NORCOGS AND LIES
This chapter is a joint effort by LS and I. It begins with your regular scheduled Shara era narration by yours truly, DK, and then LS takes the Dalgos reigns to continue the tale where Marlon left off.
Just when you think everything's wrapped up and Shara can make a clean break, something's gotta get in the way. Enjoy! ~ DK
…
Jamos stood smiling down at the little furballs yipping at his ankles. Glover Harkon's four year old daughter was picking them up one at a time by the scruffs of their necks and counting. Elinor had already assured him that there were five pups but now it seemed she had to prove it using her newly acquired skill of reciting the Onderonian numbers. It wasn't easy with the little beasts squirming all over each other.
Elinor's twin brother, Ephraim, was standing a meter away from them scowling around his thumb. He popped the soggy digit out of his mouth only long enough to inform their guest, "You can't have all five of 'em!"
"Little rascal," Glover reached down and tousled his son's red curls. "You'd rather we kept them all, wouldn't you? You know we'd never have room once they all get to be as big as Old Grey."
"I promise. I'll only take the one." Jamos assured the boy.
"Effry, you made me lose count!" Elinor pouted and folded her arms over her chest.
Jamos knelt down, careful not to squash any of the pups and looked the little girl in the eye. "I trust you. Your counting is magnificent!"
She gave him a toothy grin and a giggle at the compliment and then asked, "Is the pup for the baby?" She had been enchanted by Dalla from the moment they had arrived the evening before.
"Not this time, princess. This one is going to be for my girl."
"Are you gonna marry her?" Green eyes lit up with excitement.
Jamos grinned. "I'd sure like to."
"Did you ask her?"
"I did but she hasn't given me an answer yet." Jamos whispered conspiratorially.
Elinor nodded with complete surety. "She'll say yes when you give her a norcog."
"I truly hope so." He frowned seriously.
"And then you can have babies like Dalla and like the baby in Momma's belly."
Jamos looked up with surprise at Glover who shrugged back at him laughing.
"Not exactly how we thought we'd make the announcement," Glover said. "but aye, Adria's expecting. There'll be a little friend for Dalla in a few months or perhaps a little lordling to join our families."
"Congratulations!" Jamos smiled.
"Better be a brother." Ephraim grumbled. "Sisters are gross."
The female, red-haired twin looked ready to show her temper before Jamos brilliantly diffused the situation. "Hey Ellie, if you were my girl which pup would you want me to give you?"
She gave her brother one last scowl and then appeared to be deep in thought. "Hmm…" little fists rested on her hips in a convincing imitation of her lord father. Then she reached down into the wriggling mass of mostly gray fur and pulled out the solid white pup. "Portia. Cause she's white like a weddin' dress." She struggled to lift the norcog and hand her over to Jamos.
"She's perfect, Ellie! I couldn't have chosen better myself."
Once again he got a giggle from the little girl as he stood, cradling the pup in his arms. He gave Ephraim a wink, "See, I'm only taking one of the girl pups."
The little boy nodded, content.
"You sure are good with kids, Jamos." Glover patted him on the back as they left the kennel nursery. "I hope your beast master gives you a dozen of them."
"I'd be alright with that." He grinned. "But I don't want to rush her into anything. We'll see how things go with Portia here." He looked into the pup's icey blue eyes and then nearly dropped her when the commlink in his pocket chimed.
Quickly he handed off the pup and pulled out the device to check the ID. "Kriff. It's Lana! She's not supposed to know I'm here!"
"Take it in the comm room." Glover nodded down the hall toward an open door. "It's just like the one at the Hold. She'll never know the difference."
"Thanks." He rushed to the holotable, inserted the comm unit, and then tried to compose himself so he wouldn't look guilty when he activated the image.
"Hey, Lana." he opened and then seeing a few stray norcog hairs on his shirt, brushed them away. Not that you could see a detail like that in a holo, at least he hoped she couldn't. "You guys done with the unpleasant business and on your way down river?"
Then he saw the look on her face and his own expression tightened with worry.
"No, we're not." His sister-in-law spouted angrily. "That kriffing monster knocked all the wind from our sails."
"What happened? I thought it was just a matter of signing a few documents?" Jamos asked.
"It was supposed to be." This was a voice from outside the range of the holorecorder. Shara's voice was choked with a sob. He wanted to see her. She was probably worried that crying had messed up her makeup or made her eyes puffy. He didn't care.
Lana looked back over her shoulder to where the girl must have been standing. Then she looked back at Jamos and explained. "It started out that way. Everything was going smoothly, Shara signed. Marlon signed as her liege lord and witness. Then they passed the stylus to that..."
"He said he wouldn't sign because I might be carrying his child!" Shara exclaimed.
Lana nodded.
"But you're not. You couldn't be." Jamos spoke in the direction Lana had indicated even though Shara was still staying out of the image.
"I'm not, but he said he had proof that I… could be."
"How could… you didn't…" he swallowed.
Shara didn't answer so Lana continued for her. "Mr Rash invited Shara to have dinner with him last night."
"It was only dinner! Nothing happened!" Shara asserted.
"She had along a droid to record the whole evening and make sure nothing happened." Lana added.
"He must have tampered with the recording then." Jamos guessed with a frown. He thought he heard another whimper of a sob come from outside the image.
"He didn't have a chance. We had the only copy saved in the droid's memory." Lana ground her teeth angrily.
"Then how…"
Lana raged on. "We didn't think to look at it before we went to the meeting. Shara told us nothing happened and we believed her." She looked back. "And we still do." She sighed. "So it was a complete surprise when he asked us to show the video to the officiant and we saw what he had done."
"What did he do?" Jamos inquired. He wanted to know the exact reason he would be murdering the sleemo.
Lana looked back again as if asking if the other young woman wanted to tell it and then nodded when given an unseen sign to continue. "Most of the holo was completely innocent. What was it you called it, Shar?"
"The most boring date holo ever recorded."
Jamos grunted an assent. He was following the story. What he didn't understand was why she had agreed to have dinner with her nearly ex-husband in the first place. Jamos had never even had dinner with her. He would remedy that as soon as she arrived. Well after he gave her the norcog.
Lana was going on with her narrative. "Then when they were between courses, Shara excused herself from the table."
"I had to use the 'fresher. I swear I never knew he followed me"
"The pervert followed you to the 'fresher?" Jamos exclaimed.
"Well not in." she explained.
"But you couldn't tell from the holo." Lana seethed. "The vid just showed him following her down the hall and then after a few minutes he walked back to the table straightening his clothing and looking very satisfied with himself."
"I hope he was satisfied with himself. I certainly didn't have anything to do with it." Shara's voice snarked.
Jamos had to suppress a grin.
"It was enough proof to throw a shadow of doubt over the proceedings." Lana frowned.
He knew there wasn't anything funny about it. "So what happens now?"
"He wanted me to stay in Iziz till it can be proved that I'm not…"
Lana shook her head. "It's Sanjay's word against ours ."
Jamos thought of all his plans, to give her the norcog, the fishing trip, dinner. He was angry but he was also disappointed. "So you're not…"
Finally with a sigh Shara stepped in the holo field. "I told them all it was stupid for me to stay near him. He'll only try something like this again as soon as the truth is out."
He gazed at her, the determined set of her jaw, her hands curled into fists planted at her hips, so strong in the face of opposition. She was beautiful. "Then you are… coming home?"
She nodded. "I have to be constantly chaperoned to make sure I don't try to end my imaginary pregnancy or… " She looked away blushing. "Or try to conceive a real one."
"H-how long?" He didn't want to seem impatient but he must have been failing miserably because his sister-in-law raised her eyebrows at him.
Shara didn't seem to have noticed. "Just until I can send back proof that I'm not carrying a Rash heir. A couple of weeks?" She shrugged looking back up into his eyes. "And then he just needs to sign the documents to make it official."
Jamos gave her an encouraging smile. "Well, that's not so bad…" He would have said more but at that moment he was interrupted by a little holobomber.
"Mr. Jamos?" Elinor wandered into the room. "Is that her? She's real pretty."
Before Shara could make out more than a flash of red hair, Glover ducked into the holofield and drew his daughter out. It was plenty of evidence for Lana to realize the truth, however.
"Jamos Emoth Blackwell, are you at Harkon Hall?" She accused.
"Y-yes," he admitted, swallowing.
"And where is my daughter?" Like a mother bird, the small woman seemed to puff up her feathers in her anger. She was frankly terrifying when she got like this.
"She's fine! She's here with me! Well, with Adria right at the moment. But but she's perfectly alright!" He tried for one of his signature grins.
Lana was not to be appeased. "You took. My daughter. On a sea voyage. Without my permission!"
He glanced at Shara but she didn't offer any help. In fact she seemed to be enjoying watching the show. "It's hardly a sea voyage to Harkon Hall. More of a day trip really. Her nurse is here and Adria…"
"I'm afraid it's my fault, Lana." Glover stepped into the holofield. He looked suitably humbled in her presence. "I invited them. Knew they were all alone up at the Hold. Thought they could use the company."
"I might have known you had something to do with this, Glover Harkon, but that doesn't excuse Jamos for taking you up on the offer." She shot her brother-in-law a glare. "Why didn't you just bring the whole family up to the Hold? You know you and Adria and the twins are always welcome."
Jamos gave the other man a pleading look and Glover returned it with an almost imperceptible wink.
"Well, to tell the truth, Lana, Adria wasn't really feeling up to the trip."
"She's not ill is she?" Lana worried about her friend and probably a little that she might be contagious.
"No, not exactly." Glover smiled. "She's uh… well you see, Dalla's gonna have a little companion come spring."
Lana gasped excitedly, and soon the two of them had forgotten all about Jamos's guilt.
Jamos's attention went back to Shara and hers to him. They couldn't exactly have a conversation while the others were right there but he did say softly. "Are you alright?"
Shara nodded. "I'm still coming home."
"I can't wait to see you. I mean really…" he gestured towards the holotable. "When you get here."
"Me too. Might have to wait a bit on that fishing trip, till I…"
"As soon as that's all taken care of. I promise."
They both noticed that it had gotten quiet. And then Glover laughed. "Did I hear you say something about constant chaperoning? I don't envy you and Marlon that job. Though maybe it'll be good practice for when Dalla's old enough for suitors."
"Aye, it may be at that." Lana smiled. "I'll tell Nolram you said so when we get to the ship."
"Nolram?" Shara perked up at the sound of the name. "You never did finish that story." She looked hopefully at her friend, sure that Lana would say they didn't have time for storytelling.
"What's this?" Jamos asked. "I don't think I've heard this story either."
"It was about a year after your father went to the salt gods." Glover patted the younger man on the shoulder. "So you were probably sailing around in the Polaris trying to avoid the rest of us."
"Oh, aye." Jamos nodded with a frown. It was a time in his life that he'd largely blocked out. It had taken him years to forgive his family for keeping him in the dark about his father's illness even though they were trying to protect him. He mentally shook away the dark thoughts. "So what happened?"
Lana sighed. She wasn't getting out of it now. "I'd just turned 16 and I had hardly seen Marlon since the betrothal feast. It seems he asked Glover here to help him get better acquainted with me."
Lord Harkon grinned. "It worked, didn't it?"
"Don't go giving yourself any medals."
…
Well, this was not going as planned.
At the first hint of breath on his ear, Marlon Blackwell knew it couldn't be good. Nobody spoke to the first mate when the captain was twenty feet away and clearly visible. Kriff, no one should want to speak to Nolram, who practically materialized out of thin air, at all.
But when he heard that voice hiss "Hey there, Nolram," he realized he'd unlocked a new definition of trouble.
Marlon did his best to look calm rather than terrified and dared to look at her. Dark hair. Determined eyes. Her entire being radiating rage.
"Hello, Lady Flint," he said as calmly as possible. "Can I help you?"
The look on his betrothed's face clued him in that he'd better drop the oars before he finished rowing himself out to the salt gods' halls.
"You're so lucky my parents taught me not to make scenes," Lana whispered. "So instead of me throwing you into the ocean, where do you want to do your explaining?"
Marlon swallowed his terror and awe at her. He could have stayed staring at her for hours, but luckily he and Glover Harkon had rehearsed the plan for if he got busted. My deepest apologies, Lady Lana. I understand your anger, but if you'll join me for some lunch then I can explain everything.
Instead, what came out of Marlon's mouth was: "Uh, the pub?"
Lana looked like she was about to slap him. "Are you trying to get me drunk?"
"For food!" Marlon scurried. "No drinks. Just for lunch. Will you agree to that?"
Lana scowled.
"I pick the place," she relented.
…
"Lana, I'm sorry."
"That's it? 'I'm sorry?'" Lana repeated. "Marlon, you were spying on me!"
"I was just trying to make the best of our situation," he said. "We're going to be married, and I don't know you. I thought that if I knew something about you, if I had some information, then when our courtship started I would at least have something to go off."
"Then why didn't you knock on our door like a normal person? Why all this deception?"
Marlon looked woefully at the table. "I wanted you to be impressed with me when we started courting."
"I'm not."
No kidding. "I wouldn't expect you to be so."
Just as it looked Lana was about to lay into him, the waitress returned with their drinks. They'd both ordered water, Lana to ensure nothing would soften her planned tirade and Marlon not to look like a jerk. "Thank you," she said to the young woman. "And I'm sorry for not telling you sooner, but these will be on separate checks."
"Lana, I have credits." Marlon protested when they finished ordering. "I suggested we come here; I insist on paying."
Lana shook her head. "I have credits too, and I don't want to be beholden to you for anything. Even if it is a lousy sandwich."
Marlon raised his hands in mock surrender. "As you wish."
"With that out of the way, let's get started." Lana took a sip of water. "I'd like to start out by saying that 'Nolram' is a horrible alias."
"Glover Harkon helped me pick it out," he said.
"I thought Glover Harkon would be more creative than spelling your name backwards. It didn't even work. I knew who you were the second I saw you get off the ship and stare at me and not my cousins."
"Wait," Marlon swooped in. "So what you said to Glover, about my voice cracking when we were thirteen and being like a stone statue - you knew that was me standing next to him?"
Lana grinned. "It was revenge."
Marlon supposed that was fair, considering he'd all but circled the Flint lodge with binoculars. "Lana, when our betrothal was announced I wasn't thrilled about it either…"
"Trust me, you have no idea. I thought I was marrying a statue then, but now I know I'm marrying a spy."
"I want to be a good husband," he said. "My father loved my mother, and was loyal to her, and he always tried to learn more about her to make her happy." He felt a lump in his throat mentioning his father. "I thought I should get started learning earlier rather than later."
"So you spy on me?"
"I didn't look through your windows or anything," he defended himself. "I just followed you around the docks and the market so I could find some things you liked."
"You did, huh? What did you find out?" she challenged.
Marlon frantically tried to discern which pieces of information wouldn't make him sound like a stalker. "Well, you're a brilliant haggler. You like to sneak treats to the Brylks while the beast masters aren't looking. If you get caught at anything you tell the person who caught you to jump into the sea." He smiled a little. "Your favorite color is purple."
"You didn't learn that today, 'Hii'mmarlonandmyfavoritecolorisgreen.'"
"It wasn't all one word like that," he huffed.
"Oh yes it was," she smirked. "I never thought I was going to see the future Lord of the North panic."
"It was the first thing I got to say to you. Of course I was nervous."
"Mmhm." Lana's smirk faded a bit as she remembered something.
Marlon certainly hoped she wasn't remembering that southern landlubber Rash.
She furrowed her brow. "What could you be thinking of that has you so angry?"
"Nothing."
"Lying to me isn't a wise decision at the moment."
Salt gods, she was right. "Do you remember the southern family at our betrothal banquet?"
"Who, the Rashes?" Her eyes widened. "The boy? Marlon, I was thirteen! I only spoke to him that night."
"I wanted to throw him into the water," Marlon admitted. "He was scowling at everything."
"Brooding. When you're thirteen, it's more attractive than statues at the head table." She shook her head. "But no, I wasn't thinking about him. His little sister, her name was Melaana, spoke to me right before her family left. I gave her a book for a souvenir and she was thrilled. She said she hoped you and I were very happy together and that we had a big wedding on the beach with purple flowers and later a nursery full of beautiful babies."
Marlon, who in the past had simply mulled over marriage and fatherhood as a duty or vaporous concept, suddenly found himself imagining that wedding and those beautiful babies. "I didn't get to talk to her but she sounds like a sweet child."
"Salt gods, if I could have taken her home with me I would. But her brother. For all our fantasy planning to run away together, he needed to sharpen his gentlemanly skills. When we docked I lifted Melaana out of my boat, he went next, and then it was my turn. He didn't offer his hand for me, but there was someone else. Someone else who raced down the dock at top speed, offered his hand, and said with an enormous terrified grin on his face -."
"Hi, I'm Marlon and my favorite color is green. What's your favorite color?" Marlon makes sure to put the spaces between the words.
"And then Sanjay gave you a death glare. Melaana stepped on his foot."
Marlon liked this girl Melaana more and more.
"Still, if I knew I was going to be spied on…"
"I'm sorry," he said. "I wanted to help us, but I've just made things worse. I don't know what I was thinking." He ran a hand through his hair. "Lana, if you want me to leave you alone, I will. I'll leave you alone. I hope you can forgive me for this."
"Marlon -."
But before either of them could say something else, the waitress returned and set their meals in front of them. He hadn't eaten all day, but Marlon's appetite dried up like a prune.
"Can I get anything else for you?" The waitress asked.
"Yes, actually," Lana said. "I'm sorry for telling you otherwise, but this is going to be all on one check."
Marlon looked up. He couldn't believe Lana was going to try to pay for his food. "Lana, please don't -."
"Not a word, Nolram," she replied with a twinkle in her eye. "This is courtship. A gentleman always pays for the date."
…
Lana finished her story, smiling at the memory.
It had gotten Jamos to thinking. Aye, he was definitely going to take Shara to dinner and always be completely honest with her.
She was smiling at him now from the holoimage and he gave her a wink.
…
Thanks so much Starwarshobbitfics for the review and the helpful suggestion about the forum. Speaking of which if you happen to be reading along and there's something you'd like to hear more about or you have an idea of something we could add to the forum to make it more fun and interesting, please let us know!