Chapter 8: Flux

Melanie awoke with a start. Her eyes roamed around her small room, expecting another presence but there was no one there. She sighed and closed her eyes once again, the uneasy feeling passing.

Perhaps it was only a dream. Yes, that had to be it. But what had she dreamt? The edges of the visions were still with her. She could feel the warmth and worry that it had brought on, but little else was clear.

By the light that was now streaming in through the windows, she calculated that it was nearing mid-morning and the house would soon be stirring. She, in accordance, would need to rise with it. She knew that Lindsay's second maid, Leda, could easily handle the woman's morning routine, but she did want to speak with her lady. Thank her for the gown. Thank her for...everything.

Justin's face appeared before her as her eyes remained closed. She saw him laughing and talking with such vigor about nothing and everything. He had a passion in him that attracted her. He spoke of his adventures during their last campaign, warding off the angry Scotsmen.

She had no quarrel with this. Brian had explained before that it was a rival clan, even to them. They were trash and though even trash deserved their share of respect, they weren't to be trusted. The Lachlan's had always been a somewhat seedy group.

Justin never spoke of the actual combat thought, only the journey to and from, telling her all about the men and their peculiar habits and rituals. He also spoke happily of his family, understandably neglecting to mention his father.

Of course, she did her own share of talking as well. Never before had she felt such acceptance. He was so kind to her. He had made no overzealous gestures of chivalry, but he listened when she spoke, which was a good deal more than anyone else had ever done. He really listened as though she were an equal, and not merely a woman that should be seen and not heard. Lindsay had told her he was different, and she was more than pleased to see that her lady was correct.

After freshening up and dressing in a simple grey day dress, Melanie made her way through the main hall and up to her lady's chambers. Grinning broadly as Leda opened the door in a rush, Melanie swept past her and into the room.

"Tis only the other maid, milady," Leda called out loudly. Melanie scowled at the other woman but chose to ignore the comment pass, knowing that Leda enjoyed baiting her far too much.

"Melanie?" Lindsay called out from her bed.

"Yes, milady." Lindsay motioned the woman forward and patted the space on the bed beside her. Reluctantly, with a backwards glance at Leda, Melanie crawled onto the large bed and sat with her legs hanging over the high side. "You must tell me what happened."

"Actually...that's what I came to speak with you about."

"Oh?" Though the word was said with great curiosity, Melanie thought there was a slight strain in Lindsay's voice. As if she were choking on the word like one might a bad piece of meat.

"Yes. I wanted to thank you for everything. The dress is absolutely lovely." Lindsay grinned, but it too seemed forced. "Are you...alright, milady?"

"What? Oh yes. Do go on, dear." The lady sat up further against the stack of pillows. "You and Justin - are you getting on well?"

"Oh yes. Very well. I have never met such a wonderful man." She blushed prettily and sighed, knowing that she was speaking far too freely. She vowed not to say more.

"I'm very...happy for you...both."

Melanie frowned. The smile remained on her lady's face but that had most definitely been a very false statement. Almost venomous. Suddenly, she didn't feel quite as comfortable being so close to Lindsay's side. She slid from the bed and curtsied. "I am sorry to have bothered you milady. I will attend to my other chores now."

"Of course," Lindsay nodded.

As she turned to leave, Leda smirked and gave her a curt shove through the doorway before shutting the door on her backside. "Horse!" she called out, too softly to be heard by the other women, but loudly enough to satisfy her injured pride.

Just as she turned towards the steps that lead towards the kitchens, Melanie ran directly into a stone wall.

I don't remember that wall being there, she thought as she rubbed the shoulder which had felt the impact of the collision. Her eyes worked to focus in the dimly lit hallway but she only saw an empty pathway. Odd. Her eyes saw nothing, yet her arm was quite sure that something was there. She turned and saw a black cloak fluttering away as its owner turned a corner. Melanie frowned, wondering who could have been so rude.

Alas, she was a servant. It wasn't the first time and it certainly wouldn't be the last, when she would be utterly ignored.

With a shrug of her shoulders and a deep cleansing breath, Melanie turned and started for the kitchen to begin her day.

***

Garrick had been on his best behavior throughout the day. He had laughed and joked with the other men, making it seem as though his mental lapse had passed. That he was as competent and steadfast as any of the others.

Justin thought he would be sick, watching the man smile at him. Speaking with him several times as if they were friends. Obviously the fellow was far too absorbed with his own plans, whatever they might be, to realize that Justin was scowling at him the entire time. But then again, Justin had worn that face quite a lot in the past year. It wasn't exactly a new expression for him.

By the time the men finished their training for the day, Justin was seething with his need to hurt the old warrior. He was more sure than ever that he was up to something. Something that would see Justin dead. He just had to make sure that Garrick never fulfilled his little mission. Of course, this wouldn't be before he got it out of the man, just what he was about.

The evening meal went by far too slowly for his taste. Justin hardly touched his meal, opting instead to keep his eyes and ears open. The men tended to be quite liberal with their drink in the evenings and Justin was never one to waste such an opportunity. Anything could slip when they were in that great state of drunkenness.

He also felt just a slight bit nervous about speaking with Brian. It was silly, he knew, but something about the man turned him to a child of five with a simple look. He felt out of control and his hands always seemed to shake. It was all very intimidating.

Finally, after the meal, Justin found Brian speaking to his second in hushed tones. Ben was the first to recognize his presence. "Justin. How do you fare this evening?"

"Fine, sir."

"You did quite well with the sword today."

"Yes," Justin said simply. It wasn't that he didn't like Benjamin. But the man seemed to forget that even though he was now second in command and Justin was merely another man under him, Justin had commanded the men for the better part of a year.

"Yes. Well... I think I shall take my leave. Milord. Justin." Ben nodded to both men and walked away.

Brian turned his dark eyes upon Justin at that point and the boy lost all sense of focus. "Yes?"

"Oh. You-You...said to report to you," Justin stumbled over the words with an embarrassing amount of unease.

"Ah. Yes, of course." The taller man looked around at the quickly emptying hall and began walking towards the main entrance. "I think I should like a swim," he said, the invitation in his voice quite clear.

Justin nearly had to run to keep up with the man as his long legs carried him out into the fields. He crossed the grassy hill until he was following the path of the stream in the valley below. Justin fought against branches that seemed to attack him in the darkness and rocks and fallen limbs that seem to be grabbing at his boot-clad feet. The once familiar terrain, now seemed alien to him in his uncertainty.

As they reached the clearing, Brian came to an abrupt halt causing Justin to collide with his back. Staggering backwards several steps from the unexpected hit, Justin gasped. "Sir?"

Brian held up his hand to keep the man quiet as he surveyed the area. Justin mocked his movements, hoping to distinguish his lord's intentions. Before he knew it, Brian was once again moving forward, apparently satisfied with whatever he had or had not found.

As soon as they had reached the cluster of rocks at the base of the pool, Brian had already shed his shirt and boots. His hands stilled over his breeches and his sharp hazel eyes found Justin. The young man blushed under the lengthy inspection, but he did not dare move.

When it became obvious that Brian was not going any further for the moment, Justin cleared his throat and crossed his arms, hoping to give off an air of seriousness. An aloofness that might temper lord Brian's very obvious perusal of his person. "Lord Brian...I would like to speak with you about Garrick."

"All right. Speak." The man smirked and raised a teasing eyebrow. He turned and looked out at the water, then glanced over his shoulder at Justin. "As we swim."

As his eyes traveled first to the water and then over every inch of Brian's toned and tanned back, he realized that he was being bated. His face went hot with the memory of the last time they had been in the water. It had merely been the previous afternoon, but it seemed to him as if it had been ages. And although he would never admit it, not even to himself, he had wished all along for Brian to lure him back to the spot. To want him again as he had seemingly wanted him before.

But that can't be right, the internal war raged. What about lady Melanie? I have a beautiful woman that thinks well of me. I have the future to think about. I can't be thinking about such foolishness.

Justin looked at the man in front of him and watched intently as he pushed the rest of his clothes off and walked casually into the water. Completely at ease with his bare body and his authority.

Yet...I've been thinking of this man all day. No use denying that. Thinking of his strong body pressed against mine in the clear water. Thinking of how he had made my heart beat faster. Could it be that...lord Brian had been thinking of the same things?

"Coming in?" Brian called out as floated in the water, his hands drifting in and out of the current from the stream that fed into the pond. His eyes were no longer trained on Justin, but Justin could feel him anyway. Could sense him, beckoning him into the water. Closer. Ever closer to him.

Slowly. Hesitantly. Justin stripped down to his pants and would have entered the water still partially covered if Brian hadn't chosen that moment to look up at him. "All of it."

Justin was moving past embarrassment and working on frustration. What was the game his leader was playing? And why the hell did he feel so powerless to stop it? To call a halt to whatever might happen. To whatever the volatile man had in mind.

He glanced at Brian as he stripped bare and their eyes met and held. Any doubt or ambivalence he might have had, turn to liquid nothingness in his mind. Moving with an unearthly grace, the young man walked slowly into the water. Towards his lord. Towards whatever may be.

To Be Continued...


Chapter 9

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