Private Tales Now What?

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella waited in her bedchambers, sitting in one of her chairs by the fireplace. The fire burned brightly, lighting up her darkened room. The sun had gone down a couple of hours previous, and after dinner she had opted out of dessert and just went straight to her chambers.

Was she feeling unwell? In a matter of speaking, yes. Though those feelings were not physical so much as they were emotional. Her betrothed Richard Henry the Eighth gave her the harsh news that she was to leave for Elbion with him in but a fortnite. It was one thing to move from one Estate to another, but it was entirely much different to move to a different country altogether. And all for some stupid alliance. From what she had been told about Richard Henry the Seventh, it made her wonder if this arrangement was made by her late Father to assure peace between the two armies.

Such a thing would be difficult to stop.

Myrcella just stared at the flames, thinking hard about what she could do. She knew that Titus Phane should be arriving soon to see to her before she was to settle herself in bed. And she knew that he'd be worried about her; especially as she had skipped eating dessert. The two of them needed to talk and plan their next moves.

And they needed to do so quietly....

 

[Titus Phane]

Titus was being hit hard... By many things... He was in love with his mistress, but she is legally betrothed to another man whom Titus can find little fault with. He is attempting to become more than a butler to the family, but also a protector. And all this on top of his endless struggle to adhere to the principals taught to him in service of his God.

The most difficult to manage was balancing his feelings with his duties as a butler.

Even as he made his way to his mistresses bedchambers he wondered if he even had a right to have confessed his feelings to her. Even with her mothers approval there was an inevitable path that they both were bound to, to the point that Lady Bochanan's approval was but a glimmer of hope in a dream, quickly snuffed out by a cruel reality.

But hope was not yet dashed, though it may not end up being what either of them desired. Titus was not idle from the day he heard the news and Sir Richard arrived at the estate. He had already begun training with the mercenary and Mithril class adventurer, sir Isaias Kildare. An older and by far more experienced soldier than any other mentor Titus may have found otherwise. His skills have increased considerably compared to how he was only months before, but he was still a long way from becoming a knight and gaining any sort of title that would allow him and his mistress a legal marriage.
Aside from the vigorous physical training Titus had taken to reading and study of politics at any opportunity. Perhaps his knowledge of such things is meager and incomplete at best, but through his studies so far he has hopefully learned much that may be useful or insightful to his mistress.

Titus arrived at Myrcella's bedchambers. It had been some time since he had attended to her personally. His duties to the household increased since the passing of Lord Bochanan... A sabbatical from his mistress that gave him opportunity to learn more and perhaps be less blinded by emotion in order to be of some use.

He gave the door his signature light knock, and waited. But again the thoughts rose unbidden to his mind in that short time... Did he have any right to covet his mistress?

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

There it was. The quiet knock that Myrcella had grown to love and at times she eagerly awaited it too had finally arrived. "You may enter." Even now she had to be careful, perhaps more than ever. Fortunately her Mother hadn't kept them apart, but she was still under her watchful eye, especially after the news of her betrothal.

She sat up in her chair, turning to look at Titus Phane. The light from the fireplace reflected off of her, creating shadows that danced with the flames. Myrcella gave him a small smile, waiting until the door was closed before she spoke up. "I've missed you. The fates can be so cruel to want to tear us apart. We had our plans, they were accepted by Mother, but then...then...I'm trying to find a way out of it, Titus. I really am. I don't want to have to leave you or the Estate. This is my home and all that I've ever known." Myrcella had yet to express such grievances to her Mother. But no doubt it'd all be wasted breath. She had a duty as nobility to fulfill her Father's wishes.

 

[Titus Phane]

When Titus entered the room he saw Myrcella Bochanan. As beautiful as always, but subdued even in the light from the fire. She hadn't fared much better than he had over this.
As soon as he shut the door she seemed to unleash all of her pent up grievances that she could share with no one else in confidence.

For Titus, seeing her again was almost painful, yet at the same time it was refreshing to be by her side once more, ready to carry the burden of all of her frustrations. She voiced her concerns and all of her pent up emotion and Titus listened.
But while he listened a profound realization hit him... This was all his fault...
After she was done speaking Titus was respectfully thoughtful for a moment, giving her a slight yet weary smile. But that revelation couldn't go unvoiced...
"It was a cruel thing I did to you, my mistress. By confessing my feelings I have brought great pain to your heart... I did not consider the consequences of my actions when you had just returned home and I revealed the contents of my heart to you..."

Titus lowered his gaze from her face. His mind was working, looking for words, ideas, truths that could bring back the radiance in her smile. He walked about her bedchamber as if on impulse, performing his duties while he thought.

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella tried to read the expressions on his face while she spoke. Titus Phane was thinking about something, she could tell. But what exactly that was she wasn't certain about until it was his turn to speak.

And he blamed himself?

Her jaw dropped ever so slightly as she heard him. "Titus..." She shook her head a little as if to dismiss his very thoughts while she got to her feet and approached him. "...please don't. Neither of us knew about what Father had done. Even Mother was kept in the dark. We didn't know....Before you, I didn't really know what love is. But now I do. Please don't regret giving me that gift. I know that I don't and I never will. I want you with me always and I will search to the ends of the earth to find a way. I may be betrothed, but I am nt married yet..." Myrcella wanted to hold him, to assure him that she still wanted to be his, yet she kept herself back from doing so just in case she didn't want to let go.

 

[Titus Phane]

Titus met her eyes. It was times like this that made the truth hard to discern. In a certain light she was justified in her thinking, that marriage should be with the one you love and no other, no matter the cost... But the other truth was the world she lived in. Peace, alliance, and commerce, all sealed by the joining of two noble families into one through marriage. While he would like nothing better than for Myrcella to somehow be free from this responsibility, he also remembered the love he also felt for her father and mother, the care they showed to him and kindness they offered to him that he repaid in kind with loyal service to their family.

Titus knew his duties... What he had been blinded to previously by his feelings for his mistress. It was his duty to serve her, to protect her, to remind her of her duties... And at the end of the day, he has no place or consideration when it comes to the family that she is now responsible for.

He set down the towel he was using to dust the wardrobe. Myrcella stood beside him, her eyes filled with determination. He wanted to share in that determination, to tell her that they would find a way to be together and above reproach from their peers... But the way he saw it now... They had precious few options and even less time...

"I have taken the liberty of doing some research into the matter. Within the bounds of your family... Within the bounds of your duties... There is precious little we can do.
You are responsible for the wellbeing of this house, of your family. I do not see why an alliance with the house of Sir Henry the Eighth is beneficial to House Bochanan. But I surmise that your father had set this contingency into place to ensure that you were well cared for in the event of his passing."

A muscle began to pull in his right shoulder, the strain of his training antagonized by his posture as a butler. He rubbed at the aching muscle to ease the pain.
"The plans we had already made will not be fast enough. I simply cannot become a knight this way in time to be able to save you from this arrangement. If Richard has done anything to stain your honor I would be within my rights as a butler to be your champion and face him in your name... But as it stands, there is so little I can do from within the jurisdiction of House Bochanan."

Letting down his guard that little bit to ease the ache in his muscles was a mistake... He suddenly felt all of his aches and pains and couldn't help but feel very exhausted. He leaned against the wall and rubbed his eyes.
"As of right now, the best we can hope for is that I am allowed to remain by your side as a butler, no matter where you go..."

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella lowered her head slightly as Titus Phane gave her the news. What he was telling her was what she didn't want to hear and yet she had to be told the truth. She knew that. Deep down she knew that he was right. "Sometimes I wish that I wasn't noble born. Then life would be easier. I wouldn't have this...this...arrangement to deal with." But all lives weredifficult in their own ways.

She looked to him as he seemed to be very tired and worn out, stepping closer towards him so that she could take his hand. "Yes, let's hope that you could come with me. I will ask. And if not...I will write and visit as often as I'm allowed. If Richard is to die in battle...then perhaps I'd be allowed to come back home. Surely his Father wouldn't arrange some other marriage for me." Oh he better not. From what little she had heard of the man, he was ruthless and cunning. More than likely he'd make her skin crawl. She wasn't looking forward to that.

"Come and sit by the fire. Let me tend to you for once, please."

 

[Titus Phane]

Well, she seemed to understand the situation, though he didn't exactly mean it in such a way as if they had no hope at all... Though thinking back it would sure sound that way.
But one thing she said stuck with him, even as he let Myrcella lead him to sit down by the fire.

He looked at her and gripped her hand gently but sharply, concern written on his face, "You would wish for his death, Myrcella?"
The way he said her name sounded as hurt as it was reprimanding.
"I cannot abide this... Is it because you hate him, or because you love me that you would already make plans for after the demise of your betrothed... Or has he done something to cause you to say such a thing?"

Either way she answered was cause for concern. If she despised Richard to such a degree that she would appreciate his death, then that was definitely not what he would want for her, to feel that way about anybody.
And if she said what she did because of her desire for him, then that's not well either, that he and his affections would cause her to want death for her betrothed in order to be with him...

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But he thought about it for a moment and then quickly decided he didn't want to know, he waved off his words and let her go, proceeding to sit as she had instructed.
He quickly tried to change the subject, "I believe that the politics of this arrangement may be based on mutual agreement alone, between your father and Lord Henry the Seventh. I haven't seen evidence for, nor heard confirmation of any economical, commercial, or political reason for this marriage other than your fathers wish that you join a powerful family that apparently has all the means to provide you with a comfortable and secure future. They are not obligated to do so, because they gain nothing from this alliance, but seem more than willing to uphold your fathers will out of a mutual respect."

He wanted to change to subject because as soon as he said what he did earlier he wished he hadn't... He knew that if she was still the same Myrcella he knew, that she didn't mean what she said... at least not the way he heard it. And he had no right to assume like that.

Titus settled in the chair, his muscles slowly unwinding as he tried to relax.

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella's breath caught in her chest as Titus Phane gripped her hand. She seemed to have spoken wrongly, so much so that his words took a very serious tone. Her jaw dropped slightly as she felt herself almost to be ensnared in a trap. "No,..I..."

But he let her go as he went to sit himself down in her chair. Myrcella stood there for a moment or two longer as she battled against the tears that threatened to fall. "...that's not what I..." What was the use? Yes Richard's death would potentially rid her of this marriage, but it was stated in such a way that she worried that it could be the only way out of it.

But it was the wrong thing to say.

After her moment was spent, she walked behind the chair that Titus had sat in and placed her hands on his shoulders. Her brows remained furrowed as she continued to fight with her emotions and not fall apart in front of him as she began to massage his strained muscles. "Richard had said something about his Father unseating another noble and placing him within their castle with his new wife. So I imagine that the Henry Estate isn't the only place that I'll be sent away to. But I do hope that wherever I go, I'll be protected, especially when Richard is sent off to war." He had spoken of men at the Henry Estate having lustful eyes and any Ladies in Waiting that she would bring would have to be kept close to her lest they fall prey. Myrcella didn't want to fall prey to it herself either.

 

[Titus Phane]

He listened to her words, but still he could see no way in which the Henry family gained from this alliance. He groaned as her fingers began to work on his taut muscles, sending shivers of relief through his body. He spoke practically.
"Still I can see no way in which the Henry family benefits from this alliance. They don't stand to seize any of the Bochanan holdings or venues since the next viable heir to the family holdings would be your brother, if your mother doesn't decide to step in..."
"... This could be solved as easily as convincing them that nothing would profit from this alliance and telling them the circumstances that are the prerequisites to your fathers will have not and will not come to pass... Or it can be as difficult as attempting to bend the rules and traditions of nobility to suit our desires..."

Even as he spoke he couldn't ignore the shudder in her voice. As she messaged his shoulders he reached up and placed a his hand apologetically over the one he grabbed earlier. He sighed.
"Forgive me Myrcella... I know better, I shouldn't have spoken to you that way."
He brought her delicate hand to his lips, kissing the back of her hand tenderly, as a sort of rededication of his services as her butler.
"In the end... We may have to leave Bochanan estate, if only to see matters for ourselves and satisfy the word of the law... But I don't believe for a second that things are as hopeless as they seem."

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella continued to massage Titus Phane 's shoulders, doing what little she knew how to do. It wasn't as though she was trained in it at all. At times she was given massages, and so she tried to recreate what she felt during those times.

"I don't know what their plans for this were. Richard is waiting for word from his older sister to find out if she could discover why. He had tried to escape this fate by running away. And yet....his running away brought him straight here." Funny how that ended up. Instead of running from his planned future, he ended up running straight towards it. It was like escape was impossible.

As Titus took her hand and apoligized with a gentle kiss, she stopped the massage briefly. "I forgive you." Myrcella then proceeded with ridding his shoulders of their tension once he let her hand go. "I am still very much naive to the wide open world and how it works. But yes, it's looking like we'll have to go. I wish that Father was still here, so that I could talk to him...." Their questions may have been answered then if he was.