Endearment

Chapter Eight

It took everything in Jacks power not to  slam the door to his room behind him as he swept away trying to distance himself from his "wife's" distant crying.

It was so stupid! Everything was stupid! He did not want to be King! He did not want to marry a Princess from across the sea! And he certainly did not want to pin the poor girl to a bed and get her pregnant just because the royal family needed an heir! There was other reasons why Jack had agreed to do this but that was irevelant at the moment, right now he was too pissed to make himself feel guilty.

True, he did need an heir to carry on the name but it wasn't the only reason. If it had been the only reason, Jack would have packed his bags long ago and never agreed to to become King. The main reason he needed Katherine to have a baby was because of his Aunt. She'd never been able to have children and all she's ever wanted was to be able to hold a baby again before she dies. So naturally, Jack filled with guilt, agreed to marry the Princess just so his adopted mother could have a grandkid. It was a good reason, just a bit unconvenient to Jack. Still? He would do anything to make Medda happy, even if it meant subjecting himself to misery.

Jack didn't have a certain destination in mind as he walked quickly through the deserted hall ways, but he suddenly found himself in from of Davey's room on the first floor of the castle. He shared it with many other man servants but Jack didn't care because at that moment he needed someone to talk to.

"Dave!" Jack hissed in the dark and peered around for his best friend. Jack spotted him in a bed under the window and walked swiftly over to him. He was drooling slightly but was soon startled awake buy Jack shaking his shoulder.

"Wha-what?" He asked his sleepily.

"Get up, I need to talk." Jack said turning around and heading back out the door. With in seconds David was on his feet and following in Jacks footsteps his once sleepy face wide awake with anticipation of what Jack was gonna say.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be... ya know, with your wife." He said awkwardly closing the door behind him. He was in his PJ's and they hung well past his feet so they dragged behind him as he sat down on a set of stairs.

"That's the problem." Jack said and began to pace back an forth in front of David.

"So... you haven't seen her tonight?" He asked trying to sort out Jacks crazy mood.

"No... no, I have... I was just there in fact." He said running his hands through his hair trying to clam himself down.

"What? Are you coming too cry to me because she rejected you?" David asked half heartedly trying to make a joke.

"No, that's not why." Jack said feeling irritated. "She didn't refuse, she isn't allowed to do that..."

"I'm so confused Jack, why am I awake right now?" David asked all the worry in his face for Jack completely gone and now replaced with annoyance at his best friend.

"I just feel so guilty... and overwhelmed." Jack added. "I'm barely and adult for goodness sakes! Can't people give me some slack?"

"Well you are the King." David said.

"Yea thanks for the reminder." Jack said sarcastically.

"Anytime."

"Ugh! And then Medda isn't helping me either, she's feeling so crappy all the time and yet she insists on never lying down because she dosent want to miss any action!" Jack said immatateing his Aunt. "Oh and don't even get me started on this whole marriage thing! I. Don't. Want. To. Be. Married. Is that too much to ask?"

"What you'd rather have a kid with Katherine out of wedlock?" David asked in an almost scolding manner.

"I didn't say that. I'd rather not have any kid with her at all." He said pausing his pace to sit heavily down next to David.

They were quite for a long time the only sounds were the muffled snores coming from the men inside the room and the sound of Jack tapping his foot rapidly. He couldn't get the image Katherine out of his head, he felt so guilty. But he had no choice! She knew that, he made sure she'd known that even before he'd started.

"I just left her." Jack said suddenly breaking the silence.

"What?" David asked looking lost.

"I just left her -Katherine I mean- I just... shaged her and left with out another word." Jack said miserably the image of her crying burned into his mind.

"Oh Jack..." David said his voice full of disapproval.

"I mean I had to didn't I? It wasn't like I... we had any other choice."

"You always have a choice Jack." David said shaking his head.

"Not this time Dave... Medda wants a grandkid so bad before she dies... she dosent even care about the family name she just wants to hold a baby." Jack said hiding his face in his hands. It scared him silly that Medda was gonna leave him in the near future, she was the only mother he'd ever had. What was he gonna do with out her?

"But... doesn't she know you don't want to do it?" David asked.

Jack shook his head "No, I told her I loved Katherine just so she would stop stressing so much. That's why she's so keen on encouraging me to be with Katherine a lot. I could never disappoint her Davey... she's been my mother for so long. I don't wanna let her down."

There was silence between them as they both thought about what had been said. Obviously coming to see David was a waist of time considering he was still gonna go back to Katherine later and continue with the lie, but it had make him feel a lot better. After a while Jack got back to his feet with the intent to go back to his and Katherine's room but David stopped him.

"Hey, we got an extra bed in with the boys. Your welcome to stay if you need to."

That sounded like the best thing in the world at the moment.