One year ago "Johnathan! You out here?" His eyes narrowed and a frown crossed his face. Placing an arm over his eyes, he took a deep breath and tried to ignore the calling. He was enjoying the silent moment, the tranquility and peace he rarely got these days. "Johnathan!" His ears were beginning to burn in frustration and he lifted his arm from his eyes. Sitting up slowly, he rose to his feet and brushed the sand off his pants. The ocean waves captured his stare and he let the quiet music sooth him again. "There you are!" Frowning, he looked to his right and found his "guardian" Abigail coming his way. She was running short on breath from the search and he couldn't help but feel a bit smug. He hated all the responsibilities being thrown his way and needed time to clear his mind. The woman finally reached him and took two deep breaths. "Your guests will be arriving in an hour. We need to get you ready." His eyes narrowed and he clenched his jaw to hold back a scream. Taking control of his emotions, he cast one last look at the ocean and started back to the castle. Abigail sighed and began chasing after him. He walked quickly with his longer stride and reached the castle faster than Abigail could keep up. The door to the kitchen was ajar and he slipped inside without a sound. Spotting old Oric at the counter chopping away, he walked up behind the man and found him cutting up carrots for the stew tonight. "Stew again?" The man jumped and spun around with his knife raised. Johnathan met him with a cool relaxed look on his face and the cook let out a sigh. "Boy you are going to kill me one of these days." He stole an apple from a basket by a large window and said "If I wanted you dead I would've done that years ago." The cook laughed and said "Don't be getting snappy with me. You're still a lad to me." He shook his head and took a bite from the apple. The richness was something he enjoyed and he heard Abigail finally enter the kitchen. Oric took one look at the breathless woman and began laughing harder. "Really Abigail, you should let one of the younger messengers tail this lad here." The woman rested her hands on her hips and said "It is my job as his guardian." Johnathan's appetite for the apple disappeared at that word and he dropped the half eaten fruit into the trash. Silently he left the kitchen and Oric shook his head. "Nice move you old brawn." The woman sighed and asked "I don't know how to reach him." Oric went back to his chopping and said "Leave him alone. He knows what he has to do and will do it. It's in his blood." She shook her head and said "There's no spark. He doesn't care whatsoever." "Do you blame him?" Abigail frowned and said "That accident was ten years ago, Oric. He has to get over it." The cook slammed his knife into the cutting board and turned on her. His eyes were burning and he loomed over her like a hungry bear. "You weren't there. You didn't see what he saw. You didn't have any bones broken. You also weren't left to die on some debris in the middle of the sea." Abigail shut her eyes and sighed "I'm sorry." The cook reeled in his temper and went back to his cooking. He tuned the woman out and she shook her head. She left the kitchen and heard the hush conversations from in the parlor. Some of the maids were gossiping about the expected guests and she cleared her throat. "Where is the Lord?" A blonde girl smiled and said "He took off up the stairs a few minutes." Her partner sighed "He looked a little ticked off. Should we keep out of his way again?" Abigail shook her head and said "Just see to your chores and have the place ready for our guests. I'll handle him." She heard the eager sighs as she left the parlor and shook her head. The place was always quiet now and the sounds of happy laughter never filled these walls. The only laughing she ever hears is when guests are here, trying to win favors with Johnathan. Silently she climbed the stairs to the second story and headed to the east wing. The family wing was so quiet anymore that it was almost eerie to walk the once loud cheerful wing. She stopped long enough to study the family portrait and closed her eyes. Continuing her walk, she found the master room and knocked once on the door. No reply came from within but she knew he was inside. She pushed the door open and sure enough found him slipping into his formal wear for the evening. A black evening shirt that went with his tan britches and shined black boots. Looking at the young lord always felt like she was looking at Isaac again. Then he turned his brown eyes on her and she forced a smile. His once happy brown eyes had lost their innocence and she ached as she watched him withdraw a little more from them every year. "I see you are ready to receive your guests." He fixed his cuffs but gave no response. She watched him slide a hand through his darker brown hair and stop at the light brown wave that ran through the middle of his hair. His eyes narrowed as he studied the reminder and she cleared her throat. "I was hoping to brief you over this dinner one last time." "I got it, Abigail." His tone wasn't mean but it was hard and cool. He turned to her and she gave him a thorough look over. Nodding in approval, she watched him leave the room and followed behind him. They moved down the wing and stopped at the center stairwell. He could see the approaching guests and descended the stairs silently. Abigail watched him stop at the bottom of the steps and held her breath as their butler went out to welcome the guests. The muffled voices echoed loudly inside and she studied the young man in front of her. He hadn't budged since he descended the stairs and she was afraid tonight was not going to go well. The man was a political genius, just as Oric said. His personal and social methods were completely different. She could remember Isaac welcoming all guests in person and with a grand smile. He had spent hours in the town in the valley catching up with the townspeople and participating in their weekend games. She blinked her eyes and pushed the old painful memories aside. The door opened and she watched Christopher and Grace step inside. "There he is." Christopher crossed the floor and wrapped his arms around his cousin. The hug was not returned but the man still laughed. He pulled back and studied Johnathan. "Looking more like our family each time I see you." "So I've been told." This time his voice had a little warmth in it, enough to fool his own relatives at least. Grace came around her brother and held out her hand. Johnathan took it without a second thought and brought it to his lips. He pressed a gentle kiss to her hand and bowed as trained. She laughed and said "Stop being so formal and give me a hug." He didn't move but she wrapped her arms around his like her brother. Abigail descended the stairs as the butler came in with their bags. "Leon, be a dear and take their bags up to the guest wing. I'm sure these two would like a drink to hold them over until dinner." Grace smiled and said "That is very nice of you but let me assist Leon." Christopher shook his head and said "No you won't. I will assist him and you will get us our welcome drinks." She smiled sweetly at her brother and watched him and Leon disappear up the stairs. She looked back at her cousin and found him silently heading to the parlor. Her eyes ran along his back and she shook herself out of her thoughts. Quietly she followed Johnathan into the parlor and he presented her with a drink. "Red whine?" "What you always want." She smiled and walked over to the couch. "Can I take a seat?" He gave a single nod and she sat down. She took a sip of the wine and let its warmth calm her. Being around this cousin use to be fun and easy. She hadn't seen a lot of him but what she had she hated. He truly was easy on the eyes with the genes of his father's bloodline running through him. His silent demeanor however would drive any curious woman away and she couldn't have that. His brown eyes turned on her and she smiled. He walked over to a window that overlooked the ocean and she watched him take his natural pose. He leaned against the wall and wrapped his arms across his chest. A distant look entered his dark brown eyes and she kept her mouth shut. Christopher entered the room laughing with Leon and she turned to her brother. He took the second glass of wine from the table next to her and Leon turned to his Lord. "All their items are safely placed in their rooms. I'll go check on dinner." Johnathan looked at the man and said "Thank you." The man smiled and left the room. Grace shared a look with her brother and they looked back at their cousin. He had seemed easier on Leon than they had thought possible. Christopher took a seat in the chair across from his sister and looked back at the silent man. "Care to get this meeting started?" Quietly the man peeled himself away from the window and walked over to a corner table. He opened a drawer and pulled out a file. Silently he crossed the room and placed it on the table in front of Christopher. "Is this all?" "Every last item." Christopher looked up at him and asked "Have you thought about my other offer?" Grace narrowed her eyes and asked "What other offer?" A sly smile captured his mouth and he said "I just thought maybe you would consider moving in with Johnathan." She put her glass down and said "You really are a pig, Brother." He laughed and Johnathan took a seat in the empty chair at the end of the table. He studied the man and felt the bile rising in his throat. Grace looked at him and he let the feeling go. She turned her light brown eyes on him and offered him a painful smile. He studied her pinned back brown hair and fair complexion before looking back at her laughing brother. "That is for another time." The man almost choked on his wine and put the glass down. He met the brown gaze and took a deep breath. "Are you willing to put up with us again dear cousin?" His cool face never changed and he said "Of course." The man laughed and said "Good. I don't get to see you near enough anymore." His jaw invisibly tightened and he felt the bile begin to rise once more. A knock came from behind him and he closed his eyes. Pushing aside his distaste, he rose to his feet and looked at Leon. The man bowed and said "Dinner is ready." He nodded and said "Thank you." The butler sent him a private look only he knew and left the room. His cousins silently stood up and he looked back at them. "This way then." They followed him through the house and entered the large dining room. He took his place at the head of the table and Grace sat on his right while Christopher sat on his left. He studied the man sitting in his uncle's seat and saw Oric enter the room. The cook and his assistants brought the food out and the table filled up. "I believe the stew is only part of the meal tonight." He hid the smirk and the cook caught his eye. One nod sent the man from the room and he looked at his cousins. "Help yourselves." Grace watched him get to his feet and walk over to the drink bar. He grabbed a bottle from the cabinet and brought it back to the table. He filled his empty glass with it and caught her gaze. "You wouldn't care for it." She smiled and watched him put the drink away. He filled their glasses and set the wine on the table. Christopher filled his plate and the family ate the meal in silence. As the evening passed, the plates were left empty and Christopher leaned back in his chair. "So Johnathan, tell me what you have been up to lately?" He shot his cousin a brief look and said "Working." The man smirked and asked "Nothing good happen since the last time we shared a meal together?" "Nothing." The man chuckled and finished his glass of wine. He caught his sister studying their cousin and smirked. "I think I might retire to my room for the evening. It has been a long trip and I'm sure we have other things to discuss in the morning." He stood up slowly and watched his cousin rise. Grace came to her feet and he caught her attention. "Are you retiring as well?" She cast a brief look at the silent man next to her and nodded. Christopher escorted her around the table and stopped in the door way. "I hope we will find you tomorrow morning cousin." "You will." The two walked down the hall and he listened to them climb the stairs. Closing his eyes, he finished his glass and walked into the kitchen. He found Leon and Oric playing their usual card games and put his glass on the counter. "Another quiet meal." He looked over at the cook and said "Yeah." The man smirked and said "I'll tend to the dishes." He shook his head and said "I will." The two men watched him leave the kitchen and Leon chuckled. "Even as the Lord he still does our jobs." "It does him some good I think." They fell silent and heard the door softly open. Johnathan placed the dishes in the sink and set the other two glasses on the counter. He turned on the faucet and closed the drain. Rolling up his sleeves, he filled the sink with water and soap as the two older men played their game. "Are you considering your cousin's offer?" He washed a glass and rinsed it off. Setting it in the strainer, he picked up a plate and cleaned it. "I haven't yet." Leon leaned back in his chair and asked "Would you if you knew a little more about Grace?" He washed the last plate and rinsed it off. Setting it in the strainer, he washed the last wine glass and put it in the strainer with the other dishes. "Maybe." Oric watched him begin putting the dishes away and knew why there was a maybe. If it were any other family that wanted his favor, it would be a possibility. The silent war between the cousins was only known on this end but Oric could read the young man well. He had witnessed something in the ship between his father and uncle and it made him very cold to Christopher. "Playing your games again when your Lord is doing your jobs?" The two men chuckled and glanced at the door. Abigail stood in the doorway frowning and watched Johnathan put the last dish in the cabinet. She walked over to the table and looked at the discarded cards. "Honestly, I'd swear you two were old women instead of men." Oric threw his cards down and stood up. His chair skidded across the floor and he loomed over Abigail for the second time today. Leon joined him and she stood staring into the faces of two unpleased men. "Fine. I just hope you realize he won't always have the time to do this." She left the kitchen and Oric looked back at the young man. A ghost of a smirk was on his face and the cook smiled. That smirk instantly vanished when a soft voice was heard through the door. He left the sink and walked to the door. "I'm afraid he is preoccupied. Maybe you can speak with him in the morning." "Very well. Thank you, Abigail." His jaw tightened and he listened to the two women retreat down the hall. So she hadn't retired like he originally thought. The woman was going to be a problem if he did consider the offer. His frown deepened and he walked across the kitchen. The two elder men watched him slip outside into the darkness and shook their heads. He walked down the beach and stopped a few yards away from the castle. He looked back at the large place and found all the upstairs windows dark. Sighing, he picked up a rock and tossed it in his hands a few times. Flinging it across the top of the water, he watched it skip five times before sinking into the dark sea. Closing his eyes, he listened to the evening waves and let his anxiety slowly roll away. Here he could think and feel calm. Being kept in that castle was hell and having to fill the shoes of a man he could never live up to was just adding more pain. He missed his family but with them being gone at least he wouldn't have to worry about them scolding him on how he had grown up. That night, that nightmare, had changed everything.