The Courtship of Julian St. Albans

by Crook, Amy

Alex followed, cane and all, and opened the door, which wasn’t locked physically but only responded to his touch. “I probably should carry you, shoulder maybe?”

  “That’ll do,” said Con, clearly amused. Alex scooped him up and they spent a few moments arranging, but the sprite clearly didn’t worry much about falling. They rummaged around in Alex’s strange collection of ingredients, door open invitingly, and by the time they had a little pile of items for Con’s consideration, the two Guardians had drifted inside to look around curiously.

  “That is a lot of shelves,” said Jacques, staring at the rows and rows of shelves and cubbies and drawers built along every inch of wall space, floor to ceiling. Some of them were shallow and narrow, some were deep and tall, but all of them were full to overflowing with materials, tools, books, and the other things Alex had collected over the years that he wanted to keep squirrelled away from the world. “Stay out of that bookshelf,” he said, gesturing to the one that held the true grimoires, “and don’t open anything that’s sealed shut, and you can poke around a bit if you like.”

  “Drawers are okay, boxes are not?” asked Jacques, just making sure.

  “Pretty much, just ask if you’re not sure,” said Alex. There was a nice big space on his work bench cleared for him to line up ingredients, and Alex put Con and his bounty down there to peruse his collection. “Remember,” he said teasingly, “guests don’t acquire items from their hosts.”

  Con chuckled. “I weren’t thinkin’ anything of the sort,” he replied innocently, sitting down to stare at the various items. There were half a dozen bits of semiprecious stone, nothing Alex couldn’t replace easily, and a few different choices of pre-made settings that Alex could magic into shape to fit with whatever stone he chose. None of it was very valuable, but once it was charmed it would make a nice gift for Con’s lady.

  Con was muttering to himself about the properties of the stones, which Alex listened to very carefully without being too obvious about it; there was a great deal of insight to be had, listening to an earth sprite natter on about his chosen element. Eventually he chose a filigreed brass fitting with a warm garnet that was almost heart-shaped, if one held it just right.

  “Do you want me to shape the stone a bit, or make the light beat like a heart?” asked Alex, setting the two pieces aside and sweeping the others into his hand, putting them away while they chatted.

  “Won’t cost no more?” asked Con curiously.

  “No, no, it’s all very simple enchantments, though there’s something charming about the lopsided shape, it might be good to curve that one bit a little more.”

  James was in his way, so Alex handed him the three unused settings. “Put those in that drawer there?” he asked sweetly.

  James grinned. “Yes sir,” he said, pulling the drawer down to look at the other things in it, cheap rings with no stones, empty charm bracelets and other such costume jewellery settings. Alex didn’t often use that sort of thing, but it was good for a temporary charm, or to make fancy dress pieces for a special occasion.

  He’d made a fair amount of spare change in university selling sparkling baubles to impress people’s dates, or one-shot luck charms for exams.

  “You make it as nice as you’re willing,” said Con with a grin, standing up and reaching out a hand for Alex to gather him up. “It’s time for me to be going, but I’ll be back for my bauble before the moon is up.”

  “Will do,” agreed Alex, dropping the last bit of peridot in the right bin and then turning to oblige the sprite. “Now, the brownie?”

  “Oh, aye,” said Con. “Put out a one o’ them little callin’ flutterby charms, the ones that ain’t forcin’ us, an’ send it lookin’ for Brownie Nat, an’ he’ll come findin’ you within the hour.”

  “Will do, Brownie Nat,” said Alex, nodding. “I’ll put out a bit of something by the door again tonight, too,” he said, half to himself.

  “It’s appreciated,” said Con agreeably.

  Alex gently shooed the Guardians out of his work room, but promised them they could go back and look later if they were good boys, which amused the sprite immensely. Alex set Con outside the wards and whistled a little tune to reset them to keep him out unless re-invited. “You were a good guest,” said Alex, eyeing Con’s face to be sure it was true.

  Con looked perfectly at ease, however, and he nodded. “‘Twas a good meal, and a good bargain, you were a most excellent host.” Then he vanished, as was his wont, and Alex closed the door, leaning back against it with a sigh.

  James locked it while Alex had his moment of drama, amused by the whole thing. “You have had a very long day indeed, Mage.”

  Alex could only agree. “I think I am going to have that bath, if either of you wants to freshen up before I take over the bathroom for an hour.”

  Jacques chuckled. “I will, and then I’ll make you a big mug of herbal tea to help you get a good, restorative sleep.”

  “For tomorrow we will go once more into the breach,” said Alex, heaving himself off the door and limping over to the couch to look at the spot where the sprite had sat. “PT and then our date, I wonder if I’ll survive.”

  James grinned. “You’ve done all right so far,” he said, gathering up the dishes and empty bottle. “Sounds like we need to put some whiskey on the shopping list, though.”

  Alex laughed. “That we do.”

  CHAPTER 21

  In Which We Have Dinner and a Bit of Excitement

  Alex did sleep deeply and well, and his Guardians woke him up in time to shower and make it to PT, even though he’d completely forgotten to set an alarm. They had lunch at the Temple with Stephen, which was a new experience for Alex, the food simple and plentiful and the company quietly pleasant. It didn’t stop him from fretting over his choices for the date now that it was too late to change them, however.

  Stephen did suggest to Alex, out of the Guardians’ hearing, that Alex might consider making them some sort of personal protection charm as thanks for their service, which Alex immediately put on his growing to-do list. “Is there some kind of donation to the Temple that’s the usual thing?” he asked, trusting his old friend not to mind the faux pas.

  Stephen chuckled. “Yes and no, we don’t ask but usually one does follow. From you, service might be preferable to cash, if you wished to assist our mages for an afternoon or two.”

  “Once I’m safe and well, I’ll make the time for it,” said Alex, glad he’d asked. Victor would probably make the requisite cash donation regardless, but this was something he knew the Temple needed that was unique to him, which felt right somehow. “Any idea what sort of protection?”

  “I suggest you ask,” said Stephen with a smile, gesturing to the two Guardians who were just returning from a chat with their superior.

  “Ask what?” said Jacques, curious as always.

  Alex smiled fondly. “What sort of protection a mage such as I might offer to Guardians such as yourself, once I have a bit of time and energy to spare,” said Alex. “I’d have to ask you for ingredients, anyway, if they’re going to be proper protection charms.”

  James smiled widely. “We’ll talk about it this afternoon, to distract you from your fretting.”

  “Not that anything will for long,” added Jacques, sounding very amused.

  Stephen chuckled. “It is sometimes very nice to be free of those particular worries.”

  Alex rolled his eyes. “If you’re quite through, I’d like to go home and commence fretting in my own flat.”

  Stephen surprised Alex by stepping forward, cupping Alex’s face and pressing a soft, cool kiss to Alex’s forehead, one that spread coolness all through him, calm and peaceful as a meditation pool. “Go in peace,” he said serenely.

  Alex ducked his head, then smiled back all wry and genuine. “Thank you.”

  They filed out, each of them filled with the peace of the place in their own way, and rode back to the flat in silence. Jones dropped them off, promising to be back in plenty of
time to take Alex out to pick up Julian.

  And then the waiting commenced.

  Jacques made a pot of tea for them all and they waited for the cleaning service to come by, Alex having made special arrangements to re-start his regular schedule with today’s kamikaze fix, the dust of the past few weeks whisked away by his usual lady and two helpers, while Alex hid in the kitchen and nursed his tea, Jacques cooked some sort of elaborate sweet for later, and James watched them carefully and glowered in a very convincing manner.

  Once they’d gone, a generous tip in hand, Alex couldn’t help but laugh. “You were very effective,” said Alex. “Shall we search the place to be sure no little trinkets got left behind?”

  “No, you set up your things for tonight, I’m certain they were fine,” said James, back to his usual demeanour. “Once I started the suspicious glaring, though, I couldn’t hardly offer them an apology cuppa.”

  Jacques poked him. “You’re lucky Alex is generous enough to make up for it,” he teased. The maids had had no idea what to make of Jacques, a big and obviously dangerous man busy in the kitchen, though he’d moved for them whenever they needed to clean around him.

  “Smart,” countered James, with the ease of a long, comfortable friendship.

  “Meanie,” said Jacques, hands busy making up another pot of tea, this one a calming herbal brew.

  “Wimp,” said James.

  Alex giggled. “I’d tell stories about this, but no one would believe me, so instead I’ll borrow one of you to help me set things up, since I haven’t two hands for carrying.” His leg had felt a little better this morning, but the physical therapy, while useful, had set up a throbbing pain in his thigh that he couldn’t ignore.

  “James can do it as penance,” said Jacques. “I’ll bring tea in a moment, then I want to check on my treat.”

  “All right,” said James agreeably, and they headed back to Alex’s lab to start setting things up on the coffee table.

  Once that was done, there were still several hours of waiting and nothing much for Alex to do, so they played gin and drank calming tea and made jokes about Alex’s sex life until it was time for Alex to take a second shower and dress. He put on another new suit, this one charcoal grey with thin pinstripes in a cold, pale yellow, a matching shirt in the same colour, and a charcoal cravat. His accessories were family heirlooms made of yellow diamonds, to which the suit had been made to match, and the newly re-tailored coat fit him perfectly. He just needed a top hat (which he’d adamantly refused) to make him look every inch the gentleman from a bygone era, cane and all.

  They bundled him into the back of the car with plenty of time to spare for traffic and mishaps, and headed back out to the St. Albans estate with Alex’s good knee bouncing and his fingers tapping on the head of his cane.

  “If you don’t stop that,” said James mildly after about ten minutes, “I might kill you myself and save your enemies the trouble.”

  That startled Alex into laughter, and he relaxed, calling up the memory of Stephen’s gift of cool peace. “This is the first date where I’ve admitted to myself I want to keep him,” he explained, sheepish and shy.

  “He wants to keep you,” said Jacques, without looking away from the car window. “Stop worrying so much.”

  “Easy for you to say,” shot back Alex, “you’ve got a life partner and you don’t even have to swallow.”

  That startled both the Guardians into laughing, and the good-natured teasing lasted all the way out of town. Even Jones joined in, so that when Alex stepped out of the car into the crisp autumn evening, he had a smile on his face, albeit a wry one.

  Alex knocked on the door, smiling brightly at Godfrey when he opened it with the sort of expression one normally reserves for unpleasant things on one’s shoe. Godfrey stepped aside to let him in, and Alex was amused to see his gift on display in the hallway. The cheap little easels had been replaced with substitutes that had an intricate, hand-carved design and made him wonder if they cost more than the art they were holding up. “Are these just for me?” he asked Godfrey, mostly just to annoy.

  “I don’t know what you mean, sir,” said Godfrey, in a tone that suggested he was being uncouth but it was only to be expected of him.

  Alex grinned toothily. “Is Julian ready?”

  Godfrey sighed. “This way, sir, you are a bit early.” He led Alex back to the warm parlour, where Alex shed his coat and looked around again. There was cider once again on the sideboard, and this time Alex poured himself a cup for something to do while he waited. He sat in a chair away from the heat of the fire and closed his eyes, fondling his watch fob and listening to the magic in the house.

  He felt great satisfaction that the evil thread of enchantment that had once tainted Julian’s home was now gone.

  There were other things here and there, things he might have explored if he were ever allowed unfettered access to the house, but for now he just made mental notes and listened for Julian’s distinctive melody to draw close. There was so much to listen to here, rich layers of magic big and small, attached to objects and people and the building itself. Everything from the spell on the fireplace that kept the fire where it belonged to the one on the foundation that kept the house sturdy and safe, that one so old and ingrained that it was like the sound of the ocean at a beach, permanent and implacable.

  Alex turned his “ears” inward, listening to the thrum of his own magic, to the soft susurration of blood through his veins, to the various melodies of his shoes, keys, watch and fob. When he brought his awareness back outside of himself, he smiled to hear Julian’s familiar melody coming closer, the unifying theme that he identified as uniquely Julian as head of a subtle symphony of mood and magic and everything he carried with him. Alex opened his eyes and stood, facing the door, waiting eagerly.

  “Alex,” said Julian, a smile breaking out in answer to Alex’s grin. “How are you?”

  Alex held out his free hand, the other occupied with his cane, and said, “I’ll be better if you kiss me hello.”

  “How could I deny an injured hero?” teased Julian, taking the hand and snuggling close for his kiss, warm and sweetly familiar. “You look very dashing.”

  “I feel a bit silly,” said Alex, “but my family swears the colours suit me.” He stole another kiss, and then another. “You look wonderful, yourself,” he said, stepping back to look at Julian properly.

  Julian blushed and did a little twirl. He was wearing a mossy green suit with a proper frock coat, a waistcoat with beautiful golden brocade on a darker green, and a crisp white shirt with a green cravat and amber tie-pin. The amber was clear and flawless, carved into a cube with beveled edges and set to the pin on one corner, and it glowed softly when Julian touched it. “I’m glad you like it,” he said shyly.

  Alex pulled him in for another kiss. “I’d like you in anything, but this is very elegant, and you and I will be terribly overdressed where we’re going.”

  “Ooh, a hint!” said Julian, and then he looked around Alex pointedly. “But no gift? Have you decided to go with my suggestion?”

  Alex laughed. “It’s back at my flat, where we’ll spend the evening after dinner. I’ve got a plan.”

  “I do like a man with a plan,” said Julian with a grin. “Shall we, then?”

  Alex snagged his coat. “Let’s,” he said, taking a moment to put it on when Julian paused to get his own elegant brown wool coat and golden scarf from their cupboard. They headed out with a wave to Godfrey and got in the car, where James and Jacques were patiently waiting.

  “I’m surprised you two didn’t follow him inside,” said Julian, snuggling up to Alex’s side just as he’d done at the house.

  “He was only in danger of being glared to death by your butler,” said Jacques, amused.

  “You two needed a moment alone,” said James, still watching out the window.

  Alex kissed Julian’s hair, “You don’t mind they’re coming for dinner, do you?”

  Julian shook
his head. “They’ll keep us both safe.”

  James turned and smiled, surprised and proud. “Yes, we will.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Padma looked very impressed when Alex came in, Julian on his arm and the Guardians following behind. “Putting you two in the corner room is like hiding my best jewels in their box,” she teased, leading them back to their table.

  “The best jewel here is you,” said Julian, his voice gently teasing, “and we mere men couldn’t possibly outshine your beauty.”

  She laughed. “He’s a charmer, Alex, what’s he doing with you?”

  Alex sighed, “I’d ask, but I’m not sure I want to know the answer.” He held Julian’s chair and pushed it in, then took his seat next to Julian.

  “As long as you know you’re lucky,” said Padma, patting Alex’s shoulder and laying down menus.

  The Guardians helped to move the screen across the doorway before taking a seat across from them, backs to the screen but between their charge and the door. “Thank you for including us in your meal,” said Jacques.

  “We could hardly let you stand outside and go hungry,” said Alex. “Besides, Julian likes you.”

  Julian giggled. “I do, it’s true, I’m only sticking with Alex because you two already have each other.”

  James chuckled. “Well, we have our vows and each other, anyway.”

  The discussion moved to the food, and Alex assured Julian that whatever they ordered would be eaten, if not tonight then as leftovers. They ended up with a huge variety of foods, including spicy and mild dishes, curries and Tandoori, appetisers and raita and lassis and at least four kinds of naan bread. Julian was delighted by everything, and Alex ached a little to think he was so sheltered he’d never had something so simple as a good restaurant curry.

  “So, you don’t mind coming down to my level once in a while?” asked Alex teasingly, as they nibbled on papadums and waited for the first wave of food.

  “It’s nice, to be somewhere normal people go instead of all those ridiculous posh places,” he said. “Oh! It was so funny, one of the other men took me to Nihon and we got the same waiter, he was just as grumpy the second time.”