Chapter 53

Jorgarn awoke to find himself surrounded by females he loved. Leyota slept on his left side, Bralan on his right and Marnit right on top. He was not certain he would ever be more comfortable in his life. But someone was knocking rather insistently upon his chamber door so he made his way out of bed – still carrying the slumbering Marnit – and opened the door to find Edelweck standing there.

Jorgarn was shirtless, holding a baby and had his finger over his lips to indicate silence was preferred. Edelweck's mouth dropped and then he smiled.

"This is probably one of the things I might see that I shouldn't mention," he whispered. "Isn't it?"

The boy's smile indicated to Jorgarn it was meant in jest so he returned the smile.

"King Landor and Queen Lorida request the presence of your family for dinner tonight," he whispered again. "They wanted me to be certain to mention that only if it is no trouble."

Jorgarn wiped sleep from his eyes and his motion alerted Marnit that it was perhaps time to be awake, too. She started to cry until she felt the beard on top of her head. The she simply pulled back and looked up at Jorgarn. He had seen the look on Leyota's face a time or two. It said, "What is the big idea? I was sleeping until you had to move."

Edelweck, thinking he might help, reached out and touched Marnit's arm and made a funny noise. At least Jorgarn found it funny. Marnit just turned her gaze from Jorgarn to the boy and back to her father again.

"Let me return her to her mother," Jorgarn said softly. "Then we will discuss dinner arrangements. Please, come in and sit, Master Edelweck. I will be but a moment."

The politeness shown in the chambers of the Heiress and her Knight never failed to surprise Edelweck. He had delivered messages all over the castle and this was, by far, his favorite, although Pernice Wort's chambers were friendly and hospitable, too. Most of the others who called the castle their permanent home were standoffish and rude. They would have thought nothing of leaving him standing in the hallway, sometimes until he feared he had been forgotten. He was certain they had never bothered to ask his name or if they had, they found it inconsequential because they referred to him almost uniformly as "Boy."

Jorgarn disappeared before Edelweck had seated himself at the table and reappeared moments later, minus the baby but with a sleepy looking Heiress in tow. Bralan also smiled warmly at the boy. Edelweck watched with fascination as Jorgarn poured three cups of mead and placed one in front each of the table's occupants.

"Thank you," Edelweck said.

Jorgarn waved his hand but told him he was welcome.

"Would you mind repeating your message?" Jorgarn wondered. "I was barely awake and I'm not certain I got it all. I wouldn't want anyone to slay the messenger."

Jorgarn chuckled at his attempted humor but Bralan shot him a look. Edelweck had heard the expression before even if he didn't understand it. So he told Bralan what the King had said.

"Has he sent you to others?" she asked.

"No, Your High... , Bralan," he corrected after she raised an eyebrow in his direction. "Although I believe Sir Torbert will be there, along with his wife and daughter. Which means Lady Fieth and Baron Wort will probably be there."

"I was more interested in someone else," Bralan prodded. "Someone from a higher floor."

Edelweck connected the dots in his head.

"The Princess?" he asked. "I don't think so. She wasn't mentioned in the discussion of dinner. But I did hear what Sir Jorgarn did this morning. That was talked about earlier."

"By whom?" Jorgarn posed.

"By everyone," Edelweck said. "The King and Queen, passing nobles, Sir Torbert, the kitchen staff, the maids ... everyone."

"Oh," Jorgarn replied.

"And what is the general reception of Jorgarn's unusual move, Edelweck?" Bralan prompted.

The boy thought for a moment.

"Mixed, I would say," he replied. "The King was overjoyed and I think Sir Torbert was happy. The Queen seemed to be relatively happy. The nobles I've overheard weren't positive or negative. They were just discussing it generally. Of course they were pleased he made an effort to speak to them, but I believe most of them didn't even realize he spoke to everyone. The household staff was not quite so pleased. I am led to understand the Princess was somewhat of a ... well, not a pleasant person to be around sometimes."

Bralan laughed.

"Well, I'm certain they are unhappy with me from time to time, too," she offered. "Particularly with Marnit's soiled clothing being laundered here now."

"If they are they haven't mentioned it in front of me," Edelweck said quickly. In a quiet voice, he added, "Of course they know I like you so they might not."

Bralan smiled widely again.

"Thank you," she said sincerely. "I must confess that I like you, too. You are the most polite young man and you are ever so friendly. It is nice to have someone at this place treat me like I'm a normal person."

Edelweck blushed but Jorgarn wasn't certain if it was from the praise bestowed on him from Bralan or the fact that Leyota entered, still buttoning her gown after feeding Marnit, that caused it.

"Did you get the impression that King Landor expected all three of us or only two of us?" Bralan asked.

Again, Edelweck paused before answering, as if repeating the message in his head.

"He said 'Your family'," he settled on, not willing to cast his vote with either side. "Oh, and I was sent to Sir Jorgarn. But it was the Queen who sent me. Does that help?"

Jorgarn burst out laughing, startling everyone in the room.

"I was thinking I should turn up with Eslada and my father," Jorgarn said though his chuckles. "Tote along Yatil and Treene and Montay. Of course, Chicote is my brother-in-law and Drosset is almost a brother. I should wander in with 15 or 20 people with me and simply plead ignorance to what everyone wants."

"What do you think everyone wants?" Leyota wondered.

"To see if you both claim me as family," Jorgarn said. "To see if Astid invites both Pernice and Saneth. I have been back in the capital for only a few hours and the intrigue starts again. I'm surprised at Lorida, though. I always figured she would just come right out and ask."

"She has and we've told her," Bralan replied. "I think this is less about setting you up than it is about making a firm statement. I am positive that even King Landor knows of what we plan. I say we just go and let everyone be damned."

Edelweck appeared uncomfortable and Jorgarn apologized for speaking in front of him.

"It's not that," the boy protested. "Everyone talks in front of me. It's just, well ... I don't think the Queen meant any harm to you. I know she likes all three of you. She is like Lady Longview. I don't think she is the type to try to do something behind the scenes. If she wanted to harm you, she would have done it in front of everyone. Does that make sense?"

All three members of the household found themselves nodding.

"It makes perfect sense, Edelweck," Bralan replied. "Thank you for bringing us to our senses. The Court business is usually so filled with back-stabbing and gossip that it is sometimes hard to picture people speaking frankly and honestly. But it would have been funny to see Jorgarn ushering in a dozen or more people to dinner. 'This is Elobert Fieth. He is like a brother to me'."

The occupants, even Edelweck, laughed.

"May I be dismissed?" Edelweck asked. "I was supposed to hurry back with your answer."

"Well, you can blame us," Jorgarn said, "because we haven't given you an answer until now. Please thank the Queen for her generosity and let her know she can expect three for dinner. We'll let her ponder if it will be Bralan, Leyota and me or Bralan, Leyota and Marnit or some other combination. Although she invited my family, I do not recall being invited myself."

"She has seen you eat, Jorgarn," Leyota chimed in. "No one really needs to witness that more than once."

Jorgarn was preparing to bathe for his dinner engagement when Bralan and Leyota stepped into his chamber again.

He wore only his small clothes and was embarrassed to be caught that way by Bralan.

"Go ahead and bathe," she said. "We need to talk to you and it will accomplish two things at once."

Jorgarn turned his back, shucked his britches and climbed in the tub.

"You need to look more presentable tomorrow for Court," Leyota began.

"I had just stepped off a blamed ship," Jorgarn protested. "I could have taken an hour or two to return to the castle and change my clothes."

"That is not what she meant," Bralan said quickly. "We would like for you to cut your hair and shave your beard."

"Why?" Jorgarn asked.

"So you look less like an animal," Leyota answered.

"Jorgarn, you have to uphold a certain dignity," Bralan tried.

"I have to... ," Jorgarn intoned.

Bralan bristled slightly.

"Yes, Jorgarn," she said. "I suppose I should say that I expect you to look more distinguished than someone who was lost on an island for seven years."

Jorgarn nodded tightly.

"Do you know why we wear our hair this way?" he asked.

Both women lowered their heads.

"Yes," they replied in unison, somewhat chagrined.

"It's not what you think," Jorgarn said. "Yes, Usala and Alite used to make sure we kept clean and close shaved. But the reason that most of us still look this way is because we can't cut it ourselves. I know that is my reason. I'm positive that is why Chicote and El wear theirs this way. I would guess Pernice is the same way."

"Oh," Leyota responded. "So you're saying you would have cut it last year if I would have told you I was willing to do it for you?"

"Yes," Jorgarn replied. "Well, maybe not you. I'm not sure if it is a good idea to let my wife have a sharp object that close to my neck. But Bralan, certainly. At least for a while longer."

Leyota slapped his arm, eliciting a splash that sent water across the floor.

"Do we have time to do it now?" Jorgarn asked. "Otherwise, we probably want to do it tonight. There will be several cuts and abrasions on my face. The beard hides a nasty scar, too. But honestly, the hair could go without much fuss. Do you want to do it now?"

Leyota and Bralan looked at the other.

"I don't know how to cut it," Bralan said. Leyota agreed.

"Well, I don't know either," Jorgarn said. "And obviously none of the rest of us do or else only one of us would look this way. Are Pernice, Elobert and Chicote getting the same treatment, you know, given what is happening tomorrow?"

Again the woman exchanged glances.

"You know what is happening tomorrow?" Bralan asked.

"Torbert told me," Jorgarn shrugged. "I agreed with his reasoning and I've been preparing them for it. But El and Pernice will still be surprised."

Leyota narrowed her eyes.

"What, exactly do you think is going to happen?" she asked.

"Uh, Fieth is going to be named Lord of whatever that place is southeast of Freeland," Jorgarn answered. "And Pernice is going to be Lord of the area due east. Right? That is still the plan?"

"Yes, that is still the plan," Leyota said with a wink at Bralan. "I am going to see Eslada. Maybe she can help us cut this mess."

"You're just mad because I have nicer hair than you do," Jorgarn said to Leyota's departing back. "And you have a nicer beard than I do."

She spun around in the doorway.

"You just remember who probably will end up with a knife to your throat in a few minutes," she said.

"I love you, dear," Jorgarn answered with a laugh.

Bralan sat shaking her head and smiling.

"And I love you, too, dear," he said when he glanced at her. "I'm sorry I've been so standoffish about things. I hope you know it reflects more of my fear of causing you harm than it does my feelings toward you. My time away from you taught me that."

"And I was worried that you would leave me when Leyota returned," Bralan admitted. "I think I understand that won't be the case. I don't believe I shall ever be able to be rid of either of you."

"Not that you would want to," Jorgarn offered with a grin.

"No, not that I would want to," Bralan said. "I was surprised when you said that to me today. Pleasantly surprised, though. When you walked down the line, I was watching those who sat down. Each of them looked so impressed. Lady Seni and Lady DeStrad started to talk to the other. Lord Commerly joined in. I could tell they were discussing you – and me. They were talking about how friendly you are. They were talking about how bright the future of Emertland is. Even Lady Halette was happy. I couldn't hear what you were saying to them but I could see that you made it personal for each of them.