How To Fall From Grace [MxM]

Step 35: Fall on good ground

Frey couldn't help but linger where he stood in the middle of The BBT's stable. It wasn't as though he wouldn't go back there to visit, and Damien had been kind enough to let some of Frey's horses stay there, but it was a big change. He'd spent so much time there over the years and now he was supposed to leave it just a week after making the decision to move in the first place.

He blinked as a sunbeam shone through the window. It was high time to pack up the last of his things. His mother would arrive soon enough both to pick him up and also discuss the seemingly endless West Kerilia problem. It would hopefully not be a long meeting though. If Damien had kept his promise things would at least move in the right direction, and if he hadn't, Frey just had to sit back and watch if Valdís would kill him or if Lucius would get to him first.

"Alright," he whispered under his breath, moving along the stalls to quietly say goodbye to the horses. The horses he used to see every day.

"Oh, Lord Clausson." The stable master appeared as Frey reached the end of the first row. "I... heard you were leaving today. Saying goodbye, then, I take it?"

"That would be correct." Frey didn't look at him, feeling much more inclined to keep talking to the horses. "I hope you will continue to take good care of them."

"That goes without saying, my Lord." The stable master sounded offended. "I would never neglect my work and responsibilities for any reason."

Frey nodded, beginning to turn away when the stable master cleared his throat.

"I... would like to apologise for how everything turned out, my Lord." His eyes were tilted downwards as Frey turned his head back. "I had misunderstood the situation between you and Marius and reacted poorly, and it pains me that the event caused so much... trouble for you."

"Carrigan's actions are what caused me trouble." Frey's voice had gone cold. "If you should apologise to anyone it's Marius, who you've hurt physically on multiple occasions even before the misunderstanding."

"I... may treat my grooms and stable boys harshly," the stable master admitted, looking less offended by that accusation than implied subpar work ethics. "It was never a personal thing against Marius, but I will take your criticism into consideration regarding the method itself."

Frey felt no need to prolong the conversation further than that, so he turned away again.

"I hope..." the stable master still continued. "... that you will be happy together, at least. I wish you both well, and... If it's not too much to ask, since I hear he won't be coming back here, I'd appreciate it if you could relay my apology to him."

Frey narrowed his eyes, but still wouldn't face him. Was a simple apology good enough? Not to Frey, but perhaps Marius would appreciate it.

"I'll let him know."

"Very kind of you, my Lord."

Being left alone again, Frey continued with his goodbyes, spending a little longer at Sweeps' stall to thank him for having pulled Tea For Two out of that ditch before. It may have been the first time he said 'thank you' to Marius, but he'd never extended the same gratitude to the other rescuer.

"Hopefully there won't be any more ditch adventures." He patted the horse before moving on. "Especially not before Bonfire Dancing 'til Dawn is grown, but not at all if I can help it."

In the end he spent more time with the horses than he'd planned to, and it was already past noon when he reached the mansion. It's not that he was scared to make his mother wait, but also kind of, so he quickly made his way towards the stairs.

As his everyday surroundings would have it, however, he only got halfway through the entrance hall before he had to pause, reluctantly acknowledging a floor plant's unusual but all too common accessory.