -- Megabyte opened Marmion's journals. It was past time that he started keeping a record of his own, it might be the only way to keep himself sane; and, if they should ever be back on earth it would be a record for Lord Marmion Ruele to know exactly how much Megabyte had managed to turn the man's life upside down. The changes, from ending that disgraceful affair with Sarena to the public building of a friendship with Lady Jadina, were for the better, but Megabyte didn't think that Marmion would ever see it that way.
Jade had been nearly as surprised as Legan, Sarena, and the poor bewildered groom by the turn in events that afternoon. He'd had to wait nearly half-an-hour for her to arrive at the stables, because she absolutely had to change into her riding habit, and then it had been another nearly half-an-hour before a kitchen girl appeared with a sack containing provisions for the afternoon and water sacks. Even he didn't know why he had decided to pull Jade away from her duties as lady of the Keep, and the scowls that he received from his mother when Lord Marmion and Lady Jadina arrived for dinner told him that it had not been appreciated. But he had done it, and all in all, it had not been a bad afternoon.
At first, however, Jade had to dress him down by informing him, quite primly, "You do realize that the entire kitchen staff thinks that you've gone quite mad? By dinner time, it will be all over the Keep that Lord Marmion has taken leave of his senses."
"Jade, ask me if I care," had been his laughing retort. That had been the end of that, and for a few hours they had put aside their names and titles and simply been Megabyte and Jade.
Quill in hand, dipped in the inkwell, Megabyte paused. He caught himself on the verge of chewing on the feather end of the quill and smiled at the almost action. At least some things did not change, even here. Where to start? What to write? The past few weeks would require a lot of words, and he didn't pretend to know where to begin.
From the beginning, a little voice whispered in the back of his head, and that sounded good enough to Megabyte. He would start with the first day, the first moment that he arrived here and go forward from there. Although it sometimes seemed hard for him to remember what was the first day, sometimes it seemed like there were thoughts and memories just beyond his reach that didn't belong to him, but would if he could just wrap his fingers around them. The fine line between Megabyte Damon and Marmion Ruele was becoming less fine and the sooner he put the words to paper the better.
He was just preparing to write out the first words when a knock sounded on the door.
Megabyte looked up in annoyance, wondering who would be knocking at his bedchamber door at this late hour? He had already bid Legan good-night and Sarena . . . well, if the look on her face this afternoon was any indication, the woman had finally gotten the message and would steer clear of Marmion until 'his lordship' was ready to deal with her. Which, if Megabyte had anything to say about it, would be never.
"What?" Megabyte snapped out, his attention turning towards the door. He had no intentions of getting up and answering it, and hopefully he sounded annoyed enough that any foolish servant would simply scamper away unless it was a matter of life and death.
"Marm?" The door opened a narrow crack, Jade's blonde head peeking inside, "Can I come in for a minute? I mean, if you're not too busy?"
"No, come on in." Closing the journal, Megabyte put it aside. His thoughts would keep, but it was pretty clear that Jade had something on her mind. He could think of no other reason that she would be here, coming into his bedchamber this late at night. "What's up?"
She stepped fully into the bedroom, pulling the door closed behind her. Jade wore only her nightdress over which was thrown a robe, her everyday shoes peeking out from beneath the hem of the pristine white night clothes. Megabyte was surprised by the brief stab of surprise that she would actually wander the keep corridors barely dressed, and then checked himself at the thought. Jade was perfectly well dressed and covered for their world, but perhaps he was becoming more a part of this world than he had previously thought.
"I was just," Jade shrugged, and sank to the couch, holding her robe tightly closed in one fist and smoothing the layers of her nightdress with the other hand, "I couldn't sleep."
"Join the club," Megabyte leaned back in his chair, stretching his legs. "What's bothering you?"
"This!" Jade threw one hand up in the air, the action indicating not only Megabyte's bedchamber, but the entire Keep and probably the entire world as well. "I mean, what are we doing here? I know, I know we keep talking about it and we don't have any answers, but - are we still us?"
"Well, kid, last I checked I was still me."
Jade gave him her patented this-is-no-time-for-jokes stare, tilting her head ever so slightly as she did. "You know that's not what I meant, Marm. I know that we're still us, but … well, sometimes, it feels like I'm really Jadina. I mean, it's like I know her, and I know who she was and how she felt and . . . " Jade looked away, clenching her fists in obvious frustration, shaking her head, "I don't know how to put it into words to make you understand."
All pretense of jokes aside, Megabyte nodded. "I do understand." He crossed to the couch to sit beside her, raking his hands through his hair and pretending not to notice the look of wary disbelief that shot out from Jade's blue eyes.
"I mean it, Jade. I get it. Sometimes it's almost like you can remember something, but it's not quite your memory."
Relief banished the wariness and Jade nodded excitedly. "Like we really are them, only we aren't because we can still remember earth and the Ship and things like chips and ice cream and computer games, but it seems so far away at the same time."
"But it's not, it's only been four weeks," Megabyte hesitated a moment before reaching out to wrap his arm comfortingly around her shoulder. "And you're still Jade Weston and I'm still Megabyte Damon and we'll get home someday and everything will be normal again."
"But you don't know that," Jade leaned into him, tilting her head back to look into his face. "You and Adam keep saying that, but you don't know that. We could be stuck here forever. We could never go home again."
"Or, we could go home tomorrow. There's no way to know, Jade."
Jade looked away, lowering her head to his shoulder, "I hate not knowing."
"Me too, kiddo." Before he quite registered what he was doing, Megabyte had dropped a kiss onto the top of her head. It was chaste, it was platonic, but it startled them both, Megabyte could tell by the shiver that ran through Jade's body, could tell by the way he suddenly caught his breath. He waited, waited for her to look at him - all hopeful and adoring, but she never did. She simply sighed quietly against him, drawing her feet onto the couch and settling more comfortably against him.
[Can I stay here awhile, Marm?] She wasn't reassured, Jade was far from reassured, Megabyte could hear it in her mental voice, could feel the sadness and confusion that played through her. [I just don't want to be all alone right now.]
[Sure. Stay as long as you want.]
[Thank you.]
This time he knew exactly what he was doing when he parted her hair and let his lips linger on her scalp. Not a romantic endearment, or suggestive flirting of any sort, just a gesture of comfort and affection shared between friends. [You're welcome.]
Half an hour later, she was sleeping soundly.
And that was precisely where and how Legan found them in the morning.
****
Legan recalled a time when he had not disliked his lord. He recalled a time when he had been quite fond of the boy, a laughing and exuberant child who had once been horrified to watch a groomsman end the life of a lame horse and who had insisted that groomsman be dealt with harshly for his actions. It had taken Lord Bial, Lady Margot, Queen Carrina and King Martine to convince the boy that it had been the best they could do for the poor beast. Of course, stubborn Marmion hadn't believed it until his cousins had a bout of fisticuffs to beat the idea into his head.
Often times Legan wondered what had happened to that young man. Perhaps it had been over indulgences of his parents, Lady Margot had lost so many babes before bringing Marmion into the world, and he was the sole heir to Elspera Keep, the sole male to pass his name and heritage on to keep House Ruele alive and strong. His mother and father had both doted upon him far too much, and when he was being honest with himself, Legan would admit that he had done it as well, and perhaps together they had doted all the sweetness out of the child.
Somehow that didn't seem entirely possible, however. His Highness was still well mannered and had the same strong, good heart that he had possessed as a child when he and Marmion and Hagen had nothing better to do with their time than practice sword fighting with large sticks and peek under the dresses of the kitchen maids. And while Lord Hagen's interest in women was well known, he was still looked upon fondly and did not have the sour disposition that Marmion did.
But these days, it seemed that something was happening inside that thick skull of Marmion's. The boy actually seemed to be re-developing the conscience that he had lost at some point in time, and he seemed to be growing into the personality that would make a fine lord and House Head when that day came. Perhaps Lord Bial and Lady Margot had been correct, perhaps getting Marmion away from the Keep where he spent so much time with his head above the clouds, and forcing him to get to know his wife, all under the pretense of doing business for the king, had forced the man to get more in touch with himself.
Or maybe he had merely slipped and hit his head too hard at some point in time.
Still, while surprising, it had been good to see him dismissing that two-faced tart and spending some time with his wife. While it was true that the two might never be married in anymore than name only, it made Legan think there was hope for Marmion that he would actually befriend his wife.
And he felt that it was past time that it had been done.
The Lady Jadina may have come into her own since moving into Elspera Keep, but there were times when she still showed herself as the shy, naïve first daughter of House Zentil. Raised to be the perfect lady, and probably the prettiest of the Lord Gunter and Lady Penelope's daughters -- although there was still time for the other girls to grow into their looks -- this had been her parent's plan for her since birth. Jadina, unlike her sisters, would not be married into one of the lower houses, but into a House with influence, a House with blood more closely tied to the Lion Throne. What Lord Gunter lacked in ambition, his wife made up for tenfold, and so it was that Lady Jadina had come to them. Come to a man who did not wish to be married to girl he considered no more than a child, with blood barely thick enough to be considered royal by Marmion's standards.
But, by the same token, Lord Bial and Lady Margot would have taken no girl from any of the higher Houses; a threat to their rank among the Houses was not something they would abide by. Contrary to what Marmion thought, he had always been destined to marry a daughter of House Zentil; he was lucky that he had gotten the prettiest of the bunch.
As was his tradition, Legan knocked twice before throwing open the doors to Marmion's bedchamber. He didn't care who or what company the young lord was keeping; if it was not the young woman chosen to bear his heirs, then it was of no consequence. Although he could only hope that his lord had truly decided to be done with Sarena once and for all.
Few things surprised Legan. Even fewer caused him embarrassment and left him at a loss of words. What he saw upon entering Lord Marmion's bedchamber did both.
On the couch in the outer sitting room, sleeping as though she belonged there, was the Lady Jadina. But that was not what caused him surprise; that was not what caused him to feel suddenly as if he had walked in something that he should not have, that left him gaping for his voice and the words to say. No, what caused that effect was the remainder of the scene spilled out before his eyes. Lady Jadina was not alone on the couch, but rather she lay beside her husband, Lord Marmion's body spooned up behind hers, his arm wrapped around her waist and his face buried in her hair.
Legan's first thought had been that Lady Jadina slept as though she belonged there, and from the looks of things, perhaps she did.
As the shock slowly faded away, Legan realized that perhaps standing in the entryway gaping was not the wisest move. He moved to back into the corridor, to announce his presence a bit more loudly, but it was not quickly enough to stop one of the other servants from sweeping inside the chamber, not quickly enough to warn the woman away before she gave a surprised and startled yelp, the water pitcher she carried crashing loudly to the floor.
Lord and lady jerked suddenly awake, both of them bolting upright at the sound. Legan caught Marmion's blue eyes focused accusingly on him, until the serving woman began to babble apologies, trying to mop up the spilled water with the hems of her skirts. Lady Jadina bolted away from the couch, away from her husband, looking like a startled animal, her face flushed redder than her husband's hair.
"Leave it," Legan barked at the serving woman, "Go get another pitcher."
The woman did even wait for Marmion's nod of dismal before she darted out, Legan closing the doors behind her. Closing them just in time to catch Lady Jadina as she tried to flee out of them as well.
He properly averted his eyes, but his body remained in her path of escape. "My lady can not wander the Keep halls this morn dressed like that."
"Oh." The voice was the tiniest of squeaks, reminding Legan again of the youth and naivete of Marmion's child bride. "But I have to --"
"Here," Marmion spoke up, his voice followed by a rustling of material, the loud shuffling of feet as bodies moved about.
Legan blinked in surprise as Lady Jadina was placed in his line of sight, fully covered in one of Marmion's cloaks. "See that she gets to her chambers, all right, Legan?"
"Certainly, my lord." Legan nodded to Marmion, although the young lord had already turned away from him, his attention on his wife.
Because they spoke no words, the smile that suddenly broke out across Lady Jadina's face seemed to have no place and no reason. But she did smile and as she did so, Marmion turned away, dismissing Legan with a nod, "And be quick about it. I need to meet with the Duke of Rigora very shortly."
Legan felt his eyebrows rise clear to his hairline, a thousand unasked questions forming in his brain. But it wasn't his place to ask them, at least not in the presence of Lady Jadina, so he simply turned and did as he was told.
Her equilibrium recovered, Lady Jadina walked with her head held high, although Legan did notice that some splotches of pink still clung to her cheeks.
"My lady!" Sarena rushed up to Lady Jadina, her eyes widening in shock and disdain as she took note of the clothing - or rather lack of clothing - worn by the girl. "Where have you - you are -"
"Cold," Lady Jadina supplied with a rueful smile.
"You were not in your chambers -"
"I slept elsewhere," tiny splotches of pink dotted her cheeks again as she said the words, but she kept her head held high. She gave Legan a smile and nod before turning and walking away, "Thank you for your assistance, Legan. But I'm certain my husband wants you back, and I am safely in Sarena's capable hands."
Legan didn't share Jadina's belief when he saw understanding and the implications of her words dawn in Sarena's eyes. He certainly discounted any use of the word safe as Sarena's face drained of all blood, her eyes growing hard as she glared at the back of her lady's head.
With a firm grip on Sarena's shoulder, Legan hissed in her ear. "She is the lady of this keep, and you are her servant. If you wish to keep your place here, you best keep your lips sealed and tend to her as you should."
"Sarena, are you coming?" Lady Jadina paused, looking back, somehow managing to look bored and annoyed even when wearing a ridiculously large cloak in the early morning hours.
Legan released Sarena and turned away, hoping that the implied threat would suffice. While Marmion may have earned Sarena's venom, Jadina did not deserve it and he would not let the girl be hurt or upset because of her husband's indiscretions.
And if there was any hope at all for that marriage, he would do everything in his power to encourage it.
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