The Comte and the Peasant: Chapter Fourteen
Hi everyone! SO sorry it took this long to update! A big THANKS to all those who reviewed the last chapter of my fanfic. I never realized that the new names were so hard to get used to! I apologize to everyone who would have preferred the original Japanese names. I promise that I will use them in my next fanfic (which I have an idea for, but won't start until this one is finished). Anyways, I guess that's all for now. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and as always, please leave feedback!
Back at the Comte of Troyes's house…
As soon as she and Ruiz had returned, Thadea was confronted by an angry Mistress Rosalind who demanded to know where she was. A stern glance and a brief command from Ruiz sent the elderly woman and the other servants scurrying out of the kitchen and back to their chambers. Thadea went to her room as well, to change out of her wet clothes and to put on a dry nightgown which she borrowed from Yeva.
Her friend did not ask any questions, but instead helped to lay out her wet clothes near the fireplace in the kitchen to dry. Then she had returned to their room, leaving Thadea alone with Ruiz. He was sitting by himself at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of tea that one of the servants had brought him.
"Would you like a cup?" he asked her, as he reached for the teapot beside him.
"Wh…what is it?" Thadea asked, as she cautiously seated herself across from the young lord.
Ruiz gave her an odd look and poured some tea into an empty cup. He placed the cup on a saucer and pushed the delicate china towards her. "Try it," he said simply.
Thadea glanced at him uncertainly, but took a small sip of the steaming hot liquid. Her eyes widened in surprise as the warm liquid slid over her tongue and down her throat. "It's really good!" she cried in surprise, as she took a bigger gulp. "What's it called?"
Ruiz blinked with surprise at the question. "Do not tell me you have never had tea before!"
"So this is tea?" Thadea stared at the dark liquid in wonder. She had heard the term before, but had never seen it. Tea leaves were extremely rare, and certainly as a peasant, she would never have had the opportunity to come across it. She only knew that it was imported from the Far East, a mystical land filled with silk, gold, and riches.
The kitchen was warm and cozy as Thadea sat at the large wooden table sipping her tea. The strong, fragrant taste of the bitter leaves soothed her frazzled nerves and warmed her cold body. Ruiz lounged silently across from her, his long fingers playing idly with the rim of his cup. He was staring at her, causing Thadea to blush. She glanced up at him timidly, taking in the image of his handsome, boyish face. His fine, reddish brown hair seemed longer than it had been, and his face had more color, probably from riding in the summer sun. His marble gray eyes remained the same, however, the slant of his eyelids giving him that same drowsy look she remembered so well.
"I…I'm glad you're back," she said softly, looking down at her cup. There was a brief pause as she gathered her thoughts, a million questions racing through her mind. Where had he gone all this time and why had he returned? Did he really go after Serafina like everyone believed? She tried to figure out the best way to ask him.
"D…did you find Lady Serafina? Did you get a chance to work things out with her family?"
There was a long pause. Afraid that her question had offended him, Thadea glanced up at Ruiz nervously. There was a frown on his handsome face which made her heart sink.
"Did I say something wrong? Please don't look at me like that! I'm sorry if I overstepped…" Thadea apologized quickly, afraid of what he may say next. She knew it was not her place to probe into his personal life, and she berated herself for going against her better judgment.
Ruiz frowned thoughtfully, shaking his head. "What are you talking about Thadea? Why would you bring up Serafina all of a sudden?"
Thadea blinked, unsure of what to say. She opened her mouth to reply, but couldn't find the right words to explain what she was trying to ask. She was utterly confused. "I...I thought that….well…everyone was saying that you left to go after Lady Serafina…I just…"
"What on earth would give you that idea?" Ruiz asked incredulously. "Is that what the household has been saying? That I left to chase after Serafina?"
"Well, yes," Thadea looked up at him earnestly with genuine surprise on her face. "You left shortly after she had…and well, we all just assumed that you had gone after her. Some of the older servants were even saying that they had heard from other townspeople that the two of you had gone to Paris to renegotiate with the king about her marriage…"
Ruiz stared at her blankly, taking in her words. As soon as he heard the last sentence, he gave a harsh laugh. "Renegotiate? Are you joking? There is no renegotiation with that marriage. It would be beyond foolish of me to even attempt such a task." He sighed and took a small sip of his tea, then shook his head. "I cannot believe some of the rubbish that people come up with. It will serve you well not to listen to idle gossip."
"So you didn't go after Lady Serafina? You didn't go to Paris?" Thadea's mind was spinning with this new revelation.
"Yes and no. Of course I did not try to pursue Serafina once she had left for Bavaria. The relationship ended when she accepted the marriage proposal. It was her choice, not mine, and I am not going to make the situation any more difficult than it has to be. I did, however, go to Paris. That information was not false."
"What were you doing in Paris?" Thadea asked.
Ruiz smiled. "You sure are nosey Thadea Marcoux."
Thadea flushed and lowered her eyes. "I…I'm sorry…I didn't mean to…"
Ruiz laughed in response to her flustered babbling. "Must you take yourself so seriously? You never seem to catch on when I am teasing you."
Thadea looked up quickly, her temper flaring. "I can take a joke! But you're always so…so…well, you're always so monotone! Who can ever tell when you're joking or not!" Her eyes widened as soon as she said those words, and she clamped a hand over her mouth in embarrassment. She glanced at him, certain that he would be angry, but instead, Ruiz just laughed harder.
"Haha…" Ruiz gasped for air, his face flushed. "Tha…that is what I like about you…you are always so blunt!"
"Well I'm glad I amuse you so much," Thadea replied with annoyance, "but I don't appreciate being made fun of."
Suddenly, Ruiz stopped laughing, and his demeanor sobered. He gave her a long, hard look. Thadea was unsettled by the sudden change in Ruiz's mood.
"Thadea, I want you to be honest with me. When I came across you on the road, you thought that I was Tiernan. Why? Were you at his house tonight? Tell me the truth."
Thadea lowered her eyes again, her cheeks flushing at the memory of what happened at Tiernan Doumet's estate. She didn't want to tell Ruiz what had occurred between the two of them. It was too embarrassing, especially since she did not want him to get the wrong impression of her. However, she couldn't bring herself to lie to him either, so she sat there wordlessly, staring down at her hands.
"Look at me Thadea," Ruiz said softly. "Please."
Thadea shook her head, feeling tears stinging at the back of her eyes. "I…I can't talk about it…I just…please don't make me…"
Ruiz was silent. Thadea could not decipher what he was thinking, but she kept her eyes down. She couldn't bear to look at him right now because she knew that she'd cry if she did. And she wouldn't cry in front of him. Not over Tiernan Doumet.
"Would you like to know why I went to Paris, Thadea?" Ruiz suddenly asked, changing the subject. He gave her a small smile, trying to relieve the dark mood that had settled between the two of them.
"Y…yes, if you wouldn't mind telling me," Thadea tried to smile back, but her face felt stiff. She was glad that he didn't press her about what had happened earlier that day, although it felt strange to leave so much unsaid between them. Perhaps one day she would be able to talk about Tiernan Doumet without becoming so emotional, but not now.
"The tension between France and England has escalated in these past few weeks," Ruiz said quietly, his gray eyes taking on a far away look. "I was summoned to court by my father shortly after Serafina's departure. I am surprised that Tiernan did not mention any of this to you since he was called there too…" Ruiz caught himself when he saw the expression change on Thadea's face at the mention of Tiernan Doumet, and hastily continued. "It is a very dangerous situation right now. King Edward III of England is still making claims to the French throne, and it has made things especially difficult for my family. No one is pressing for war at the moment, but that could change."
"I…I don't understand milord," Thadea said, "How does that involve you? Even if there is a war…"
Ruiz looked at her incredulously, as if he couldn't quite comprehend the ridiculousness of her question. Thadea flushed at his reaction, ashamed of her own ignorance.
"As the son of a nobleman, I am expected to fight in his majesty's army, if there is to be a war," Ruiz explained patiently.
Thadea's eyes widened at the idea of Ruiz being sent off to war. The thought had never occurred to her that Ruiz would ever be in any kind of danger. She felt a shiver run up her spine as she pictured Ruiz in a battlefield, facing off against Englishmen who wanted to kill him. The thought made her sick to her stomach.
Ruiz must have noticed her reaction, for he reached out and grabbed her hand. He gave her a reassuring squeeze. "We need not talk about that. It is far too early to say how the problem may be resolved. I should not have brought it up in the first place."
"N…No, please, it's okay," Thadea said, staring at his hand which was still holding onto hers. His hand was cool, but her skin burned underneath his touch. She looked up into his beautiful gray eyes and lost herself in their depths.
"You are a sweet girl," Ruiz said softly. He leaned forward and gently pressed his lips against her forehead. Thadea stared at him in shock as he pulled back and cupped her face in his hands. "Promise me you'll take better care of yourself Thadea. I do not want to worry about you the next time I leave town."
"I will," Thadea replied as Ruiz stood to leave. She watched him as he strode out of the kitchen, and smiled at the warm feeling that was emerging inside her heart.
The next day…
"Wow, you sure are cheerful Thadea! What happened that's made you so happy?"
Thadea glanced up at Yeva with a sly smile, but shrugged her thin shoulders in response. "Oh, nothing. Everything's just same old same old."
Yeva looked at her suspiciously, but said nothing further. She didn't want to press Thadea, especially since it didn't look like she really wanted to tell her anything. It was just nice to see her friend smiling again, something which she had not done in a very long time.
"Hey girls, get a move on polishing those serving platters!" Mistress Rosalind entered the kitchen, her face flushed and her mood frantic. "Marie, hurry and tell the cook to prepare some refreshments for the young master. The young Lord Doumet has come to visit!"
Yeva nodded, hurrying to finish polishing the gleaming silver tray in her hand. She was too busy to notice Thadea, who had suddenly gone pale.
"Pardon milord," the steward held the door to the parlor open for Tiernan as he bowed low to the young lord.
Tiernan entered the room without a second glance at the young steward and made his way over to Ruiz, who stood next to an open window gazing out onto the palace grounds. He turned as he sensed Tiernan approach and gave him a curt nod in greeting. Ruiz stared in surprise as he noticed Tiernan's rumpled clothing and the dark circles under his eyes.
"Why such a cold welcome Ruiz?" Tiernan asked, his face smooth and expressionless. "Have I done anything to offend you?"
"No, why would you think that?" Ruiz replied. He turned away from Tiernan and stared outside. "I was not in the mood to receive guests today. You should have asked before coming here unannounced."
"Since when have I ever needed permission to visit you?" Tiernan demanded. When Ruiz made no response, he felt his temper rise. "Damn it Ruiz, look at me when I'm talking to you!"
Ruiz turned, giving Tiernan a long, cool stare. "I will not be spoken to that way Tiernan. Remember yourself as a guest in my home."
"And you remember that I am your overlord, and whatever you possess is mine as well!" Tiernan turned away angrily and seated himself in a nearby armchair. He glared up at Ruiz with cold anger on his face. "I didn't come here to fight with you. I came here to see Thadea."
Ruiz scoffed, giving Tiernan a look of disbelief. "You have the gall to come here and ask me that, after literally kidnapping her yesterday?"
"I did not kidnap her! This is none of your business anyways Ruiz. Whatever happened yesterday is between Thadea and me."
"And what happened Tiernan?" Ruiz demanded as he moved away from the window and walked closer to Tiernan. "What did you do to her? Tell me!"
"What are you deaf? I said it was none of your business!"
"No, that's where you're wrong. Thadea is my business, and I'm not going to sit back and let you harass her any longer. I warn you Tiernan, leave the girl alone."
Tiernan sprang up from his chair and grabbed Ruiz by the collar of his shirt. He glared into his best friend's face with cold anger in his eyes. "You have no right to keep her from me Ruiz. What happened last night was just a misunderstanding…and I need to talk to her."
Ruiz reached up and shoved Tiernan's hands away. He stared calmly into Tiernan's dark eyes. "I don't think so. What you need to do is to leave her alone. Haven't you done enough to her already? I'm ashamed of myself for not taking action against you sooner…when I found her last night walking in the dark by herself… in the rain…" Ruiz's marble gray eyes flashed angrily as the memory of what he saw last night passed through his mind. "What kind of a sick bastard are you Tiernan, to make her walk through those woods alone at night! Don't you realize she could have been raped or murdered or worse?"
Tiernan shuddered involuntarily at the idea, but hurriedly pushed those thoughts away. He looked up at Ruiz sadly, the rage slowly dissipating from his face. Ruiz was taken aback by this sudden change in demeanor.
"I didn't think she would actually leave," Tiernan stated quietly, seating himself back down into the armchair. "After I realized she had gone, I got on my horse and I went looking for her. It was dark and I couldn't see very well…but I searched…I searched for her all night…It was only until dawn that one of my servants told me you had found her and had brought her back here." He drew an unsteady breath and buried his face in his hands. "I was so relieved to hear that she was alright. I was so worried last night when I couldn't find her…I thought that…"
Ruiz stared at his best friend in shock. He had never seen the great Tiernan Doumet in such a state before. Suddenly he understood why Tiernan looked such a mess. He had been up the entire night searching for Thadea and must have hurried over as soon as he found out she had returned to Ruiz's estate.
"Tiernan…I don't understand what's happening here. What are you doing?" Ruiz asked quietly, shaking his head in disbelief. "Why are you doing this?"
Tiernan uncovered his face slowly and sat up staring straight into Ruiz's questioning eyes. His dark brown eyes were open and honest as he stated simply, "I love her."
His voice was barely above a whisper and at first Ruiz had thought he had misunderstood him. "You…you what?"
"I love her Ruiz."
Ruiz stared at him blankly, his face frozen in shock. "No…you can't be."
"Why not?" Tiernan demanded angrily. "Why is it so hard to believe that I'm in love!" His demeanor softened as he thought of Thadea. "I…I've never felt this way about anyone before Ruiz. I love her so much…"
"Love? You don't know the meaning of love," Ruiz stated, finally regaining his senses. "Is this how you treat someone you love? By terrorizing and threatening them!" He shook his head disapprovingly, "You don't know how to love anyone but yourself Tiernan. I think the sooner you admit that, the better off we'll all be."
Tiernan shot up from his chair again, enraged by Ruiz's reaction to his heartfelt confession. He had never opened up to anyone like this before, and this is the advice that he was getting? "I don't need you of all people to tell me about love Ruiz. You were the one who so foolishly threw your love away all for the sake of your stupid honor. If you loved Serafina as much as you claimed, then you should have done something about it instead of stepping aside and allowing her to marry another man. Unlike you, I would never have allowed that! I would have…"
"Oh yes, you would have done what you are doing now right?" Ruiz interrupted. He glared at Tiernan with barely concealed contempt. "Showing a complete disregard for everyone and everything around you. That's always been your problem Tiernan, you have never acknowledged responsibility for your own actions. To you, life has always been so simple, so easy. You are willing to do anything and everything to get what you want, nomatter what the cost may be to other people. Well, this time, you are not going to succeed. I won't let you! You have hurt far too many people, and destroyed far too many lives. I won't allow you to destroy Thadea too!"
"You can't keep her from me Ruiz!" Tiernan shouted. "I don't care what you believe anymore. Say what you like about me, although I have to say that it kills me to realize that my supposed best friend thinks so little of me!"
"Can you blame me? I'm only telling you the truth, even if you don't see it yourself. Have you thought about where you plan to go with this? You say you love her and yet you know you cannot marry her. So what exactly are you trying to do? For god's sake Tiernan, for once, think before you act!" Ruiz sighed and buried his face in his hands. This conversation was wearing him down both physically and emotionally. Despite their differences, Tiernan had always been there when he needed him and it broke his heart to see their relationship deteriorate to such a state. It pained him to argue like this with Tiernan, his best friend since childhood.
Tiernan could see the toll that this was taking on Ruiz, and he slumped back into the chair in defeat. He clasped his hands together in front of him and drew in a shaky breath to calm down.
"That's just it Ruiz. I can't think about anything right now, and I don't care about anything except her. I just know that I need to be with her. Every day since the first day that I met her…I haven't been able to get her out of my mind. There hasn't been a moment when I haven't thought of her, and it's driving me insane." Tiernan looked up at Ruiz with pain in his eyes. "Call it what you will Ruiz, but for me I know this is love. You can't convince me otherwise."
Ruiz stared down at him with sadness written plainly across his pale face. He turned away at the pleading look in Tiernan's eyes, and walked over to the door.
"Henri," he called to the young steward who stood outside in the hallway, "Will you please go to the kitchen and tell Thadea Marcoux that Lord Doumet wishes to see her. Let her know, however, that she does not have to come if she does not want to."
The young steward nodded and hurriedly made his way downstairs. Ruiz turned back to Tiernan, his gray eyes weary with defeat. "I have done all that I am going to do for you Tiernan. It is up to Thadea now what shall happen, although I warn you, if she does not wish to see you, I will make sure that her wishes are obeyed." With that, he left the room, shutting the door firmly behind him.
In the kitchen…
"Mistress Rosalind!"
The kitchen staff was startled by the sudden cry that rang out from the hallway. Within seconds, Henri, a young steward who had recently began working at the house, rushed into the room. "I have a message for Thadea Marcoux! The young Lord Doumet wishes to speak with her. Lord Hainault, however, has told me specifically that this is a request. She only need go if she wishes it."
Thadea could feel the eyes of the entire kitchen staff on her. She glanced around uncomfortably, unsure of what to do. Tiernan Doumet was the last person she wished to see, but she knew intuitively that refusing the 'request' would bring her more trouble than it was worth. There was only so much that Ruiz could do for her when Tiernan Doumet so obviously possessed the greater power.
"Tell…tell Lord Doumet that I will be right there," Thadea said, her voice quavering slightly. As Henri left to deliver the message, Thadea took in a deep breath and made her way out of the kitchen. She could still feel the gaze of everyone focused on her, and she could hear the whispers all around. She looked straight ahead, however, refusing to meet their eyes.
Tiernan glanced up as the door opened. He watched silently as Thadea entered the room, her head lowered, refusing to meet his gaze. He stood up and strode over to her quickly, reaching out to take her arm. Thadea shied away from him, taking a few steps backward to move out of his reach.
Tiernan sighed, closing his eyes briefly. He was tired, and this was not going well. "Please Thadea, won't you take a seat?" he said quietly, his voice hoarse from fatigue.
Thadea glanced up at him curiously, surprised by the sound of his voice. She gasped involuntarily as she saw him. He looked terrible!
"Couldn't you at least attempt to hide your disgust?" Tiernan said dryly. "I know I look a mess." He moved back towards the chair he had been sitting in before, and Thadea followed uncertainly. She carefully seated herself across from him, feeling extremely uncomfortable.
"This isn't right," Thadea said, "I'm a servant. I shouldn't be sitting here…"
"Yes you should," Tiernan interrupted. He smiled at her wearily, "If I want you to sit there, then it's alright for you to sit there."
Thadea gave him a look, but said nothing else. An awkward pause ensued.
"Look," Thadea said, breaking the silence, "I don't know why you came here, but I only agreed to come because I wanted to end things once and for all. Please, just tell me what you want from me! Tell me what I can do to make you leave me alone."
Tiernan didn't reply. He looked down at his hands, which were clasped tightly in his lap. Thadea could feel desperation welling up inside of her. Would her torment never end?
"Why won't you give her an answer!" she cried angrily when Tiernan remained silent. "Why bother dragging me up here when you refuse to talk to me!"
"S…sorry," Tiernan whispered, his head still lowered. Thadea fell silent, unsure of what he had just said.
"Pardon?" Thadea asked.
Tiernan finally raised his head and stared straight into her face. Thadea was taken aback by the intensity of emotions that shown in his dark brown eyes. "I said I'm sorry," Tiernan said, more loudly, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm sorry about last night, and I'm sorry about what I did. I shouldn't have taken you against your will." He drew a deep breath and continued, "I was so scared when I couldn't find you last night. I couldn't believe you had actually left! You didn't even take your shoes…"
As Thadea listened to Tiernan's story in stunned silence, a new realization suddenly dawned on her. "Were…were you up all night looking for me?" she demanded, interrupting him. "Is that why you look so awful?"
Tiernan flushed, embarrassed as the extent of his feelings were revealed. As Thadea gaped at him in blatant shock, he finally found the words that he had been searching for all this time.
"I…I love you Thadea," he confessed, staring deep into her eyes and studying her reaction. "I loved you the moment I met you in the meeting court. I know that I didn't make the best impression that day, and I know that I've done a lot of rash things, but it was all because I wanted to see you…to be near you…"
"Please…please just stop…" Thadea cried, feeling tears stinging at the back of her eyes. The realization that Tiernan Doumet loved her was just too much for her to handle. Her mind raced and she clutched her head to focus her thoughts. "I…what do you want me to do? God, why are you telling me this! Are you mad?" She looked up at Tiernan, tears finally flowing down her cheeks. "I thought we came to an understanding about this last night. I've told you, I will not…"
"And that's not what I was asking you to do!" Tiernan cried, jumping to his feet. He moved quickly to stand in front of Thadea and leaned down, putting his hands on either side of the chair. "Listen to me, I don't want you as some sort of cheap fling. I love you! Can't you understand that?"
"And can't you understand that you can't marry me?" Thadea replied. "What good is this love of yours then? It just doesn't make any sense!"
"Look," Tiernan said, kneeling down in front of her. He reached out gently and took both her hands in his. "I don't know how this will work, but I promise you that I will find a way for us to be together! I just need to know how you feel about me. Do you have any feelings for me at all?"
Thadea stared down at her hands which were firmly clasped in his. Her head throbbed and she felt sick. "I…I don't know…I need time to think about this…" she whispered, closing her eyes. She needed to get out of there. She needed time alone.
She felt something warm touch her cheek, and opened her eyes to see Tiernan brushing away the tears from her face. "It's okay, don't cry," he said gently, smiling at her with a warm demeanor that she had rarely seen from him. "This is all probably too much for you to take in right now. You can take all the time you need…I'll wait for your decision." With that, he leaned forward and kissed her gently on the cheek. Standing up, he headed towards the door.
"Please think about all that I've said. I meant every word of it," Tiernan said as reached the doorway. Then he was gone.
Left lone, Thadea buried her face in her hands and cried.
The next three days passed by in a blur for Thadea Marcoux. True to his word, Tiernan Doumet did not return to bother her, giving her the time she needed to sort through her feelings. She had not imagined that her life would come to this point, and the emotional stress was taking a toll on her both physically and mentally.
She saw little of Ruiz Hainault during this period. Sensing that she needed time to herself, he purposely avoided the servant quarters and confined himself to the upstairs drawing room.
An urgent message from Paris came on the third day, calling Ruiz back to the royal court. Thadea was not informed until he was already gone. She said a prayer for him, hoping fervently that there would be no war. With both Tiernan and Ruiz in Paris, some measure of peace returned to Thadea's life…although it was definitely not the same.
While the rest of the household still treated her as they had always done, Thadea could feel the questions in their eyes and the gossip whispered behind her back. She didn't feel comfortable anymore in the Hainault household, and despite the support from Yeva who stayed loyally beside her, she began seriously considering returning to the countryside.
When a message from her family came a week later, Thadea got the answer she had been looking for. Her brother Sumner had fallen ill with a fever. The family did not know what was wrong, but her mother needed her to return home immediately. Faced with the terrible news, Thadea made plans to return home. That day she told Mistress Rosalind that she would be leaving for good. Everyone in the household bid her farewell, but it was Yeva who showed genuine sadness at her departure.
"Promise you'll come back and visit," Yeva cried, tears running down her pale cheeks. Thadea reached out and gave her friend a hug, trying to comfort her. "This isn't goodbye forever Yeva! I'll still be in Troyes, and you are welcomed to come visit me and my family anytime."
Yeva promised that she would visit as soon as she could and Thadea left for home that afternoon with a sinking heart. She worried over her brother's illness and she was sad at leaving Yeva. The fact that she could not bid Ruiz farewell also weighed heavily on her mind. However, she knew deep down that leaving the Comte's household permanently was the right thing to do. Her family needed her, and she realized how much she had missed the simplicity of her old life. Despite Tiernan's heartfelt confession to her, she knew that she did want the complications that would certainly come with his love.
End of Chapter 14
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Anything? Feel free to email me at delphigirl. And as always, PLEASE REVIEW! I read each and every one of your comments and I can't tell you how much I appreciate the feedback!