Tangled Hearts

Untangling

I

The ladies finished unmaking the queen's bed while Ophelia helped her get dressed in her sleeping gown. Gertrude had noticed Ophelia's confusing moods the last days. One day she is delighted, and the next she isn't, and so on. She speculates the reason and wants to confirm. She dismissed the ladies except Ophelia.

"Ophelia, the ladies are gone," she said, "Will you now tell me about Lord Jacques?"

Her question took Ophelia by surprise. "My Lady?"

"Ever since he arrived he's been staring at you devotedly," she says as she sits in her bed. "Between you and me...I overheard the ladies talking how he ignored them to speak only to you."

Ophelia blushed to what Gertrude said. Her interactions with Jacques weren't overlooked. Seems Jacques's courting is more obvious, less secretive. To learn that she was chosen, it felt a bit good. But her redness rapidly turned blue. Her recent bad experience came to her mind.

"But I think you are downhearted," Gertrude continued, "You were so silent of late. The rumors of him affected your way of thinking?"

"No! None of that," she said, "He is too high and...I'm afraid."

She never thought of telling her that Hamlet is the reason of her sadness. But she didn't lie. She is afraid...of feeling excited and fall in love.

Gertrude believes she managed to understand her situation. It can be scary for a woman to have feelings for a man the first time. So she invites her to sit in the bed with her.

"When I meet Heinrich, king of Denmark, I knew he was a little arrogant and with a temper. So frightening. I feared he would hurt me. But I went to know him further. His soft skills and his love, most of all." She smiles. "No man is flawless, Ophelia. On my perspective...a man who has no shame to show vulnerability or...a dash of dark side is one worthy of trust."

She stares at her, and holds her face with her hand. "Open your heart, Ophelia. It's worth the risk."

Ophelia gave her a grateful smile. She's always grateful for a motherly advice. She knew what to tell her even if she doesn't actually know her what's troubling her.

But will she be able to receive a new love? Is it really worth another risk?

Jacques and I...together?

****II****

By his last two days in Elsinore, Hamlet was struggling internally after he decided to broke contact with Ophelia. It shouldn't have ended that way with her, if only Jacques hadn't spoken. He doesn't want to leave Elsinore letting Jacques get away with it. So, he won't miss any opportunity to humiliate him.

The opportunity presents itself when he decides to give Jacques a visit into his office. He sees him sitting behind his desk, taking notes with a quill, muttering out loud.

Jacques noticed his presence but ignores him. He's been trying to ignore Hamlet and his mocks. He only focused on his job and do the best.

He spent the day to collect the payments and intimidated anyone who couldn't. There was a family man who had to give up his workshop to pay off the back taxes. Thanks to Jacques the count managed to seize other valuable estates. The king even promised him he will come to own one of them as an act of gratitude.

Few people overlooked his skills due to the recent rumors Hamlet and his friends caused. Many did believe that he used witchcraft since it was very curious that he, being a man without wealth, was able to organize accounts faster than other royal accountants have done.