Chapter 18, Answers, Part 2

Glitch and DG walked slowly and silently down the hallway towards the private chambers. He still had his arm around her waist; drawing her close in to her.

They saw the occasional chambermaid or guard pass by but for the most part their section of the palace was deserted.

They reached the entrance to a semi-private sitting room and they entered together.

The sitting room was small and cozy; like most of the other sitting rooms in the palace. The heavy velvet curtains were a deep forest green and once again were already drawn for the evening. Tiebacks made of heavy silver braid hung at the edges. There was not a desk in this room; only deep cushioned chairs that were upholstered in a complimentary taupe color. There were two single chairs in front of the crackling fire. At the other side of the room was another single chair surrounded by two other loveseats. End tables of a dark wood held delicately carved silver electric lamps. The walls were decorated with oil portraits of ancestors and similar styled electric lamps. The wall lights had been turned off and the lamps on the end tables were dimmed.

Glitch and DG headed for one of the loveseats and sat down together. Glitch leaned back at the end of the loveseat, using a pillow to prop himself up. DG then leaned against him and stretched her legs out on the loveseat. He protectively wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her mass of black curls; breathing in her scent. For a long time neither said anything and they only listened to the crackling of the fire.

This sitting room was one of the rooms that they used when they wanted to be alone inside the palace. To go to her chamber or his would have been considered both inappropriate and indecent. The palace would be in an uproar over the break in formal royal conduct. Out of respect they tolerated the arrangement; at least while inside.

"Did anything happen while you were taking Jill on her tour today?" DG finally asked.

Glitch moved his arms slightly. "The morning was fine. After we had lunch she made me take her to the Armory."

DG moved her head in order to try to look at him, "What do you mean that she made you take her to the Armory?"

"She was determined that she was going to go; either with me or without me." He sighed. "So I took her down there."

"Oh Glitch," DG mumbled. "Why in the hell did she want to go down there?" No wonder Mother looked pissed when Father asked him how the tour went. She found out.

Glitch moved his arm and started to play with her curls. "She said that she had to protect herself. That she couldn't rely on us." He tried to focus on her and her scent and it helped him to stay calm. If he could stay calm then he was less likely to glitch.

He heard her snort in annoyance and then she asked, "Then what happened?"

"She got a rifle from the sergeant and we all went down to one of the empty stalls at the shooting range. She can shoot really well," he stopped.

"And?"

Glitch sighed again, "Some cadets from the military academy came down and started to give her a hard time about being a girl and being down there."

DG moved Glitch's arms and sat up in order to look at him. "Did you stick up for her?"

"Of course I stuck up for her," he answered smugly with a smile on his face. But it was a fleeting smile. He soon frowned again, "But then one of the cadets took out his wallet, made a wager, and she agreed."

"Did she win or lose?" DG asked as she took his hand and held it; massaging it gently.

Glitch smiled. "She won. Pretty easily too." But just as before, his smile was fleeting again. "Cain came then."

She dropped his hand, a little too abruptly she realized too late. She forced herself to remain relaxed, "He did?"

Glitch left his hand lay where it fell for a second and then pulled it away. "Yeah, he wasn't too pleased. Especially when he found out that she made a wager and won it."

DG looked down and played with the folds in her dress. Glitch shifted slightly but continued to watch her.

She looked back up at him and smirked, "I don't imagine that he was happy about that."

A slight smile was brought to Glitch's lips. "No, he wasn't… Oh! I almost forgot. Jill told Cain something about seeing a symbol. I asked him about it and he told me 'not now'."

"Hmmph", DG went and then asked, "What symbol were they talking about?"

Glitch furled his eyebrows, lost in deep thought. He took his hand and even massaged his forehead trying to remember. Then he shrugged his shoulders, "I'm sorry doll, but I don't remember."

Then DG recalled the note that Cain left Glitch that morning. She said, "I read the note that he left you this morning. I wish he would have told me last night if he thought something was up."

Glitch continued to rub his forehead, "Just how long were you talking with Cain last night?" he asked quietly.

DG swallowed hard and felt the heat rise to her face. "It wasn't very long at all. Just long enough to find out why Jill had that blood on her jacket. Then I saw you in here and told you what he told me."

Glitch rose from the loveseat and walked over to stand in front of the fireplace. DG watched him go, her face was still flushed. The only sound was the crackling of the fire.

"DG, you know that I'll never be like Cain. You do understand that don't you?", he asked imploringly.

DG got up from the loveseat, dropped her shawl, and quietly walked over to where Glitch stood. She wrapped her arms around him, laid her hands across his chest, and buried her head in his back. "I do understand that Glitch."

Glitch's head hung low as he continued to stare in to the fire. He thought of his old friend and the times that they shared. "I won't ever be a boy scout DG. Heck, I don't even have all of my marbles." As he said that he gently reached up and touched the zipper on his head. Even in the warmth of the fire it was cold.

DG hugged him tighter. "That doesn't matter."

He reached and took her hands in his. "It doesn't?" His gaze in to the fire remained unbroken.

"No, it doesn't," she replied. Her eyes started to mist but she did her best to maintain her composure.

"Then why won't you say yes?" He moved her hands and forced her arms apart. He turned around and put his hands on her shoulders.

DG looked up at him, the tears welling up in her eyes. Compared to Cain, Glitch's touch was soft and oh-so-gentle. Her arms hung limply at her side. "Glitch, I do love you."

"But you love Cain too, don't you?", his brown eyes looked so sad. "Everyone's been talking DG. They all say that you haven't been yourself since he's been back…. I don't think that you've been yourself either."

DG brought her hand up to her face and wiped away the tears. It was useless to lie. "Yes, I'll always love him. Even after all that's happened."

Glitch looked like he had just been stabbed. He swallowed hard and felt sick on his stomach.

She shook her head and let the tears fall. "But you were there when I needed someone."

Glitch took his hand and gently brushed aside a tear. "I don't want to just be that someone, DG."

"You're not just a someone Glitch. Maybe it started out that way but then I did fall in love in with you." She continued to look at him, her eyes begging him to believe her.

Glitch took a deep breath and pulled DG in close to him. He buried his face in her mass of black curls. He felt the rise and fall of her chest and the warmth of her arms around him. He felt the tears come to his eyes. "But you still can't say yes can you?"

DG looked up at him. In that instant she realized it was true. She tearfully replied, "Maybe someday."

They held each other for a long time in front of the fire.