Update, update, up-DATE! Update, update, up-DATE! ((dances))
ZOMG, you guys. I'm so excited as to where this is going. I can't tell you, but I've already written the next chapter in preperation that I'll be gone all next week. I hope you love it as much as I love it.
Areida Rivers: Thank you! I didn't even know that about the constant motion thing, but I can understand it. I have a relatively short attention span, so when something doesn't move, I really get bored. It probably flows over into my writing.
cinnamon: I'm glad that you like my story! XcD
Tiger Lily21: Hmm... A mystery indeed. I get all bubbly inside when people say they like my writing. It's what makes this all worth while.
Sirenic Griffin: Or perhaps an enemy that's switched his/her view?
fell4adeadguy: My plot's going to beas thick aschocolate pudding (not really!)
PrincessofRain: Wee:cD
panemonium: They've had to be nice to each other, or else the family wouldn't have survived after their parents died. I think they're all also great characters. Fiona's dress was going to be ready at noon, that's all. And it's girls' rugby that I play.
Shards of Dawn: I really like your name, by the way. It's really cool. I love Fiona to death.I think I'm getting better atcharacters. And, yay! Jarrod's back!
Dragonblade Goddess: Ah! I'm sorry to leave you all waiting, but thetruth is, there willprobably be a bit of a cliffie atthe end of every chapter until thelast one. It's just the way I like to write.
tami: That's a very interestinghypothesis.IhopeI can keep you guys guessing until the very end.
Phillipaof the Phoenix: The force is strong with this one!heehee.Fiona and Jarrod need to work a couple of things out. And I'm just the person to push them together to do that.
livingdead2010: OKAY:cD
Dreamer at Heart: Ah! Exams are the root of all evil. You'll find out... later. ((laughs maniacally))
rootbeergirl19: and look! Another one:c)
Branwen Welsh: gracias. I don't know why it seems familiar. Perhaps I heard it somewhere and just subconciously used it.
rainkisser: You're back! YAY! TROO DAT! Of course he'll get overprotective and he's definately a hottie. yay for adventure!
little miss tiny shoes: I don't know ((looks innocent)) yay for 'The Dress.' Maybe it'll help Jarrod think a little (or not!)
You guys have no idea how happy I am right now for no apparent reason. Maybe it's because it's a Pro-D day. That might be it.
Or maybe it's the chocolate.
Lulai
Chapter Seventeen: Denied
"I don't think this will work at all," Fiona muttered under her breath. She ran her hands nervously over her skirt while they bounced in the coach on their way to Jarrod's castle. Unlike their cramped carriage ride to the city, Thomas' vehicle was quite spacious and sat all five of them quite comfortably.
"And you didn't realise the connection between us?" Genevieve was asking Thomas.
He laughed. "I know, ridiculous of me, wasn't it? I knew that you lived at Havara, and I knew that Edward was the Earl of Havara, but I didn't put two and two together until a couple weeks ago when he actually mentioned that he had nieces."
"How many people will be with us tonight?" Nia asked.
Thomas shrugged. "The King, his brother, and his cousin, I think. I told him I was bringing four guests, so I assume he wanted to keep it even."
"Did you not tell him it was us coming?" Josephine asked.
Thomas shook his head. "No. I thought that you would rather like to do that yourselves."
So he doesn't know, Fiona thought, her heart starting to beat faster. Her stomach was tying itself into knots and her hands seemed to follow suit.
Nia laid her hands over Fiona's. "It'll be alright; you'll see," she said as Fiona forced herself to stop wringing her hands. She gave her sister a smile.
"Of course," she said with forced cheeriness.
But as soon as the coach clattered up to the front, Fiona felt a sense of panic creep over her. What was she doing here? She should be at home, mending clothes and reading books!
Stop it, she ordered herself, and steeled her backbone as the carriage shuddered to a stop. She was here to help her family.
She took a deep breath, lifted her chin and the hem of her new gown, and stepped out of the carriage.
…
"So who's coming?" Jarrod asked Tyrell for the second time as they stood at the top of the stairs awaiting their guests.
"Lord Turnbull and four guests," Tyrell answered calmly, leaning back on a railing. Warren, on his other side, grinned.
Jarrod almost smiled. "Good. I enjoy Thomas' company. He has a good head on those shoulders. He's expanded his father's shipping business almost thrice-fold."
Tyrell nodded.
"I think they've arrived," Warren said softly.
Tyrell cocked an ear, then nodded. "I think so."
The men descended the stairs to greet their guests.
"Announcing Lord Thomas Fer Turnbull, and Lady Fiona, Lady Genevieve, Lady Iphegenia, and Lady Josephine Fer Havara."
Jarrod's heart skipped a beat and he nearly fell down the stairs. Fiona? Here?
The parties met in the hall and bowed to each other.
"Thomas," Tyrell said, clapping the man on the back, "it's good to see you. And I see you've brought guests."
"Yes," Thomas said. "I'm sure you don't need too much introduction, your majesty, as I heard you had visited Castle Fer Havara recently."
"Yes. The Havara household was very accommodating," he replied. His eyes caught Fiona's, who quickly looked at her toes.
"But where are our manners?" he asked. "Let me take your shawls, and we shall sit down to eat." He motioned to his servants who came forward. His eyes automatically went to Fiona as she took off her shawl to reveal a beautiful blue dress. Her hair was still up in its customary bun, but it revealed her bare shoulders and long graceful neck.
Tyrell walked up to Nia. "May I show you to our dining hall?"
She curtsied and took his arm. "Of course, your highness."
Warren approached Josephine with a soft smile on his face and they walked after the first couple in a similar fashion.
"I'll bring up the rear," Jarrod told Thomas.
"Excellent. Shall we?" he asked, offering his arm to Genevieve.
Jarrod walked up to Fiona. Her hands were grasping each other in what looked like a death grip. He felt a rush of sadness sweep through him that she would look so nervous with him now.
"I trust your ride here was uneventful?" Jarrod said, offering his arm to her. She laid her hand upon it as if she was wary of touching him. They walked down the hall together.
"A little cramped, but not too bad," Fiona replied.
"If I had realised that all four of you would be coming here, I would have sent a larger carriage for you all."
Fiona gave him a small smile. "I'm sure you would, my lord, but we wouldn't want to be a bother."
"Why are you here?" he asked suddenly, but Fiona shook her head.
"We should wait until after dinner so we can discuss it all together."
Jarrod was intrigued, but let it drop.
Fiona wasn't counting on the mere presence of Jarrod to upset her equilibrium. His arm was warm and strong under her hand. She could even smell him. He smelled like warmth and spice, and something inherently Jarrod. She desperately wanted to just lean into him and inhale. She forced herself to remain distant, cool.
"Here we are," he said, squeezing her hand on his arm. There was an empty chair and he led her straight to it. He pulled back the chair… and stopped.
Fiona's dress had no back. The front looked like a normal dress, but the back fell from her arms to a small scoop at the base of her spine. There was nothing but smooth creamy skin from her shoulder blades to her waist. It was quite frankly the most seductive thing he had ever seen.
Fiona knew the exact moment Jarrod saw the back (or lack there of) of her dress. He stopped halfway from pulling out her chair and his breath caught in his throat almost like a gasp. She suddenly felt a new hope for the evening.
"Thank you," she said, looking at him from the corner of her eye as she sat down. His gaze was locked on her bare back, until he visibly shook himself and shuttered his expression.
She placed her serviette on her lap. Jarrod took his seat at the head of the table and almost immediately, a horde of servants came out, laden with dishes of steaming food. She looked longingly at some of it, but resolved to eat little.
"Please, eat as much as you'd like," Jarrod's brother, Tyrell? said. "We wouldn't want anyone to be hungry."
Fiona smiled at him and took a second spoonful of scalloped potatoes.
Dinner went by pleasantly. There was relatively easy talk around the food, none ranging so far from travel to art.
After all the dishes were cleared away, Jarrod clasped his hands together and leaned forward.
"My ladies," he began, "I have quite enjoyed your company, but I do find it a bit difficult to believe you came out here merely to have dinner and a conversation. What is your real purpose here?"
Genevieve looked at Fiona sombrely. "We do have something we need to ask you."
Jarrod nodded. "Perhaps we should retire to the common room?"
The four couples walked down the hall, Tyrell pointing things out, such as paintings and suits of armour, telling them a little about each item's history. Fiona decided she rather liked Tyrell.
"Please," Jarrod said, as they walked into a carpeted room. "Make yourselves comfortable." There was no fire lit in the grate, but the wood was laid in, in case it became cold. Bookshelves filled with their leather bound counterparts lined the room.
"Wow," Fiona said, admiring the books.
"If you think this is impressive, I should show you the Drewery Library," Jarrod murmured to her.
"I would like that," she replied. She found a large carpeted chair to sink into.
"So?" Jarrod asked, standing near a large oak table, it's shiny top glinting back the setting light of the sun. "Why have you come?"
Genevieve stood up. "As much as I'd like to say that this is a visit of purely pleasure, we do have a bit of a problem."
She explained how the former Earl of Havara had disappeared with their money, and about the loans, and the ultimatum.
"Basically," Fiona said when Genevieve stopped, "we are wondering if you can loan us the money to pay back these men."
Jarrod regarded all four hopeful women seriously, leaning a hip on the desk. He shook his head. "I'm terribly sorry, but I cannot."
"But we will pay you back, although it may take a couple years," Fiona insisted.
Jarrod stood up straight and held out his hands. "It's out of my hands," he said. "It's law that the Royal family cannot give out loans."
"There is no hope then?" Josephine asked, looking crestfallen.
Jarrod gave a sad shrug. "I will go through the records tonight and try to find a loophole, but as of now, I cannot see a way. I am sorry."
Fiona nodded sadly. "I know." She stood. "We thank you for your time."
"Just while we're here," Josephine piped up, "I would like to request that you increase your guards in the marketplace."
"Josephine!" Fiona hissed.
"What is this about?" Jarrod asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Nothing, my lord," Fiona answered, casting an evil glare on her sister. "Just a little incident in the market this morning."
"A little incident? You were almost abducted!" Josephine shot back hotly.
What happened Josephine?" Jarrod asked the sister.
Josephine ignored the daggers that Fiona was shooting at her with her eyes and turned to the king. "Two scruffy men grabbed Fiona today while we were out shopping. They nearly took off with her, but we managed to subdue them. They were looking specifically for her too. The one man confessed that she had been described to him."
"I'm sure there are many women with my description," Fiona said.
"There could still be more guards to help all the people there," Josephine defended herself.
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Josephine," Jarrod said. "I will certainly look into having more guards put into the market."
"Thank you," she said with a curtsy.
Jarrod, Tyrell, and Warren walked the guests to the door and saw them into the carriage with no incident. Jarrod was disappointed when Fiona's shawl covered the back of her marvellous dress.
He made his way back to his rooms and dismissed his valet. Stripping into his bedclothes, he crawled into the great red monstrosity that was his bed and absentmindedly rubbed his stitches. They were healing quickly, his own doctor said, and they would be out soon. They still itched something fierce, though.
He was absolutely positive that the attack on Fiona was to be used against him somehow. His enemy had seemingly followed him back to the castle, as he found himself almost falling off the balcony from a deliberately loosened railing the day before. If his enemy had somehow found out how much Fiona meant to him, she was no longer safe either.
He had to find someway to keep her close, under his watchful eye.
An idea shook his thoughts. Would it work? It seemed to be the only option left. He just hoped it was the right one.