Chapter 40

She was Ignoring him, sitting right there, four chairs away, across the large dining table. She had not looked his way, not even once.

"I think it's best we wait for the fall" Ma'am Dodda was saying.

"The poor masses complain a whole lot during the fall, if the tax collectors inflate it by then, it would almost look like wickedness on our part" Her voice sliced through the diner to him.

"You know, that is brilliant idea, if the poor masses have plenty harvest then there won't be much complaints from then"

"So what about the rich masses? What time is convenient for them? Or we shouldn't look at it from their perspective?" Astrid's annoying voice came, she sat three seats away from Earl, eating with no care in the world.

"The rich have it all, the tax is just a fraction of what they have, it does not matter when they pay" Nellie's voice was neutral.

They had been at it for the entire meal, two hours of incessant sparing on when to start the tax inflation. Charlie had suggested he call for a large dinner where everyone would present their opinion, left to him, he would have inflated the tax as Nellie said, during the spring.

Earl was tempted to throw the silver tureen of bechamel sauce at Astrid, she just sat there chartering and chattering about unimportant things. Charlie didn't look the least bit pleased either, he just sat there picking on his food.

Nellie had insisted that Ariel, Oliver and Scot should join them on the table. The dinning was large enough to host a lot of people but Ariel's presence seemed to make Charlie uncomfortable. Like Nellie, he avoided looking at Ariel and even when he did, she looked away or just lowered her head.

The only person happily eating at the dinning was Astrid. Oliver was either picking on his food shyly or he was not used to eating in public because he had barely touched the food.

Scot was the closest to Earl on the table, he had only taken a few spoons from the plate and was just picking on the remnants, eagerly waiting for everyone to finish eating so he would leave. Earl understood their plight, it was difficult to eat with your superior and worst still, the Alpha.

Earl sighed and sipped his wine, he had no appetite for the food on the table either, his mind was far away. Contemplating how best to honor Lord Rodhalm's invitation without having to leave the Castle. Surely he couldn't send his aids instead, Lord Rodhalm and his wife had insisted he honor the invitation himself.

Something else tugged at his mind as his eyes scanned the table, it would be expected that he came with a lady, presumably his Luna. Earl cussed silently at the thought of that. Bloody hell! They knew Luna had left him, but they also knew he had another lady in his chambers.

He didn't know how but words had spread that there was a certain lady who warmed his bed during the night. Poor Nellie, he could picture her angry face in his mind if she eventually got wind of that news. Whoever had spread that rumor and how it had gotten out of the castle, Earl could not ascertain. At the moment, he had to look for someone to go with him to the ball. Would Nellie honor his invitation? He only had to ask to find out.

"... stayed the night with the knights" Oliver was saying.

"What was that?" Earl asked, bemused.

"Oh, I asked him to do a little rhyme, My Lord. He said he did that as a boy before he joined the army" Astrid supplied.

"You shouldn't have, this is a diner and he is no longer a 'boy' his job now is to protect" Earl admonished with a stern look.

Oliver looked down, embarrassed. The glare on Nellie's face was enough to make Astrid drop dead.

"Nellie, Oliver is your personal guard and you are the only one to give him instructions which he must obey, I believe you know that" It was the first time he was directing a conversation at her.

"I know that, My Lord"

"Oliver, I'll take this as your first and last mistake. The next time any other person apart from Lady Nellie here gives you an order and you obey, I'll make sure you are skinned properly"

"Forgive me, My Lord" Oliver bowed curtly, obviously shaken from the threat.

"Good." Facing Astrid now, he added, "Astrid I expect you to know your boundaries"

"It was just harmless…"

"Enough! You have no write to send anyone on errands here or order anyone around. Except in your chambers of course"

"Yes, Lord Earl" She pressed her lips in a thin line and shifted her gaze to the food.

The rest of the dinner was silent, only the faint sound of cutleries colliding with plates, Earl's eyes never left Nellie's, she sipped on her wine occasionally, quiet not to attract any attention. Once when their eyes met, he could swear she eyed him. But Earl shook his head in resignation, he had had a long day listening to enough chattering that he was beginning to think like a drunk. Giving one last sigh, he pushed his plates away and stood up cautiously, he had to sleep, at least for a little bit.

If Nellie was mad at him, which he couldn't ascertain why, then it was better he rested his head before she came in to join him in the room later, or had she heard the rumors about her warming his bed? If that is the case, then going back to the room might not be a nice idea after all.

Regardless, he stood up from his seat, "I'll leave first, I have a few papers to sort before retiring for the day"

"Ok son, don't work yourself up too much" Ma'am Dodda stood up and gave him a light peck on the forehead.

"Thank you Ma'am Dodda, the meal was sumptuous"

"You flatter me" She laughed heartily.

"I'll come with you, there is a paper I need to show you" Charlie stood up from his seat too.

Earl made a mental roll of his eyes and headed up the stairs with Charlie following closely behind. Whatever was making him leave the table, it had nothing to do with a paper, Charlie was either avoiding something or someone.

They were in his study in no time, Earl sank into a seat while Charlie poured them vodka, they drank in silent for a while until the first glass was half empty.

"What are you running from?" Earl finally spoke.

"Running?"

"Don't play dumb lass, is it Ariel?"

"Ahh" Charlie sank back in his seat in resignation.

"What is it?"

"I don't know what to do again," Charlie confessed.

"I think I might have done something very bad"

"Typical you" Earl chuckled, when they were younger, Charlie was known to be the ladies man. He had no care in the world as to how many he took provided he was satisfied.

"She has turned meddling into such a perfectible craft, impressive really, even when one is a target of such… determination"

The comment directed Earl's thoughts to another determined female, with shiny black hair and milky skin. Eyes as green as turquoise, one with ego who simply refused to alter her course. Only with her, the course of determination was different. She had totally ignored him today, and quite unlike her, had not defended Oliver from Astrid's fool errand. Something was indeed wrong and he was scared to find out what it was. She was yet to say what it was, but he was certain he was the center of whatever foul mood she had on and for the meantime, he knew she was only granting him reprieve.

"Here now, Charlie, I'm sure it's not that bad. If a female makes you feel so uneasy and uncomfortable then I am dying to meet her, she must be a goddess to have such an effect on you" Earl gave him a charming smile.

"Really" Charlie was glaring at him now. "Talking to you about important things is always a disaster"

"Come on now man, when did women ever become an important topic of discussion for you? This one must hit really hard, tell me about her" He did his best to wear a serious look which seemed to work on Charlie because he continued.

"It might surprise you" Charlie studied him for a while, "Or it might not"

"You think so?" Earl could not help the chuckle. "Is it Astrid then, if it is, then I'm afraid you were right, it will not surprise me. She seemed a bit too happy to see you earlier"

"I do not wish Astrid for my enemy. But if I think about it again, you both make a wonderful couple only that you won't take your eyes off Nellie"

That got Earl, he flung a folded sheet across at Charlie which he dodged effortlessly. They both laughed for a while before Earl said, "Nellie is a hard nut to crack" He admitted

"That shouldn't be a problem if you have nothing for her," Charlie told him in the same flat tone.

"Enough of me already, who is this lady bothering you"

"Even if I told you, you won't believe it"

"Tell me"

"well, it's Ariel"

"Hah, I thought so too. I saw the tension between you two at the table, I always knew you had something for her" Earl shrugged in indifference, "But that shouldn't stop me from. Asking, why her?"

"I would have asked myself the same question, as a matter of fact, I have actually been asking myself the same question. For some strange reason, she believes I am her mate and wouldn't have it any other way.I have tried everything to keep her away but I'm afraid my defense is weakening" He said the last part in a whisper.

"Any evidence to back up her claims?"

"Nothing. Apart from her strong will to make me realize it ofcourse"

"You are in more trouble than I imagined, what did you say you did? What is your last resort?"

"Well, last night something happened… between us" Charlie shut his eyes briefly as if to remind himself he was sleeping.

"What?" Earl gave him a knowing look to which he nodded in affirmation.

"Only, I was too rough, it was supposed to be a punishment. To keep her off, but I guess I took it too far, I hurt her Earl. And I have had no peace since yesterday that it happened"

"You should have controlled yourself at least" Earl eyed his friend.

"It's difficult with Ariel, I don't know what to do. I think she did it to prove a point though… like some sort of retribution, I don't know"

"Was she satisfied with the results?"

Charlie filled his glass again and drank from it in a hard gulp, "She only thanked me and left… I didn't expect her to be so strong after…" He caught himself midway through the sentence like he had been about to say something forbidden, "Earl, I don't know… I think she is different. Something is different about her, I don't know what it is but she is too bold and courageous for a maid of her class".

"Maybe she is just the bold type, if you had warned her off as soon as she started, the story would have been different, I'm sure" Earl drank from his own glass too.

"You don't understand, Earl. She can read my thoughts, she can disguise without being detected. She knows what I'm thinking even when she's not there… She is too composed and confident" Charlie paused, "I am losing myself, Earl. She lives in my head now, her thoughts… her scent, her hair. I'm afraid I hurt her so bad"

Earl held his glass halfway to his mouth, the frown on his face deepened, these were not far from the things he thought and felt these days. Only this time, the thoughts were with a different Lady, determined and delicate Nellie.

"Have you tried apologizing… maybe it will help"

"I figure she is pissed. She wouldn't even look at me"

"That should help, you wanted her to stay away, right?"

"I thought so too"

"I guess not, you have to find out if there is an atom of truth in what she said about being your mate then"

Charlie raised his head long enough to glare at Earl which only earned a chuckle from him, "You know what I think about commitments, certainly not spiritual commitments and of all people, definitely not with Ariel"

"Oh. But she is already having so much effect on you, and like it or not, you already share a special bond with her" Earl was tempted to laugh at the scrawl on Charlie's face.

"What bond?" He snorted.

"You took her to…"

"Don't! I never said that"

"But you implied that! What else would make you feel so guilty if not that you took her…" The words cut up in his throat when he saw the devilish glare on his friend's face. Earl raised his hands in resignation.

Charlie ran one hand through his hair in pure exasperation, "That is not the point, Earl"

"Oh. Remind me what the point is, dear boy." Earl filled his glass again and drank from it.

"She is different, I can feel it"

"Different from the previous ones that have graced your bed before now? Or different from the rest of us, which one?"

"She is too sensitive to be a maid, she knows more than… I don't know"

"That is true, but you know you can find out. You need to get closer to her to do so, but in the process, soothe your aching heart by apologizing first. Your mother had a true mate, find out if it's possible for a lady to know her mate before the male even realizes"

"I already did"

"Then you don't have a problem"

"That is exactly my problem!"

The sudden way he said it made Earl regard him seriously for a while. "You already asked your mother about this? This is deeper than I thought. And if I remember correctly, the Witcher affirmed a female can spot her true mate way before the true mate realizes- if they had met before"

"My mother affirmed that too, which is outrageous. But the thing is, I have never met Ariel before, apart from here in the castle of course. In fact, I never noticed her until Nellie came"

The mention of Nellie's name only reminded Earl of his own problems, "Maybe she just made it up then" Earl shrugged.

"Something in me believes her, Earl"

"In what?"

"Then I'm afraid, you are trapped and there is only one way to find out"

"Which is?"

"The Witcher" The look on Charlie's face showed disapproval "Or you can follow your instincts"

His instincts. Charlie downed his glass in resignation.