Paladin's Oath

by M. H. Johnson

  Agda sighed. "True, my daughter. Our Jess has grown considerably, it seems, and not just in the ways a young woman is expected to grow." Her smile for Jess was almost apologetic. "I fear all that soldier's training has given you a body more suited to a man than a woman, my love."

  Jess shrugged. "I don't mind. I like my body just the way it is. " She blushed and grinned. "And so does Onnika. And no Highrock boy has ever had anything bad to say about my body, and more than a few have seen me without any armor on at all." The table went deathly silent for a moment, her brother and sister shaking their heads ruefully. "Hmm... perhaps that was a poor choice of words. Oh, could we have the cook prepare some fish? Twilight is hungry."

  Agda looked about to say something rather cross, then checked herself and took a deep breath. After composing herself, she turned her full focus on Jess who suddenly felt a bit apprehensive. Her mother looked… satisfied. "Why yes, Jess. We would be happy to present your delightful companion with a tasty tureen full of freshly poached whitefish. Compliments of the visiting chef." With that, she rang a small silver bell, and a serving lady was before her mother's side in but a moment. "

  Yes, my lady?” She asked, the utmost of respectful courtesy. Jess grinned approvingly. The girl’s buxom figure was shown off to stunning effect in her cute serving maid's outfit, modestly cut though it was. Her rich ebony locks were done up in a graceful bun showing off an alabaster neckline silky and smooth. Jess was smitten. The girl was absolutely adorable.

  Agda turned toward the young woman, smiling warmly. “Rena. Would you be a dear and see if our guest chef has his specialty prepared? We would love to try some!”

  Rena bowed respectfully. “Of course, my lady. I shall see to it right away.”

  Jess grinned. “Can I borrow that silver bell, mom? I think I need a new pitcher of milk!”

  Agda turned her gaze back to Jess, her knowing look pinning Jess to the spot. “No, you may not have the silver bell, Jess. And now that you’ve finally blossomed into womanhood, though not quite in the direction I was expecting, I will tell you the same thing I told your brother at your age. Flirting with the house staff is not acceptable, and if I find out about an affair, the girl will be dismissed, and your allowance will be docked.”

  Jess pouted. "It's not like I could get her pregnant, and… I don't know… maybe she could encourage me to try wearing a dress? She could show me how to take it on and off, so I don't rip it."

  Apple laughed. “Oh gods, Jess. You’re terrible!” Her humor turned to an arch look of disapproval. “Besides, aren’t you in love with Onnika?”

  Jess nodded. “I do love her. Very much. But what does that have to do with me and Rena?”

  Geoffrey smiled. “It never hurts to look, I say.”

  "Oh gods, she's just like a boy!" Apple sighed even as Geoffrey laughed. "Listen, Jess. Normally it is expected that when two people form a connection, it is just between the two of them. Should one or the other of them take on a second lover, it is considered being unfaithful, and can lead to hurt feelings, even a sense of betrayal."

  Jess shrugged. “Well yes, between a man and a woman, when no herbs are taken. Because they can have babies, and it's important to know who the father is, and for the father to be there to care for his children. But if herbs are taken to prevent that complication, why should it be considered any sort of betrayal at all? Marriage is one thing, but right now, what does it matter if I have more than one pillow friend? You have more than one friend you enjoy attending galas with. Mother has many card playing friends. Twilight, my familiar, is my best friend in all the world. But I have other friends who are also close to my heart. It doesn’t affect my love for Twilight. Why can’t I have other pillow friends? Onnika will still be closest to my heart, I’m sure.”

  Twilight purred in her lap even as Jess gently stroked him with one hand. “Well said, my beloved mistress. I am your best friend in the whole world. I always have been, I always will be. Even when this home is long relegated to dust and ashes, we will always have each other.” Jess looked down at her familiar, lost in his solemn gaze and for a moment they shared a connection so intense, so profound, that Jess was left breathless.

  Twilight butted her and grinned. “Enough of that. Where is our visiting chef’s special dish? My curiosity is piqued, and hunger calls!”

  “Jessica, are you feeling all right?” Her father gazed at her with some concern.

  Jess nodded, getting ahold of herself. “Yes. Twilight was just agreeing with me, though he’s impatient to try our visiting chef’s highly touted fair.”

  Apple frowned. “Your logic is flawed. Mother isn't silent because she agrees, she's just too shocked even to reply! Don’t think you’re going to dart out of the conversation you started that easily.”

  Geoffrey grinned in approval. “I for one, love Jess’s logic. If only all girls felt the same.

  "It doesn't apply to boys, only girls!" Apple hissed. "No, Geoffrey. No matter how you try to justify it, if you try to build a harem, I will stab you, assuming one of your girls doesn't do it first!"

  Geoffrey, however, was happy to continue the conversation. “But what if your tastes don’t run both ways, Jess? What if a boy only likes girls, or a girl only likes boys? It's hardly fair if it's okay for you to take multiple lovers, but I can’t!”

  Jess smiled. "That's my point, Geoffrey. If you are off on campaign with your battle brothers and sisters, and all you want is to wash away the horrors of what you have seen and done in each other's arms, I certainly won't judge. How could I? Just bring herbs, so no conception occurs, unless you are willing to claim the mother and child."

  Agda startled them all, firmly thumping the table. "Enough! I believe we've taken the conversation as far as is decent. Farther, really. Particularly for a midday foray. Suffice it to say, Geoffrey, that you have political obligations to consider, being the heir to this barony, and I expect you to behave, as always, with care and discretion. Should any indiscretions emerge before public scrutiny, it would look poorly upon our family, and that I will not tolerate! Am I clear, Geoffrey?"

  Their mother's forceful tone had inspired solemn silence at the table. With almost chilling proficiency, Agda's iron-hard demeanor flowed effortlessly to that of gentle matron once more, her voice soft and filled with pride. "Of course, knowing as I do that my son is the epitome of grace, courtesy, and elegance, I know I need fear no stain upon our character, that my Geoffrey shall continue to impress all with his peerless acumen and conduct, both when he is attending Court, and at home. Is that not so, dear one?"

  Geoffrey nodded solemnly, the picture of respectful courtesy. "Yes, Mother. Of course."

  Jess snickered, and Agda turned her flashing gaze upon her eldest daughter once more. “And as for you, Jessica, my statement stands. Should I find that you have committed any indiscretions with the house staff, I shall have them sent away, and your allowance docked.”

  Jess frowned. “I still don’t think that's fair.”

  “Enough!” Her mother snapped.

  Jess looked down, chastened. “Yes, Mother.”

  Agda nodded. “Very good. Now, on to more tasteful subjects. I do believe our next course has arrived.” With that several servitors gracefully placed tureens of perfectly poached whitefish before all their plates, opening the silver lids with a graceful bow and departing.

  Twilight seemed to shiver with delight as he breathed deep of the fragrant aroma wafting from the tureen. “Perfectly poached salmon.” He gazed at Jess and she nodded bemusedly as he dived into her tureen. “Exquisite. Truly exquisite! The perfect degree of flakiness, and the melody of spices is like a signature. I do believe I recognize the chef.” Her cat's fish flake covered face popped back out of the tureen in delight. “Jess, could it be? Have we managed to commandeer the Turnsby chef after all?”

  Jess, at first smiling happily at her familiar's utter delight with the fare, now turned a suspicious eye toward her mother. Agda's calculating smile of app
roval was all she needed to see. A cold weight of dreadful certainty settled in the pit of her stomach.

  Agda smiled. “Please let your familiar know that the tureen by your side is specifically for him. Fear not, my daughter. Our chef is still preparing the crepes you love so very well. In fact, I did him the rare honor of granting him my family recipe. Does your familiar approve of the fare?”

  Knowing what was coming, Jess just nodded.

  Agda grinned. “Excellent! Please inform your familiar that our family is deeply grateful for the role he played in aiding you in your quest to save the Turnsby estates and our dear Onnika from the realms of Shadow, to say nothing of the lives of your sister and I as well. As a means of showing our appreciation for his devotion and loyalty to you, we have gained permission from the Turnsbys to hire on their chef, who will shortly be accompanying us to the Royal Ladies Academy as well, thus assuring that fresh seafood is always prepared at the school with the care and grace one could expect at the king's own table. In fact, it is my understanding that Lord Turnsby himself has offered the school a steady supply of seafood at a rate that barely covers cost. Truly a remarkable gift, wouldn’t you say, my daughter?”

  Twilight's ears twitched upward, his whole face a feline expression of exquisite delight. "Why Jess, I do believe your family is trying to entice me, directly! It has been centuries. How delicious."

  Jess pouted. "Very clever, Mother." She glanced at her cat and sighed. "And Twilight is very impressed with your attempts at bribing him. He says ‘good game'. Ow! Don't poke me, Twilight! I don't care if it's a love poke. Yes, I'll tell them." Jess sighed. "He also says he thinks I'm in dire need of lessons in etiquette, and can't imagine what all the fuss was about in the first place."

  Apple laughed. “Set and match, sister.”

  Jess snorted. “I can’t believe I’m coming in second place to a poached fish, Twilight!”

  "Hardly, my beloved queen," Twilight said even as he ate and purred simultaneously. "Your father made a very good point back at the Turnsby estates, after all, regarding the political ramifications of our heroic efforts, which we had failed to appropriately weigh into our deliberations, considering the extenuating circumstances."

  “The extenuating circumstances being an unlimited supply of fish from your favorite chef,” Jess wryly noted.

  Twilight turned his face to grin at his master. “Well, there is that, my Jess. But fear not. Fish will always come in second place to you, close as you both do rank in the feline hierarchy of things.”

  “Fish come a close second to me?”

  Twilight purred, butting his head against her hands. “Don’t be jealous, Jess. I will always love you the most. You give such lovely belly rubs and scratch me behind the ears so perfectly, after all. And if you wanted to give me more belly rubs, that could only increase your rankings all the more.”

  Jess laughed. “You are terrible!”

  Twilight grinned. “Moderately terrible, yes. Now get back to your crepes, Jess. You know you love them best piping hot. Besides, I have a whole tureen of delicious poached fish awaiting my close and very thorough inspection!” With that Twilight proceeded to dive headfirst back into his fare, Jess gazing at his antics fondly before savoring her own delicious repast, though she did note the bemused looks her family was giving her, hearing only one side of the conversation.

  “Don’t ask,” Jess said.

  “We wouldn’t dream of it,” a grinning Apple commented. “We’re just so happy he likes the fish.”

  Jess sighed even as her family chuckled at her expense.

  Lunch passed in relative harmony after that, warmth and laughter shared by all, and Jess realized how much she had missed these moments of camaraderie and closeness with her family. “It's good to be home,” Jess declared, slightly surprised by how much she meant it.

  “Of course, my love,” her mother nodded approvingly. “This is your home, after all. Too long you have been apart from us, and for a few months at least, until the new semester begins, we are together. As we should be.”

  Her father nodded, his warm smile complementing his handsome features. “And once you finish your year at the Royal Ladies Academy, you will be free to live here at home for as long as you like, whenever you like.”

  Jess’s mother smiled her agreement. “And who knows? Perhaps a lucky young man will have caught your fancy and you will see that there are far sweeter thrills to life than risking yourself in perilous ventures. I, for one, can’t wait to see how beautiful your babies will be.”

  Jess grimaced. "I'm not in any hurry, Mother. You only need to assist a pair of desperate midwives once to know that giving birth hurts. A lot. And I can hardly adventure if I'm spending all my time breastfeeding hungry babies and changing stinky swaddling."

  Agda laughed indulgently. “No hurry, my love. I suspect, however, your views on little ones might change when you are ready to settle down.”

  Jess grinned. “Well then, when I’m ready to have babies, I’ll let you do the burping and swaddling. You can even do the birthing, if you’d like.”

  “I don’t think that’s quite how it works, Jess,” Apple noted.

  Jess winked at her sister.

  "Well then. Now that we are done our repast, perhaps it's time for us to head to the ballroom and practice our dancing, shall we?" Agda declared brightly.

  Jess pouted.

  “That was not a request, daughter.”

  Jess was pinned to silence by her mother's glare. Twilight grinned even as he nibbled on a particularly flaky salmon. "Don't mind me, Jess. You go on ahead and dance up a storm, while I content myself with these tasty morsels."

  “You are utterly evil, kitty,” Jess sighed.

  Twilight smirked but forbore to comment, for all that he made it painfully obvious how much he enjoyed devouring the whitefish in everyone's tureen while Jess faced the prospect of an afternoon of dancing in dresses. And she hated dresses.

  "No need to pull me, Mother. I wasn't dragging my feet that badly," Jess grumbled as her mother took her arm, patting her hand even as she was led rather firmly off to the ballroom, her brother's smile and sister's snicker not helping her feel any better. "But no need for the servitors to clear the table just yet. My incredibly loyal cat, whose selfless devotion to his master is worthy of a bard's song, is still stuffing himself on your bribery!"

  Twilight grinned. “I’m sorry, Jess. What were you saying? I was too distracted with this delicious poached whitefish. Now go off and be a good girl, and enjoy your dance!"

  27

  "Really, Jess. It's not that complicated!" Apple sighed in exasperation sometime later as the musician in residence paused yet again as Apple felt compelled to rush in and correct Jess's hands and footing.

  “This is stupid!” Jess angrily declared as Geoffrey winced and stepped away moments after the music restarted.

  The problem, Jess decided, was that her brother didn’t have the common sense to read her cues. She was fine with his leading, as long as he stepped where she wanted him too.

  "Mother, if it's all the same, I'd rather not get my feet pounded on any further this afternoon. I still need full use them when I go to speak with the factors and traders coming to town on the morrow," Geoffrey implored, earning a stern look from a less than pleased Lady Agda.

  "Geoffrey, don't be such a baby. And you, Jessica! The point is to let the man lead. Quit placing your feet where his are, and try to read his cues!"

  “Well, it wouldn’t be a problem if Geoff would put his feet where he’s supposed to! It's not my fault he can’t dance!”

  "I can't dance?" her brother huffed in mock outrage. "I assure you, dear sister, the problem is not with me! This isn't a battle, Jess. You are not trying to beat me, you are trying to work with me!"

  “I’d rather dance with Malek,” Jess grumbled. “He’s my shieldbrother. At least I know where he’s going to move, and he knows where I’m going to move.”

  Apple's surprised laughter
grated on Jess's ears. "Sorry, Jess, but you're just going to have to get used to the fact that you're not going to have some mystic Delver connection with most of your dance partners!"

  “Precisely,” Agda concurred. “Now, shall we begin again?”

  Some time later a mutually frustrated and drained pair of siblings shared a carafe of chilled summer wine together upon the patio, enjoying the crisp autumn afternoon after their exertions.

  “Well, I suppose that could have gone worse, Jess.” Geoffrey lifted his goblet in mock salute before taking a sip. “Now that hits the spot after mother’s lessons. Perhaps we should down a glass or two before practice? Might make the whole affair a bit more tolerable.”

  Jess nodded in agreement before taking a sip of her own chilled wine. "I wanted to suggest that, but then Mother will probably think I'm a complete lush, and forbear even from serving me wine!" Jess sighed. "This whole idea is crazy to begin with. I've trained for three years on how best to defend Crown and country. With the things we Squires are expected to do? If my loyalty had been in question for even a heartbeat, I doubt I'd be alive to speak to you now. At the very least, I would have been forced to leave Highrock, long ago. Is the king really that upset, just because one of Eloquin's Squires managed to keep some of his lands from sinking into Shadow?"

  Geoffrey gazed thoughtfully out at the pastoral landscape before them. “Actually, Jess, I think the Royal Family does have concerns. Nothing’s said directly when Father and I are at Court, of course, but we do get the occasional odd look. I’m afraid the means by which you saved the Turnsby Estates have made a lot of people nervous. Having a direct connection to the land by supernatural precedence, Claimance I believe is the term, calls into question more temporal mandates. And as you know, the primary concern of those in power is stability. If they cannot devise means to accrue ever more wealth and prestige for themselves, they want to at least maintain the status quo, lest their own power base suffer.”