SeaSpice: 9 - Ownership

“When will I be able to eat something else besides broth?” the duke said with a frown as he sipped the broth from a cup. “I would like some substance with this dirty water.”
“When I feel you are strong enough to take it in. Now hold still while I put some more ointment on your sores.”
He sighed but was still as I rubbed the paste that Andrew had told me to give to him on the sores that were there. They were almost gone but I didn’t feel it would be good for him to move about with the sores all over him. Once they were gone, I would let him get up and roam around the mansion and have a proper meal for him. It was the least I could do for the secret rendezvous that he had with Xerxes, making this story or something. Xerxes was always telling us about his time with the duke and how much fun he was having with him. I was happy to know that he was finding someone who was entertaining to him.
“Why did you stay here?” I looked at the duke as he watched me.
“What do you mean?”
“Why did you come here and help me?”
“You already asked that.”
“No, I asked how I got pregnant. I meant since I am this way, why did you stay?”
I put some of the paste on the two sores on his face and thought for a moment. Why did I stay here?
“Because you needed me.”
“Really?” he said with a laugh as he sipped the broth. “Is that what you call it?”
“I mean, you had no one here but the cook and the stable boy. All of your servants are gone and even the one who raised you from birth left you. None of your friends cared to check on you at all and you were pretty much dying. Why wouldn’t I help you?”
“Because of the things I’ve done… not just to you but to others.”
“Your childish rakish ways? I think if all men are left unbridled they are prone to that. Your arrogance? I chock that up to your upbringing of getting everything your heart ever desired. Most of your life is not your fault.”
“And because I have a good life, I needed someone like you to come and save me?”
“Well you weren’t really doing a good job of it yourself, ya know?” I snapped. “There, that should help to clear them up. I don’t guarantee that they won’t scar but I’m sure you have some high value tonic that will help with that.”
I turned to put the supplies back on the tray when I felt him touch my backside. I turned around and slapped him in the face but he looked at me, startled.
“Wh- what was that for?”
“You’re touching me!”
“I touched your dress, you numbskull!” He rubbed his cheek. “Where did you get this dress?”
“I found it in a room down the hall. I didn’t know that you had a wardrobe for all your women…” I said with a laugh.
I turned back but he was staring blankly at the wall, his hand to his cheek.
“Duke Barma?”
“You can call me Salem when we’re in the house, Mother…”
“What?”
He looked at me and cleared his throat. “What?”
“You just called me “Mother”.”
“You’re imagining things.”
“No… Duke Barma…” I sighed. “Never mind. Do you want me to bring some tea and crumpets up later?”
“Sounds fine. Here…” he handed me the cup with the broth in it. “Even though it’s broth, it’s quite good.”
“Thank you.”
I walked out of the room in utter confusion.

*Salem*
What is wrong with me? Why does she keep coming up in my mind? I haven’t thought about her in a long time…
“Do you miss her?”
I looked over at the door where the other ginger was standing, looking at me. I narrowed my eyes.
“Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to eavesdrop?”
“I’m not dropping any eaves, sir, but you talk about your Mum all the time. I hear you at night. She died, didn’t she?”
“What’s it to you?”
“My mum did too. I used to do it at night.”
“Minerva isn’t your mother?” I asked, surprised.
“No. She’s our aunt. Our mother died a little after Xerxes was born. Father died when I was seven and when Mother had X, she died of a broken heart as well as weakness from not eating and such.”
“I see…”
“She’s our mother, not yours.” I looked at him as he glared at me. “You can’t have her.”
He turned around and left the room and I sighed, putting my hand on my stomach. What a weird family.

*Minerva*
The cook had made some small sandwiches for Lorado and I went to go give them to him when I heard what sounded like someone vomiting around the corner. I walked around the corner and saw Bastion vomiting in the flowers and I quickly went around the corner again to keep out of sight. He vomited one more time and I looked around the corner to make sure he was alright. He wiped his mouth off and looked at his hands as it shook and then looked over at me.
“Why are you spying on me?” he asked in a raspy voice.
I set the tray on the ground and walked to him, putting the back of my hand on his forehead.
“You’re a little warm…”
“I’m fine, Mother… It’s nothing. Something at breakfast just didn’t settle with me, that’s all. No need to get overprotective.” He said, pushing my hand away.
“Bastion, you know I’m like that because of what happened to your mother… it was nothing and then it turned into something. I couldn’t bear to lose one of you.”
“Truly, Mum, I’m fine. I’ll go lay down for a little if it will ease your mind.”
I tweaked his nose for being a smart alleck but nodded and he went back inside.
I delivered the sandwiches to Lorado and he smiled at me.
“Oh, thank ya, miss. Is Bastion alright? ‘e started to look a little pale a minute ago and said ‘is ‘ead was ‘urting and might ‘ave to vomit.”
“I caught him vomiting and he said he would lay down for the evening… Lorado, if he gets any worse, please tell me… Even if he says not to. Please, it’s imperative that I know if any of my children are sick because their mother died of something like that. I can’t lose any of them like that.”
“Will do, miss. Oh, and cook says we almost out of food. Last of the rations be gone by tomorrow. Might ye ask the duke if’n ye can get some money to get more food?”
“Of course. I honestly forgot that we were low. I will go with the cook tomorrow and get some food. I think I’ll make a stew so that the duke will be able to eat as well. He’s getting antsy.”
“Ye, ‘e don’t like being cooped up like that all day.” Lorado said with a laugh.
“Lorado, how long have you worked here?”
“About… let’s see… about ten years now.”
“Do you know anything about the duke’s mother?”
“’mmm… Mother, no… but I know ‘e ‘ad a strange attachment to a maid at the mansion and when she died, that’s when ‘e turned to ‘is wily ways. The duke before ‘im didn’t know what to do with ‘im and so ‘e just left ‘im to ‘is own. Why do you ask, miss?”
“Just curiosity…”
“I do know that when the maid was alive ‘e was actually nicer than ‘e is now. I ‘adn’t ‘ad supper one night cuz I didn’t make it in time –this was when ye ‘ad to get to the kitchen as quick as ye could for the left over ingredient soup the cook would make us- and I missed out on food. The next day I was terribly ‘ungry and not being myself. The maid must ‘ave found out and before I ‘ad to work, ‘e came out with some of the regular soup made for the family. ‘e said ‘e was told to bring it to me. That was the nicest thing ‘e’s ever done and that’s why I stay. ‘e acts like ‘e is a ‘orrible man but ‘e is… lost… I feel that’s the best word to describe ‘im.”
I nodded and went back to the mansion.

The next day, after bargaining with the duke to get money for the market, I went out to get a horse from Lorado.
“No, what’s your problem? Use the carriage you stupid woman.”
I turned to the duke as he leaned against the balcony from his room. His shirt was buttoned but his stomach was pressed against the railing, showing just a little.
“Go lay back down, milord.”
“Then take the carriage. I will not have you go into town from the mansion on a horse.”
“If I take the carriage then they will talk. I’m sure they know your carriage in the city...”
“Damn it, woman, you’re just like her. Take the bloody carriage or I will personally pick you up over my shoulder and shove you in there. Do it.”
“Why are you so adimate that I take the carriage?”
“If nothing else, think of it as a way to get a lot of food back here without having to weigh you or the horse down.”
“But when-“
“Minerva. Take the carriage, or so help me, I will not only throw you in, I will go into town with you and I can display this beautiful stomach I’ve somehow gotten.” He said, turning to the side for a good profile.
Saying that, I don’t put it past him to at least throw me into the carriage. Going with me, I doubt, but I did as he told me to do and ordered the carriage be brought around.
“Just watch my children…”
“Get some sweets from the bakery while you’re at it.” He harrumphed, closing the doors to the balcony.
I rolled my eyes and got into the carriage. I looked around in the inside but smiled, secretly enjoying feeling a little royal.