Marrok

Chapter 11

Seren bent down and put the back of her hand against Jane's forehead. "She's cold, we need to get her out of those wet clothes."

"Maybe you should do that," Marrok suggested.

Seren removed Jane's skirt and petticoat and untied her boots as Marrok supported Jane's head on his lap. Seren laid out the wet clothes, using the boots as a support underneath them to dry them near the fire.

"I'm sorry if I was harsh with you," said Marrok as Seren sat next to the fire.

"You were right the first time," she replied, poking at the flames with a stick. "It was my idea to come here."

"It may have been your idea, but it wasn't your intent for Jane to fall. You shouldn't blame yourself for that," said Marrok.

"The reason I wanted to come here, was to spend time with you," Seren admitted. "Otherwise, you would be walking in the orchard and gardens alone, with Jane." Seren stabbed at the fire with the stick, avoiding Marrok's gaze.

"Seren, we've been through this back in Treggorne. I thought you understood how I felt," said Marrok with tension in his voice.

"I can't help it, Marrok," Seren replied turning to look at him, her eyes ablaze in the light of the fire.

"I know," said Marrok, lowering his head. "Maybe I should leave Aberon tonight. It'll make things easier for all of us."

There was silence between them. The fire crackled and hissed. Steam began to rise from Jane's wet clothes as they dried out. They could hear the roar of waves as they crashed against the nearby cliffs and the call of sea birds as they flocked above the water.

"Don't do that," said Seren, finally. "Don't leave Aberon on my account."

Jane started to stir within Marrok's arms and he lightly caressed her forehead. "Jane, my love," he whispered.

Jane murmured in response and her eyes fluttered open. She looked up into Marrok's dark eyes. "Marrok?" she asked, raising her hand to her head. "My head hurts. What happened?"

"It's okay. You fell into one of the rock pools and hit your head. We're in one of the caverns at Rourkes Point. We just need to wait a little while for your clothes to dry out and then we can get you back to Aberon," Marrok replied.

Marrok felt uneasy as Jane and Seren began to reminisce of happy times spent at the cavern. His awkward silence did not go unnoticed by Jane and she repeatedly checked to see if her clothing had dried, not wishing to stay in the cavern a moment longer than necessary.

Once Jane was able to put on her dry clothes, they made their way back over the rockpool without incident and returned to the horses who had remained content to graze.

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As the sun began to set over Aberon, Maifynn looked out from a tower window into the courtyard below.

"So, that is Marrok," Maifynn mused in a hoarse voice. Marrok was walking with Jane, carrying a basket of pears. "He seems smitten with Lady Jane, but then men can be easily turned."

"I cannot understand why he chose her over me," whined Seren.

"Stay close to him child if you care that much for him, he may well change his mind."

"He made it clear today at Rourkes Point that he won't. He's going to ask for Jane's hand before he returns to White Haven," said Seren, crossing her arms tightly.

"Then you must learn to let go," advised Maifynn.

"I can't," replied Seren looking blankly through the window, her eyes welled with tears.