The Duke's Bride

[Lance Roidmet]

"She's no concern of mine, whomever her family might be. There has been no wedding, nor even a betrothal."

[Doctor jones]

I sigh lightly and show myself out withou another word. "There is no hope for him my lady he has lost his mind to madness. It were best you give him this and move on" I say handing her a small vile. She looks to me with concern "it will be painless for him. No one will know but us." She nods and I leave praying she gives it to him quickly. Bella Dona is a fast acting poison and much kinder than an asylum would be.

[Countess Elaina Moorwood]

I stare at the bottle in my hand. Bella Dona is the most commen way a women can end a bad marriage and every lady knows the bottle and the dosage. Upend the bottle in a pot of tea and you can kill a whole part at once. But a few drops in a cup is all I would need to end his suffering. I shake my head to clear it. I heard all that was said and I know why the doctor gave me this vile. ..... no I can't without trying to get him back. I place it in my pocket and steal myself before I open the door.
"We need to talk." I say staring him down "now!"

[Countess Elaina Moorwood]

"Lance! You can stay in here and mop for as long as you want but I'm not leaving. This is my home now and I'm not leaving. You can stay in there or come out and help either way I don't care!" I scream at the shut door befor storming to the kitchen. Fortunately dropping the pot had dent spilt all of our supper, and I was able to make a simple soup for the three of us. One bowl was left outside lances room before taking the remaining two to seigfried's room

"Here you need to eat" I say handing him a bowl

[Siegfried]

Siegfried, startled, takes the bowl. His room is in the servant's quarters, of course: a homey room, but a small one, with a twin size bed with homespun wool blanket, a small desk, and a chest, no mirror or other finery. He's lying in bed, his leg propped up with a cast upon it, and he seems surprised by her entrance. 

"Why... are you going out of your way for a mere servant?" he asks, quietly. "I had assumed, when you realized how little work I will be able to do with my leg this way, that I would be sent away...."

[Countess Elaina Moorwood]

"Any one who puts up with Lance alone for this long deserves a little care don't you think?" I tease gently. I look around the room and frown a bit "are you warm enough the doctor mentioned you may be subsetptible to chills like this"

[Siegfried]

"The room is drafty, but it's the largest of the servant's rooms," Siegfried admits. "And the only one with a nice desk like this."

[Countess Elaina Moorwood]

I nod. I passed a few other rooms on the way but I doubt they have blankets in them and even if they do they won't be clean. I will have to fix that tomorrow still that won't fix tonight. I ponder for a moment and then remember my shall. I slip it off my shoulders and drape it around him. "That should help." I say with a smile....... "Siegfried can you tell me something?"

[Siegfried]

Siegfried looks up at Elaina, his big, bright eyes wide. "Yes, my lady?"

[Countess Elaina Moorwood]

"Tell me everything that has happened in these six years, how have you survived?"

[Siegfried]

Siegfried sighs, sitting back against the headboard, and begins his tale....

"The previous Duke, my Lord, promised my mother on her deathbed that I would always have a home here. The Lady of the house did not like me very much, but they decided I would do what work I could and so be kept on as a servant. I suppose the Lady was jealous of my mother; she was famed for her beauty in her youth, though in truth it was beginning to fade when I was born. Lady Aldrea was rarely jealous, but she took exception to my mother's ways, and.... forgive me, my Lady, this is surely not the tale you wished me to tell. I will begin again."

He closes his eyes a moment, centering himself to begin again. And in truth she can see the beauty in his delicate frame, his long eyelashes, his long fingers, the way he gestures with his hands when he speaks. 

"When the Lord was killed, along with his Lady and the Young Lady, the Young Lord -- forgive me, the Duke, though in truth he prefers to be called the Young Lord as though his father were still living -- sank into a deep grieving. He ordered me to keep on as we had been, but I knew right away that I could not do so. The Duke was a magician with funds, to be so free with his larder and still keep the house and home in good repair. He had many ships sent that returned with treasure from lands abroad, sponsored many expeditions, actively managed his funds in a way that the Young Lord does not. And the household was kept in good repair with the aid of many servants who were loyal to the Duke alone. Over the course of a year or two, we lost every last one that could find employment elsewhere. I stayed only for... well, only for love of the Duke, who promised I would always have a home here despite my foreign mother."

"To keep up the house and lands, to pay back debts that the Duke had, I had to sell most of the horses, all but the pair I use to pull the cart into town once a month and pick up the larger items we need for the household. I had to make rulings on behalf of the Young Lord, where I could, but I am not very well educated, and so I have struggled mightily at times. There are many threatening to pull up roots and travel to another Duchy, or worse, foment open rebellion. Most of the Knights have gone, as well, so there is precious little law-keeping among the Duke's lands." 

He pauses to catch his breath, risking a glance up at her expression. 

[Countess Elaina Moorwood]

My mind taxes for a moment as a reassess the situation. Somewhere the books have gone wrong. That will need tending to before anything else.
"Siegfried where are the books kept?" I ask a serious time creeping into my voice. "I'm not upset but that needs to be fixed right away." I say standing up

[Siegfried]

"Um," he says, flushing. "I put them in the top drawer of my desk because I knew the monthly accounting and inventory would need to be done, um, this week-end."

[Countess Elaina Moorwood]

I turn to the desk and collect them. "How far back do these go?" I ask

[Siegfried]

"Only this year. The rest are in the house, in the stillroom."