Chapter 25:

  Moving forward

  When our meeting finally came to an end, the Duke dismissed me from his private study, and Beatrice was assigned to see me out. She moved with an easy confidence, flashing a smile here, a teasing wink there, and those within the manor responded in kind. Guards stood a little taller, servants paused mid step, and every man we passed turned to watch her go, as if she, not the Duke, ruled these halls.

  Beatrice only seemed to grow more delighted by the attention, basking in every glance that followed her through the manor’s halls. It wasn’t until we stepped into the quiet of the front gardens that her posture softened and the performance faded.

  “You’ll find there are more paths to power than simply swinging a sword,” she said, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear as she looked up at me with feigned innocence.

  “So that’s your lesson, then?” I replied dryly. “How to charm men into doing what I want?”

  The words came out sharper than I intended, though it was clear to her that it was simply because of how effective her performance was even to someone as reserved as myself.

  Beatrice snorted a laugh, suddenly losing the air of grace that seemed to envelop her. “You know, most men drool at the chance to have one-on-one time with me,” she teased, her voice lilting with amusement.

  “The Duke once asked me to teach magical theory,” Beatrice said with a laugh that was far too self aware. “But for some reason, my students couldn’t seem to focus on my lectures.”

  She leaned in close, the scent of perfume and flowers enveloping my senses. “Be honest, Sam, are you intimidated by powerful women?”

  “I have no problem with powerful women,” I said evenly, holding her gaze. “I was raised by the most powerful woman I know, and to this day, I still flinch if she raises a wooden spoon a little too quickly.”

  Beatrice laughed, a little too loudly, drawing curious glances from a few nearby gardeners.

  “Ok, so you’re a momma’s boy, I guess I can work with that. Then what about beautiful women, are you intimidated by those?”

  “I think most men are, in one way or another,” I said, stepping back to put a little distance between us, giving myself enough space to think clearly again. “You know, a friend of mine shared some wisdom with me the night I met you.”

  Beatrice arched a brow, her hands finding her hips as she waited.

  “He thinks you might not be a good cook,” I continued, keeping my tone deliberately casual, “and that I should consider my options elsewhere.”

  “I can cook!” she protested, her voice rising in indignation. Realizing she was drawing unwanted attention from the guards nearby, she dropped her tone back down to a harsh whisper. “Why would that even matter?”

  I couldn’t help but smile as I delivered a bit of sage wisdom that Hershel had offered me the day we’d left Wheat Hollow.

  “Beauty is temporary, but cooking is forever.”

  Looking away from the flustered Beatrice, I turned my attention toward the front gate of the manor. To my surprise, a familiar face stood waiting on the other side, someone I’d thought had already left for the day.

  Ariel’s dark hair caught the light of the setting sun, each strand glinting softly as it framed her gentle features. She wore a simple green dress and carried a woven basket filled with goods from what must have been an afternoon of shopping. When her eyes found mine, the tension in her shoulders eased, and relief washed over her face. Her lips curved into a small, genuine smile.

  “Sam! I was so worried they might keep you overnight!” The words tumbled out of Ariel in a rush, as if all the nervous energy she’d been holding back finally had permission to escape. “Captain Torren found me in the city and said you might be released soon. Oh, and here, I bought you a shirt while I was shopping. I hope you don’t mind the color.”

  When the gate opened, she hurried forward and wrapped me in a quick hug before holding out the bundle in her hands. It was a simple dark green shirt with long sleeves and small buttons at the chest. I accepted it gratefully, though not without noticing, that our clothes now matched in color

  Beatrice couldn’t quite hide her displeasure at being so easily displaced by Ariel’s quiet warmth. With a practiced smile, she rested a hand on my shoulder as she turned to leave.

  “Well, Sam, it’s been a pleasure,” she said, her voice carrying more suggestion than the words required. “I’ll see you soon, and I promise you’ll enjoy the lessons I have to offer.”

  The meaning in her tone was impossible to miss, and it hit its mark. Ariel’s expression hardened, as she stared daggers at Beatrice who was now sauntering away back towards the manor. Then, without a word, Ariel turned that same look on me and shoved the shirt hard against my chest.

  She spun on her heel and stormed off toward the city, her footsteps echoing in angry rhythm along the stone path. Behind me, the guards at the gate broke into laughter, their amusement only adding to my sudden distress.

  “Lad, you’d better tread carefully! Women in Salt Brine are not to be trifled with,” the guards teased, grinning as I slipped off my ragged shirt and pulled on the green one Ariel had bought me. “She even bought you a matching shirt? She’s staked her claim, alright. Just give in now if you know what’s good for you.”

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Ariel marched ahead, her back straight and her gaze fixed firmly on the path, not sparing me a glance. I waved to the guards, then jogged to catch up.

  “Thank you for the shirt,” I said as I fell into step beside her. “It’s almost a perfect fit.”

  She glanced at me, her eyes softening just a little, though her expression remained guarded. “You’re welcome” she said curtly, as she continued to her brisk pace.

  After we walked through the residential wing of the city, Ariel gradually slowed as we reached the large fountain in the center. When she turned to face me, the icy glare from moments ago had softened into a look of genuine apology.

  “I’m sorry we didn’t get a chance to really explore today with everything that happened. Did everything go well with the Duke?”

  “It actually went better than I expected,” I said, a small smile tugging at my lips. “The Duke and my Uncle are old friends, so he was quite lenient with me. Oh, and I should probably tell you now, I stepped in and spoke up for Rolin on account of his mother. I don’t know if he’ll cause more trouble in the future, but I’ve done all I can to make peace with him.”

  I stretched leisurely as I took a seat on the stone edge of the fountain. Ariel sat down beside me, crossing her legs beneath her as she placed the basket in her lap.

  “I’m thankful to hear that, actually…” she said quietly.

  She reached into the basket and pulled out two crescent shaped pieces of bread. The bread was flaky, and upon biting into it, I found it filled with a buttery flavor that was very much to my liking.

  “Rolin and I have known each other since we were kids. We courted for a little over a year… it was the first time I’d shown interest in anyone. He was handsome, charming, and had just started working as a city guard, so I knew he could at least support a family.”

  Her voice grew softer, tinged with melancholy. “But after his father passed, he… changed. He told me I didn’t understand what he was going through, and instead of talking with me, he became distant… and angry.”

  Ariel took a slow bite of her bread, her gaze drifting as she chewed, lost in thought.

  “Our families pushed for us to marry once my Choosing Day had passed. I didn’t want to disappoint anyone, but I knew if I married him, I wouldn’t be happy. I felt… trapped. Eventually, I broke off the engagement, and as you’ve seen, he handled it like a reasonable man in a position of power.”

  Ariel laughed bitterly, her expression softening with genuine remorse. “Again… I’m really sorry about what happened.”

  “You don’t owe me an apology,” I said, rising from the edge of the fountain. “I’ve heard that character is often defined in moments of hardship, and sometimes people make poor choices. I had the chance to bury him, but my heart told me showing grace, despite everything, was the right thing to do. It just… felt right, you know?”

  I held out my hand, and she hopped down from the fountain to fall into step beside me.

  “Also,” I added with mock seriousness, “I’m starting to notice a trend. Any time I travel with someone from your family, I end up fighting for my life. I think you all might be hazardous to my health… especially with how much salt you packed into my breakfast this morning.”

  Ariel gasped in mock horror before punching my arm. “It wasn’t that bad!” she protested, her laughter breaking through the tension of our earlier conversation. “Now take me home. I’m a respectable woman and won’t be caught outside at night with some stranger I just met.”

  I was thankful the fading sunlight hid the blush creeping across my cheeks as she hooked her arm with mine. Then, together, we slowly made our way back home.

  By the time we arrived at the Claybrook residence, the sun had slipped below the horizon, and shadows stretched under the soft glow of the rising moon. The entire family seemed to be waiting on the porch, their silhouettes framed by the warm light of the lanterns.

  “About time you got back,” Hershel called, his voice teasing. “I was starting to worry you two might have run off and eloped… not that I’d complain. I like Sam well enough.”

  Mrs. Claybrook slapped Hershel’s shoulder playfully, “Now dear, don’t tease Ariel too much, you know how grumpy she gets when she’s embarrassed.”

  Ariel quickly pushed past her family and hurried into the house as they continued to tease her. I stepped up to the porch as I followed her, joining in with the comfortable assembly as they stretched out among various pieces of furniture.

  “So, what did you think of the city?” William asked, as he reclined in a rocking chair.

  Before I could answer, three little boys ran out of the house, their bare feet pattering on the wooden porch. Their laughter echoed with unrestrained joy as their mother followed close behind.

  “CARROT MAN!” they shouted in unison as they jumped off the porch to tackle me.

  After playing with the boys, I took time to tell the family about the days events. After many choice words on my behalf and a hearty dinner prepared by Granny Claybrook, I found myself once again taking a bath with Neil downstairs.

  As expected, he talked endlessly, proudly showing off his many blisters and the bruised thumb he’d somehow managed to hammer by accident.

  When I headed back upstairs, I found Hershel waiting at the front door. He gestured for me to join him on the porch, and we settled into the quiet as the rest of the house tucked in for the night.

  “Well, lad, what do you think?” Hershel asked, as he drank from a steaming mug. Upon closer examination I noticed a root sticking out of the top of the cup.

  “What do I think about what?” I asked, still staring at his cup. “Hershel… why is there an absurdly large root in your tea?”

  Hershel laughed conspiratorially and took another sip of his tea. “I’m afraid you’re too young to know about this type of brew. This here is how I win my Missus' favor back.”

  “Don’t tell me thats some sort of… stamina drink?” I groaned, as Hershel’s face confirmed my suspicion. “I shouldn’t have asked, that’s on me.”

  Hershel laughed at my discomfort before changing the subject. “I know it wasn’t the most pleasant of days, but you did get to spend time with my granddaughter. I’m sure her father wouldn’t mind you courting her.”

  “Ariel’s great, really,” I admitted, “but I honestly just want to focus on myself right now. I have no idea how much work lies ahead, and apparently I start training with the Duke’s personal guard in the next couple of days.”

  I leaned back in my chair and stared up at the ceiling overhead. “I don’t know anything about training… and I don’t know if I’m cut out to be a fighter. ”

  Hershel nodded sagely.

  “Lad, you’re going to do just fine. And if it’s hard… even better, most things worth doing are hard. Plus, you’ve got us here anytime you need something: food, a place to sleep, or an old man to keep you company. Just make yourself proud. At the very least, Neil will talk so much, you’ll forget all about your problems anyway.”

  We both laughed and continued our conversation until he finally drained the contents of his cup.

  “Well lad, you should head on to bed, you have a big day ahead of you tomorrow.”

  I nodded as I stood up from my chair. “Agreed. I will leave first thing in the morning. I don’t think I can wait any longer than that.”

  “Aye, sounds like a plan,” he replied, before he too stood up and stretched. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some proper ‘apologizing’ to do with the Mrs.”

  “Hershel, you are a man of endless charm,” I said flatly, as I walked into the house. “I’ll send a prayer up for you, hopefully you don’t end up on the couch again tonight.”

  Grandparents:

  Their sons:

  The amazing mothers that hold them all together:

  Serena Claybrook: (William's wife: Mother of Neil and Ariel)

  Silivia Claybrook: (Thedores wife: Mother of the three boys)