Chapter 32

As the months passed, Jorgarn took Torbert's advice to heart. He began to casually find ways to watch Denae from a distance. At first, he didn't notice anything amiss. Then he realized that she had an attendant who would nudge her occasionally if she wasn't paying attention.

If a decision of any sort had to be made, she would always leave the room with the attendant before making it. During those times, Jorgarn tried his hardest to find a way into her thoughts but he never could.

Denae seemed to forget about the loss of the connection they once had. At least she never spoke of it and she showed no interest in trying to regain it. Jorgarn suspected it was just as well. What Torbert told him about selective sharing had left him rather cold on the subject.

The arrival of Court brought out another side of Denae that Jorgarn found irritating: arrogance.

Jorgarn immediately noticed that Denae was not immune to flattery. She preened like a peacock when someone would comment on her stylish clothing or her beauty. He also noticed that she routinely found reasons to speak privately with some of the male courtiers who seemed to offer the most praise.

She steadfastly refused to speak to any member of nobility unless they bowed and scraped to get an appointment. Young women who had been her friend for years at Court suddenly found they were unwelcome. Denae would only entertain families who held a large portion of land or contributed large amount of goods to Emertland. It was a far cry from the young lady he thought he knew.

Denae was particularly irritated when Bralan returned to the castle to take her spot among the first class of Imperial Guards. Jorgarn greeted Bralan with a warm hug and Denae refused to speak to him for two days. When she decided he had been punished enough, the first thing she wanted to speak about was their engagement.

A Royal Wedding is an event unto itself and a year's planning would be needed, Denae told him. She wanted to get married as soon as possible so they should announce their betrothal before Court came to a conclusion.

During the first week of Court, before Bralan and the guard classes arrived, Denae was more interested in spending her evenings with Lords and heirs to Lordship than discussing a marriage to him. She had stayed out late each evening and Jorgarn found himself sleeping alone four nights that week. Jorgarn mentioned this and did so with real anger in his voice, and Denae quickly apologized.

"No need to apologize," Jorgarn responded. "I know those are relatively meaningless to you, so any coming from you are meaningless to me. However, if I agree to marry you whatever dalliances you have started stop immediately. If we are to be wed, then I expect – no I demand – fidelity. You will cease your nighttime wanderings or I will embarrass you and your paramours by demanding armed combat with them. I believe you will create no new friends if I kill off your old ones. And I will kill them off if you force me to. I will not allow your dishonor to stain my honor. Am I understood?"

Jorgarn saw Denae's face mottle with anger but he maintained his stare. He prompted her again when she didn't reply.

"I ask if I am understood?" he said loudly.

Denae's eyes narrowed before she spoke.

"Yes," she said. "I understand completely. You're allowed to be jealous but I am not."

"I am jealous only when you give me reason to be," Jorgarn pointed out. "I am not the one who has come home in the middle of the night and had to be helped to bed by an attendant. Your jealousy stems from some irrational portion of your mind. Mine stems from your actions. I promise you, should one of your nighttime friends smirk at me again, he will do it with less teeth the next time. Now, as I said, if you want to continue on your path, then there is no need to discuss a betrothal at this point. In fact, there is no need to discuss it again."

Denae again didn't reply.

"Oh, and remember something," Jorgarn said with a smile. "Regardless of what your father or your admirers might tell you, the people of this town like me much better than they like you. Unless you plan to have your dalliances in a place out of town, there is no way I won't find out."

That evening, a tearful Denae turned up at Jorgarn's chamber.

"I know you view my apologies as worthless," she said. "But I have never apologized to you when it wasn't sincere. Over the past days, I seemed to have developed a fondness for wine. With that fondness, I seem to have developed a loss of my senses. What has happened will never happen again. If you hold to your agreement to marry me, there will be no repeat of my actions."

"Well, first, I have never agreed to marry you," Jorgarn said. "So that is a disingenuous point. Secondly, after the accidents your friends suffered tonight, I doubt you will have many anxious to fondle you again. It seemed they were somewhat less than discrete and some of the Noble Guard took exception to their words. But, you will be happy to know than Master Sesserly and Master Dobling agree you have a 'talented little mouth'."

Denae blushed scarlet and covered the mentioned orifice. She had never expected Jorgarn to find out. He disliked Court parties and she was certain that no one would be stupid enough to say anything to anyone.

Jorgarn simply stood there with a placid look upon his face.

"Should it happen again, it will prove fatal so make sure you pick someone you don't actually care about," he said. "That should be easy for you since you appear to care about no one but yourself. Good night, Your Highness."

Denae worked doubly hard for the remaining weeks of Court for a return to Jorgarn's good graces. She truly wanted to announce their betrothal in front of everyone. She particularly wanted to see Bralan's face. She would make sure the Imperial Guards were up front when the announcement was made.

Jorgarn appeared to be intractable. He spoke to Denae only about matters of state and he locked his chamber door at all times. Leyota pointedly ignored Denae, going so far as to leave the room once when the Princess was speaking to her. Merg and Drosset found it easiest to avoid her by staying out the castle altogether.

King Landor had initially refused to take sides. He heard of Denae's actions and he was disappointed. He was thankful that several members of the Noble Guard had taken the initiative to maintain her reputation even if the Princess didn't seemed to find it necessary. Denae beseeched the King to approach Jorgarn about a marriage. She threatened to rescind the Tremaine lands that she had deeded to Jorgarn but Torbert pointed out that wouldn't be possible.

"I was quite clear when those were drafted," he said. "The lands were given to Jorgarn without regard to any agreement to marry you. If you recall, we discussed this at length. Those lands can be returned to the Crown if Jorgarn chooses but they cannot be taken from him."

Denae was not pleased but she knew Torbert was correct. She also knew the Tribunal would side against her without hesitation. The debacle with Rayna and Bralan had shown her that.

"Well, then I want you to approach someone else about a match then," Denae said. "Perhaps that will get Jorgarn's attention."

"Perhaps you might rethink that, Daughter," Landor said. "I am certain Lady Longview could arrange a match for Jorgarn in 20 minutes. Actually, she probably wouldn't have to. As soon as word leaked out that I was attempting to marry you off, the nobles would beat down the castle door for a chance to speak to him. Those men who wooed you, they didn't do that because they like you or think highly of you or even wish to wed you. They did it because of your station and because they are jealous of Jorgarn. The first thing they did was announce your indiscretion for everyone to hear. Consider that for a day then tell me what you wish."