Bookworld Online: Marsh Man

Mona walked around Selena to me and took both of my hands and held them. “Please, don't kill my son over this. He doesn't understand what it means to threaten you like that.”

“Mother, Marcus knows exactly what he's saying.” Helena said as she walked around the table. “He's been threatening harm every chance he gets. With him only saying that he won't have David killed is just one more slap in the face of our family's honor.”

“He knows you can't challenge him.” Selena said as she looked at me. “He must. It's the only explanation.”

Helena shook her head. “He's even more ignorant that I thought he was.”

“What do you mean?” Mona asked. “If they can't challenge each other, we don't have to worry.”

“Mother.” Helena sighed. “David doesn't care about duelling rules. He wasn't born a noble with the rules of conduct instilled into him since he was a child. His mind doesn't work that way. He grew up surrounded by death and he fought constantly to stay alive every day. He can just go to Marcus and cut his throat, because that's all of the attention and effort he deserves. He's an annoyance and nothing more.”

“N-no, he... he's my son and...” Mona closed her eyes and sighed. “I'm sorry that I've failed as a mother.”

“No, mother. You did everything you could with what you had.” Helena said. “It's father's fault. He coddled him too much. If he had treated him like he treated us, Marcus would be a much better person.”

“Your father's a good man.” Mona said.

“No, he's a powerful man.” Helena corrected. “He's done good and he's done bad.” She looked at me. “Like what just happened with David.”

“Your father told the truth. That man was dying.” Mona said.

“Yes, he was. The point was, he wasn't going to live past the questioning anyway, even if we treated his wounds.” Helena said and Mona didn't respond.

“I think we should go.” I said and Mona let my hands go. “Did the staff check out?”

“Yes, and I've already sent them for new uniforms and supplies. The cooks will have breakfast ready for us in the morning.” Helena said and took my hand. “The guards are cleared as well. We have to wait until the start of the week before we can contact the breeders for horses to put in the stables.”

“You have to handle it, since I have to register at the academy.” I said.

Helena glanced at her sister. “I really should have Selena keep an eye out for you at school.”

“I'm only in second year; but, I do have a lot of friends.” Selena said. “I'll make sure to let them know to keep an eye out for the older first year student.”

Helena sighed slightly. “David, I'm sorry. You're going to be three years older, maybe more in some cases, than the other first year students.”

“They start when they are seventeen?” I asked.

“Usually, unless they have exceptional talent, then they can start as young as fifteen.” Helena said. “You can also stay and continue your study past the required three years if you want to learn other things.”

“They don't count as new students?” I asked and she shook her head.

“They become alumni and are usually asked to be assistants in the courses they've already mastered.”

“Not many choose that life.” Mona said. “There might be a handful in the entire academy. Most leave to pursue a career and to make a name for themselves.”

“I'll do my best to help you prepare tomorrow for what it's going to be like there.” Helena said and this time she let out a long slow sigh. “You need to know that a lot of them... a lot... are going to be just like my brother.”

“Do you mean personality or his behavior?” I asked, just to be sure.

“In some cases, both.” Helena said, her voice sad. “You can't retaliate against them, either. It's against the school rules and you'll be expelled.”

“No, he'll just be punished severely.” Mona said.

“What?” Helena and Selena said at the same time.

“Your father arranged for him to enrol in the academy and he has to stay there for three years.”

“Mother, that... you can't... he can't be kept prisoner!” Helena exclaimed.

“He's not a prisoner. He just can't be thrown out for his behavior.” Mona said. “Although, I think there was a condition about you quitting on your own and being able to leave then.”

Helena took in a sharp breath. “Mother! You can't mean...”

“Yes, your father made sure that if David decides to quit, he's not only giving up learning magic, he's also breaking his word.” Mona gave me a sad face. “You would have to leave Helena behind as well.”

“No! David never agreed to this!” Helena said loudly.

“He did and his words were very specific.” Mona said with a sigh. “My husband took those words and twisted them for his own ends, which I now realize was his way of getting rid of you before you hurt or killed my son for his stupidity.”

“Mother! You have to...” Helena started to say.

“It's much too late for me to do anything.” Mona interrupted her. “David's going to spend the next three years at the mercy of people that know he's lower in social status than a commoner, unless he quits and breaks his word to the family and to you.”

Helena's eyes went hard as she glared at her mother. “Well, then. I sincerely hope you're going to be happy all alone here at the mansion, mother.”

“What do you mean?” Mona asked, confused.

“I promise you on my blood, as a high ranked mage of the guild and my father's daughter, that I, David, and our children will never step foot inside this house.” Helena spat.

“What? No!” Mona gasped. “Helena, please don't say such things!”

“I'm done with my father manipulating things. I'm done with Marcus and his stupid threats. I'm done with having to defend a man that almost single handedly saved thousands of people, not to mention saving this kingdom from collapse and turning the tide in a decades long war.” Helena said. “I will no longer subject myself and my fiance to ridicule and belittlement BY MY OWN FAMILY!”

Mona winced at the nearly completely shrill shriek that her daughter had achieved.

“My father didn't even bother coming to the new mansion when it was completed, which means he's in complete denial about how seriously wrong things are in this family.” Helena looked into my eyes. “David, I want you to devote our primary work crew to making those wonderful workbenches and ornate tables. We are going to make a fortune with them and we are going to refuse to sell to my family and cousins. We will also put a ban on anyone reselling to them. If anyone is caught, they and their family will be banned as well.”

“Yes, dearest.” I said.

“That includes the new health and healing potions, too.” Helena said. “When people learn that you have a healing one that replaces all of the others and for a cheaper cost, everyone in the kingdom will want them.” She gave me a demure smile. “You don't have to worry about the practising license until you graduate in three years, because academy students automatically get a provisional one.”

“I can make as many potions as I want and sell them?” I asked, surprised.

“Yes, and you have a very closed market if you only sell to the students, which you shouldn't do.” Helena advised. “Most are going to look down on you and they don't deserve to have access to your work, any more than my family does.”

“Hey! I'm not involved with any of this!” Selena said and stood.

“I know, Selena. You can come by and visit whenever you want. I'm sure my children would love to meet someone from my original family.”

Mona caught her breath and tears came to her eyes. “Helena, please...”

“Make sure you tell father that this is his fault.” Helena said. “He'll have heirs to the Henrietta Family and that he's not allowed to see them, all because he thinks his son is worth more than his daughter.”

“Helena, that... isn't...”

“You can't even lie and say it's not true.” Helena said and turned away from her mother. “I'll have our servants stay long enough to pack up the rest of our things and then you'll never see us again.”

“No! Please... I'll... I'll speak to your father and...”

“You already said it was too late.” Helena said and led me to the door of the room. “Tell him the same thing. Tell him... tell him that he went too far. That I could only take so much from Marcus and from him. I've had enough. He can sit here in his huge empty mansion, suckle my brother on his bigoted teat, and he can live the rest of his life wondering why he was so stupid to push me away without a second thought.”

Mona had a look of deep sorrow on her face as we left the room.

Helena burst into tears before we made it down the hallway. I picked her up and took her to her room and she clung to me so tightly that if I didn't have so many fortifying potions inside of me, she would have easily strangled me.

Jill was shocked at the sight of her, then I quickly explained. “Yes, my lord. I'll fulfill my lady's wishes immediately.”

“Thank you.” I said and left with Helena still in my arms. When we stepped out the front door, the guards gave me stern looks at the state Helena was in. “She broke emotional ties with her family over her brother's and father's stupidity.” I said as an explanation and both guards looked surprised.

In any case, they didn't stop me as I walked down to the road. The coach was still nowhere to be seen, so I carried her all the way back to our own mansion. We didn't meet anyone on the way, considering it was dark out, and we made it to the mansion without incident. Helena was still unconsolable as I activated the weight enchantments on the front doors.

I unlocked them and stepped inside with her, shut and locked them again, and left the enchantment activated. The staff would be arriving soon and they would need to get in. Hope and Sara saw us and ran ahead to the master bedroom to open it up for me. I took Helena inside and laid her down on the bed, then I thought about what I could do for her. She had taken steps to stop both her brother and her father from messing with me any more, and I wasn't sure what I could do to thank her.

No one had ever done anything like that for me before and it took me a couple of minutes to realize what she actually did. She had put herself into almost the same situation that I had with my own original family. We were both almost completely ostracized by our family, our mothers were too stubborn to not take their husband's side, and only one family member even wanted to stay in contact. Both were our sisters, too.

Then I recalled her words about her original family. If they were her original family, it meant that she and I would be making our own family. I nodded to my maids and they understood what I wanted. They quickly stripped me down to nakedness and then did the same for Helena. She continued to cry for the family she had lost; but, she didn't fight their hands or being unclothed.

I climbed onto the bed with her and hovered over her face. “Let's make babies.”

Helena let out a loud sob, then she took in a deep breath. “David, we...”

“Married or not, you can still have babies.” I said and felt between her legs with my hand. She was quickly ready and I slid myself inside of her.

Helena gasped and gripped me tightly. “D-David, I... all right.” She looked deep into my eyes. “Concentrate. Don't let the magic only make me feel good. You want your magic and mine to combine inside of me. When you finish, infuse it with all your might and give it to me.”

“Will that work?” I asked.

“Doing it the opposite way has been stopping me from getting pregnant, so yes. I guarantee that it will work.” Helena said, then we made love right there with two witnesses. It was required when conception was being formally recorded.

About ten minutes later, I was done and I actually felt exhausted as I infused what I spilled into her with my magic. I felt Helena's magic merge completely with mine and then the feeling completely disappeared.

“It worked!” Sara exclaimed happily. “I've never felt it happen so quickly!”

“Oh, my god.” Hope whispered. “You did it.”

Helena was now pregnant with a baby that had both of our magics infused into it.