Chapter 3

- Elly -

"Such a shame, such a plunder! I can never go back there!" Elly ventured her fears to her mother. She wandered up and down the kitchen, unable to hold still ever since she had left the Count's room.

"Hush, dear," the older woman said and tied a shawl over Elly's blonde hair, like she was still a child that needed to be dressed. "I haven't heard any complaints. You did well."

"Not yet," Elly said and took the basket from their small kitchen table. "I will be removed from duty, just like Elaina, just you see."

"Don't ever compare yourself to that girl," her mother answered, suddenly very strict. "She is no good association."

"She is my friend."

"You shouldn't talk to her anymore."

"She is my friend!" Elly repeated.

The women shared a look that needed no words. While Elly's mother was more patient than her, they were equally stubborn at times. And they'd had that very same discussion plenty times already.

Eventually Elly's mother turned back to cleaning the dishes. "Hurry, your father will be home for dinner soon."

Elly rolled her eyes, but left the house without another word. And she did indeed hurry. If she was quick, she could maybe go back the way alongside the Franker's meadow. The sight of the blooming spring flowers would calm her. Maybe she could pick a few for her mother too.

Too soon Elly arrived at the Goldstein's farm. The familiar sight of Len welcomed her. The sturdy boy scrubbed at an odd spot in front of the barn.

"Good day," Elly said.

"Ah, Lady Elizabeth," Len said and bowed to her. His golden curls bobbed with the motion.

Elly chuckled. Ever since they had been kids playing together with David at being noble Lords and Ladies, he would do that, no matter how old both of them grew.

"Here for the milk?" Len said.

"As always," Elly said, mimicking a true Lady's demeanour best she could.

"Right away," Len said and put his tool to the side to disappear into the barn.

Elly took a careful look at the spot he had been scrubbing. She couldn't tell what it was, but it smelled bad, and she wrinkled her nose. A moment later Len returned. Elly offered him the two coins and he placed the two bottles of milk into her basket in return.

"You haven't been around a lot lately. Mr. Stingley misses you," Len said then.

Mr. Stingley was the old horse the Goldsteins owned. Elly loved to bring him delicacies meant for the Baron's stallions, and he loved it equally. Sometime Len would take out the old saddle and let her ride Mr. Stingley around their farm.

"It's been too busy at the castle lately."

"Yeah, I heard," Len said with eyes searching hers, and she suspected that the horse wasn't the only one that missed her company.

Elly gave him a warm smile. "Thanks, as always," she said and meant the milk, but also the concern he had for her. She left quickly, since she probably couldn't convince him there was no need to worry. She herself was worried plenty.

Elly strolled back along the Franker's meadow as planned and picked up some knapweed flowers for her mother, but her mood didn't lighten up as she had wanted. The strange unrest just wouldn't leave her bones. It was the most curios thing really, she couldn't wait to go back to the castle and at the same time she wanted to run as far away from it as possible.

Across the street of her father's already closed shop Elly spotted Elaina. Elly would have had to hurry home, but still she waved for the other girl. Elaina didn't look as pleased as usual to see her.

"Are you quite alright?" Elly asked concerned.

"Are you?" Elaina gave back.

"Of course," Elly lied and faked a smile.

"Good," Elaina said dryly. She glimpsed around the street like she shouldn't be there, searched the few people like she expected one of them to jump at them, then leaned closer to whisper into Elly's ear. "Have you heard ... about me ... about the Count?"

"I heard you were removed from your duties," Elly said. She tried not to be upset that her friend had not told her herself.

"I see," Elaina said and moved back. "Well. Then let me warn you," the other girl added after a moment of hesitation. "He is a horrible man. He meant to force himself on me. Can you believe it!"

Elly blinked confused.

She could not.

Despite everything, she could not quite see the man do something so terrible. He had given a rather decent impression, actually, like he had never done one terrible thing in his life, contrary to everything the people said about him.

But Elaina was her friend. She would not lie, would she?

Although, Elaina had that habit of scratching at her collarbone when she lied, which she did rather eagerly at this moment.

"Are you quite certain?" Elly asked carefully.

"I was there. I experience the horror! Do you really mean to doubt me?"

Taken aback Elly shook her head. "I-I think I have to go now," Elly mumbled.

"Take care." Elaina said, truly concerned and pressed Elly's hands into her own. The girls shared a look that needed no words before parting.

Head still swirling about that strange conversation Elly arrived at home and hurried to the kitchen for dinner. Her mother welcomed her with a hug, her father with a serious expression, a red nose, and a cup of beer next to him on the table.

Maybe he did have a problem with drinking.

With a tensed silence the family sat down to eat. Elly glimpsed at her mother, who refused to look back at her, then at her father, who stuffed his cheeks with bred to avoid her eyes.

"What is it?" Elly finally asked.

Her father forced the bread down with a big sip from his cup, then cleared his throat. "I have talked to the Lanclair boy today. The wedding will be three days from now."

Elly sunk back in her chair. "But ..." she started, but did not quite know what to say. Had she not waited for this moment the longest time? Had she not dreamed about it ever since she had been old enough to understand what marriage meant?

Had she not just promised herself to spend more time with Mr. Stingley? Very likely she would never see the good old horse or Len again instead.

"Isn't that too sudden? We won't be able to invite any family from outside of town for the ceremony." Elly would have wanted her brother to attend. And Elly's aunt would have surely brought a beautiful dress for her as a present.

"We have already been down to the church. The date is set," her father said to his plate. He held his head so far down, his greying hair covered most of his grim face, just to avoid Elly's eyes.

"Oh. Alright," Elly said. "Good then."

A little excitement caught on. Married. Finally. She was certainly the last of her friends to have a husband. Many of the girls she had known since childhood had already gone off to start their own families, like she would. Although she did not know where exactly Sir Lanclair lived, she was thrilled to leave Burgate for the very first time in her life to see the world. Her father had never even allowed her to visit her aunt in Castermere, but finally she would leave.

"Don't make faces like on a funeral then," Elly said. A small smile stole on her lips.

On that Elly's mother took her unfinished plate of food, put it down on the kitchen counter and left the room without another word. Her father shook his head and took another sip from his cup.

Later Elly found her mother crying in her bedroom. Carefully the girl sat down next to her mother and rubbed her back. The two women sat together in silence for a while, before Elly's mother could muster enough composure to talk. And when she did, she quietly explained to Elly the duties of a woman in a marriage.

Elaina had told Elly in great detail plenty of times already, also about all the things her mother refrained from speaking out loud.

Elly wouldn't ever dare tell her mother any of that.

***

- Jake -

The Baron couldn't have picked an odder way of finally giving Jake a chance for a proper conversation. They travelled bigger distances of that sight-seeing tour through Burgate by carriage, but on every stop the Baron stood up and walked Jake around himself.

The only explanation for the pain the Baron caused his bad hip and thus himself Jake could find, was that the old man meant to display that he was not to be underestimated despite his age.

The carriage halted in front of the church and the Baron couldn't help himself but groan when he crawled down the two steps. Jake had already reached out to support the man's shoulder when he remembered himself and received a warning glance from Nathaniel for it.

He might have not been such a good pretender he meant to be.

"The church of the high saint Nikolai. Patron to farmers and wheat workers," the Baron said. "It is supposed to be one of the eldest in the kingdom."

"I have heard of it. It is one of the seven the Lord Lauren Cornell had built back in his days," Jake answered truthfully, for once. And it was not a coincidence he knew that fact, he had researched thoroughly about it.

"Are you a religious man?" the Baron asked, obviously doubting.

Jake let his eyes wander about the building. It looked as good as new, despite its three hundred years of age. It had a high bell tower and a dome as all churches had and roomy quarters for the monks. Allbuilt from sparkling white stone.

"I wonder," Jake finally said. If there were demons, there was hell. And if there was hell, there ought to be a heaven and a God as well. But he had never been a man to pray. Maybe because he knew it had no meaning for himself. He had already forsaken his soul, and no prayer in the world could safe him from that. "Are you?"

"I have never missed one service in my life, if you must know," the Baron said and rubbed his hip. "The power of faith is not to be underestimated, especially if it is directed against something."

"You are a wise man," Jake said. While the church had lost power in the recent years after the war, usually a priest still sat at every council meeting.

"I sure hope so. But not wise enough to make any sense of you, it seems," the Baron said.

"And a quite honest one."

"I am too old to play at games."

"You look well enough." Jake tried, but when the Baron continued to fix him with determined eyes, he gave in. "Yes, I did come here looking for money. Your lands are well known for its riches. Surely you wouldn't mind to go about business with me?"

The Baron nodded knowingly, seemingly satisfied to have his suspicions confirmed as well. "You made the trip in vain. As you said, my lands are doing well, I am not about to risk that, dealing with a questionable man like you."

"Have you ever thought about changes?" Jake said, ignoring the stab at his questionable reputation. "Surely, in your long life you must have seen many. Changes of seasons, changes of the weather, changes of reigns."

The Baron straightened his back and sook in air to broaden his chest. "Do you mean to threaten me?"

"In no way whatsoever. I just have the opinion, that changes are in order," Jake said. His eyes drifted over to the mountains and forests protecting Burgate while his mind wandered to the destruction and misery that spread beyond. "Maybe not here, since, as we agree, your property is rich, but I've seen many places on my travels that are not."

"Other places are none of my concern, or my responsibility, for that matter. Neither are they yours," the Baron said.

"I intend to make them mine, however."

"I am not selling my lands."

"Oh, please, no, you misunderstand."

Jake caught sight of Nathaniel leaning against the carriage door. He whispered into the Baron's servant's ear with one of his best smiles. In response the servant giggled, and Jake's attention faltered with dreadful premonition. He had seen such scenes too many times already.

"In any case," Jake struggled to speak on. "I suggest you think about opportunities our collaboration might mean."

"An odd suggestion. I am still not the wiser what your intension are."

"Change."

"That includes a lot of many things."

"Exactly. How about we continue our tour?"

The Baron followed Jake's divided attention and rose an eyebrow at him. Jake forced a smile, intentionally ignoring the question not asked.

He allowed himself an annoyed sigh while the Baron climbed back in the carriage and an unspoken warning to Nathaniel, who shrugged innocently, as if he didn't know what it meant.

"Don't go ruining our chances," Jake whispered.

"If anything, I am broadening them. You are not as good at convincing people as you think you are," the demon gave back.

"The record of allegiances I've acquired begs to differ."

"Allegiances you would have never made if it wasn't for me."

"Stay away from the servant," Jake snapped. He refused to let the doubt rise within him, but he could not entirely disagree with Nathaniel either. Because in the end, it was the truth. Jake's life would have ended on a pillory a few years back, if it wasn't for the demon.

"Mhm." Nathaniel rolled his eyes. "Thank me later for finding you better grounding for negotiations," he sang in his most annoying tone.

Jake clenched his fists. His eyes wandered back to the church. He wished to storm inside right then and there, despite everything else. Certainly, he could manage somehow, as long as that demon was finally gone.

***