The Second Life of Magnolia Mae

by Angela Schroeder

  “Gulliver’s Travels. I don’t want Jaceson to think he is alone. I thought if I read to him…” Letting the sentence drop, she thought it probably sounded stupid to him.

  “By all means, continue. I have not had time to read in a good long while.” He smiled a genuine smile then picked up the plate he had been given.

  While reading, she began to lose herself in the story, getting swept up into it. She forgot that Pelonis was in the room until she paused.

  “You are a very spirited reader.”

  “I enjoy books.” She set the book aside and crossed the room to grab the blanket that was draped over the two chairs by the fire. After crossing the room, she pulled the other off Jaceson and covered him with the warm one. Then she picked up the broth, lifted his head, and helped him to drink. Jaceson let out a soft moan when she settled his head back onto the pillow. “Well, wake up already if you want to have something else.” Her tone was light, but her heart broke watching him just lie there.

  “You have a kind way with him. Are you certain it’s Alistair that you want to marry and not Jaceson?” Pelonis suddenly asked her.

  Her green eyes grew wide when she heard his words. “Jaceson is a great friend. When I was ill, he and Alistair took turns staying at my side. They refused to leave me all alone. We developed a deep friendship. He reminds me of a brother.” Tears were forced back. She would not cry in front of this man. “Alistair, well, I do love him, but I’m not sure marriage is best for either of us at this moment.”

  “What changed? It has only been a few weeks since he wrote to me begging to be allowed to marry you right away.” Pelonis leaned forward, seemingly intrigued.

  “I am not sure that he can have the life he is accustomed to if he marries me. My people are like family. I will care for them like family. I am with them, working alongside them. I know Alistair is willing to put forth that effort, and he has while he has been here, but I’m afraid in time he will miss the finer things he was used to. Avengar will not have those things to offer him.” She paused while she watched the king nod. “Then there is the fact that I believe the only reason he asked me to marry him so quickly is because there is a threat to my life, and he wants to protect me.”

  She studied him as she revealed this information. While his face remained calm and collected, his eyes told the truth of the news. He seemed genuinely surprised to hear of this.

  “When? Do you know who did this? As your ally and soon to be father-in-law, if you will marry the boy, I offer my assistance.”

  Warmth spread through her. There was more loyalty and character to this man than the history books ever gave him credit for. “I was attacked on All Hollow’s Eve. The man who attacked me is now dead. Your sons say they know who paid the man to kill me, but since he is dead, they say they have no proof.”

  “Do you think you have a way to identify this man?” Why did people always assume that the big bad, hiding in the dark, was a man? Slowly, she shook her head.

  “I may have a way, but I think this matter needs to be handled with great delicacy.”

  Pelonis sat back in the chair and folded his hands. “Such accusations should never be made lightly. Child, will you tell me who they say it is?”

  “I cannot. That’s something that one or both of your sons must tell you. Unless the person comes forward of their own accord.” Magnolia walked across the room and stepped over Dragoste’s sleeping form to drape the spare blanket across the chairs to warm.

  “Why are you doing that?”

  “I don’t want him to catch a chill. He had a fever, not from a festering of the wound, but rather from being on the cold, wet ground. Warming the blankets will help to keep any extra chill off of him.”

  “Daciana, I want to thank you for caring for my son. For loving the other, even if marriage is not for you both at this time. I must retire now.” He stood and walked toward the door. Before he closed it behind him, he said goodnight. The king seemed to be a truly kind and considerate man. His sons must have inherited that from him. She could see herself growing to care for him if given the time to do so.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  SOMETIME IN THE MIDDLE of the night, Magnolia heard a sound. Stirring from her nap, she looked about the room, the only light coming from the fire. She quickly tossed another log onto it and checked the blanket that was hanging near it. Grabbing it, she then walked over to the bed and covered Jaceson up.

  “Hmmm, warm.” A raspy whisper came from the bed.

  Excitement coursed through her body, causing every part of her to tingle. “Jaceson, are you alright? Do you hurt anywhere? Feel sick? Need anything? I am so happy.” She tossed her arms around him as gently as she could but without any lost enthusiasm.

  His golden eyes locked on hers before he spoke again. “I need to uh, take care of some needs.”

  “Oh.” Her eyes grew wide. “Do you think you can stand? I can get you some help.”

  “Just lend me your shoulder.”

  She sat on the edge of the bed and watched as he slowly pushed himself up. He moved his legs so that he could stand. Allowing him to use her as a crutch, they moved slowly out of his room.

  Duncan was in the corridor sitting in a chair, asleep. When they stepped out of the doorway, he awoke. Surprise filled his eyes, and a smile warmed his face.

  “Ah, Duncan, help me walk to the privy so Daciana does not have to.”

  Duncan was more than happy to oblige.

  While they were gone, Magnolia changed the linens on the bed, filled a tub with hot water, and set up a partition that she’d brought from her room so Jaceson could have some privacy. Dragoste did not seem happy about being awoken in the middle of the night just so she could clean up the room. She reached over and rubbed her hands through his fur, smiling at him.

  Continuing her preparations, Magnolia laid out some fresh clothes with loose-fitting trousers. His thigh would no doubt be sore for some time. The burn from cauterizing it would have to heal completely, it had finally scabbed over. Fresh blankets replaced those on the bed. She saw no need for him to use the same ones he had been using, now that she planned for him to bathe. She hung one of the new blankets near the fire to warm him after his bath.

  “It appears that you did a lot while we were gone,” Duncan said as they entered the room.

  “I am going to go to the kitchen to get some food. Duncan, can you help him to get into the tub and out again if he needs it?”

  Magnolia did not wait for a reply. She hurried down to the kitchen with Dragoste at her side. With the empty platter and mugs in her hands, she walked into the kitchen. There was plenty of food left over from the dinner that had been prepared the evening before. After warming some food up and boiling water for tea, she filled a platter with what she needed then walked slowly through the silent, dark corridors. Her footfalls echoed softly on stone floors.

  Duncan was back on the chair in front of the door. “I am not sure if he is done or not,” he spoke softly.

  “I put up that partition, so as long as he is not walking about naked…” She paused with her hand on the door. “Could you check?” A faint blush colored her cheeks.

  Duncan nodded with a chuckle. He opened the door and peered inside.

  “All clear, m’lady.”

  “Thank you, Duncan. Would you mind very much staying in the room at least until he is finished?”

  Magnolia moved over to the table near the bed and set down the large tray she’d carried up with her. Dragoste curled up by the window. Large white snowflakes floated softly to the ground, giving a bit of whiteness to contrast the darkness that lurked out the window. Water splashed a bit on the other side of the screen. Muttered words came from the same direction. Soon, Duncan was called on for help.

  What seemed like hours later, the men emerged from around the partition. Jaceson looked so much better now that he was clean, and there was a bit more color to his face. His hair was no longer matted down, and a smile crossed his face.
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br />   “That smells good,” he said as Duncan assisted him back to the bed and was kind enough to take the tub out to be emptied.

  Magnolia had placed several pillows on the bed to prop him up so he could sit. She handed him a plate filled with food and watched as he took a bite. Happiness filled her. She had not lost him. He was sitting there eating food as if it were the most wonderful thing in the world.

  “It was too much for you being up and about already.” She worried aloud, seeing his complexion pale some.

  “I’ll be fine. Really, I’ll be alright. Tell me what happened. Last I remember was the boar running after me when I got down to check on my horse’s leg.” He reached for the mug she’d filled with tea.

  Magnolia retold what had happened when he’d been first brought back to the castle, only to be interrupted.

  “You fought with Bash?” He did not call Alistair that often, but when he did, her heart always ached a little.

  “Yes.”

  “Why? Because he went to hunt down the boar? I would have done the same.” His golden eyes did not move from hers. They held her locked in his gaze.

  “No, you would have made certain he was here safe first. You made certain that I was safe before you sent people after Gordon. I do not believe for one second that you would have left him there in the woods because you thought he was dead.”

  Jaceson looked toward the fire thoughtfully. “I cannot say what I would have done. I do know that we all deal with grief in different ways. My brother would never wish harm to me. We are as close as two brothers can be. Don’t be angry at him because of that.” He smiled. “Now tell me what else has happened.”

  She told him about Gwain coming to visit him, and that she was going to start teaching the boy how to read. Told him of the new story nights that were to be held in the great hall where all would be welcome. When she spoke of Railynn, he seemed to perk up a bit. His smile grew a bit wider, and there was a small glint to his eyes. It caused her to wonder if there was a deeper affection blossoming there. She picked up a cup of tea for herself and paused to take a sip then told of how Pelonis and Kamille had arrived.

  She’d relayed the visit that she’d had with Pelonis, and Jaceson simply smiled and nodded as if he expected as much from his father.

  “He does love us.” The words were soft. “There have been times when it seemed he was harder on us than he maybe should have been, but he has always been there. He did not have to take me in when my mother died. He could have sent me off to live with one of her relatives. Tucking me away would have made life with Kamille easier on him. But he refused. I don’t ever remember a time when he was not in my life. Even before my mother died, he gave us a place to live, ensured that we had everything we could need or want, and sent a tutor to me. He insisted that I be educated. I understand that it can seem like he is harsh because he does think about what he can gain from material things, but, unlike Kamille, he doesn’t go to extreme measures simply to gain more power.”

  Magnolia stood, stretched out her limbs, then crossed the room to get the warmed blanket. She laid it over him. “Do you want me to read some more to you? You need to rest so you can get up and about again.”

  He nodded while reaching his hand out to stroke Dragoste’s fur.

  Warm relief filled her as she opened the book. She felt like she could accomplish what needed to be done the next day.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  BEFORE THE SUN ROSE, Magnolia escaped down to the kitchen to assist with cooking breakfast. Once the food was cooked and ready to be served, she gathered a tray of pastries along with some eggs and sausage. With a pitcher of milk in one hand and the tray in the other, she walked slowly out of the kitchen and back toward Jaceson’s room. On the way there, she found Alistair looking disturbed. “What’s the matter with you?” The question was out of her mouth before she knew it.

  “I had a long talk with my mother yesterday evening.” He fell into step beside her, clearly lost in thought. “It did not go well. I confronted her about her activities.”

  “Why on earth did you do that? I told you that we had to have a plan.” She glanced at him as they neared the door to Jaceson’s room.

  “I had to do something, I couldn’t sit in that room with her, knowing what she’d done. How could you expect me to do that?” His blue eyes were clouded with emotion. He reached forward to open the door for her. When they stepped inside, he stopped, his mouth dropping open so that his chin nearly touched his chest. “When? It’s good to see you awake,” he exclaimed, crossing the room quickly.

  Magnolia went about setting up breakfast for the three of them before sitting down. It was nice to see the brothers together again. She picked up a pastry before she walked over to the chair by the fire, to sit. She was exhausted. Eating slowly, she listened to the two of them talk while she watched the fire.

  “You were with Kamille yesterday?” Jaceson asked between bites of food.

  “Yes. She infuriates me. I know she did it. I have no doubt that she did. Of course, she denies having any involvement at all. Claims that Gordon must have acted on his own.”

  “She’ll never admit to anything that would make father think badly of her.”

  “I suppose she wouldn’t, we need evidence. There has to be something that is missing. Something we have not thought of.”

  “How about thinking while playing a game of chess?” Jaceson smiled.

  Frustration edged Alistair’s voice as he relayed the conversation, but Magnolia began to drift off to sleep, wondering if she could figure things out on her own.

  Alistair and Jaceson lowered their voices when they realized that Daciana was sleeping. “She will never stop unless we make her,” Alistair said.

  “She won’t act now though, not that you suspect her.”

  “Not for a while. I think she will play nice for a bit, but as long as I am merely engaged to Daciana, she will continue to try to take her away. I need to get Father to push for this marriage.”

  Jaceson pushed himself up a little straighter. “That won’t happen.”

  Alistair’s eyebrow shot up. “Why not?”

  “I heard that they had a wonderful visit yesterday. Daciana did not hold anything back except who is suspected of hiring someone to kill her. She informed him that she was no longer certain that marrying you at this time would be the right thing for you. Father, from what I could gather from her retelling, seemed to take her words to heart when she expressed her concerns about your comfort living here. How she believes the only reason you want to marry her now is because someone wants her dead, and you think you can protect her.” Jaceson took a drink before continuing. “Father told her that he would help her in whatever way possible, even if she chooses to not marry you.”

  “Do you think she truly doesn’t want to marry me?” He looked over to where she slept. Her long dark hair was loose and hanging over the arm of the chair, her head resting on her hands. A blanket was pulled up around her. She appeared so innocent at that moment, as if she had never seen the hardships he knew she’d witnessed. “I don’t want to be without her.”

  “Prove it to her. Show her that you are here because of her and not to protect her. I think she just wants to be loved for who she is. Think about it. Did she only give you any mind after she found out who you were?”

  “No.” A smile crossed his face as he remembered their first few meetings. “She did not care for me then either. Not until that day in the woods. I remember running after her when she was chased out of one of the smaller villages. They’d thought she was a witch come to take their children. Men were following her. I ran after her, crashing through the trees in the dark. Dragoste howled nearby. She fell, and I was soon there looking down on her. Once assured that I would not harm her, she allowed me to take her back to their camp.”

  He turned back toward his brother then continued. “I did not tell her who I was. We got caught up in a storm and hid in a cave. It was that day I knew my life would nev
er be the same. She told me then that things could not be between us for fear of my mother. She thought I was from that village that wanted her dead. She was convinced that if she was seen with me, my family would hunt her down and burn her for bewitching me. Daciana did not know who I was until she talked to Father about this place. The shocked look on her face when she saw me at his side, heard him introduce me as his son… I will never forget it. She appeared hurt. I believe she loved me more when she thought I was nothing more than a commoner.”

  “If she loved you then, I don’t see her turning away from you now. Be that man she loved. Show her that’s who you truly are, not this prince. Not the future King of Marcello, but a man who simply wants to be with her. I am certain she will not reject you.” Jaceson closed his eyes and leaned back onto the pillows.

  Alistair noticed that he looked tired. “How long have you been awake?”

  “Not sure. Woke sometime in the night. It was long enough for us to finish Gulliver’s Travels though.” He tried to hide a yawn. “Really good story. You ought to read it.” His eyes closed as he spoke.

  “Maybe I will. I better go see to my mother and to Father. Get some rest.”

  “Where is Princess Daciana? Is this how she treats her guests?” Kamille questioned Alistair sharply.

  “Like I told you yesterday, you were not invited here. She takes the duties of her people very seriously. She will not shirk them simply to entertain you. I know she was down here early this morning helping to prepare breakfast for you.”

  Alistair did not want his mother here. He was not going to welcome her with open arms. This was not her home, and she had no right to waltz in here demanding that things be done her way. All she’d done the evening before was complain about how unhospitable Daciana was. It hadn’t occurred to her to look around at all the preparations they’d made for their arrival on such short notice. The room had been scrubbed clean, and there was the soothing scent of lavender. Alistair even noticed that Daciana had given Kamille the lavender-scented soap instead of the kind that everyone else used.