A/N: The following takes place after The Job Offer and The Job Interview.

Rough ages are as follows: Johan at 75, Clara at 56, Lena at 25, Astra at 23, Grant at 22, Sterling at 19, and Jasper is edging close to 2.

Chapter Forty-Eight: The Job Orientation

It was midafternoon by the time Lena, Sterling, and Grant made their way behind Gallifrey's sturdy city walls. Whilst Sterling dashed off with a promise that he would return around dinnertime, Grant stuck close to Lena after they deposited their horses in the stables and she began to give him a guided partial tour of Castle Gallifrey.

"It's so quiet in here," he noted carefully as they walked through the corridors. "From the size of the city, I would have thought it would be bustling inside as well."

"She is a fickle creature, my ancestral home," Lena chuckled. "Today she is calm, yet tomorrow could bring such a different atmosphere it would nearly be as though they were two separate places." She put her hand on the exposed stone of a column and glanced back at him. "How does it compare to Althos?"

"So far? At least we're not hanging on the side of a cliff, the surrounding area seems to be easily navigable, and nobody gives a second thought as to who I am," Grant replied. He went towards the column and leaned on it as well, regarding his hostess curiously. "No one approached to bother you while we were on our way here—why is that?"

"The people know that if their grievances are given to the correct channels, they shall be heard. None of this mobbing the local ruler nonsense that I hear about in other areas of the kingdom for Kasterborous and Gallifrey; I want better than that for high, middling, and baseborn alike."

"No grumblings…?"

"If there are, only the ones doing the grumbling are to blame for not acting on their problems," she said. They then continued walking down the corridor, wandering almost aimlessly. "If you take this job, part of your duties shall be hearing these grievances and grumblings. You won't have to legislate but you shall have to make yourself known and the law and people known to you."

"I have the winter to study and prepare; it won't be an overwhelming start." It was then that he noticed a tiny figure scurry around the corner ahead, stopping in its tracks to see who was down the corridor.

"Auntie Lena!" Jasper gasped. The little boy ran up to his aunt and jumped into her arms, thrilled to see her. "You back!"

"Yes, I am," she chuckled. "Where is your mama?"

"I'm coming, Lena," Astra called from around the corner. She saw the stranger next to her sister and raised her eyebrows, seemingly impressed at his presence. "You must be the Althosian Lena was writing me about. I'm Lady Astra Peladon-Lakertya."

"It's an honor, milady," Grant replied. He waited until Astra was close by before bowing, being cut off before he could properly introduce himself.

"Mama, who this?" Jasper wondered, wiggling out of Lena's grasp and dropping to the floor. His brown eyes grew wide as he leaned back to look at the tall stranger. Grant bent down on one knee to be closer to the child, though he still towered over him.

"I'm Grant, and I am a friend of your Auntie Lena's," he explained. "She said I could spend the winter here; I've never seen a northern winter."

"Liar—Auntie Lena no friends! Auntie Lena pudding brains!"

"Jasper Antoine," Astra hissed, making her son recoil.

"But Mama!"

"Auntie Lena does have friends, just not very many," she corrected. "Now apologize."

"Sorry Mr. Grant, Auntie Lena."

"Lord Grant," Lena explained gently. "His papa is a baronet, which makes him a lord."

"Okay! Sorry Lord Grant!" Jasper said. He stared up and the man and tilted his head curiously. "How tall?"

"Very," he chuckled. "Would you like to see how tall?"

"Yes!"

At that, Grant picked up Jasper and placed him on his shoulders before standing straight. The little boy clung for dear life, shrieking in joy at how high he suddenly found himself. He squirmed slightly, though Grant held him in place by his shins.

"You don't have to show him extra attention if you don't want to," Astra frowned. "He really is getting spoiled…"

"My brothers already gave me two nieces and a nephew, and I don't think they're done—children are not a problem for me," Grant replied. He did a tiny hop in his spot, which made Jasper gasp and giggle in excitement. "See, milady? I have plenty of practice."

"Astra, please, since we will be seeing much of one another this winter thanks to my elder sister," she replied. "Any friend of Lena's is a friend of mine."

"New friend!" Jasper squealed. He hugged Grant's head as the man bent forward, bringing the boy down to his mother. Astra took her son back into her arms and balanced him on her hip.

"Just think of how he will be as a b-r-o-t-h-e-r next year," she said, spelling out the word she did not need her son to hear yet.

"What that?" Jasper asked.

"You will find out soon enough," Grant chuckled before turning back to Astra. "Congratulations are in order."

"Thank you, but save that for when they're both grown and not killing one another; then we'll talk," she laughed awkwardly. The three adults were now walking down the corridor, headed towards the family's quarters. "Did the two of you just get in? I thought Sterling was with you."

"He scampered away, embarrassed that he's even here instead of on the front," Lena said nonchalantly. "Definitely expect him back for good next summer—he hasn't told me as much, but I get the feeling that's what shall happen."

"Well, if you stop taking him from his job…" Astra began. She stopped suddenly when she saw Lord Johan and Lady Clara emerge from their chambers. They both paused in surprise at seeing a stranger in the private wing alongside their daughters and grandson, and approached the group with caution.

"Lena, it's good to see you back so soon," Lady Clara said, giving her eldest a hug. She then took Jasper from Astra, not needing to look behind her to know that her husband was glowering at the group before them. "And who are you, young man? I don't believe we've met."

"Mama, Papa, this is Lord Grant Balder Althos, Baronet Althos's youngest son, and he is going to stay the winter with us," Lena said. Grant shook Lady Clara's hand with a bow, though Lord Johan simply continued to stare.

"Althos? That's a long ways off," Lady Clara noted. "At least the mountains are colder than most places in the southern lands, so you won't be caught too off-guard by our weather. Where did you two meet, may I ask?"

"Malebolgia, milady," Grant replied. "We became friends during the hunting party; you raised an astute and kind daughter, who is much better company than what I am used to."

"My husband and I did our best," she smiled. "Not that I'm opposed, but what is the occasion for you to stay for such a long time? Change of scenery?"

"We are using the winter as a trial period for courting, so to speak," Lena explained. "If things go well, we shall be wed by this time next year."

"Lena, study, now," Lord Johan scowled, fluffing out his cape. He slunk into the family's study, leaving the door open for her to follow.

"You might want to go, dear," Lady Clara suggested. "Don't worry—Astra and I will take care of your guest while you are… detained."

"Thank you, Mama," Lena said with a nod. She went into the study and closed the door behind her, putting on her lady's mask as she faced her father.

"Courting?" he asked gruffly. He put his hands behind his back, rocking back and forth from the balls of his feet to the heels. "Since when?"

"The day before last," she said.

"That's not very long."

"We talked for a bit at the earl's hunting party and I calculated the risks involved—there is a good chance that he shall put aside that silly bear wrestling his father has him doing in order to be my consort and father my heir."

"Lena, I expressly forbid it," Lord Johan hissed. He then began pacing the room, unable to stay still. "You are not in love with him—what if you fall for a man who is not your husband one day?! I purposely refused to broker a marriage contract for you as a child in order to avoid that fate! Don't throw that away on a whim!"

"You gave up the ability to 'expressly forbid' a thing the day you and Mama put aside your coronets to care for Jasper," she scowled. "Grant is more than capable—"

"I never said anything of his ability, simply your hearts."

"…and I am the head of this family now, whether you want to admit it or not, and I feel as though this is the best option that can possibly be presented to me," she replied, her voice increasingly acidic. "The freedom you gave me is now my prison and the way I see it, Grant is the one holding the jailer's keys. There is a spark between us, Papa, and if that is short-lived, then at least we are friends and I am not married to a pudding-brained sack of meat. He has intellect, manners, and respect for me—all qualities I rarely see in highborn men at the same time shining on the surface as well as behind their own masks." She saw her father's whiskers twitch in irritation and she could barely contain her ire. "If you have an issue with it, then you can see how well you do wrenching the coronet back without causing a cursed coup! I need no one's permission or approval concerning whom I meet on the wedding platform, and all I ask is that you at least act as though you have faith in this choice as you have with all my others!"

"You are acting childish."

"I am acting the best I can, especially considering the circumstances I've found myself in over the past twenty-five years! Freedom is a blessing until it turns into a curse; do you really want me to rely on Astra for my heirs? Should I adopt her second-born as my own?"

"You do not know that!"

"It's become a very real possibility and you would see that if you opened your eyes for once and saw what was in front of you!"

"I know what I see, and I see my eldest daughter stomping her foot because she is too impatient with the world to remember the gifts her parents gave her and fought hard to protect," he snapped. "You don't care about Althos, which could mean a feud or worse down the line if a marriage turns sour, and, well, I doubt you have considered that he might be a strapping bear-wrestler now, but give him ten years away from the ring and he will be more than soft around his middle."

"Tch; you talk as if that would bother me," she scoffed. "He has the physique of a man that can move a mountain, and will be able to even when he has gone to seed. Besides, Grandmamma Donata was not a waifish creature and I could take after her once I start bearing children. We can't all be lucky like Astra… and she might not be all that lucky herself if she and Olly keep having more…"

"That is enough; I will hear no more of this."

"You will hear what your marchioness has to say, and she has decided that, should this trial prove successful, she will travel to Althos after the thaw, broker a marriage contract, and plan on being wed at the turning of next year's leaves. If you have concrete evidence as to why he is not the appropriate man for the job, you have until then to present it."

Without letting him get in another word, she stormed out of the study, stomping her way out of the family's area.

"Grant, I'll show you to your room in the guest wing; follow me."

"Uh… okay," he said. He gave Astra and Lady Clara a nervous glance before following Lena, cautiously remaining silent until they went into the guest wing and entered a suite where his luggage already sat due to the time they spent on the partial castle tour. "Lena…? Is it alright for me to stay here? I can stay at Jarlshall for a time if your papa needs it… or even go back home…"

"No; you are perfectly welcome here," she replied stiffly. Her arms and back were straight as boards, with her fists balled tight enough to nearly draw blood where her nails dug into her palms. "Papa is simply going to have to get used to the idea, is all. He doesn't see the position I'm in, only the position he has attempted to keep me out of, and everything will be fine before year's end."

"I get the impression he doesn't like me already."

"It's not you he doesn't like; it's the situation. I'm certain that if the circumstances were more to his liking he'd adore you." She kept her eyes towards the rug, her body beginning to shake. Grant placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to console her, although it only made her tremble more, and tears began to flow from her eyes.

"Lena…?"

"No, it's alright—I think I just need to be alone."

Her voice was watery and she ended the sentence on a sniffle, which Grant knew would never do if his new probationary position was Earl Consort. Gods—even being her counsel meant that her in such a state was not an option. Before she could turn to leave, he picked Lena up and carried her over to the window seat, sitting down while placing her in his lap in order to hold her gently. He chuckled at how tight she clung to him, as well as the surprise that was on her face.

"Being alone right now isn't always a good thing," he said. "If you keep too much inside, it will only destroy you in the end."

"Some people need to be alone, though," she muttered.

"This is true for some, yes, but I doubt that's what you need, at least all the time."

"…why do you say that?"

He chuckled at that, "You're still here." He gently kissed the top of her hair—chaste yet inviting. "If you really needed to be alone, why would you still be clinging to my coat?"

"You have nice coats in Althos," Lena muttered. She turned her face so that she hid her embarrassment in his chest. "Do you know the fabric? I might have the tailor look into it."

"Our local mountain goathair, milady, nothing more," Grant replied. He tucked her head beneath his chin and glanced out the window at the brilliantly-painted sky as blue began to set into red. It was not the best way to start out in a far-away part of the kingdom, yet it was a start all the same.

Lord Johan watched his eldest daughter stomp out of the study, gaping at the lack of regard she was affording him. He stood there in a state of half shock, fuming until his wife entered the room alone, wearing an expression of utmost concern.

"Johan…?" She approached him cautiously, as he was still visibly agitated, and wrapped her arms around his middle. His hands found her back first, then her shoulder and waist; Lady Clara stroked his back as he folded into her embrace, keeping him calm whilst processing the information he was just given.

"What is the matter with her, Clara?" he whispered hoarsely. "None of our children are self-absorbed people… Lena's mind is narrower than it has ever been. How did this happen?"

"We can only guide them so far, dear," she said. She carefully led him over to the settee and placed him down on the leather surface. Once she was sitting as well, he leaned down and placed his head in her lap, curling his legs up in the remainder of the cushions while she stroked his hair and face. "What did she tell you?"

"That the gift we fought so hard to give her is a curse—how is being able to wed the one you love such a terrible thing?"

"It's because she's so alone, Johan," Lady Clara explained. "We raised her to be the marchioness and Doctor worthy of succeeding us, not someone's wife. In that regard, I have to say that she's right: we failed her."

"Our eldest… our heir…"

"…and the product of our mistakes, no matter how well-meaning we meant to be over the years, because only in hindsight do the questions of parenting often become clear." She leaned over and kissed the tip of his nose; her chest pressed against the side of his head and her hand reached to hold one of his. He lifted his free hand up to stroke her hair, keeping her folded against him. "She is your daughter, you know."

"Yours as well."

"True, yet there is no stubbornness quite like your own."

"You have me there," he chuckled. Lord Johan let go of his wife and she sat up straight again, gazing down at him with as much devotion as he used to regard her. "I am stubborn, arrogant, idiotic, and a polarizing force. Some were glad to see me step down in favor of my daughter, while others mourned. I simply want to know one thing after all is said and done."

"…and what is that?"

"I might not have always been a good man, but was I at least a kind one?"

"Yes," she assured him. "Frustrated as our daughter is right now, she knows it was all because you were doing your best to be kind, even if she doesn't realize it."

"I hope so," he said. He shifted so that he stared straight up at her, marveling in his fortunes. "What did I do to deserve your good graces?"

"The very thing you want to be remembered for: kindness."

He brought her knuckles to his lips and tenderly laid a kiss on them. Only His Clara.