by Marie Hall
Unlike most houses where every room was filled with people, Xavier kept several rooms completely to himself. Spending months, sometimes years, crowded into tents or even around a fire in the open, made him crave the solitude when he was home. His two squires and Io's maid all slept elsewhere but within shouting distance. There was no tripping over bodies in the middle of the night, and there was no other in his bed but his wife when he was home. Truly, since he took Io into his care, he'd been more protective of his, their, privacy. Io, too, didn't care to be among crowds. Even the very first night after he took her from Dramore, she'd slept apart from the small group she was with. Until she'd joined him as wife in his tent, she'd used a small shelter she shared with no one, and once here, she'd been subtle about it, but she too carved out small places she could escape to.
They weren't so different, he and his wife, though he'd not seen it. Seeing this now could help not only keep her safe, but help him keep her happy. He need only consider how his words or actions might make him react, and he could guess at Io's reaction. Given what he already knew about how she understood the world, and his determination to know her motivations before he denied her, Xavier could feel a confidence growing. Every fear he imagined about losing Io was easing. Now, all he had left to do was find out who was a danger to her and eliminate them. A smile tugged at his lips. Finding and eliminating threats was what he was best at. It was how he served his king and made his name and fortune. What he once did for the king, who was at the time the most important person in his life, he'd now do it for Io who, by far, was more important. Though he'd never say such out loud.
He shook off the thoughts and went back to searching through the scraps of paper. He'd need to see an older roster to know who had access to Io. He hoped the records he needed weren't the ones his mother burned. Maybe by looking through who was paid, and in what form, he could recall who was set to each duty within the house. Most of the servants were simply given a reprieve on taxes or on rents. Soldiers and knights, though, were given a stipend matching the degree of difficulty and danger the duties required. He didn't have many, but slaves were given only what they needed to survive, food and shelter. Though, since Io came, he knew their conditions improved, and she'd nagged him several times to release them from bondage. It wasn't likely any slave in his house would risk harming their only true advocate. Reaching for an inkwell, Xavier intended to write that thought down. It'd help with eliminating people. He could, too, guess no one in any of the villages or shires would want Io gone. She certainly held their concerns as her own. Their utter relief when informed Io was their lady, his wife, was tremendous. He'd not encountered so much as one person anywhere on his lands who showed preference to Charlotte or Sabrina. Not one person, young or old, didn't do as much in the search for her when she vanished. He scribbled that down as well. Though he'd guess his men already considered these things, it was reassuring to see a list of allies for Io. Already too many lists of enemies existed. Again, an ease settled on him. Confidence grew. He'd need to work to win back his wife's heart and trust, but he could protect her and give her the security he promised her in the beginning with ease.
Dropping the quill, he straightened and looked over the room. It was a disaster, and until he sorted it out, he'd not be able to work efficiently. Taking the note he made, he began rearranging things on the table until he uncovered the lock box. He'd start keeping his lists here. He was only lifting the lid when the door pushed open and Io walked in, a rather bright smile on her face.
When she turned to close the door, she gave him enough time to rein in the shocking heat coursing through him and the pounding of his heart. Damn to see that smile, he'd pay everything he owned. She turned back and leaned against the door with an exhausted sigh, but the smile held.
"Io?" The paper dropped to the table, joining the clutter as he stepped around to meet Io as she crossed to the middle of the room. Her face had a high flush, and her lips looked a little blue, but her eyes were sparkling as she stepped right into his open arms. "Io," he gasped and stepped back. Her arms wrapped around him, and she pressed against him, making him shiver with how cold she was. "Io, you are freezing." Xavier wrapped his arms around her and lifted her from the floor enough he could step closer to the fire.
"I know," she said then laughed. "It feels wonderful." She laughed again as Xavier stopped rubbing at her arms only long enough to bend and toss another log on the fire. When he stood before her, there was mischief in her expression. "Jude and Ann and I…" she stopped and frowned a second before again smiling, "and all those men were outside in my garden. I hoped to maybe climb my tree, no one let me." She huffed. "Too slippery they said." She huffed again as she stepped closer and leaned against him. Already he could feel the effect of the fire. "We only came in now. Sarah caught us and…. I think she is still berating your men and maybe boxing their ears."
Xavier didn't know if he wanted to laugh, scold or cry with relief. What came out was maybe a good combination of all. "Io, you should not be outside."
"I needed air," Io said easily and snuggled closer.
"If you take a chill—" he said, adding a bit more scolding to his tone.
"Yes, yes," Io said sounding as if she mocked him. "That is what Sarah said when she yelled at me. But I have been inside for weeks and it is becoming stifling. All day I have spent walking about the house, on the inside, I wanted to walk about a moment on the out." Her arms tightened briefly, then she pulled away and turned to face the fire, holding out her hands and rubbing them together.
Her relaxed demeanor and teasing tone made it impossible to continue trying to scold her, even to caution her against becoming ill again. The brief excursion did more for her spirits than anything else and Sarah, if not the other maids, were sure to keep things at acceptable levels. Io wouldn't be sleeping outdoors. If she needed to breath in some fresh air, there was no harm. Still, he might be well served to put up a token protest, so she knew he'd be keeping an eye on her until she was fully recovered. He opened his mouth about to set out some rules when his door again swung open.
"There you are," Sarah said as she came through without so much as an acknowledgement he was in the room too. "Get closer to that fire," she said as she reached Io's side. "Drink this." Sarah pressed a large cup into Io's hands before reaching up and untying the stays that held on the heavy cloak.
"It will be too hot," Io complained as she shrugged off the fur.
"It will not, I added some cooled cream to it. It will hardly be enough to warm you. Now drink it." Sarah stepped back and Xavier watched her give Io a crucial appraisal. "Did your feet get wet?"
"I wore shoes," Io sulked.
"Shoes or boots?" Io's reply was to step back and stick out one boot clad foot even as she took a sip of the warm drink. "Your hem is all wet."
"It will dry," Io said, shifting a bit closer to the flames.
"If it is not dry by the time your meal is ready, you change clothes." Sarah huffed this time and Xavier bit his tongue not to laugh. This was no maid and mistress relationship. This was a sisterhood. Stronger than the bonds of blood could make. "...I should hate that I have you returned from as far as the shore only to have you freeze to death in the side yards."
Io might have found Sarah's comments amusing, or perhaps it was the part he'd missed she found so, but the words actually sobered him to the real dangers of Io falling sick even one more time. He was about to give his own protest over her being exposed to the elements and he didn't plan for them to be token in nature. It was then Sarah turned and gave him a wink and a smile before again frowning at Io.
"I will be careful," Io said, her tone still cheerful.
"See that you are," Sarah scolded again before heading out the door. "I will see about your supper." She sent another reassuring smile toward Xavier even as she pulled open the door and stepped out.
He heard Io sigh her put upon sigh, but when she turned to look at him, she was smiling. It wasn't hard to figure out Sarah
just allowed him the opportunity to play at indulging husband. With her taking the role of demanding authority, Xavier could act more the obliging ally. It wasn't a complete shift in the roles they each took in Io's life, but it did lift some of the burden of trying to balance her care with her happiness.
"Sarah has become a bit demanding," Io said, taking a seat in the big chair Xavier usually reserved for himself. "Hold this." She thrust the cup out and Xavier grabbed it even as she let go to bend over and pull off her boots, completely oblivious to the irony of her statement.
She struggled with the first boot, so Xavier handed her back the cup as he knelt before her and worked the second one off. He pulled out the hem of her dress so it was more exposed to the drying warmth of the fire. "I think she has always been demanding. Very nearly a tyrant I think." He didn't really, but he didn't get many chances to tease about Sarah.
He heard a small gasp then Io chuckled. "No," she said with indignation.
Sitting back on his haunches, he looked her directly in the eye. "Yes. Only you never noticed because she was always being a tyrant in your favor."
Io's brow quirked up at his words, and she tried to hide the smile behind the cup as she took a sip. "Well if that is true, I must win her back to being a tyrant in my favor." She took a long drink "It is more pleasant that way."
Laughing and shaking his head, he stepped towards the armoire that held his best wines only he was blocked by two other large pieces of furniture which didn't belong here. The frustration made him growl under his breath. But not under enough Io didn't hear him.
"What is the matter?" All ease was gone from her tone and Xavier worked to fix his expression so when he turned to face her again, she didn't see any of his distress.
"I was going to pour my own drink, but I cannot get to the cupboard." It was a simple non-threatening complaint and Io looked to take it as such.
"Do you want to share mine?" She tipped the cup toward him.
"What do you drink?" He crossed back and looked into the cup with caution. It wasn't likely to be apple cider, her favorite.
"I think it is chamomile, but there is so much honey and cream I can taste little else."
"Thank you, my lady, for the generous offer. I think I will pass." Io probably guessed her drink was in no danger of being shared between them.
"Suit yourself," she said with a shrug even as she tried to hide another smile behind the lip of the cup.
"I will have someone fetch me a cup from the cellars." Xavier set his hand on her head and smoothed down the tresses still out of place from her small romp outdoors.
"This room is quite the mess, Xavier," Io said, turning in the chair and looking over the room.
"Yes, I am going to sort it out," he said as he moved back to the desk and carefully lifted his list from the assorted other bits and rolls of paper.
"Sarah has not sent word to all the servants to return, but I think there are enough they can begin in here straight away." She stood and crossed to his main work surface.
"No, I would rather be cautious and see to this myself. I would hate I turn my back only to find more documents in the fire."
"You cannot do this all yourself," Io protested.
"I think I must," he told her, flipping back the lid on the box.
"Perhaps," Io started, then hesitated. She met his eyes briefly then dropped them away.
"What, Io, speak your mind, please."
"Perhaps I might…" She paused again and started picking at her nails. "Perhaps I might be able to help you." She again lifted her face and caught his eye. "If you should not mind my company."
Something more than an offer to help was in her eyes. There was a plea of sorts to not turn her away, to reaffirm his want to have her about, to do meaningful things beside her. They'd only been home one full day, but he realized he'd spend the whole of it away from her. He'd already easily slipped back into the old habit of leaving the house for her to manage while he attended things beyond these walls.
"Io," he said, capturing her hand and raising it to his lips. "I should very much enjoy it if you were to apply your fine skills to sorting this mess with me." He kissed her knuckles then tugged a bit bring her forward across the polished wood top close enough he could lean over and kiss her lips. But she bumped the table as their lips met and the jolt was enough to send the stack of ledgers crashing over. The books fell left then continued down to the floor taking everything on the desk with them.
Io jerked back and stared in horror at the disarray on the floor. But the look on her face lasted only a moment, and she suddenly burst out laughing even as she bent down to begin cleaning up. "It might take more skill than even I possess, my lord."
"Have mercy," Xavier pleaded as he came around and knelt beside her and began restacking the bound leather journals.
"My lord?" The call followed quickly on the heels of the short rap on the door before it was opened by one of the men in the hall now on duty guarding Io. Xavier couldn't recall the soldier's name at the moment. Not because he was an ill-mannered lord but because Io's smile was again causing heat to pulse through him and his mind was lost to the teasing sparkle in her eyes.
"We are well, Artus," Io said a laugh in her voice. "I knocked over the books and made a mess."
Xavier saw the man look around the room before his gaze returned to where they worked to collect all the loose papers. "Only one, my lady?"
"Get out," Xavier snarled, but doubted the man heard him over Io's peals of laughter. "It is not like I made this mess," he muttered drowned out by Io's laughing. Artus backed out of the room and shut the door, and a moment later Xavier heard laughter ring out in the hall. Perfect, now he was to be the fool in his own house. His hand landed on top of Io's as they both reached for the same bit of paper. Looking up, he caught her wiping tears from her eyes. He couldn't recall ever making her laugh so hard she'd gotten tears in her eyes. So he played the fool for a moment. He'd play it again if Io would keep laughing.
They were almost finished collecting everything from the floor when Io crawled over to his overturned lock box. Turning it over freed the contents out on the floor.
"These have some importance?" Io asked as she carefully gathered the few things he'd stored.
"They do," Xavier said, sitting on the floor and pulling the box closer as Io handed over the two letters. "This is the one Charlotte gave me and claimed was yours." He watched all the joy vanish from her face. "I keep it to remind myself not to be so accusing toward you and more questioning of those who do accuse." He saw her relax but no merriment returned. He set that letter in the box then held up the much thicker one. "This is the king's denial of your annulment request." He held it out to her, and she took it but didn't open it. "You can read it if you want. I think it is the only message I have received from him that was anything but praise. His rebuke of me was rather sharp. Deserved, but sharp and humiliating."
"I did not intend…" Io said, her voice barely more than a whisper.
"I know, Io. You did not intend I be reprimanded, or my reputation harmed. I know you gave only praise and compliments. I know too, that it was not your words, but my actions, which caused the king's admonishment. I do not usually keep the king's correspondence. I do not want it to fall into the wrong hands. I keep this one because I never wish to forget my carelessness nor how easy it would be for the king to strip me of everything he gave me when he gave me you. His answer could have been yes. I am not going to forget again, what his majesty gives, he can take away, and that includes you."
"I thought… I only wanted," she trailed off, fingering the edges of the letter then the crack in the wax seal.
"I know, Io. I know too, we will work past all of this." She handed him back the letter without even lifting the pages. He took it and dropped it in the box before reaching up to pull his list down and drop it inside too.
"Together," she added and leaned back, setting her hands on the floor behind her.
Xavier smiled at
her, then saw her frown, lift her hand from the floor and turn her head to look back over her shoulder. She twisted a bit, then lifted something else from the floor.
"What did you find?" he asked as she again faced him and let the long chain drop so the pendant at the end swung loosely. "Ah." Xavier caught the charm in his hand. Io let the chain drop so he compensated by offering her back the gold and silver motif. "I completely forgot."
Io took the necklace back and gave it a careful examination. He watched her turn it from front to back and smiled when surprise claimed her expression. "What is this?"
"Something I had made. I never found the opportunity to give it to you."
"I do not understand," she said, flipping the large but not obnoxiously sized disk back over so she could examine the front. She flipped it once more, drew her fingers over the engraving and flipped it again. "Xavier what does this mean? What is this?"
He didn't quite understand her dilemma. He thought the message in the symbolism to be rather plain. Rolling to his knees, he crawled across the floor, settled in behind her and pulled her back so she sat in his lap. Cupping his hand under the one she held the pendant in, he brought it up a little closer for a better view. He still admired the design. The inner circle of the disk was polished silver but a golden tree sat center. He'd intended more detail, but the jeweler could only do so much on the limited space. The outer circle of the charm was gold and set into that was the symbol of the Ouroboros, the snake biting at its own tail. It had many meanings, but Xavier intended Io know it to mean the wholeness she brought to his life. The tree represented everything from knowledge, to substance, to fruitfulness. The snake was everything else. Xavier squeezed Io's hand, causing the disk to roll over in her palm and show him the other side. There he'd the craftsman carve in both their names. Hers in the center his arching over and around. Again, he thought the symbolism simple. She was the center of his world, and he'd surround her and protect her.
