After the death of her abusive teacher, apprentice monster slayer Vero must take her first contract on her own. She's been hired to exorcise a baleful spirit which has possessed the mind of a minor earl and turned him against his feudal lord. Howeve...
Vero's balance had faltered when she tried to stand up, so she leaned heavily on Jean as he assisted her up the stairs. An elderly female servant was waiting in the bedroom. She deftly pulled Vero out of her clothes, despite her difficulty complying with the woman's instructions. Once she was naked, Vero flopped down onto the bed as quickly as possible. She tried to make some sense of the room, which she felt certain was shaking. Jean's squire undressed him in the outer room, and he entered once the old maid had time to leave.
Jean rolled her over onto her back to make room on the bed for himself, and laid down next to her. He began to kiss her at the nape, and massage her breasts.
"You're wearing that perfume your maid makes again- aren't you?"
"I prefer the scent of rosemary. Do you approve?"
"Fresh, honest, beautiful. Yes, I believe it suits you very well indeed."
"My lord believes I'm honest?"
"With me, I hope. I don't want there to be any secrets between us."
Vero felt fingers glide along her belly, then across her thigh. Then he stopped.
"Is something wrong, Vero?"
"I saw that vile man with you at dinner."
Jean did not say anything, but the look on his face told her that he knew at once who she was speaking of.
"You said that once your cousin had gone, you would bring the lord of Kaer Longus to justice."
Jean nodded, and tried to adopt the serious demeanor he used while he attended to official court business, even though he was still giddy from drink. "You're right of course. I'll tell Mattie to begin the proceedings first thing tomorrow."
He began to kiss her neck once more. His fingers traveled up and down her body again. Until he stopped.
"I can have him called up right away, if it would please you. I'd need to put on some clothes first, of course."
"I need to leave." The words had left Vero choked for a time, but finally she had gotten them out.
"Are you feeling sick? You had several- Well, we all had several cups at dinner."
"I mean, I need to leave the castle."
Jean looked shocked. "This instant?"
"No, not this instant. But soon."
That seemed to settle him down. "Of course, it is rather formal, not to mention drafty here. This place has been the seat of my family for centuries, but I wouldn't call it warm. The Iron Keep, an apt name. We should be able to leave for our hunting trip soon- any day now..."
"I mean to say, that I need to leave you."
Vero hoped he would only dismiss her and bid her to be on her way. She had prepared for him to get angry, shout perhaps. Instead, his voice was quiet, wounded.
"Why?"
Vero continued to stare upwards at the ceiling spinning above her. She could tell that Jean was looking at her, but she knew that she did not have the courage to look back at him.
"I don't belong here. I'm not supposed to be here- with you."
"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. You're just feeling cooped up because of the winter, and because of your rehabilitation, I'm sure of it. But that's all over now." She wished that he had shouted at her.
"I'm not..." Vero protested weakly, but Jean continued to speak at an increasing pace, until he was running on only a single breath.
"We can go out riding now that you're feeling better; I've had new hawks arrive only a week ago now and I haven't even taken them out yet; just this evening I was speaking to my marshal, and I told him that I wanted you to teach some of our skirmishers your fighting techniques; no forbidden secrets mind you just whatever basics your order would allow you to pass on- And who knows I may even come and try and learn something myself."
Weakened by the wine, Vero felt her eyes watering, and she bit her tongue to keep from making any noise.
Jean stopped, and lay down quietly next to her for several minutes, before continuing. "I won't force you to stay. I just ask that you stay long enough to give me a chance to try and make you feel you do belong here."
Vero was too far past words to form a coherent response. So, she only shifted over so that their bodies were directly adjacent to one another, and began to cry once she was certain the sound would be muzzled by his chest. Jean put his arms around her, and the wine finally, mercifully, winked her out of consciousness.
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"Vero, my head hurts."
She had been drifting on the edge of consciousness for some time, aware of the physical sensation that her stomach was not quite right, but with no sense of identity or perception of the outside world. Then, the sound of Jean's voice pulled her all the way out of slumber's womb. The burden of self returned.
Without opening her eyes, Vero took the shaving razor she knew Jean kept on his nightstand. She opened the very tip of her left index finger just wide enough that a tiny trickle of blood came out, and began to trace a pattern along her stomach based on memory. Then she opened her eyes, and moved to make the same signs along Jean's forehead.
He caught her hand, and held it still until she asked, "Would you like me to take care of your head, or not?"
As a reply, he let go and allowed her to continue. She finished the signs and, to complete the ritual, she climbed on top of him to stimulate their vital essences into action as she worked a low chant.
They had been making love for half an hour or so, when a knock came from the door. It was followed by the frail nervous voice of Jean's squire, who slept on a pallet in the outer room.
"I'm really terribly sorry to interrupt- that is to say... to wake you, my lord. But my lord's chancellor is here. He insists that it's very urgent, and that you must come right away."
Both of them held still while the lad spoke, before Jean replied. "Tell the chancellor, I'll meet him in the solarium, as soon as I'm dressed."
"Shall I send in the servant to dress you, my Lord?"
"No, I think I'll tend to that myself this morning. See to the chancellor and make sure he has everything he needs."
"At once, my Lord!"
"And go fetch that woman who knows how my dress goes on!" Vero yelled out after, before the boy had the chance to leave.
"Ah yes! At once, my Lady!"
Once they were certain the squire was gone, they finished as quickly as possible. Jean stood up at once to begin pulling on clothes. Vero climbed back under the blankets, intent on another few minutes of sleep. Before he left, Jean returned to her side, took her hand, and kissed it.
"I really have spoken to my marshal about you teaching some of your techniques to my retainers. If you're feeling well perhaps you could spar with some of them this afternoon." After a moment he added, "I do love you, Veronique. More than I have ever loved another."
