Chapter 14

- Jake -

Jake sat on his chair and watched Elly clean the dishes after dinner. It was beyond him how she seemed not to care, no, how she almost hummed of joy while doing the work. Nathaniel always used his dirty tricks to get out of the chores when it was his turn, Rutger tended to break more plates than he cleaned, and Annabelle usually cursed throughout the entire task.

Nathaniel snapped his clawed fingers in front of Jake's face. "Back to business please, you horny bastard."

Jake grabbed for the demon's head and smashed it against the table. He had no more patience left for the demon, not just that day, but forever.

Elly gasped with surprise and some dishes rattled out of her hand. Annabelle gave a low whistle and Rutger a sigh.

"I've had enough of your comments," Jake snarled while Nathaniel straightened himself up again. He wrinkled his bloody nose. "Say something useful or keep your bloody mouth shut. Are we clear?"

The demon brushed the blood away with a smirk and Jake would have wanted to punch his face in. The only thing that stopped him was Rutger's glance burning into him.

"The shops are finally up and running," Jake pressed out between clenched teeth. "According to Sir Evermount he'll be done two weeks before New Year's."

"And we believe him?" Annabelle asked.

Jake gave a quick nod. He had endured yet another tiring day of listening to the old man's stories of the days of war while inspecting how things stood himself.

"I take it we are finally headed towards the capital then?" Nathaniel said and pulled his clothes straight.

"The capital?" Elly asked over her shoulder.

"Almost." Jake tried to ignore her presence for now. He had kept her as far away from everything, as far as that was possible, for both of their sakes. "The Earl promised his troops, but we'll have to pick up some more men."

"You gonna try the farmers again?" Annabelle asked.

"I've got no choice," Jake said. He would have to keep the unskilled fighters away from more dangerous situations somehow, but he had to have them. Some at least. Pawns were as necessary as knights or rooks to win a game.

And there was no better excuse to rid himself off the demon's company while looking for the last of the seven seals.

"We are going to the capital?" Elly repeated her question from before while sitting down on the table with the group. Jake glimpsed at the washed dishes and wished she was not be so good at things like that.

"Yes, little maid, we are going to the capital," Nathaniel said. "In case you haven't realized, that is where the King is."

Elly gave the demon an angry stare.

"We are going, you will stay here," Jake directed at her. He had spent more time than he should have on wondering what to do with her and concluded that this was the best option. He would send someone to pick her up if things turned out well, and if not, at least she would have a roof over her head.

"No, I want to come," Elly said.

Jake shook his head.

"Oh, don't worry, I've got no intention of taking part in your insanity," she snapped. "I'll go see my brother. Just take me along the way."

"Your brother?"

Elly nodded. "He is a soldier in the King's army."

Nathaniel broke out in laughter. Jake barely resisted the urge to smash the demon's face again.

"You realize the issue in that?" Jake asked carefully. His eyes wandered hers, awaiting a reaction.

"Oh." Elly caught on. "No, wait, no!"

"Oh, isn't this just great?" Nathaniel still laughed.

"Haven't I warned you already?" Jake bristled at the demon.

Nathaniel rose his hands in defeat. "Since you are too lovestruck to realize: This is our inside man."

Jake sat back in his chair. Dread settled upon him.

"I fancy all the ways you thought of to get yourself access to the castle, truly, but that is the one costing the least amount of time and money."

Jake glanced at Elly. She turned pale with the realization. Her lower lip trembled slightly.

"No. We will stick to the plan," Jake said. He would not involve her any more in this. He would not cause her any more pain.

Nathaniel turned to fix Elly in place. He stared her down until she hugged herself in defence from him. "Tell me little maid, what is it you desire?"

"Leave her alone," Jake said.

"I am trying to make conversation, not steal her soul," Nathaniel said, then focused back on the girl. "What do you truly desire?" the demon said. His voice was so oddly entrancing that even Jake needed a second before breaking out of the spell.

"I said leave her alone!" He grabbed the demon on his collar. Nathaniel smirked. He meant to brush Jake off, but he didn't let go.

"I swear to God, if you try that one more time, I will find a way to kill you."

On that Nathaniel turned deadly serious. His face became inhuman. His presence flooded the room with threat and shadows.

"Did you really think I wouldn't notice what you are doing?" the demon spoke. His voice rang in Jake's ears. He had to let go and step back. "That you are trying to wiggly your way out of the deal? Did you really think I wouldn't know?"

Jake took another step back. Nathaniel laughed again. It was a sound of true darkness. He stared at Jake and everything else seemed to disappear.

Then the demon blinked and within an instant he was back to his usual, unbearable self. "I don't mind," he said and sat back down to lean nonchalantly in his chair. "I hope you succeed it even. I like you, honestly."

Jake drew a shaky breath. He glanced around the room, the group staring at him. None of them seemed to have experienced what he had.

"Try all you want. But keep in mind that you are running out of time."

Jake clenched his teeth.

"How long is it now? A year or two?"

"Enough," Jake pressed out. He didn't want to hear how the clock ticked down the days. How time raninstead of passing.

"All the time in the world, right?" the demon said. "How about we just wait until next New Year's, no need to rush, right?"

"You are not deciding how we are doing things."

"Maybe I should though," Nathaniel said grimly. "Since you are wildly occupied with other things lately."

***

- Elly -

What do you truly desire?

It should have been a simple question. And there should have been a simple answer. And it shouldn't have bothered her so much.

Obviously, Elly wanted to go home. To have her life and family back as it was, before meeting the Count, meeting Jake. She wanted to be safe and certain. Although, she did not want her father to tell her what to do anymore. And she did not want to marry a man he had decided for her. And she did not want to live the rest of her life in Burgate, where she knew every bump in every road with closed eyes already.

The door opened for Jake to almost drag himself in. He looked worn and tired and when he noticed Elly another wrinkle appeared on his forehead.

"Ah – what are you doing here?" he said.

Only then Elly startled to realize she was caught. "Writing a letter," she lied.

His small chamber was the only one in this strange house that had a desk, a pen and paper, but she wasn't going to tell him how she had struggled and failed to put together a list of things she wanted for herself.

"I see," he said and sat down on the poor excuse of a bed with what Elly supposed should have been a smile.

"Please don't try to warn your brother," he said. Elly needed a second to follow. "I'll somehow find a way to keep him out of harm's way, I promise, but please don't tell him."

Elly put the pen away. "I wouldn't know what to say anyways. Nobody tells me anything." She meant not to let her worry show, but she supposed she failed. It was hard enough to wrap her head around the idea that this group of strange people was really working towards overthrowing the King.

Jake pulled a face. "I'd tell you, honestly, but you already have your own worries, I don't think you'd want mine too."

"Honestly," Elly snorted. "I don't think you have been truly honest with me even once."

"Sorry," Jake mumbled. His gaze dropped to the floor to stare at nothing for a moment before he tried a smile again. It looked as broken as before. "Well, don't let me bother you," he said then and let himself fall flat in his bed.

Elly watched him for a while. How he lay there with closed eyes, the breath as heavy as the emotions on his face that didn't seem to settle, before it struck her that he really meant to sleep just like that and that this situation was highly inappropriate.

She rushed to pick up pen and paper to take with her and stood to leave. Then she put the items back on the table, doubting she would find answers to the question anytime soon.

In front of the door Elly hesitated. She glanced at Jake again and found him watching her. His eyes followed her every move.

"I know whatever I could possibly say right now, you will misunderstand it, but I think I'll have to try anyway," he said. His voice was rough and quiet, not much more than a whisper. "Please don't leave."

Like spellbound Elly couldn't help but stare at him and he looked back at her. He rose to lean on his elbows as if ready to jump up and catch her the moment she dared move.

"Will you finally talk to me?" she said.

He fell back down with a sigh. "Why do woman always want to talk."

Elly had to chuckle. "Because we appreciate bonds beyond the physical."

"You don't even know anything about the physical."

Elly snapped for air. "And I am not to find out tonight either!"

"See? I knew you would misunderstand."

"Oh no, I heard you loud and clear!"

Elly slammed the door shut behind her and stormed to the chambers she shared with Annabelle. The woman welcomed her with unmannerly snores.

Elly hugged herself into the itchy blanket on her half of the bed. Then she turned herself from one side to the other unable to calm down. Her heart raced in her chest.

How inappropriate. How could he even say those things out straight all the time.

And why was she always so flustered. Not like he was the first man who had said indecent things to her. Or tried indecent approaches.

Maybe because he was the first one, she would not have entirely hated giving in to.

Oh, how her mother would have been disappointed in her.

***

In the morning Rutger and Jake prepared for their travels. Elly had not quite caught where exactly they were going, which was annoying even if nothing new. But they would not be back in quite a while and that had Elly restless with a variation of whole new emotions.

She really wished Jake had told her earlier than five minutes before leaving. Actually, she did not want him to leave at all. She wanted to climb a horse and ride along. She wanted – she didn't know what she wanted.

Why did she not know what she wanted?

Elly shifted from one leg to the other while Annabelle hadn't even bothered to rise that early and Nathaniel leaned against the house wall with a face as bored as David always had been when their father had tried explaining his work to him.

"Behave yourself," Jake warned Nathaniel. "I told Annabelle to keep an eye on you. And I am confident she will find a way to hurt you if necessary."

"She delights in trying to hurt me even if not necessary." Nathaniel yawned and gestured a good-bye before turning back into the house.

Rutger mounted the horse and gave Elly a nod she hesitantly returned.

"Well," Jake said. He looked uncertain when approaching Elly. "Don't talk to Nathaniel."

"I'll try," she said.

"Don't drink anything Annabelle prepares. You can't really trust her either."

"How reassuring," Elly mumbled and glanced again at Rutger and his frightening appearance. Why or how in the world Jake had found himself such questionable companions she would never understand.

She supposed it was no wonder he always looked so tired with them around.

"Well then," Jake said. "Take care, I guess."

"You too."

"Alright." He tried a smile, but it could not cover the nerves he seemed unwilling to show. Somehow he was just as upset as her, Elly could tell. She was getting better at reading all the things from his face he never said.

He looked like he meant to say something more and Elly felt that need too, but she wouldn't have known what. So they just looked at each other until the horse became restless and Jake turned to leave.

Before mounting however, he stopped short again. "Oh, what the hell," he cursed and turned back around.

He grabbed for Elly so quickly she could only manage not to stumble. He put his arm around her back to pull her closer. Then he pressed his lips to hers.

It might have been a kiss, it might have not, Elly pushed him away too quickly to wonder about it. Then she slapped him with all the strength she could muster and stumbled back. Heat shot through her body.

Jake rubbed his cheek and laughed, truly laughed, smiled still when he mounted the horse.

Elly turned on the spot and fled into the house. With the door shut tight behind her back she sunk to the floor.

She was trembling all over. Her heart was racing with the memory of Jake that close. She would have wanted to turn to air.

"Interesting," Nathaniel said.

Elly looked up to find him leaning on a chair. He watched her with one of his sinister smirks.

Another wave of embarrassment broke over her.

The man stood up and gestured her to do the same. "Come on, we have plenty ground to cover. And you haven't even packed yet."

"Packed?" Elly repeated. Besides the fact that she did indeed not own any things anymore that would have needed to be packed she didn't know what for.

"We need to leave for the capital city before Annabelle wakes up. I need to put her on a horse somehow, and I don't think it'll be much longer before the drug loses its effect."

Elly froze on the spot. She didn't know much, but Jake had made his points clear enough for Elly to know that this was not one of his plans.

If she ran, could she catch up to tell him?

"Oh, don't look at me like that. I know better than to hurt you. I might even burn if I just try touching you."

"Come again?"

Nathaniel grabbed for a bag and shouldered it. He smirked all the while, enjoying how he upset Elly with it.

"Problems are not solved with fairy dust, we agree?" he asked then.

"There is no such thing as fairies," Elly breathed.

"Debateable. But let me rephrase then," Nathaniel said. "If you want things to get done, you actually have to do something for it."

"Y-Yes, I suppose so," Elly stuttered, unsure what the man was trying to say.

"Great. Then let's go and do things." Again, Nathaniel gestured for Elly to stand up from the floor, but she wasn't sure she wanted to. Or if she would even manage to, her knees were still weak.

"If you can't find a reason for yourself, do it for Jake. I'm sure you noticed he loaded more on his shoulders than he could ever carry by himself," Nathaniel said, in all earnest and much softer than Elly had experienced him to be before. There was something awfully close to compassion in the man's face.

"I couldn't care less about that fraud. He ruined my life with his lies," Elly snapped before she could have thought better of it. She might not truly have been that angry anymore. Only when reminded.

Nathaniel rolled his eyes. "Good then. If you don't get your arse up on a horse anytime soon, I will kill your brother in his sleep."

Elly pursed her lips.

"Don't believe me? Look me in the eyes and tell me I'm joking."

***