Chapter Six
Jaq
“I’ve been looking for that one, please add that to my personal pile, or no…no…give it here. There was just one thing I needed to check first.” Jaq took the book offered, trying to ignore the mess and the noise as he flicked through the pages.
It was two days after his unusual and life-changing conversation with Crown Prince Serron and Patin, Duke of Folkon. His mother had barely checked over the contract Serron supplied, although she did check that Jaq had read it, which he had. It was missing two commas, which he included and then signed. His mother was happy he had finally accepted an offer, the two men he was now contracted to were happy, and Jaq was left trying to organize five years’ worth of book acquisition into six trunks that would be carried by cart to Monce.
“Did he say that the World Council made that decree in…no. See.” Jaq stabbed the book page. “This is twenty years later which means… Darn, where did my papers go? I need to write this down.”
“They are already packed away, Your Highness.” Hugo, one of the footmen was closing up the last of the trunks. “The queen suggested that you take the time to get changed for your journey. You are due to leave by the next bell.”
“Really?” Jaq glanced at the clock and then did another take. Where did the time go? “Will this book fit…” He started to ask but Hugo was already shaking his head.
“There is barely room for an insect in here, Your Highness, and this is the last one.” He hoisted the trunk to his shoulder with a grunt and strode out of the room.
“But…” Jaq looked at the book in his hand, and then at the three other books that had been with his papers, but had been left by whoever had packed them away. “I’ll have to see if they’ll fit in with my clothes,” he muttered, picking up the heavy publications, juggling them in his arms along with the one he was already carrying. As he turned, he smacked into a larger person and the books fell to the floor.
“I am so sorry.” Patin was smiling as he bent to pick up the four books. “I should’ve guessed you didn’t see me there. I came to inquire if there were any last little details I could help with.”
“Patin, you are a godsend. Since my man, Templeton, decided to use my marriage as a reason to retire, I’ve been trying to cope with all this organization by myself.” Jaq puffed, flicking his hair out of his eyes with the back of his hand. “Or disorganization as the case may be. The library trunks have already gone down to the carriages, and I’ve been assured there is absolutely no room left for these four books. But I've been using these as references, and I need to take them with us. I can’t believe they were just left on the table.”
“Hmm, they’re not small.” Although Patin didn’t seem to have any trouble juggling them in his hands. “Do you have any canvas, or something waterproof they could be wrapped in? We could stash them in the gaps between the trunks in the carriage, if you were confident they wouldn’t be damaged.”
“Yes. Yes, that would work. That’s a brilliant idea, thank you. We just need something waterproof and malleable. Waterproof and malleable…” Jaq tapped his chin, slowly turning in a full circle as he scanned all the objects in his library.
“The table covering,” he said excitedly, pointing at the table in question. “Mother ordered it for me to protect the tabletops from my ink. It has a wipeable surface and repels water. Now… where did I put my scissors?” He huffed as he looked around. There were so many gaps in the bookshelves, and none of his pens or bits he typically kept on the table could be seen. “I can’t seem to find anything at the moment, I am so terribly sorry.”
“I’ll put these books here,” Patin said stacking the books on a handy chair. “And then we can use this” - he pulled a knife from the side of his boot - “to convert this cloth into four suitable wrappings for the books. Would that be suitable?”
It was perfect as far as Jaq was concerned. Within a very short time, four books were well secured against the elements, and by the time Hugo had come back, the parcels were ready to go down to the carriage.
“Your Highness, your mother did say you were supposed to be getting changed for your journey,” Hugo reminded him in what he probably thought was a helpful manner. “Have all your clothes and accessories been packed for the trip? They will need to go down to the carriage as well.”
“Templeton would’ve…” Jaq’s eyes widened. “Except he left the castle yesterday to visit his sister in the next county over. Oh, no…”
“Your Highness, please don’t fret. As Crown Prince Serron’s valet, I am well versed in packing things quickly,” Patin said softly. “If you don’t think it’s an imposition, I would be more than happy to gather your belongings necessary for the trip.”
“I meant to ask mother to assign someone to do it for me.” Jaq was distracted by the various gaps in his bookshelves. “Unfortunately, I believe my note to do that was packed along with everything else that was on this table. I feel I’m already imposing on your good nature, Patin, and have no wish to take advantage any further…”
“Hugo, would you mind taking these books down to the carriage containing the trunks and ensure they are kept as protected as possible against the elements, thank you,” Patin interrupted, waiting until Hugo had escaped from the library with the books under his arm.
“Your Highness, Crown Prince Serron instructed me to be of as much use to you as possible, given the lack of notice you were given for the journey. I will gather your things for you while you change your clothes.”
“I do apologize,” Jaq said, giving one last look around the library that had been his favorite place in the Elembaum castle since he was a child. “I believe I’m feeling a little overwhelmed. That must be it. I should have been better organized. I don’t want either one of you to find me burdensome.”
“Crown Prince Serron is taking his leave from your mother, so we still have some time. If you can direct me to your suite…?”
“Yes. We should do that.” Jaq was just about to leave when he spotted a slim book of poetry his sister Evangaline had written before her marriage to the then Crown Prince of Tyrion. Sprinting across the room, he grabbed the small book and quickly tucked it into his jacket. “That one will fit in with my clothes,” he said, hurrying back to where Patin was waiting by the door. “No extra packaging required.”
“The Monce Castle does have an extensive library,” Patin said, matching Jaq’s pace as they hurried to his suite. “Queen Sophie sent word to her son yesterday that she was happy to allow you free reign of the space and the various collections already there as part of her wedding present to you and your fiancé.”
“That is very kind of Her Majesty.” Jaq glanced at Patin’s face. “Is it a widely used space, by staff or family members? The library I mean.”
“No, Your Highness.” Patin shook his head, and Jaq caught the glimmer of a smile in the stoic expression. “Queen Sophie has arranged a deep clean of the area so that it will be dust-free when you arrive, and she commissioned a dozen new bookshelves to be added to the space when she learned of the trunks you were bringing with you.”
“As I said, she is being uncommonly kind, and I do appreciate it. I should endeavor to find her a small gift during our trip to show my appreciation.”
“Your arrival will be gift enough, Your Highness. Queen Sophie is very keen to make your acquaintance.”
Still distracted, Jaq pushed open the door to his suite, stopping as he saw a pile of three giftboxes on his desk. There were also two trunks on the floor, already half filled with clothes – or what appeared to be clothes as they were wrapped in a soft cream cloth and fastened with ribbon.
“They weren’t there when I left my room this morning.” Jaq thought for a moment and then he remembered. “Mother ordered me a new wardrobe for the wedding and my life as a married man I suppose, so it seems half of our packing worries are already taken care of, Patin. I will likely just need footwear and traveling clothes which you’ll find over in the closet there.” He indicated where Templeton had kept his clothes and went over to the desk, picking up one of the boxes and shaking it gently.
“It’s not books.” Jaq noticed an envelope with his name on the front of it, written in an elegant script. Popping open the wax seal, Jaq grimaced as he noticed the crest on it. Pulling out a single piece of paper, he shook his head as he read what was written on it.
“It would appear Crown Prince Rupert has not yet been informed about my impending marriage. He has sent me garters, which I do not wear, cufflinks, and a gentleman’s token so that I can think of his good wishes every time I wear them.” Jaq dropped the letter onto the table. “I don’t believe we will include these in the packing. If you think of it, could you please remind me to inform Mother his gifts will need returning. I don’t see the point in sending him a note with the return. I’m sure he’ll never read it anyway.”
“Given that we’re in the privacy of your suite, Jaq,” Patin said with an emphasis on his first name. “Crown Prince Rupert appears to still be intent on courting you. Are you sure you’d rather not accept his offer instead?”
“No and not least because he’s already rescinded his offer, something I was highly grateful for. At the risk of sounding ridiculously inappropriate, I have felt more comfortable with you and Serron in the past two days than I have felt with anyone else in my life. That is what is important to me.” Feeling his cheeks flush, Jaq added quickly, “I’ll just grab some travel clothes and change in my bathing chamber. Please excuse me.”
Goodness, you’d think you’d never had a friend help you out before. Jaq shook his finger in the reflection of the silverplated mirror. Dial it down a bit or you’ll embarrass the poor man. He quickly did what he had to do, including changing his clothes. He wasn’t a fan of wearing a heavier coat, but the weather would likely be chilly. My goodness, I have no idea where I’ll even be sleeping tonight. Talk about disorganization. I’ll just have to trust these two men know what they are doing.
Trust them. Jaq stopped in the act of fastening the buttons on his longer coat, caught in random thoughts of the past two days, realizing that he did trust the men he was about to travel with and that wasn’t usually like him. But there were a lot of little things Jaq saw, aside from the connection between the two that he couldn’t ignore every time he looked at them. They might have been little things, but they truly meant the world to Jaq.
How Serron and Patin were so happy to dine with him each night and didn’t seem to mind some of the random facts he’d just come out with because that was the sort of person he was.
How they were affectionate with each other, but never to the point they might make Jaq uncomfortable.
How happy they were to share stories about their own lives – not in a way that was someone bragging about their position or accomplishments.
They shared fun stories about the time Patin shoved Serron’s head under the water when they were swimming one time, because Serron said Patin had put on a few pounds.
Or the time when Serron gave Patin his title as Duke of Folkon because he was tired of Patin being treated like a footman rather than respected for the position he had in Serron’s life.
How Patin didn’t speak to Serron for two whole days when he was given his title, because Patin genuinely believed he didn’t need or want it.
“I had to do a lot of communicating during those two days,” Serron said at their dinner the night before. “I learned it was important to consult my partner on everything, and to not blindly assume that just because I thought something was a good idea, that Patin would automatically think it would be, too.”
“That’s because you were born a crown prince,” Patin had teased. “You were raised to believe every idea out of your head was a good one, even if you decided to do something silly.”
Jaq remembered laughing along with them. He liked that the two men treated each other as equals in private, and that they were comfortable enough around him to share their true selves.
Tilting his head, Jaq could hear low voices coming from his outer rooms. You’re dawdling and that’s probably Serron waiting for you. Quickly fastening the rest of his buttons, Jaq flicked his fingers through his hair.
I’m off on a great adventure with two new friends. The wedding, the expectations that strangers might have about him – Jaq wasn’t going to worry about anything like that. Monce had a library, and Jaq was well used to filling his days. If only the trip didn’t involve three days on a horse to get there. Jaq sighed as he opened the bathroom door. He never had learned to read while he was on horseback.