Chapter 55: Fairview

I could still hear the rain splattering against the roof above me when I woke. Hector and Armand both snored, and while it didn't bother me much when we slept outside, inside was another matter. I didn't get as much sleep as I hoped, I kept thinking that I left my enhanced hearing on, but that wasn't the case. These two were just noisy. I didn't know why I was up earlier than usual, but quietly washed and dressed. I disliked towel washing in the morning, I never felt clean enough afterwards. I wanted my shower, damn it.

After a quick breakfast, I moved a table from a recently mopped area so that I could do my stretches out of the rain. Using three clean towels for a mat I began my morning exercises. I knew that I received more than my share of strange looks, but no one came even close to me. Even Hector and Armand, who were used to my morning exercises, kept away. It wasn't until Chandra came down to get breakfast that anyone sat next to me. I didn't care, there was plenty of room, and I would end up getting wet soon enough.

"Thank you for my bath last night, My Lord. It was wonderful."

"I'm. Glad. You. Liked." I kept on doing my pushups while we were talking. "Now. Eat. And. Leave. Me. Be."

"Yes, My Lord. Thanks..." She said something else as she left me, but it was too quiet for me to hear. I dismissed it and returned to my pushups.

"Charles, why are you doing that here?" Megan had been down for a while. I assumed that she had already eaten.

"I didn't want to wake the men, there was no one here when I started and it is raining out. It was a good idea at the time.

"Now, not so much." I stood, and accepted the towel that she handed me from the stool next to me. "Thank you." I patted my face down. "How is your father addressed?"

"Your Highness or Prince Konnor, My Prince if he gives you leave, or if he grants you lands."

"Anyone in particular that I need to watch out for?"

"Everyone. There are all too many secrets in Fairview, but you will not be one of them. You, being who you are, will attract too much attention. Please remember to call me Lady Megan, and whatever you do don't forget to use the honorifics with my father."

"Yes, My Lady. I shall endeavor to be good." She gave me a look that said that I would pay if I forgot. "Ok, for you I will make an effort to remember."

She wasn't happy with that, but had more to say. "Also you can't go around challenging anyone that irritates you to a duel."

"Me? I am the most unassuming person." I batted my eyelashes innocently.

She snorted, "No you're not, you seek trouble. Please restrain yourself, Charles. Poisoning is not unheard of. You will be seen as a threat to many."

"I'll think on what you said and try to temper my actions, My Lady. I hope that I will not have to draw my sword for anything but exercise and instruction. But I doubt it."

"Charles," she said in exasperated tone.

"No, Megan. I will not promise that I will not challenge anyone. I refuse to be placed in that situation. I will use restraint, and think twice before I kill some idiot that deserves it."

"My Lord," she protested.

"You will have to accept my restraint. That's all that I can offer."

She was frustrated by my unwillingness to concede this argument. I was not one of her subjects, so I couldn't be ordered to submit to her wishes. Impotent fury marred her beautiful face.

Nope, even angry with me she's still beautiful.

"Just be careful." She wasn't happy, she wasn't happy at all.

"That I can promise."

Armand was standing at the door waiting for us to finish our argument. Everyone else in the room was just trying to avoid the fallout. I saw the innkeeper duck behind the bar when I looked around. No one here wanted any part of us.

She fumed, and refused my arm to escort her to the carriage. I held the door and instructed Armand to assist the lady. He did so with practiced ease. I paid the innkeeper, not even blinking at the blatant overcharge. I just wanted to be on my way. Why? I wasn't so sure.

I checked the carriage door, more to apologize to Megan than for any other reason. I wasn't going to change my mind, but hopefully I could put hers to rest.

"I will be careful, I promise."

"I don't know if that is going to be enough, Charles. Once they find out that you are a wizard lord, only Oceanus knows what they will do." She sounded worried. Very worried.

"What would you do?" I asked flippantly. "Find out if you can use me, and if not, kill me?" She took a sharp intake of breath at that.

I'm an idiot! I can't believe that I just said that to her.

I thumped my head against the door. "That was uncalled for. I was out of line and I apologize. Please forgive me."

The silence settled in and I waved the men off the coach. I didn't know how I could fix my stupid gaffe.

"Some will kill you without trying to use you first." She replied icily. I hurt her.

"You are a danger, you have too much knowledge and too much power. There is no one that you are beholden to, and no one you care about except your student. That's your only weakness, and Oceanus forgive anyone that threatens or harms your precious Chandra." That had bite to it. A lot of bite.

"She's not the only one that is precious to me." For an answer, she just slammed the shutter shut from the inside of the carriage.

Damn.

"Mount up! The lady would like to be home before sundown." I followed my own instructions.

The steady mist like rain showed no signs of stopping, I was glad that the wind died down from yesterday. It would make today's journey that less miserable.

The roads were better the closer we came to Fairview. I didn't think that Megan spoke more than a handful of words the whole day. It was obvious that we had had a fight this morning. My companions kept their distance and spoke carefully. I was sure that Armand told Hector and Chandra what we were fighting over this morning. I hoped that they thought that our fight was because of that, instead of the real reason with me inserting both feet into my mouth.

We stopped for an early dinner after the rain let up around mid afternoon. The little town only had a one room inn; I figured that it was too close to the city to warrant anything bigger. Megan did not talk to anyone at dinner either. I walked her back to her carriage again, and offered my sincere apology for being a cruel and thoughtless jerk.

"Yes, you are!" She slammed the shutter again, this time it bounced back at her instead of catching the latch.

I made everyone dry off and change, so as not to get sick. This was my last clean change of clothes. I was getting them bloody too often, and my personal insistence of changing everyday amused Chandra at first, but she soon came to like it. When we finally got to stop, a full day of rest was high on my list. That and a bath, a very long very hot bath in a very big tub.

And a massage. A massage would be wonderful.

"What are you arguing about?" Chandra startled me out of my reverie.

"I said something dumb."

"I can't picture you saying anything dumb to Lady Megan, My Lord." She sounded half serious.