Page 15 of Bloom

“I think you better apologize to Zacharie.”

The few words sparked rage in Aleric’s chest as he headed for the doorway to the Hall with Jaime a step to the side and behind him.

“He’s been upset all day,” finished Gautier.

Boohoo. Aleric paused and turned. Gautier and Zacharie were a few steps away. Keeping his anger down was hard when he had to get up and see the two idiots every day, one with murderous intent. Gautier looked displeased, to put it mildly, and Zacharie, eyes swollen, was a little behind him. How nice. The bastard was protecting his young, future husband who must have cried all afternoon like a damn baby over a few fucking cards. He hadn’t come to lunch earlier.

A few courtiers hastily averted their eyes and pretended like they weren’t watching. A couple hurried ahead into the Hall.

Aleric tried to keep his expression as bland as possible. He’d seen that expression on Gautier’s face before, and it wasn’t any better years later. “Okay.” He proceeded to turn around to head into dinner without apologizing. Like he was going to do what Gautier said. Fuck him.

“Zacharie’s here, not in the Hall.”

“I'm aware.”

Aleric wasn’t being polite or nice, but he wasn’t raging. In a way, it was easier to not go off on Gautier. The last time he’d seen that expression, pain had followed.

Ignoring him and pretending he wasn’t around likely wouldn’t invoke too much wrath. Others were nearby.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you were a bastard child, and your Mother slept with someone else,” Zacharie suddenly said. “I bet you’re a whore too.”

Aleric paused, and a few courtiers nearby who heard the words went dead silent.

Too?

He damn near saw red as he turned around. Fuck no. If Zacharie thought he was going to get away with insulting Mother…

“Aleric-”

Jaime said something and tried to grab his arm. Aleric almost forgot about everyone else watching as he lunged for his little brother. He’d beat down the little shit for daring to say a word about Pearl. Shock flashed in Zacharie’s eyes like he hadn’t thought Aleric would do anything.

Before Aleric could slug him and hopefully bust his nose, a fist flew into his face. It wasn’t the first time Aleric had felt it, and he was pretty sure he heard bone crack as the force snapped his head back. Someone gasped in the entrance hall, and a man swore as Jaime grabbed Aleric.

“Get the fuck away from him!” yelled Gautier as talk and exclamations burst from the rest. “How dare you-”

“What the fuck?” Jaime yelled as Aleric instinctively grabbed at his nose. The last time he’d felt Gautier’s fist, nothing had broken, and he was positive his nose was busted. His eyes watered uncontrollably at the pain, and hot blood gushed through his fingers.

A woman asked Gautier if he was insane. The thought to run flashed through Aleric’s mind in case Gautier tried to hit him again. Jaime pushed him back and got in front of him.

“I think you broke his nose. What the fuck is wrong with you?!”

“He was going to hit Zacharie!”

“So? You just fucking slugged the lord’s son!”

Aleric could see well enough even though his eyes stung. Gautier had plastered on a faintly surprised expression, like he couldn’t believe he’d hit anyone. Liar. He’d hoped for an opportunity, and Aleric had stupidly walked right into it in his rage.

“What was I supposed to do?” Gautier moved a little to block Zacharie as if Jaime was going to do something to him.

Jaime made a frustrated noise, took his handkerchief, and pressed it against Aleric’s face. “Hold it.”

The rest of the courtiers were babbling, and a couple stepped back like they were afraid. Zacharie appeared stricken, and others from the Hall were coming out at the noise. It didn’t matter if Aleric’s nose had been broken. Gautier would make himself look like Zacharie’s protector and twist it.

“What’s going on?!” Lord Monet’s voice carried over the others, and several by the door entrance of the Hall moved aside to let him through.

“Lord Gautier hit him!” Jaime said first, and others echoed him. Some in the Hall had likely only caught the last few seconds of the event, and it would look as though the lord had snapped.

Quite a few others broke in by saying Zacharie had gravely insulted his older brother, Aleric had attempted to attack him, and Lord Gautier had punched him. They seemed to be split with some thinking Aleric had every right since his dead Mother had been called a whore. Others didn’t because a man shouldn’t physically attack his brother.

“Silence.” Lord Monet came closer with his cane. “I can’t listen when you’re all talking at once. Alex, what happened?

“How about if you ask your son first?” asked Jaime.

“Be quiet.”

“Your son’s the one with a broken nose,” Jaime snarled at him.

“Just stop.” Aleric’s voice sounded funny, and he pushed past him to get to the stairs. Screw dinner. Gautier got what he wanted, and that was to humiliate and hurt him again. Damn it. A man asked where the physician was, and another said they hadn’t seen him.

Jaime followed him upstairs as Gautier started telling Lord Monet that he was only intending to protect Zacharie. Aleric had snapped.

Jaime turned on the stairs. “Aleric was only going to hit him because he insulted your dead wife. This is Zacharie’s fault, and a man with that much heft shouldn't have punched Aleric.”

Everyone involved was at fault, but it was especially Aleric’s. He continued up the stairs and burned with shame because Jaime had just told him not too long ago that he shouldn’t react to his brother.

Aleric had been about to rearrange Zacharie’s face.

“You need to see Olivier.” Jaime was at his side again.

“I don’t want to.” All he could imagine was Olivier and Gautier talking in secret later and laughing at him. More humiliation. It didn’t matter if he wouldn’t be around to hear the words.

“He can’t kill you by healing your nose. That’s not something he can use to harm you. Is it broken? Considering the blood and the force, I bet it is.”

It hurt like a bitch, and the handkerchief was growing sodden. “I think so.”

Jaime took his elbow as they continued up the stairs. “Fuck Zacharie. He knew that would infuriate you. The little shit has a dead parent, and he’d be in a rage if you called-”

“It’s my fault.”

“I can’t deny you shouldn’t have reacted, but he started all of this crap. I bet Lord Gautier told him what to say. He also knew you wouldn’t apologize either.”

Aleric couldn’t deny it. Zacharie had never said anything against his Mother before. Aleric had called him a bastard, but he hadn’t said a word against his dead Dad. Insulting dead parents was a bit far for either of them. Or so he thought. Gautier had likely told him to jab right where it would hurt the most because of the card incident, and calling Aleric a whore had been nothing compared to hearing that about Pearl.

It figured Gautier would know where to hit, and he’d had no reason to restrict his violence to a place where it wouldn’t be visible. If they’d been alone, Gautier wouldn’t have stopped there.

All because Aleric had been young enough to fall for lies, dumb to let another man get him under his control, and stupid for never saying anything.

“I’m sorry.” Jaime led Aleric down the hall on Olivier’s floor.

Why should he be sorry? It wasn’t his fault.

Olivier looked quite shocked to see Aleric with blood all over his face. He likely hadn’t known to expect anything. Even though it’s pretty much impossible to mess up a healing, Jaime hovered close as Olivier took away the bloody cloth and lifted a glowing hand.

“What happened? Did you fall?”

“No,” Aleric said shortly. “Just heal it.”

Thank Elira a broken nose didn’t mean the physician had to stick his fingers anywhere since it wasn’t like a deep wound. As soon as Olivier finished, Aleric stalked out.

“Wait.” Olivier cast a look around for a cloth to wipe his hand since a little blood hadn’t gotten on him.

“What?” Aleric paused in the doorway with Jaime.

“Did you swallow blood?”

A little may have drained down the back of his throat from his nasal passages. “A bit? I don’t know.”

“You should take something.”

Fuck him. “I’m not taking anything for maybe a spoonful or two of blood.”

“It’s not good in the stomach.”

Like it would kill him. “No thanks.”

Jaime slammed the door and made a faint noise that might have been part anger. “It figures he’d push whatever on you. Where are we going?”

“I’m going to my room. I’m not heading back downstairs. Everyone’s going to be talking about me and staring at the High Table while trying to pretend they’re not. I’m not dealing with it.”

Jaime hesitated. “Do you want me to get you a plate?”

“No.”

Aleric didn’t feel like eating. The slug to the face had hurt his pride more than he wanted to admit, and not because he’d ended up with a busted nose or because Zacharie had insulted his Mother.

“You can go grab your plate and eat if you want.” He vaguely waved a hand without looking behind him.

“I’ll wait until you’re locked in the bedroom.”

Once Aleric was locked in his room, he let out a breath and suddenly wanted to kick something. Instead, he forced himself into his privy to clean his face. A few drops of red had marred his coat, and the servant who did the wash would have to get it out.

He didn’t bother to put on another and simply flopped on his bed in his vest and shirt to stare at the ceiling. He’d look like a monster now. Zacharie had started it, but he’d reacted, and Gautier would speak as though Aleric had come after him with a sword. He’d dote on the brat and make himself look extra protective. Not everyone would think he was right at all, but plenty would.

He wouldn’t be surprised if Gautier brought up the old rumor that Aleric had hit his wife and make it seem like he finally got what he deserved.

He’d say whatever to tilt the sympathy toward the younger and himself. Fuck, he might even lie and say Zacharie was afraid of him or Aleric had hit him before. Whatever he thought was convincing enough to make the older look worse.

Even with those thinking Zacharie needed a good slug to shut him up, Aleric would come out worse, and he could already hear the lecture coming.

It wasn’t long before he heard thumping on his sitting room door. “Aleric!”

Father. He’d given Jaime a key to get it in and out. Thankfully, Father didn’t have one.

“Damn it.”

Aleric turned his head to look at the three crystal flowers hanging in the window. Mother and the twins. If she and the twins had lived, things would be a lot different. There wouldn’t be any Zacharie because Father wouldn’t have later sought companionship in a new lover to ease the crushing loneliness.

Or if there was a Zacharie, he would have come from Pearl and been a full brother. And a different man. Aleric might be a better man, possibly happily married and pregnant, or already with a child.

Or certain events would have taken place the same, and he’d be viewed as a jealous liar by Mother too. Perhaps Gautier would have chased Florent once he was eighteen.

He heard the sitting room door open, and he jumped before sitting bolt upright.

“I’m back,” Jaime called.

Aleric opened the bedroom door to find him setting something on the table in front of the couch. Father and Lord Gautier had entered, and Zacharie slouched in with a sour expression as he looked everywhere but Aleric.

Lord Gautier hadn’t been in Aleric’s rooms for years, and he’d been in a different set back then. “I didn’t say you could all come in-”

“Why does he have a key?” Gautier demanded as he pointed at Jaime.

“So I can get in,” Jaime said calmly. “What else?”

Lord Monet made a cutting motion with his hand. “Aleric often keeps his doors locked like he thinks a servant is going to steal everything and run away. That’s not what we’re here for. Aleric, did you intend to hit your brother?”

Aleric had intended to rearrange his face. “Yes.”

“Zacharie admitted he called Pearl…a name.”

“He called my Mother and your wife a whore,” Aleric spat as he came around the couch. “Not just a name.”

“I know what he called her. I don’t want to say that word in relation to Pearl.” Lord Monet glared at his youngest. “I better not hear anything about my dead wife come out of your mouth again or you’ll lose your allowance, and I’ll stick you in a bedroom with a bed and nothing else. Aleric, if you ever try to hit your brother again, even over anything like that, I’ll take your allowance.”

“I was supposed to let him smear Mother’s honor when she’s not even alive to defend herself?!”

“You’re brothers!” yelled Lord Monet. “Zacharie acts like a damn child at times, but honestly, you’re not much better. You’re older and quite capable of coming to me and using your words to explain what happened instead of escalating a scene.”

“What’s his punishment for hitting me?”

“He was protecting Zacharie!”

“So he can hit me, and it’s fine?”

“I’m not saying I approve. What kind of man would Alex be if he stood there and let you beat Zacharie? If you had a husband or was with anyone for that long-”

“He’s an adult too,” said Jaime. “He shouldn’t have escalated it by breaking your son’s nose.”

Lord Monet stared at him. “This doesn’t even involve you.”

“I’m Aleric’s aid, and I’m trying to look out for him the best I can,” said Jaime. “Lord Gautier could have gotten between them instead of immediately snapping and slugging Aleric in the face, especially when he's not fully recovered either. Lord Gautier is also as big as me. Aleric’s gotten on my nerves, but you don’t see me breaking his nose, do you?”

Jaime had a point, and Lord Monet seemed to know it although he wasn’t expecting a commoner to stand there and argue with him. Gautier put on a pleasant smile that made Aleric’s stomach drop.

“He’s right. I was afraid for Zacharie, but I overreacted. I shouldn’t have struck him. Aleric, I apologize for hitting you.”

He’d be sorry when pigs talked and hydropixies learned to read.

Lord Monet sighed. “Fine. Everyone needs to apologize.”

“I’m sorry for what I said about Pearl,” muttered Zacharie.

“I’m sorry that I was going to hit you, and I forgive you.” Hitting was putting it mildly.

“I apologize for breaking your nose.” Gautier didn’t look very remorseful, and Aleric immediately disregarded his apology.

Lord Monet approached Aleric. “Kneel so I can forgive you.”

Aleric got down on one knee so Father could do the typical Soleilian blessing done among families. Regardless of the reason, Gautier probably liked the sight of Aleric on his knees. Anything to get on his nerves. Aleric kept his gaze averted as Lord Monet touched the top of his head.

“I forgive you, son. Think before you act in the future.”

Aleric stood, and Lord Monet repeated the action with Zacharie who actually appeared quite sorry over the whole thing.

“I forgive you too, Alex. We won’t speak of this again.” Lord Monet headed for the door, and the other two followed.

Jaime waited until their footsteps faded down the hall. “They’re probably both crossing their fingers behind their backs right now.”

“Huh?”

“In Moria, it means you’re lying.” Jaime reached behind himself as though he were going to scratch or rub his lower back. “That’s a lovely vest you’re wearing.” He turned his back to show he’d crossed his pointer and middle fingers.

“What’s the point of it?”

Jaime laughed. “I’ve seen it used in a couple of street plays. The liar’s back faces the audience, and if he does that, everyone knows he’s lying to the other character. For kids, it’s also a way of negating the consequences of a lie. It doesn’t matter.”

Aleric furrowed his brow. “You can’t do that. It’s still a lie.”

“I know. I guess it’s a Morian thing. I didn't mean your vest is ugly either.”

Aleric had never heard of it in Soleil. “Anyway, Gautier knows you have a key.”

“I didn’t want to stand out there in the hall like a lump while your Father banged on the door.”

“It better not find its way to Gautier’s hand.”

“I wouldn’t do that,” said Jaime.

“I’m still warning you. You better not leave it lying around anywhere either.”

“I’m not stupid.” Jaime took one of the plates from the table. Aleric hadn’t even noticed that he’d fetched two. “Here. You said you weren't hungry…if you want to eat in your room later, it’ll still be passable in an hour or two.”

Aleric took the plate. “Thanks…and thanks for sticking up for me.”

“Someone has to since Lord Monet has his head shoved in the sand.”

***

“I don’t think you should be going out,” said Lord Monet.

“I’m going.”

“You shouldn’t have been out of bed yesterday, and you certainly shouldn’t be riding today.” Lord Monet had just returned from a morning ride, and the stablehand was leading his horse away to care for. “I bet your blood isn’t fully replenished, and you can’t simply jump back into activities like nothing ever happened.”

Aleric mounted a horse intended for anyone to borrow. Jaime had practically pushed aside the stablehand and saddled it for him. At least they wouldn’t have to worry about one of the stablemen being paid off to loosen it. “Father, I’ve been inside for quite a few days now-”

“We still don’t know who is responsible for attacking you. I’ve received nothing from the guards who are out. Even though I want to put those responsible in a noose, we have no idea who started it or where those men are.”

They wouldn’t find anything, and nobody was about to be in a noose anytime soon. Lord Monet wouldn’t listen to that either, and Aleric shifted the horse a little. “I doubt an assassin will be hiding by a shop or a home in C?te in the hopes I ride by so he can jump out and attack. I want a little sunshine, and we’re only taking an easy ride around the streets. Maybe…we’ll go to the docks and look at the water. If I feel too tired at any point, we can turn around.”

“Fine.”

Like Father could truly stop him anyway. Aleric led the way since Jaime didn’t know where the wise woman was.

They had to leave the city, go past a few farms, and enter into the woods on one side. A footpath became visible, and they followed it for a couple of minutes.

“What’s that?” Jaime asked after rustling came from the branches above.

Aleric shrugged without bothering to look up. “A woodland critter. Nothing big.” The trees were smaller, and he doubted a panther would be lurking that close to civilization on branches too skinny to support its weight.

Jaime swore when something furry jumped on Aleric from above, and he jerked the reins. The horse snorted and danced sideways as he swiped at the animal clinging to his shoulder.

“What the fuck?”

Jaime suddenly laughed. “For Elira’s sake. That little thing nearly made me shit myself.”

“Get it off!” Aleric couldn’t even tell what it was, and it was pulling on his hair to one side.

“It’s just a minky!”

“Get the damn minky off!”

The minky shifted so he was hugging Aleric around the neck with his face about two inches away. Black surrounded his eyes like a mask. Aleric managed to stop his horse.

“Aww, he likes you,” said Jaime.

Aleric grunted as he tried to pry off its little fingers. For an animal that was only a foot high and not built very big, he had strong little hands. The horse stamped, and Jaime’s snorted as if amused.

“Don’t they usually stay away from people?”

“I think so.”

They had small bodies with long arms, legs, and tails. They were good at climbing and were usually found around the Nova Kingdom, not Soleil. Aleric had only seen drawings of them in books. With its cat-like face and pointy ears swiveling around, it was quite cute.

“What is your problem?” Aleric demanded.

“I don’t think he’s going to answer you.”

Clinging to his coat, the minky slid down, wrapped his arms around Aleric’s middle, and patted his stomach as it made a faint noise between a purr and a chirp.

“You’re his Mummy now,” said Jaime.

The last thing Aleric wanted was a pet minky. They climbed all over the place, and he could imagine it running around the Castle and trying to hide under a lady’s skirt. Or running about the Hall to steal food.

“He shouldn’t even be around here,” Aleric pushed on it. It only clung tighter to his coat. “I can’t take you home.”

Jaime put out a hand. “Come here, little guy. You can ride with me.”

“He can go back to Nova.”

“What if he’s hurt?” Jaime made kissy noises. “Come here.”

The minky glared at him.

“Maybe the wise woman can lure him away with a bit of food.” Aleric had a feeling that if he peeled off its limbs, the minky would have no trouble wrapping its arms around his arm or neck. He’d never get it off. “He doesn’t look hurt. Maybe someone owned him and he got lost.”

“He’s cute. I’ve always wanted to see a real one.”

“I guess he is,” Aleric grudgingly admitted.

Dear Elira, please let the wise woman be able to get him off. Aleric couldn’t come home with a new pet looped around him no matter how cute it was. Father wouldn’t be pleased. Cats and dogs made him sneeze, and a minky might do the same.

The minky kept patting his stomach and making his odd little noise while his tail snaked back and forth through the air. Why, Aleric couldn’t begin to guess. It only took a few more minutes to reach the wise woman’s home. She’d fixed it up since the last time he’d been by, and the simple plank home had been whitewashed. The fence had been moved too, enlarging her garden, and a few trees he didn’t remember were to one side.

Aleric hadn’t been there since his last batch of contraceptive herbs several years ago. He’d gotten them from her since they were better, and she knew someone in Iceland where they were originally invented. The tabs were supposedly better than teas or anything else.

The wise woman, Delphine, heard their horses and stepped out. “Oh, m’lord. I haven’t seen you in a while. I heard you were ill and wouldn’t be up for a bit.”

“I’m fine.” The ride had tired him out, and he wanted to sit. “This minky came out of the trees.”

“Oh, that’s Foofy.”

“Excuse me?”

“He’s mine. I named him Foofy.”

“How did you get a minky?”

“He climbed in my window one day and never left.” She shrugged as the two men dismounted. “I think someone owned him before and lost him, or he ran away. He likes to go out for his morning exercise.”

Foofy released Aleric to scramble over the fence and run to her with his long arms out. They looked funny enough with their tiny bodies, and even funnier when they ran. Or at least Aleric thought so.

“I need you to check the ingredients of a medicine Jaime’s got here.” Aleric gestured to Jaime. “This is my aid.”

Delphine picked up Foofy. “What do you mean?”

“It made me feel ill,” said Jaime. “I got it from a wise woman back near Natora. It’s for stress.”

She let them in, and Foofy got down to run to a bowl in the corner where sliced vegetables and a bit of meat had been left. Aleric knew to stay away from the bowl since he was pretty sure the book had mentioned them being quite protective of their food despite their placid natures.

Delphine sat at her scrubbed wooden table with a tray and rearranged her faded shawl. Jaime gave her the jar, and she turned it around. “This is for stress?”

“Yes,” he said while Foofy shoveled down carrot slices like he hadn’t eaten in weeks. “It made my stomach hurt quite badly.”

“You weren’t eating the herbs after you steeped them, were you?”

“No. It’s for tea. Would you eat tea leaves?”

“Some eat the herbs because they think it’ll work faster.” She made a face and dumped out the contents. “You could have just stopped taking it, but if it’s something you feel you need, you should know what’s causing a reaction. Is this the first time?”

“Yeah.”

The minky ran over to climb up Aleric and hug him again while patting his stomach. “Does he run up to everyone and do this?”

Delphine raised an eyebrow. “No.”

“Why does he keep patting me?”

“I guess he’s taken a shine to you.”

The minky left him to go root around in the larder while she checked the herbs on the tray. Foofy ambled out after a couple of minutes with a piece of cheese hanging from his mouth.

“Did he bite that off?” asked Jaime, and she sighed.

“I swear, everything I own is his too.”

Foofy got into Aleric’s lap, took the cheese, and tried to push it to his lips.

“I’m not eating anything that’s been in your mouth!”

“Foofy, get down.” She tasted something as Aleric struggled with the minky still trying to feed him. “Most of this stuff is fine, but I think these blue bits are norsip. It can be used for constipation, although it’s rarely done because it can be so harsh. Are you constipated?”

“No! I didn’t want anything for that.”

“Most don’t use it because while it can be gentle in very small doses over a few days, moving your insides can eventually turn into, er, a very unpleasant experience. When you stop, it doesn’t leave your system right away, and…to put it mildly, you might find yourself needing to change your trousers. Not everyone suffers from that, but quite a few do. Many don’t tolerate it well at all, and it can cause bad cramping.”

“Why would she put that in there?” Jaime demanded.

“Maybe she doesn’t know herbs that well and her knowledge is too patchy. Some think constipation is a cause of stress, although that’s such an old idea.”

“Good thing I stopped taking it.”

Delphine dumped the contents of the tray into the fireplace as the minky settled against Aleric and ate the cheese himself. “If you’d like, I can make a mixture that won’t have you cramping and running for a privy.”

“Eh, I think I’m good for a bit.”

So that was Olivier’s plan. Give Jaime mysterious stomach problems. They wouldn’t kill him, and it could be used as an explanation later if Olivier needed to off him. If Jaime hadn’t been feeling well for a while, it would seem as though his problems cropped up naturally and were the result of an odd illness.

“You’ve got Olivier for most of your needs, but do you want anything?” She squinted at Foofy who was still patting Aleric’s stomach and letting out his low chirpy purr sound.

“No. What is he doing?”

She shrugged and looked away for a moment. “I suppose he likes you. Foofy, come here.” Foofy lolloped across the table to sit in her lap. “Aleric, do you feel alright?”

He stood. “I’m fine. Jaime?”

“I feel better since I haven’t been taking the medicine in quite a few days. So far, I haven’t had an unexpected need to change my trousers.”

“If you do need anything to settle it, I’m sure Olivier has things like that, but you'll probably be just fine.”

“We’ll see you later,” said Aleric. “Thanks for helping him.”

“Be careful of wise women with old ideas. Stay here, Foofy. You don't need to pet him more.”

Jaime snorted once they were outside. “Constipation is the cause of stress?”

“Like she said, it's an old idea.” Aleric stretched and sighed by his horse. “That was one strange minky.”

“He’s cute. I bet he’d love to come home with you.”

“I’d rather have a cat. At least the cat won’t try to shove spitty cheese into my mouth.”

“Since I won’t suffer from surprise diarrhea that’ll have me clenching my ass cheeks and running for the nearest privy-”

“I really didn’t need that image.”

“There’s a piece of evidence to set aside,” Jaime swung himself into his saddle. “Why would the physician try to make me shit myself if he's knowledgeable? Hmm?”

They didn’t exactly have the whole idea fully plotted out, but it was a start. If asked why he said nothing before, Jaime could say he was afraid of accusing the court physician and assumed it to be an honest mistake.

“Do you know what I noticed there?” Jaime leaned over as their horses trotted down the path. “Every single bottle and jar on her shelves had a label unlike Olivier.”

Aleric nodded. “I doubt she’s trying to poison anyone, so of course she properly labels everything.”

“Bastard. We should put Gautier in prison and give him the shits.”