Chapter Eight
Patin
When Serron and Patin had traveled from Monce to Elembaum, they had ridden alone, staying the nights in inns along the way. However, the queen of Elembaum wasn’t comfortable with Jaq traveling with just the two men as an escort and insisted four of her guards accompany them at least to the Monce border. Apparently, she had already sent word to Queen Sophie to have guards waiting for them there to provide further security for the trip to the castle.
Patin had already organized the carts carrying Jaq’s books and belongings to travel separately, along with more guards. If anything happened to Jaq’s precious possessions, Patin doubted anyone could convince Jaq to stay married to Serron at all, so he ensured they were well protected. As Serron hated traveling alongside carts or carriages, they would ride at their own pace.
The day was pleasant enough for riding, although the air was chilly. They made good time, reaching their first stop for the night before the sun had fully set. Serron opted for them to eat in their rooms, Jaq joining them for their meal in the double room Serron had ordered for himself and Patin. Jaq declared himself happy with a single room that was well-appointed and comfortable. As it was immediately next door to Serron’s, they could easily be guarded, allowing two guards a time to sleep in shifts.
The three men had made a good dent in the food when Patin suddenly remembered Serron had been going to say something about Jaq’s father before they’d left. “Serron, was it my imagination, or was the king not overly happy with you when we left Elembaum castle?”
Serron flicked a worried glance at Jaq and then said, “No, he wasn’t, and he did make a point of letting me know about it. Put simply, the king had a few issues with the wording of the marriage contract. If you recall, he didn’t sign off on it – it was the queen who did that, and our Jaq, of course, read and signed it on his own behalf. The king didn’t get to see a copy of it until after it had been filed with the World Council and…let’s just say there were things he would’ve added to it if he’d been informed.”
“I didn’t see anything wrong with it, and we are the ones who have to abide by the clauses.” Jaq popped the last of a piece of bread into his mouth then sat back with a sigh. “I never knew spending a full day on a horse could be so tiring. I do believe I’ll have a permanent saddle imprint in my behind by the time we get to Monce.”
“It’s only for three days.” Patin grinned. “I can ask the innkeeper to arrange a bath for you in your room if you think that will help?”
But Jaq was shaking his head. “I noticed this place does not have water piped into the rooms, and I am not asking anyone to lug buckets of water up those narrow stairs just so I can soothe some aching bones. It just goes to show I need more exercise than an hour a day on a horse. But it’s no matter. I’ll retire shortly and leave you gentlemen to your privacy. But Serron, you were talking about my father. What possible issue could he have with the contract we signed?”
Patin was curious about that, too. He and Serron had worked hard on the wording to ensure all parties could live honestly with the clauses included, while being as fair to Jaq as they could be. As he watched Serron’s face – the man clearly didn’t want to answer – the cogs in his brain shifted, and he had an “aha” moment. “The king wasn’t happy that there was no fidelity clause in the contract?”
Serron’s nod was sharp. “That and the lack of piss-off clause was more than he could handle. I was subject to a fairly lengthy lecture before the queen joined us, which boiled down to the fact that he felt I was using and abusing my royal position as being higher ranked than you, Jaq, and I was effectively tying you to a marriage where I could still take my royal pleasure wherever I pleased and with whomever, and there was nothing you could do about it.”
“That’s a very odd stance for Father to take.” Jaq winced as he moved in his chair, and Patin reached over, pulling a cushion from the bed and handing it to him. “Thank you, Patin.” Jaq stuffed the cushion behind his back.
“But with regard to my father’s lecture, I apologize on his behalf even though I’m confused by the things he said. Technically there is nothing in our marriage contract that would stop me from taking my royal pleasure wherever and with whomever I liked, either. I mean, obviously, I wouldn’t because I believe exchanging vows is something important that should be respected, and I already know you two are solid and wouldn’t stray from each other. It’s all very weird.”
Serron winced. “I don’t think your father ever considered you would seek pleasure with others. His displeasure was purely with me.”
Jaq tilted his head. “I think I’m supposed to say something about how I don’t understand why my father would ever dismiss my abilities in matters of intimacy that way, but I believe that might be something a father might think about any of their children, and it’s fine…” He chuckled and then quickly covered a yawn. “He knows me more than he realizes, but please don’t let that little matter distress you any more than it has.”
He's never been intimate with anyone? A quick glance at Serron had Patin realizing Serron was thinking the same thing.
“I am going to take my leave if you gentlemen will excuse me.” Jaq stood up, leaning heavily on his chair to do so. “I have had more fresh air today than I have had in the past month and seriously need to get some rest if I am going to be fit to sit on a horse all day tomorrow.”
“Jaq, if we need to discuss what your father said…” Serron started to say, but Jaq put up his hand.
“Honestly, I am too tired to consider anything. In my little head, I am marrying two men who have already made a long and solid commitment to each other. That makes us a triple…” Jaq frowned and shook his head. “No, that makes us a throuple – is that even a word? But anyway, if there are sharing of intimacies involved in my future life, they would be shared with the men I made my commitment to, and as we have all agreed that’s not going to happen, I feel we should just put this topic to bed. Along with me, who has to get to bed. To get some decent sleep. Good night gentlemen, sleep well. Oh, I can’t stop yawning. So rude of me.”
Patin watched in amazement as Jaq stumbled across the room and out the door. There was a muffled conversation, likely with the guards outside, and then the sound of another door closing was clearly heard.
“Did he just say what I thought he said?” Patin turned to Serron in confusion.
“I know the words he used, but I’m not sure he knows he used them.” Serron frowned. “I don’t recall us even discussing intimacies or the lack of them in our negotiations – only that he needed to know that you and I were already intimate, which was the fair and right thing to tell him. I’m not sure where he got the idea from that we’d all agreed to…what have we agreed to?”
“I’m not sure, either.” Patin got up and stretched, before holding out his hand to his partner and tugging him from his chair. “You have to admit it’s an intriguing idea,” he said softly, as Serron rested his head on Patin’s chest. “If you try to tell me otherwise, I’ll know you’re lying to me.”
“We have never discussed taking anyone else into our bed,” Serron protested although from the thickening Patin could feel pressed against his lower region, he knew Serron was intrigued by the idea.
“We haven’t married anyone else before, either,” Patin said, keeping his voice low. “We have a lot of things going on right now, with this trip, the wedding, your father’s health and the possible ramifications that lack of health might mean for you in particular. Let’s get home to Monce, let life settle down again, and then, when we’re not exhausted from spending the day on a horse, we might be inclined to discuss it more fully. Agreed?”
“So, you’re not opposed to it either?” It was so typical that Serron would want to check with him first. From the day they made their personal commitment to each other, Serron always worked to let Patin know how important he was.
“I confess, I might have had a passing thought as to what those saddle imprints on Jaq’s behind might look like,” Patin admitted, cupping Serron’s face and resting his forehead on his partner’s. “But I would never be so crass as to mention it when you are in my arms, and our lips are about to be joined.”
“I’m so glad I wasn’t the only one who had those thoughts.” Serron was still chuckling when Patin took the kiss that was offered.