Jane set breakfast down on the rickety table in the kitchen and Equius sat down wearily. She gave him a small smile and he just frowned at the eggs that she dishes out to him. He liked eggs but he wasn't in the mood for breakfast. He pushed them around on his plate for a while before speaking up.
"Do you think that the master was right in bringing those pirates with us?" He asked Jane, pushing the eggs around some more.
"No, but where else would he have taken them?"
"Back to London," he quipped, lifting a forkful to his mouth. "Dirk Strider is the only one who he thinks should be punished. Dave is following after him."
Jane shrugged and knocked on the door leading into her brother's shared room. Dave had been stationed there and she moved her belongings into a separate room with Roxy. John opened the door and smiled at his sister, kissing her cheek. He took the seat across from Equius and helped himself to the eggs and sausage laid out on the table. Dave wandered out after him, tugging on a pair of gloves. The winter months were coming and the air was foul and uninviting. He dropped into a seat and plucked a roll from a basket, tearing into it with his teeth.
"Where's my brother?" Dave asked, looking over at Jane who was nursing a cup of tea.
"He's already working," she replied, "When he finally comes in here to live with us, he and Equius will be sharing a room. You are going to stay with John."
"Yesum," mumbled Dave, staring down at the old table. He shifted in his seat and tucked a leg under his bottom, leaning forward a little to stare at the swirls in the wood.
John tapped his shoulder, smiling brightly. "I'm sure we'll get along great, Dave!"
Dave gave a half hearted smile and tore at the roll again, chewing slowly. The lack of his brother's presence made him unsure of what to say. He'd always done as Dirk had asked. Had always obeyed his brother's commands, no matter how ridiculous they were. He had lived in his shadow and observed how people ticked. He sat back and scratched at his cheek.
Two other girls came in and ate, leaving before the three men did. Equius combed one of the girl's hair and put it up for her. The other woman did her own hair and complained in a foreign tongue. Dave snorted at her and she shot him a glare. Roxy stumbled into the kitchen after Equius and John left and she fell into Dave's lap.
"I need a drink," whispered the blonde girl, running her fingers through Dave's hair.
"Then get one yourself."
She scowled at him and slapped the back of his head, plopping down in the next to him with a huff. "Dirk would get me a drink," she grumbled.
Dave rubbed the back of his head, frowning. "Jane, what am I supposed to be doing today?"
"You'll be tending to Jake all day."
"Isn't that Dirk's job? He is Jake's manservant," Dave remarked, rubbing at his stubbly chin.
Jane deposited a tea tray in front of him. "Today, it's your job. Dirk is busy with other things. Now, take Jake his tea before he gets cranky. He's in his office."
"Where's his office?" He asked, picking up the tea tray.
Jane took him by the shoulder and directed him out of the kitchen and into the foyer. She pointed at the staircase. "Go up the stairs and turn right. His office is at the very end if the hall," Jane smiled at him and pecked his cheek. "Hurry along now, Dave."
He flushed lightly and nodded, starting up the grand staircase. He kept his eyes trained on the heavy china on the tea tray. It was certainly expensive. Hand painted flowers and gold trim around the rim of the cup. He smiled at the rush of memories that came to his head. His mother's gloved hands holding such fine china as this, her soft laughter and gentle kisses that she gave him on his forehead. He got to the top of the stairs and blinked away the memories, walking to the end of the hall quickly.
He knocked on the large set of doors at the end of the hall, waiting for conformation to enter the room. He got it a few seconds later and he opened the door, balancing the tray on one hand.
"I've got your tea, Jake," he announced, closing the door behind him.
Jake glanced up from his papers, "Thank you, David. Do you know how to serve tea?"
Dave smirked and set the tray down on the desk, picking up the tea pot. He poured it into the cup of china and handed it to Jake. "Would you like sugar or cream in your tea?" He asked.
"Both please."
He dropped two small spoonfuls of sugar into the cup and poured in a generous amount of cream, stirring it all together. "Enjoy," said Dave.
Jake plucked the cup from its saucer and sipped at it. "Lovely..." He smiled and placed it back down. "Where did you learn to serve tea?"
"Dirk taught me," he answered, covering the sugar up with its lid.
Jake hummed, "You and your brother are quite versed in these things."
"What things?"
He tapped his pen against its inkwell and began to write on a yellowed piece of parchment. "Sword fighting, serving other people..." He trailed off and sighed, "I've never met pirates quite like you and Dirk, David, and I hope you realize that."
Dave chewed on the inside of his lip. Shit, he's probably figured it out, Dave thought as Jake polished off his cup of tea with a smile. "I suppose we are," He licked his lips, "one of a kind."
"I suppose so," Jake set his empty tea cup in its saucer and placed them on the tray. "Tell me, David, what possessed you and Dirk to become such nasty people?"
His mouth went dry. He couldn't answer that. He'd figure it out if he knew why they became pirates. He swallowed, "I believe that is a question you should ask Dirk, sir. As he put it several days ago, I'm just following in his footsteps."
The Englishman chuckled, "Very well, David, I'll ask Dirk."
"Anythin' else, m'lord?"
Jake began to say something but was cut off by a sharp scream. Dave turned on his heel and ran out of the room, Jake following behind him.
Dirk stared up at the chandelier that was gleaming with fresh polish and new candles. He smiled to himself and sat down on the dirty floor, sighing tiredly. He needed to sleep but the overwhelming need to show Jake up kept him awake. He wiped a hand over his face and got up, cracking his knuckles and rolling his shoulders. The joints popped and shifted and he let out a breathy moan of relief. He picked up the wash buckets and walked out of the ballroom, heading to the kitchen. He would dump the dirty water, get clean water, wash the rags, and then come back and do the floor. He'd have to wax the floor too.
His peaceful walk to the kitchen was interrupted by a shriek. He acted instantly, the buckets falling to the ground as he sprinted to find the source of the scream. Glass shattered and he sped around a corner, colliding with Dave.
"Damn it Dave!" He shouted, hauling his brother up with a huff.
"You heard it too?" Dave panted, trailing behind Dirk. Jake was running beside him, eyes narrowed.
"Yes, I heard it! Of course I did!"
They ran into the sitting room and found Jade in the arms of a drunken pirate. Dirk skidded to a halt, legs spread and arms out to keep Jake and Dave from rushing forward. Jade screamed again but it was muffled by the pirate's dirty hand. He had a mask over his mouth and his pistol was pointed at Jade's temple.
"Vell, I never expected you two to be vorking for the very people you despise," the pirate laughed. "Caliborn vould be very disappointed in you."
Dirk snarled and Dave grabbed the back of his neck, making him wince. He pushed his brother away and growled at the man. "Like hell he would be. Do you even know him, arshloch?"
"I vork for him," He cocked the trigger on the gun, "He vants to see you, prince."
"I don't want to see him. He left me," Dirk frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "Let the girl go."
The pirate pulled the pistol away and licked a line up Jade's neck, yellowed teeth grazing against her jaw. She whimpered and stared at Dirk with pleading eyes. "But she's so soft. Surely you'd like a feel a her body pressed ta yours." He rolled his hips, brushing his crotch against Jade's bum. She screamed again, tears sliding down her cheeks.
"Let her go!" Jake shouted, rushing forward. Dirk pulled him back, hugging him to his chest.
"Listen to me," he hissed into Jake's ear. The Englishman struggled, trying to free himself but Dirk tightened his hold on him. "We have to be smart about this. I'm going to agree to go with him. He'll let Jade go, Dave will grab her and you shoot the bastard in the head. Got it? Stop struggling if you understand."
Jake huffed and stopped, glaring at the pirate holding his sister captive. Dirk relaxed his grip and the commodore straightened up.
"Fine, I'll come with you, arshloch," Dirk said, stepping forward.
The pirate grinned and pushed Jade to the floor. Dave caught her before she could hit her head, cradling her to his body. She clung to him as the pirate extracted a mask from his boot. "You know how much he likes it vhen you vear his things," He snorted.
Dirk wrapped the mask around his mouth, glaring at the pirate as he shoved the blond toward the window. Dirk winked at Jake and the commodore fired his gun, hitting the pirate in the neck.
Jade sobbed into Dave's chest and the younger Strider rubbed her back. He combed his fingers through her long wavy hair, whispering reassurances into her hair. Dirk untied the mask and threw it into the fire that was crackling in the fireplace.
"Why did you do that? It's Caliborn's, ain't it?" Dave asked, staring up at his brother.
"It wasn't his," Dirk scowled. "Whoever this man worked for dug up some information about us and tried to exploit it through cheap fabric and a threatening message."
Dave nodded and continued to hold Jade, trying to get her to stop crying. Jake stared down at the body bleeding on his rug. Dirk looked at the body and turned it over, hands roaming across the pirate, digging into his pockets. He extracted gold coins, jewels, and an old, wrinkled piece of paper. He unfolded it and read it.
"Spades Slick is on our tail again," Dirk said, glancing over at Dave. "He's looking for more crewmen."
Dave made a face of disgust and kicked his brother's arm. "Fuck no, I can't even stand Cronus and you think I'd be able to handle Slick?"
"I never said we were going, Dave," Dirk hissed as he threw the paper over his shoulder and into the fire. "Curse in front of a lady again and I'll beat you."
"Dirk, will you get rid of the body?" Jake asked, picking up the gold coins and jewels from the floor, "I'll have Equius dispose of the rug."
"I've got to finish the ballroom but if you roll the rug around the body, it'll be easier to get rid of him," suggested Dirk as he stood up. "Dave and Equius can do that together or you can have Equius do it."
Jake nodded. "How much more do you have to do?" He asked, grabbing Dirk's bicep tightly.
"The floor is the only thing I have left to do but I'll have to clean the hall because I dropped my buckets there on my way to rescue your sister."
"Leave that to me. I'll wipe up the water for you." Jake frowned and let go of his arm. "You can pay me back later."
"Okay."
Dirk walked out of the sitting room and back to the hallway where he had dropped the buckets. He picked up the rags and tossed them inside the buckets, taking them to the kitchen. He rung the rags out and set them on a rack above a low fire. He gathered several clean ones and filled the buckets up with clean water. It was almost noon and his stomach rolled with hunger but he pushed the feeling away.
He went back to ballroom and started on the floor, scrubbing it till it shined. The sun fell and he continued to work. Jane checked in on him from time to time, watching him work himself to the bone. Jake looked in on him during his last hour of work, head tilted to the side as he watched.
He finished with five minutes left to spare, hands bleeding and raw, body quaking from exhaustion.
"Fucking spotless..." He panted, staring up at the brunet.
Jake smiled and kissed him, biting at his lips. "Thank you, pet," He whispered against his mouth. "Off to bed. Leave the rest to me."
The blond nodded shakily and stood up, walking tiredly to the kitchen. He pulled a chair out from the table and collapsed into it, resting his head on the table. He closed his eyes and slipped into a deep sleep.
Jake came into the kitchen in the early morning, hair mused and face unwashed. A hint of stubble covered his face and he scratched at his jaw, staring at Dirk. The blond was still at the table, head resting on his crossed arms. Jane worked silently across from him, glancing at the male every few stitches. The dark moon she was stitching stood out against the cream colored canvas. She smiled warmly at Jake when he kissed her cheek.
"Good morning lovely," He whispered against her skin, kissing her again.
She blushed and pushed him away, "Good morning Jake." She placed her cross stitching in her lap and dug around her thread box, pulling a lighter purple from amidst the other spools of thread. "You're up rather early."
"Nightmares," He replied, rubbing his wrists. Several scars crisscrossed his wrists from having sharp wire dig into them when he was younger. The only thing that Jake ever remembered from that day was his mother's death. He let out a sigh and pushed his hair back. "I'm going to be exhausted tonight. Why did I even consider throwing the king a ball?"
Jane shrugged her plump shoulders, picking up her cross stitching. She threaded the needle through the canvas, pulling the new colored string with it. "You wanted to do something nice. You have a lot to be thankful for."
"I know," Jake murmured to himself. "I owe him everything. But more importantly, I still have my mission to worry about. He'll most likely ask me about it."
"That one mission involving King Richard's two missing boys?" Jane asked, looking at him.
Jake nodded, "Yes, that mission. I'm starting to lose faith in finding them. I know they're out there... The question is, where could they be hiding?"
"Have you tried the colonies?" She offered, her hands stilling.
"Yes."
"Which ones? They could be farther inland," She set her handiwork aside and let her left hand cover Jake's right, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"The northernmost, all the way down to Virginia," He replied, leaning back in the chair. He rubbed the pad of his thumb across Jane's knuckles, eyebrows drawn together as he thought. "I wanted to go check Georgia, even Spanish Florida if I had the time but I got called away from it to attend to Strider and his brother."
"I don't see why you bother with them, Jake. They're just pirates," She leaned forward in her chair and dropped her voice to a whisper. "Do you fancy him, Jake?"
He recoiled and pulled his hand away as if Jane had burned him. "How could you even /think/ that?" He hissed.
"It's not impossible, Jake," Jane sighed and got up, pulling the tea kettle from the fire before it could whistle. "There's nothing wrong with fancying Dirk."
"Who said anything about it being Dirk who I fancy? It could be you for all you know," scoffed the Englishman.
"Jake, look at me," Jane said. When the brunet didn't look at her, she grabbed his chin, forcing his head up. "I saw you last night, when you kissed him. You have never shown me that much affection. You don't even kiss John when you two go off into the woods together. I know you fancy him."
Heat rose to his cheeks and he scowled at her. "I don't like him, Jane."
"Deny it all you like, but you enjoy having him around. Having him dressed like a whore," She poured the tea into a cup of china and pushed it into Jake's hand. "Drink up, you need it."
"You have a very dirty mouth for such a pretty lady," Jake muttered into his tea, staring up at the ceiling.
"What was that?" She asked, taking her seat again.
"Nothing," sang Jake with a light smile on his lips.
She sighed and made herself a cup, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "Poor thing, scared me half to death when I came in to start breakfast."
"He just collapsed there? I thought he would've gone to his bed," Jake commented.
"He doesn't even know where his bed is."
"Oh, right. He hasn't been sleeping, has he?" He asked, plucking a spool of dark yellow thread from Jane's thread box.
"No, I don't think he has," The blue eyed woman said, reaching over and pushing Dirk's hair back. A sad smile had graced her lips as the hair fell back into his closed eyes. "He's such a handsome man."
"Jane," growled Jake in warning, his whole being filling up with jealousy.
Jane shot him a look and his eyes widened. He groaned angrily at himself and rubbed a hand down his face. "You are a witch."
She hummed and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Perhaps you should carry him to bed."
Jake shook his head. "He would wake as soon as I touched him."
"He didn't wake up when I did," Jane patted his arm. "I'll hold the door open for you."
Jake rolled his eyes and stood up. He stooped down a bit, sliding his arms under Dirk's body. He took a deep breath and pulled up, bringing the blond out of the chair and into his large tan arms. He exhaled the breath he was holding and looked down at the blonds' face. His heart beat faster in his chest and his throat dried up as he held him.
His long eyelashes went from a light blond into a warm brown. A soft rose colored his normally pale cheeks and his lips were parted as he breathed in and out. Dirk's eyes moved behind his eyelids and he let out a soft whine, fingers curling into a fist.
Jane cleared her throat and Jake almost dropped Dirk from how bad he jumped. He had completely forgotten she was in there. He blushed and looked at the ground.
"Say I do fancy him, how could I ever tell him? Let alone, allow myself be with him?" He asked her.
"That's for you to figure out," Jane opened the door into Equius' bedroom, the larger man sitting up in his bed. "I would suggest maybe teasing him a little or possibly learning about his life."
"Is something wrong?" Equius asked, turning the light in the lamp up with the pin.
"No," murmured Jake, lying Dirk down on the bed, "we were just discussing tonight's ordeal."
Equius rubbed the sleep from his dark blue eyes and watched as Jake sat down on Dirk's bed. The blond shifted and rolled onto his side, facing the wall.
"Would you like me to look after him?"
Jake nodded and craned his neck to look at Dirk's sleeping form. He leaned down and kissed his jawbone. He drew away and licked his lips. "Be sure to have him cleaned and dressed in the proper party attire. I want him smooth as a newborn's bottom."
"I'll have Damara take care of the waxing part," Equius quipped as he laid back down, dimming the light. "Goodnight m'lord."
"Goodnight Equius," Jake said into the dark. He got up and left, closing the door behind him with a click. Jane had gone back to her cross stitching, looking up at him.
"I'll make you breakfast in an hour," Jane informed him as he sat down in the chair that Dirk had been occupying.
"Thank you, Janey," He breathed out, scratching at his head while he watched her work. He brought his tea closer to him and drained the cup, helping himself to another.
Her fingers worked diligently in the dim light of the kitchen, pushing and pulling the needle and thread through the canvas with ease. She was stitching a dark purple moon rising up over a dark village. He had seen her make a similar piece but with a bright yellow village under a pale yellow moon but this he assumed, was the town at rest. He had no idea that the two towns were completely different from one another or that there was a large story behind said towns.
Jane finished the moon and put her materials away a cupboard. She made Jake his breakfast and made all the maids and servants theirs as well. Equius was the first up, per usual. He ate his breakfast and then returned to his room to watch over Dirk. The maids went about their work in the estate, changing bed sheets and folding various clothes and linens. The servants prepared for the King's arrival, chopping away at the undergrowth in the jungle.
Jane made several large cakes which she stacked atop one another, using a rich icing to keep the cakes together. She set it aside to frost later and went to check on Dirk.
"Equius?" She called and the raven haired male looked up from what he was doing. "Is Dirk still asleep?"
"Yes mum," he replied, standing up and cracking his back and shoulders. "Is there something you needed?"
"Um," she clicked her tongue and smiled. "Could you go pick me some fresh berries for the cake?"
He nodded and left his room and went out to the garden to pick the berries. Jane sat down on the bed beside Dirk and laid a hand on her shoulder. She shook him gently and his eyes snapped open, scrabbling away instinctively, breathing hard.
"Dirk...?" Jane asked.
"Sorry," He whispered, moving closer to her. "I didn't hit you did I?"
She shook her head and smiled at him. "Are you hungry? I'll make you something to eat."
Dirk nodded, "Thanks Jane. Aren't I supposed to be working?"
"You'll be helping me for now and at the party tonight you'll do exactly as Jake says," She offered him her hand and he took it, letting her take him to the kitchen.
Jane's cross stitching was out again and Dirk sat down, picking it up from the box. "You know about Derse and Prospit?" He asked, running the pads of his fingers along the purple stitches of the moon.
"Hmm? Yes," Jane replied and handed him some freshly baked bread rolls with butter slathered in the middle. "I loved the story growing up."
"How many people here now it?" He bit into a roll, sighing at the warmth that filled his mouth.
"Well both John and I know, Equius has only heard the Derse side of the story but I don't think he particularly cares for it," She said, sitting beside him. "His brother knows the whole story and so does Damara from what I can gather."
"Damara's the foreign girl, right?" He asked.
"Yes she is. I believe that everyone else knows next to nothing about Derse and Prospit."
"Not even Jake?" Dirk frowned and picked at his teeth.
"Not a wink," She giggled and held out her Prospit one. "I love Prospit, so bright and cheery."
"You're of Prospit, then?" He curled his hand into a fist.
"I suppose," smiled Jane, "are you from Derse?"
"My entire family on my mother's side is from Derse," he chuckled lightly, "but yes, I am, and so are Dave and Roxy."
"How nice," Jane smiled.
Dirk snorted and finished eating. Jane set his plate on the counter and Equius came back in. A large basket was under his arm, filled to the brim with fresh berries and apples. He placed the basket on the table and began to peel the apples, per Jane's request. Dirk cut the berries in half for the raven hair girl as she finished up her cross stitching. Damara pulled the blond aside when he was almost done and took him to the bath house. She stripped him down and waxed his entire body.
When that was over and done with, Dirk returned to the kitchen and was dressed in his attire for the party. The rest of Jake's maids and servants came in and got dressed, leaving quickly to finish sprucing up the ballroom for the party. Dave, Dirk, Roxy, and Jane were the only people left in the kitchen when the clock struck seven.