by N. C. Reed
Arrived without Jaelle seeing them.
-
Harrel Sprigs made his way to Parno's personal tent to check on Jaelle and make sure she didn't need anything. If she was ready to return to the Inn, he could get her an escort and if she had need of anything he could get it for her. The least seen she was at this point the better it would be.
He knocked on the ridgepole of the tent to announce himself and then opened the flap, stepping on inside… to find Jaelle nowhere in sight, the Prince's clothes still laid on the bed in various states of repair. His frantic looking around the tent would have been comical in any other setting, but as he spied the open mess gear set and the missing pieces, he realized at once what had happened.
A horrible vision flashed in front of his eyes as he started for the tent's entrance at a run.
“No, no, no, no, no!”
-
“My Prince, I have brought you... some...” Jaelle trailed off as she spied two well dressed women in Parno's presence, with Parno himself on his feet and clearly angry.
“Lunch,” she finished, unable to think of what else to say. She didn't know if she should run, continue as she had planned, stay where she was or look for another option.
Parno just sighed.
Of course, he thought even as she watched the reaction of Stephanie and Edema. Perfect timing.
“Thank you, Jaelle,” he smiled tightly. “I appreciate you thinking of me. Where you able to finish?”
“Finish?” Jaelle repeated, then realized what he meant. “Oh, yes. I mean no. Not quite. I had stopped only to eat and thought if everyone was still busy I would volunteer to bring your lunch as well.”
“That is very kind of you, and I thank you,” Parno accepted the plate and set it on the table. “As it happens, Harrel was supposed to bring my lunch so I could continue working, but he was sidetracked by a little surprise,” he turned to look at his visitors. “If you could let me know when you're done, I can have Harrel get you an escort back to the Inn.”
“Of course, milord,” Jaelle curtsied without thought and then turned to go.
“No women in the camp, huh?” Stephanie's voice was cutting.
“Don't,” Parno warned quietly, his eyes dark. “Go on,” he told Jaelle. “Thank you again,” he added. She left, feeling as if she had just escaped a lion's den.
“Well,” Edema was the first to speak after Jaelle's departure.
“Think before you speak,” Parno warned her. “That woman has shown me more kindness than you,” he looked at Stephanie, who winced under his glare. “She repaired my jacket,” he showed them where Jaelle had repaired the sleeve. “When she delivered it, she offered to do other mending for me and was doing it when you arrived. When she is finished, she'll be escorted back to the tavern near the edge of the camp where she works as a seamstress and occasional serving girl and cook. Be very careful what you say about her.”
Neither woman missed the warning, almost threatening tone of his voice.
“It seems you don't miss me very much after all,” Stephanie said stiffly, getting to her feet. When Parno didn't bother to reply Stephanie departed the tent in somewhat of a hurry.
“You know, I assured her all the way up here that you would receive us kindly and hear us out,” Edema said finally.
“Then you spoke out of turn,” he shot back without pause and she almost flinched. “What did you really expect this to accomplish, Edema?” he asked her more kindly. “If she really told you what all she said to me, what did you expect me to say when you got here?”
“I expected you to give her the opportunity to apologize,” she replied.
“Did I miss the part where she apologized?” he asked. “It may have gone by me too fast to see.”
“Or it might have been hidden by the skirts of another woman,” Edema gave as good as she got.
“To use your own phrase, that's beneath you,” Parno's voice was flat. “I was never once in any way duplicitous or unfaithful to her. Ever,” he emphasized.
“You seem to have gotten over her in a hurry,” Edema mused.
“Anger does that,” he nodded. “It burns away pain and leaves you bare. It reminds you why you decided not to trust others in the first place.”
“I probably deserve that,” Edema admitted after a few seconds. “I did not take into consideration how you would be feeling.”
“Too busy being concerned with the good doctor's feelings?” Parno asked, almost sounding solicitous.
“I was furious with her, actually,” Edema surprised him. “Furious. When she told me how she had treated you my first instinct was to slap her teeth down her throat.”
“Well, thanks for that, anyway,” Parno frowned. “I see it didn't last long.”
“Stop doing that,” she grated. “I am not against you. I am not taking sides.”
“You took sides when you brought her up here promising I'd listen,” Parno disagreed. “And yes, it hurt, but unlike the rest of you I don't get to show that. I have to hide it, because I'm the damn Crown Prince and the bloody Lord Marshal and whatever else I get stuck with. She gets to cry to you, her mother, Winnie, anyone else that will listen, and I get to ride away like nothing happened. I made the mistake of allowing her to get too close to me and I paid for it. It's an old story for me. I thought I had learned my lesson, but this has reminded me that sometimes I forget things. Like why I stopped trusting people in the first place.”
“You trust your serving girl I see,” Edema just had to say.
“My serving girl as you refer to her has been more kind to me than anyone I have ever met, and that includes even you, now,” he said softly. So softly she had to strain to hear. “And has asked nothing of me in return. Nothing.”
Edema reminded herself that Parno had not had the easiest life. She had allowed herself to... not forget, exactly, but to believe that recent events had put that behind him. She could see now that she had been premature in that regard, especially since Stephanie was one of those recent events.
“I'm sorry,” she said finally. “I have meddled where I should not have,” she admitted. “Stephanie begged me not to make her do this, so don't blame her for it. Blame me.”
“I'm not concerned with blame,” he told her honestly. “I... I thought I had put her away from me, finally,” he said in a fit of honesty. “That I had moved past it. Moved on. Whatever the proper term is. One night I went over to the Inn and had a bit too much to drink with Enri and Cho. On my way out, I saw Jaelle. My serving girl,” his voice had only a tinge of scorn to it.
“I... I mistook her for something she wasn't,” he had no idea why he kept talking. “Being somewhat inebriated and... depressed... lonely,” he admitted finally, “I started to talk to her and one thing led to another. It wasn't until the next night, the night of the storm, that I realized she wasn't... that she's not...”
“She isn't a whore,” Edema said softly.
“Yes,” Parno nodded. “I... I apologized to her and she laughed. Thought it was the grandest thing that the one man who might apologize for a mistake like that would be the Crown Prince. I... I spent that night with her too, and she was so kind to me,” he said softly. “She didn't ask for anything, didn't demand anything, didn't expect anything, just... just was nice to me.”
Edema felt like a heel now and was fighting not to cry at the raw pain in Parno's voice. That the mere act of someone simply being nice to him would have such an effect...
“I take it she stayed here with you last evening as well?”
“Yes,” he nodded, mouth set in a thin line. “For the last time. It was funny, actually. She thought I was telling her that I didn't want her because she's who she is,” he laughed without humor. “That I was sending her away because of what she is.”
“You're sending her away to protect her,” Edema saw it at once. “Merciful God, Parno, you're trying to protect her,” she almost whispered.
“People close to me die,” he nodded. “It's a fact of life. She
has to go.”
“You think you love that girl, don't you?” Edema was on her feet now. Parno just shook his head slowly.
“No. I do like her but it's just because she was nice to me. I don't get much of that, you know.” It was as close to self-pity as she had ever seen him get. And since it was the truth it wasn't much like self-pity.
“But if she stays around me she will become a target. For wagging tongues and assassin knives both. I can't protect her, not for certain. So...”
“So, she has to go,” Edema nodded, understanding in a way possibly no one else could. “Tell me, Parno, and for God's sake be honest with me, please. Do you love Stephanie? Or, at least did you?”
“Very much,” he didn't even consider lying. “Until that night I was certain I had found the one person other than you who would never turn on me and would always support me,” he smiled at his surrogate mother sadly. “I was as sure of it as I was of anything, ever. She couldn't have hurt me more if she had run me through. That would have been more merciful. At least that way it would have ended quickly.”
Edema suddenly grabbed him and pulled him into a near suffocating hug.
“My dear, precious boy,” she whispered. “I am so sorry. God forgive me I am so sorry. We never should have come. And it's my fault. I've hurt you by trying to help. I should not have meddled.”
“It doesn't matter,” he assured her. “Just... go home,” he told her. “Get up in the morning and get away from here. Away from me. Both of you.” He released her and stepped back, his mask in place once more.
“It's dangerous here, especially now,” he told her stiffly.
“Why is that?” she asked.
“Therron is on the move, free and running,” he told her. “Sherron is dead, but he doesn't know it. He could be headed anywhere, but probably is headed to the Coasties. He has friends there, and influence. Once he finds out Sherron is dead, all bets will truly be off.”
“He'll come after you,” Edema nodded.
“Without hesitation. Now that I think of it, you need to be protected too.” The idea that something could happen to her hit him like a thunderbolt. “I'm going to arrange for a detachment to be stationed at your home and go where you go.”
“That's not ne-”
“I'm the Lord Marshal and I say it is,” he cut her off, his voice one of authority. “I can't remove Stephanie's escort either since the bastard knew we were together before he was banished. She won't be safe either.”
“She's staying in the Palace,” Edema told him. “Memmnon convinced her to stay on as the Royal Physician and as Winnie's chaperon.”
“Really.”
“Stephanie actually entrapped her,” Edema snickered, explaining briefly what had happened.
“I bet that was fun to watch,” Parno actually laughed, but it was a hollow sound.
“I'm going to go back to my tent,” Edema said. “I want to see you again before we go, but we’ll leave first thing in the morning assuming we don't have a problem.”
“It's for the best, I promise,” he nodded. “I can't guarantee your safety here.”
“I know,” she nodded. “I've made it harder on you when I really thought I was helping. I had hoped that even if you two couldn't patch things up you could at least be at peace with one another.”
“I am,” he nodded. “Tell her that if you want. Tell her whatever makes her feel better, or let her come to me later and I'll tell her. I can make her think we're good. She can go home with that, anyway.”
Edema wanted to scream. He was the one hurt so badly and yet Parno was willing to tell Stephanie anything she wanted to hear to help her feel better and move on. On impulse she reached up and caressed his face.
“I do love you so,” she smiled at him. “I couldn't love you more if I had borne you myself, and could never be more proud of you, either.” With that she turned and left, making her way back to the tent she and Stephanie had been given. Parno watched from the entrance of his tent as a trooper fell in behind her to make sure she got where she was going.
“Harrel!” he called out once she was gone.
“Sir,” came the immediate reply, almost from beneath him.
“Dammit, how the hell do you do that?” Parno demanded. “Never mind. I don't want to know. Find Jaelle and ask her to come see me.”
“Right away sir,” Sprigs nodded. “And sir, I'm sorry-”
“Not your fault,” Parno waved his apology away. “None of it. Go on now.”
“Sir.”
“What a day this has turned out to be,” he shook his head as he returned to his now cold lunch.
-
“Stephanie,” Edema said softly.
“What,” her reply was muffled by the pillow her face was buried in.
“I'm sorry,” Edema apologized. “I... I didn't realize how badly he was hurt. If I had I'd not have done this.”
“He got over it pretty quick it seems like.”
“He's still not over it,” Edema told her. That got Stephanie's attention and she sat up, looking at Edema.
“What?”
“He's not over it,” Edema repeated. “He's just hiding it. In his position, he's not allowed to show pain. Of any kind. It's weakness. He can't be weak. So, he buries it, whatever is hurting him, and he ignores it. I think one reason he is always so quick to battle is because it's the one place he can release all of that.”
“So, killing other people is therapeutic for him,” Stephanie shook her head. “Boy can I pick 'em or what?”
“You ungrateful little wench!” Edema hissed. “You want to know how badly you hurt him? Want to know how much he loved you? Trusted you? He said he would rather you had run him through. That at least that would have ended quickly and been merciful. So, spare me your pity party. I may have made a mistake bringing you here, but you have no one but yourself to blame for the position you're in where he's concerned.”
Stephanie recoiled slightly under Edema's assault, but in truth it was hearing that Parno would have preferred she take his life rather than break his heart as she had. She slowly collapsed back onto the bed, sobbing quietly.
“I didn't mean it,” she told the tent ceiling softly. “I swear I didn't mean it. I was just... I was just scared. So very scared...”
Edema shook her head sadly, remaining silent. This was a right royal mess all right. And she had not helped it.
Nor did she think she could.
-
“You wanted to see me, milord?” Jaelle said softly from the entrance to Parno's tent.
“Come in,” he waved to her. “Sit with me. Did you eat already?”
“Yes,” she nodded, taking a seat.
“I want to apologize for what you walked in on,” he told her. “The blonde woman is... she's the closest thing I've ever had to a mother,” he explained. “She was there with my mother when I was born. My mother died about five minutes after I was born, and my family started blaming me for it about five minutes after that.”
“That... that's horrible,” Jaelle said softly.
“Well, remember I told you for me being like family wasn't a good thing,” he gave her a lopsided grin.
“Anyway, the dark haired one was my fiancé of sorts until a few weeks ago.”
“Of sorts?” Jaelle's elegant eyebrow rose at that.
“We had reached an understanding between us that if I survived the war, then we would get married. At least I thought we had an understanding. We had a severe falling out the night before I left the Capital to return to the Army,” Parno said. “She wanted something I couldn't give her, and when I told her that she... well, she was pretty... ah, hell, she pretty much told me to go and be damned, and then stormed out.”
“What did she demand?” Jaelle couldn't help but ask.
“She wanted us to marry in secret and try to make a baby before I came north. The next morning,” he didn't hide anything from her.
“She must love you very much,” was the first thin
g Jaelle said, her features soft.
“I couldn't tell from the things she said to me,” Parno shrugged.
“If she wanted a child of yours so badly, even knowing that you could die before she saw you again, then she cherishes you, my Prince,” Jaelle told him. “She loves you.”
“She may have at one point,” Parno agreed, reluctantly. “But I have a rule about getting hurt like that. One time per customer,” he smiled to take the harshness from his words but the intent was still there.
“Please let me stay,” Jaelle said suddenly, completely blindsiding him.
“What?”
“Let me stay with you,” she was almost pleading. “I won't make trouble and I won't make demands, I promise. Just... let me stay with you. Please.”
“Jaelle, it's far too dangerous,” Parno shook his head. “I... my brother is a traitor to the Crown and is running free right now. There's no telling what he may try to do. He wants the throne and I'm in his way. He is as mean and vindictive as anyone you've ever met and wouldn't hesitate to hurt you just to hurt me. And that's leaving out an enemy army not two miles distant. I'm amazed that they haven't tried to infiltrate the camp already in an attempt to assassinate me. Your being here is an invitation for you to get hurt.”
“I don't care,” she shook her head. “Let me stay.”
“Why is this so important to you?” Parno was bewildered.
“I cannot explain,” she replied. “I just... I know this is where I belong. Where I must be.”
“Jaelle I don't want you in danger,” Parno tried again. “You've been so kind to me, repaying you by putting you in danger would be wrong on so many levels.”
“I will do whatever you say,” she told him. “If you wish me to remain out of sight I shall. If you wish me to serve you I will. Just... do not send me away. I make no demand,” she looked up suddenly, meeting his eyes. “I make no demands and I will not beg. I merely ask this one thing of you. Nothing more.”
“I'll have to speak to Tinker,” Parno temporized.
“I understand,” she nodded. “I will wait in your tent,” she rose. “Be safe,” she almost whispered, bringing one finger to her lips and then placing it on his own. Without another word she departed, leaving a confused and exasperated Prince behind.