“Will you be needing your dining clothes for court sir?” The Valet asked.
“No, Thank you Justin. I don’t think I’ll need them for this trip.” Eric said.
Michelle adjusted her dolls skirt and looked up at her father “Why do you have to go Daddy?”
“Because an old friend needs me.” Eric replied.
“Can I come with you? I can help.”
Eric knelt before his daughter “I’m sure you can help sweetheart, but Daddy has to ride fast. And besides, I need you here to take care of Mommy.”
“But Jeremy and David will be here, they can take care of mommy.” The child said pleadingly.
“That’s enough of that young lady.” Came a voice from the doorway.
Eric turned to see his wife enter the room.
She regarded the valet with a smile. “Justin would you be so kind to take Michelle and have her wash for dinner?”
“Right away Milady. This way please miss.” The valet indicated as he headed to the door.
Kissing his daughters cheek, Eric then rose and embraced his wife.
As the door closed behind them she looked at him with her brilliant blue eyes. “You’re going then?”
With a sigh Eric released her “Constance we’ve already been through all of this.” He sat on the bed. “I’ve sent notice to the Duke, The boys are home, and Devin will act in my stead He’ll take care of anything official while I’m away. I’ll be back in a few weeks.”
“I know” she said quietly. “It’s just that…”
“It’s just that it’s Sheila.” He finished for her.
She looked away.
“Honey, I love you.” Eric said. “What happened with me and Sheila happened many years ago, before I ever met you. That is all in the past.”
Touching her face gently he turned her towards him. “Bobby has been killed. Murdered. He was my friend and I’m honor bound to lay him to rest and help as I can.”
Constance nodded. “I don’t want you going alone.”
“I won’t be alone” Eric said as he hugged his wife tightly “Cannon and Fodder will be going with me.” He winced slightly.
She bristled “Oh Eric, not those two. They’re overgrown children!”
“Who happened to have saved my life twice in the Shield Lands.” He responded firmly.
“I suppose” she said with a hint of resignation and then continued. “You are an honorable man, Sir Eric Pontifax I suppose that’s part of why I married you.”
“We should be getting downstairs for dinner” he said as he kissed her neck.
“Dinner will wait.” She responded.
To be continued…
Nice installment. Eric has mellowed in his old age.
ReplyDeleteAs an aside, why are women in pulp stories always insecure in their relationships? (Although Constance reminds me of an ex who saw every woman I was on speaking terms with as a threat.) Although it creates an interesting juxtaposition here, and helps reinforce the idea that we're in a noir world, rather than a strict medieval fantasy.
I was drawing on personal experience as well as far as Constance's insecurities. It must be a universal theme.
ReplyDeleteAh. I didn't get that this was based on the cartoon for a while. I missed that phase of TSR marketing wizardry. But even not knowing these characters, I really like the mash-up of noir and D&D. If D&D novels were written like this, I might read more.
ReplyDelete