Lorelei crumpled the wet handkerchief between her fingers while her eyes tried to bore a hole through the floor. She felt Milly’s clumsy pats on her back but they gave her little comfort since all she could think of was her embarrassing behavior. Her face still burned bright red like it was on fire. The happiness and relief engulfing her for that brief moment had been too hard to contain, but now...
Biting her lip, she dared a quick glance up at the youth respectfully kneeling before her chair. He looked fine, maybe a little bit paler than a week ago but other than that and the fact that his hair was now cut a bit shorter than she remembered, he carried no visible injuries. Even so, the boy bending his knee before her was not the old Jessup. Or rather, it was better to say that he was no longer a boy. There were some sternness and determination in his pressed lips and slightly furrowed brow that looked so unfamiliar and out-of-place on his usually cheerful face. For a brief moment, as their gazes met, Lorelei could glimpse something cold and distant in his eyes that reminded her of Noah and William. And then she knew – this was the gaze of someone who had stared Death in the face and survived to tell the tale. Yes, the old bubbly Jess she knew, the Jess who would come up with funny stories and make her smile, was gone. The one standing before her acted like a wary animal, and rightfully so. It was her fault! All of this!
She took a shaky breath and opened her mouth, but Jessup was a second faster.
“My lady, have you calmed down?” his tone sounded polite and collected but also very distant.
“Yes,” Lorelei replied quietly and hung her head again. “Forgive me for earlier, Jess. For making you feel uncomfortable. And also… I… I am sorry for everything else too.”
“My lady! What are you saying?!” Milly tried to protest but was ignored.
Lorelei sniffled, her fingers still scrunching her handkerchief like it was some sort of a protection charm, a life-line giving her strength to keep talking. She couldn’t postpone it any longer. Swallowing hard, she set forth, hoping that her courage would last until the end.
“Forgive me. I should have come to see you much earlier… to apologize. But I didn’t know how to face you. I was a coward. You…” Lorelei’s voice broke, “you have every right to hate me after what happened. I wish I could turn back time. I am so sorry, Jess!”
“No! No, no, no! This is wrong, my lady?!” Jessup’s exclamation made her flinch and lift her head again. The youth’s face was flushed and his polite and stoic mask was about to crack. In a matter of seconds, the old Jessup was back. “I should be the one apologizing to the lady! It was my negligence and naivete that caused you harm. I was supposed to protect you but, instead, let those bastards take you away and do all those awful things to you!”
Now it was the turn for Jessup’s tears to trickle down. He vigorously tried to wipe them away but they just kept coming.
“It is I who is the coward, my lady. You fought to the very end, tried to help me and Anuk. But I just passed out. I’ve disgraced my family’s name. I’ve betrayed your and master’s trust. I…”
Lorelei didn’t give him a chance to continue. She slid from her chair and hugged the sniffling boy. In an instant, the two were sitting on the floor, sobbing like children and talking over each other.
“If only… if I had only listened to Sir William… None of this…”
“All I did was stay comfortably in bed. I was a burden to everyone! I…”
“…none of this would have happened if I had returned to the castle!”
“… I allowed those bastards to take you. I couldn’t even participate in the search for the lady!”
“Because of me, because of my stupidity and stubbornness, you almost lost your life!”
“I am sorry!”
“Forgive me!”
As the tension and emotions ebbed out, they sat quietly on the thick carpet with only the occasional sniffle disturbing the silence. The sound of Milly clearing her throat jolted them back to reality.
“Uhm, Jess,” the maid secretly dabbed the corner of her eyes dry, “you should let go of the lady before someone comes in and sees you.”
With a short yelp, the youth scurried backward and hit his head on the table with a bang.
“I-I-I am s-sorry, my lady! I didn’t mean to! It was really nothing… nothing like that!” he stammered while rubbing the bump, his face – still wet with tears. “I did something indecent! Sorry! Milly, please, don’t tell anyone! Master will skin me alive if bad rumors start spreading and tarnish the lady’s reputation.”
“And he will be right to do so,” the maid grumbled a bit but, seeing the worried expression of the squire, she softened. “Do you take me for a busybody, Jessup de Mar? My lips are sealed. But, you should be more careful for the lady’s sake.”
“But Milly, I was the one who hugged Jess,” interjected Lorelei and tried to regain her composure with little success.
“I am very sorry if I speak out of place, my lady, but this is not important.” The maid helped her get back into the chair and dusted her crumpled dress. “Young Jessup is training to be a knight of Norden. A squire hugging the lady of the castle… in any other circumstance it would have been really bad.”
“Milly is right, my lady,” Jessup stood up, his ears still burning. “It was a complete breach of protocol. Even if it was the De Mar castle, my actions were out of order, and even more so here in Ildemar. Besides, showing the lady such weakness… I am utterly ashamed. I’ve failed my master’s teachings yet again.”
“No! Who would even dare think something bad?” Lorelei shook her head and blurted out before she could stop herself. “Dear saints, you are like a little brother to me...”
Her words floated in the air. Realizing what she had just said, Lorelei clasped both her hands over her mouth and wished to sink to the depths of the earth. Jessup was standing in front of her, blinking like a newborn chick, and beside him, Milly’s jaw was about to hit the floor. Oh, no! Did she offend him? After all, she was duchess only in name. Her lowly origin couldn't even compare to the old noble line of the De Mar barons. The squire that was serving her was nobler than his mistress.
“Oh, Jess, sorr-”
“My lady,” the youth bowed and Lorelei could see the confused smile on his face, “I am honored that you view me as a brother. But this is an honor I cannot accept…”
“I see.”
“…yet.” He straightened up and his features turned solemn. “I did you an injustice and I need to atone for my mistakes. Once I become a knight, once I regain my honor and am able to protect you and the lands of Norden, I will be the happiest man alive to be able to call myself the lady’s little brother. If you have not changed your mind by then, I would gladly accept your feelings.”
Lorelei stood still, fighting the onslaught of emotions. Indeed, unlike her, Jessup had grown up and matured. In a few more years, he was going to become a splendid knight. Of that, there was no doubt. She instinctively lifted her hand.
“Then I have your word, Squire Jessup de Mar?”
He took her fingers and gently laid a kiss on them.
“My word, my sword, and my life, as witnessed by the Two Gods, Lady Norden.”
It was a solemn moment. Lorelei’s heart pounded hard as she realized that this boy, no, this young man, was pledging loyalty to her. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined something like this. Only princesses and high noble ladies had their own sworn knights. It was something out of a fairytale for the bastard daughter of a count, something impossible. But now she was the Duchess Norden. A gush of irony swept over her, clouding her joy. A fake duchess taking the vow of a half-baked knight – they were a match made in heaven. And yet, she wanted to accept this heartfelt pledge. It was going to be just for a bit anyway.
As Jessup lifted his curly head, she greeted him with a warm smile to which he responded in kind. Little by little, the air lightened up, now that both of them had managed to somewhat put a lid on their feelings. With that, Lorelei could finally give a bit more thought to the meaning of Jessup’s sudden visit.
"So, Jess," she cleared her throat, "what brings you to the library?” She motioned for him to sit in one of the free chairs but the youth’s face suddenly twisted in a pained expression.
“May a wraith take me! My lady, I almost forgot about my task!”
“Yea, being busy bawling your eyes out,” came the jab from Milly before Lorelei could shush her.
Jessup scratched his chin ashamed, his behavior returning to normal. The maturity from just a moment ago was all gone. Lorelei shook her head. In a few more years, he was going to become a splendid knight, indeed, but for now, he was still a young squire learning the ropes. He had a long way to go until he reached Noah and Gregor’s dignified expressions. And as for William de Mar’s impenetrable stone mask, Lorelei doubted that it was achievable for normal humans.
“Well then,” she said, “what was your task? Unless it is a secret.”
“No, no, my lady. Actually, master sent me to look for you. He would like you to join him and lady Shana for dinner. Lady Nelini and Sir Duncan will also be there.”
Lorelei stiffened at these words. Was there a way to decline the invitation? If she said that she wasn’t feeling well…? No, if she did that, rumors could spread. Besides, she needed to get acquainted with her enemies at some point. As the saying went, keep your friends close and your enemies – closer.
‘Oh, be honest, you want to see him,’ remarked a little voice in her head that she quickly drowned. Instead, she said aloud:
“Well then, I need to prepare myself. Jess, would you mind waiting for a bit and then escorting me to dinner?”
“It would be my pleasure, my lady,” replied the youth and helped her get up.
***
The sky outside the windows was slowly changing color from orange to red, to deep violet, robbing the thin spring foliage of its lush green and making it look like dipped in tar. As the sun was setting down, the servants started lighting the lanterns in the castle halls. The oil-lamps and candelabras crackled, spreading an inviting yellow light around. Warmer winds from the south rustled in the leaves and made the flames of the lanterns jump and flicker as shadows danced on the walls.
The door of the bedroom opened and Lorelei stepped out accompanied by Milly. She nervously drove a hand over her gown, her fingers caressing the golden embroidery. It had been a difficult fight, trying to convince Milly to tone down on the jewels and embellishments. This was not an official dinner but a private gathering. Even so, Lorelei was forced to capitulate at some point. Right now, a high-waist red dress embroidered with golden flowers hugged her body. Through its cut sleeves, a saffron-colored underdress peeked out, making Lorelei look like she was engulfed by flames. As a finishing touch, after her refusal to waste more time on an elaborate hairstyle, Milly had gathered her hair in a golden net adorned with small red garnets. Luckily, she had managed to cut off any further attempts for necklaces, rings, and bracelets on the maid’s part. Even this was way too much.
As she exited her chambers, Lorelei spotted Jessup who was quietly sitting on a bench under one of the hallway’s windows. The sound of the door made the youth look around and when he saw her, his eyes rounded.
“I am sorry for making you wait for so long,” Lorelei threw Milly a glance. “Someone was bent on overdoing things.”
“But my lady, you should definitely dress up more often.” The maid pursed her lips. “This place has always been a warriors’ den so finally having the gentler presence of a mistress is like a breath of fresh air. Besides, I am sure the lord too would be happy if you did so.”
“Enough nonsense, Milly. The Duke would never be bothered by such small details. Tell her, Jess.”
“Uhm, well, my lady,” the youth blushed, “I think you look very beautiful. And my mother always says that a dress to a lady is as vital as good armor is to a knight. Although, I imagine that it would be difficult to fight battles in a dress.”
Lorelei rolled her eyes and chuckled. These two were too much. But thanks to them she was able to forget her worries, be it only for a moment. She then saw Jessup throwing curious glances at the small chest in Milly’s hands but tactfully remaining silent.
“I never got the chance to give lady Shana the glass flower I bought for her at the market,” she answered his unasked question. “With all that happened, I am happy that it survived. I hope she likes it.”
If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.
“Don’t worry, she definitely will, my lady,” responded Jessup and his hand slid to the small pendant on his belt. “Anyone would be happy to receive a sincere gift.”
In the first moment, Lorelei was confused but then recognized the bead she had gifted him. The once beautiful green tassel was now singed and tangled. The glass bead itself had a chip and several deep scratches running along the surface.
“Oh, Jess, why didn’t you say a thing? I will give you a new one.”
“No, my lady.” The youth shook his head. “I really like this one. It is a reminder of my failure to protect you. I’ve pledged upon it to amend my ways and become a knight worthy of the lady’s trust. I wouldn’t exchange it even for the most precious jewels.”
“As you wish,” Lorelei swallowed dryly and tried to sound more cheerful than she felt. “Let’s go then. We shouldn’t keep the lord waiting.”
She carefully gathered her skirt and the three were on their way. As they crossed the hallways, she tried to change the topic and get some more information from Jessup about the “Lady Nelini” she was going to meet, to which the youth gladly obliged. As she already suspected, the lady was no other than her new acquaintance Neli. With each step, they were getting closer to their final destination, and with each word, Lorelei was feeling more and more uneasy.
Lady Nelini Abrahmandar was not just an ordinary marzbanati slave. She had been a court-lady to marzbane Gulfidan, Noah’s birthmother, even before the fall of their marzbanat under Limerian rule. After that, she had been a personal maid to the enslaved princess and the wetnurse of the infant bastard-prince. According to Jessup, the bond between Noah and his second mother had been strengthened over the years to the point where they considered themselves of one kin. And how else could it be? During the years spent in the imperial capital, Nelini had saved the life of her little ward time and time again, spilling her own blood in the process. Due to this, she was the only person Noah trusted unconditionally even now.
Lorelei shivered by the thought of how she had acted in front of the second-most-powerful person in Norden. Neli’s veiled threats and overall behavior from this morning received a new meaning. It hadn’t been a slave making dangerous and out-of-place comments about the new Duchess Norden but rather a lioness warning an intruder what would happen if they dared to touch her cub.
“Lady Nelini is indeed something else!” Jessup’s eyes gleamed with excitement as he was telling the tale. “She is the only person besides master who has managed to defeat Sir Duncan in a fight! Can you imagine that? I wouldn’t either but he once showed me the scar she left on him. An inch deeper and she would have torn open his throat.”
“Stop scaring the lady!” Milly chimed in, throwing Lorelei a worried glance. “My lady, don’t listen to him. Lady Nelini is a very nice and warm person. The poor lady can’t cope with the harsh winters here so she travels back and forth between Norden and the mainland every year. But the week following her return is like a small festival. Every spring, when she comes back from the capital, she brings presents and does not forget even us servants. Last time, she brought those yummy orange fruits that burst in your mouth when you bite into them.”
“She called them tangerines,” nodded Jess with a longing expression. “They were so good. But I liked the dried dates from that one time even more. They were so sweet and soft. Have you ever tried them, my lady?”
“Yes,” Lorelei replied absentmindedly while trying to process all the information. “Sefis is far enough to the south so there are tangerine trees growing there. But we have only dried dates from the northern marzbanats too since the air during winter is still too cold and humid to grow them.”
“Wow! My lady is so lucky!” Milly sighed longingly. “And we have only apples, pears, and plums here, or the occasional berry.”
“Well, I think that there is nothing better than plum jam on freshly-baked bread,” said Lorelei, earning herself appreciative nods from her companions.
As they were busy chatting, they didn’t realize when they reached the small dining hall. Some careless servant had left the door slightly opened so bright golden light was spilling out in the corridor accompanied by cheerful laughter.
Lorelei made a sign to her companions to remain quiet and carefully peeked inside. Three people were laughing and chatting around the small table. Right now, a gray-haired man was leaning over, trying to put something in the hair of the elderly woman sitting to his right before her hand intercepted him.
“Let me have a look at that masterpiece of yours first.” There was pretended sternness in Neli’s tone. “Who knows what kind of splintery menace it is. It’s going to pull all my hair out, no doubt.”
“Aww, you are so harsh, dear lady,” grumbled the knight in return. “And to think I sacrificed hours of my sleep to finish it.”
“No one asked you to do that,” huffed the woman while her fingers caressed the polished surface of the hair comb.
“Oh, grandma, it is so beautiful!” The little white-haired girl sitting in her lap chimed in. “I have never seen such red wood before.”
“It is from a blood-oak that grows only in the South.” The old man raised his chin proudly. “It is so hard that a normal axe can’t even scratch it. It took me months to even get the pattern in.”
“Hum, you did quite the messy job there,” snorted Neli but despite her words, her fingers still ran gently over the comb. “Even a blind carpenter would have done a better job.”
“Well, I’m sorry for being a knight and not a carpenter. But at least I fulfill half of the blind part, you ill-tempered old bat.”
“Ha, you got what you deserved, you stubborn old badger! Instead of acting your age and sitting put in the castle, you ran off to the battlefield to get your eyes poked out!”
“Grandma! Grandpa Duncan! Don’t be mean to each other!” Shana’s worried voice rang in the room, followed immediately by the grownups’ hearty laughter.
Looking at the three, Lorelei felt a pull in her heart. Despite not being related by blood, they looked like a real family. Bickering, laughing, exchanging warm smiles, all this was something new to Lorelei. The family gatherings at the Ortens had been full of false politeness. Maybe if Lady Orten had been alive things could have been different, but for as long as she could remember, the count had shown sporadic interest in his two legitimate children, and even then, his warmth had seemed rehearsed and artificial. The servants too had been either too scared or too greedy to utter anything else but empty praises in front of the count's children. As for her, Lorelei could have counted herself lucky if she could pass as a ghost, or, at worst, would suffer the wrath of her half-siblings and father for some petty, and at times even non-existent, wrongdoings. The genuine warmth and happiness she could now feel from the people in the room were so tempting, but at the same time scary. Her heart yearned desperately to fit in, to experience those same feelings, but her mind constantly reminded her of her position as an intruder, as false Lady Norden.
“What are you doing, dear wife? Lurking outside like a robber.”
The deep familiar voice startled Lorelei to the point where she jumped up and nearly screamed. Turning around, she almost bumped into Noah, who was leaning over her and also peering through the crack inside the room. Seeing the playful spark in his gray eyes and the slightly lifted corners of his lips, Lorelei knew that he was in a good mood. Her gaze trailed over to Jessup and Milly who stood a few steps to the side and mouthed a silent “Sorry, my lady!” with a guilty look. Before she was able to decide how to react to this embarrassing situation, she felt Noah’s palm clasping around her fingers.
“I am happy to find you so lively, Lady Lorelei,” he said, planting a kiss on the back of her hand. “Your gown tonight is also particularly eye-catching.”
“I am sorry if it is too much, my lord,” said Lorelei in a low voice. The place on her hand where his lips had touched it felt unusually hot for some reason. She tried to ignore the burning sensation and concentrate on the conversation, but Noah’s next words caught her off-guard again and made her blush.
“No, you look beautiful tonight, Lady Norden. The colors suit you.”
“T-thank you, my lord. It was all Milly’s doing,” stuttered Lorelei and tried to avoid his sharp gaze but suddenly felt his fingers lifting up her chin.
“Your eyes are red.” There was a sliver of worry in his voice. “Are you alright?”
“Yes, my lord. I am just a bit tired,” she replied coyly while the urges to step away and to stay still were clashing inside her. Why was he acting like this now? Why was he being so gentle? Why did every single touch of his feel like a burn?
“You can go back and rest if you are not feeling well.” The worry she could discern in his voice increased. Oh, he was so good at acting.
“Everything is fine, my lord. I am here to fulfill my duties as Duchess Norden. After all, I can't refuse your highness's orders.”
“My orders... fulfill your duties…? I see.” For some reason, there was now coldness in his tone. The hand still holding her fingers squeezed them a bit tighter. “Then we should go in without further delay. Jess, go help bring the dinner. We should finish as soon as possible so that the lady could rest.”
“Yes, master.”
The youth darted away. On his side, Noah pushed the door open and led Lorelei into the dining hall as Milly quietly followed behind. The moment they entered, the bubbly conversation died out. Three pairs of eyes stared at them.
“Welcome, father!” Shana jumped from Neli’s lap and hurried to greet them but halted midway. The next second she hissed. “What is she doing here?”
“Good evening, Lady Shana,” Lorelei tried to ignore the vicious look the little girl gave her. “Good evening, Sir Duncan, Lady Nelini.”
“I am happy to see you in good health, my lady.” The old knight stood up and bowed with a hand over his heart. “I see you’ve recuperated from your ordeal.”
“Nice to meet you again, little bird,” Neli nodded while remaining seated. “After what Duncan and his highness have told me, I really wanted to talk to you more. I hope you will indulge this old woman’s whim tonight.”
“Yes, of course…”
“No!” Shana’s voice rang again. “This is grandmother’s welcome dinner! Why is this woman here?”
“Shana, don’t start again,” Noah’s low tone carried a warning and a threat.
“It is alright, your highness,” Lorelei tried to pacify him and turned to the little girl. “Lady Shana, I know that we had a bad start but I hope you will allow me a second chance.”
She beckoned to Milly who stepped forward and opened the chest she was carrying. Lorelei took out the pretty glass daffodil and handed it to the girl.
“I know it isn’t much but I hope to make a truce with the lady.”
Shana held the glass flower in her trembling hands and lowered her head without saying a word.
“I am sorry if I have offended you in any way. I don’t expect you to like me but I hope we could at least have an amicable relationship.”
“A relationship?”
Shana’s words were so stifled that they were hard to hear. Suddenly, she lifted her hand and threw the daffodil on the ground where it shattered into tiny pieces.
“You evil, lying murderer!” she screamed. “I should have let that monster kill you!”
The girl darted forward and, with all the strength she had, rammed against Lorelei, sending them both toppling on the floor. Her little fists flailed around as she continued screaming.
“How dare you hurt father?! How dare you hurt Jess, and Rish, and Rasha, and uncle Gerash?! You evil, evil woman! What spell have you put on them? I hate you! I hate you! You should have died!”
“Shana!” Noah and Duncan shouted at the same time and sprang into action. Noah, who was closer, managed to separate the girl from Lorelei and pull her to the side. The child kept flailing and screaming in his arms, more agile than an eel, until she finally managed to wriggle free and run for the door. She slipped past the petrified Milly and disappeared into the hallway.
“I’ll go after her, you help the lady,” said Neli and quickly left the room.
All this time, Lorelei remained on the ground, panting and hurting. The pain she was feeling didn’t come from her scraped elbow or the bump on her head, but rather from her heart. Shana’s words had hit their target precisely. ‘You should have died!’ This one sentence repeated itself over and over, and over again in her head to the point she was deaf for everything else. She could feel Noah and Duncan helping her up. She could see their worried faces through the blur. They were saying something but all she could hear was ‘You should have died!’. Little by little, however, their words started to reach her.
“Lorelei, answer me,” Noah’s calm tone was now nowhere to be heard. “Are you alright?”
“My duchess, are you hurt anywhere? Did you hit any glass shards?” Duncan’s booming voice was also full of worry.
“By the Gods, Lorelei, say something!”
Guided by some strange, overpowering feeling, Lorelei opened her mouth.
“I am sorry, my lords.” She was surprised at how calm the voice that came out was. “I am perfectly fine. You don’t need to concern yourselves with me.”
“What are you saying?” Noah gave her a wide-eyed look which she reciprocated with a smile.
“I am perfectly fine, your highness. You know me, I have thick skin.”
She ripped her arm free from his grip and stepped a few paces away from them.
“I am fine but I am afraid that the dinner is ruined. As I have lost my appetite anyway, I would like to retire to my chambers. And my lord, I wish to amend our contract. I hope this would be the last time of ‘eating together’ since it seems to only cause trouble for all parties. Now, I shall no longer bother you. Have a good evening, my lords.”
Not waiting for their response, she turned on her heels and left, followed closely by the shaking Milly. She strode faster and faster until the two men could hear her running steps dying out in the hallway.
The room was engulfed in silence.
“What the bloody hell happened just now?” cursed Duncan and drew a hand through his short hair.
Noah didn’t utter a word. He gritted his teeth as his fists balled and shook uncontrollably. Seeing that, the old knight turned grim.
“Calm down, boy. Anger is a bad advisor.”
“To hell with everything, Duncan,” growled Noah. “I’ve had enough of it all…”
“Master, I’ve brought the soup,” Jessup’s cheerful voice came from the outside followed shortly by the person himself.
The young squire looked around and froze as he saw the glass shards lying everywhere and the grim faces of his elders.
“What happened here?”
“Nothing, Jess, go back to the kitchen and finish your work,” said Duncan giving the youth silent signals to get out of sight. Unfortunately, the boy was a bit slow to catch the cue.
“But… I just brought the soup.”
“Fuck you and that damn soup of yours!” shouted Noah. He jumped forward and knocked the pot out of the boy’s hands, crashing it on the floor. “Do you think I have time for some soup?”
Pat!
The sound of Duncan’s paw-like hand landing on the back of his lord’s neck reverberated in the room, accompanied by Noah’s roar.
“Damn it, old man, what are you doing?!”
“I am beating some sense into an unruly rascal,” came the calm reply.
“You dared hit your master?”
“Master? I see no master. Just a stinking brat throwing a tantrum. If you act like a snotty kid, I’ll treat you like a snotty kid. If you act like a lord, I’ll treat you like one. Jess did nothing to deserve such treatment.”
Taking a couple of heavy breaths, Noah started to calm down. The blood rushing to his head subsided and the pain in his neck slowly brought him back on the ground. He looked at the boy before him who was shaking like a leaf with his eyes shut. The man put a hand on his shoulder and could feel him flinch.
“Sorry, Jess. Go get a servant to clean up this mess.”
“Y-yes master,” answered the youth and ran out fast as if someone was chasing him.
“Calm enough?” Duncan came to his side.
“Not yet but almost,” sighed Noah. “He had his eyes closed. If I were a real opponent, he would have been dead.”
“Don’t try to change the subject,” the old knight clicked his tongue. “Besides, there are few people who can resist your wrath, Duke Norden. So, tell me, what are you going to do now? Leave everything as it is?”
“What can I even do?”
“It is up to you, my boy.” Duncan patted his shoulder. “But here is some advice from an old man. War and family are the same. A miscommunication on the battlefield might cost your life. A miscommunication with an angry woman is sure to do so. And I have the scars to prove it.”
Contemplating for a bit, Noah nodded in silence. Without saying a word, he stormed out of the room, almost crushing the returning Jessup and the startled maid that was following him in the process.
“Sir Duncan, what’s going on?” The youth hurried in with a mortified expression only for the old knight to grab his arm and drag him back out.
“The lord is going to try and right some wrongs, lad. Come, we should follow him just to be on the safe side.”