A Victorian Romance

Margaret had a maid bring a bowl of soup and some crackers, alond with a pitcher of water so he could drink as much as he needed to. She took the food from the maid at the door and set it on a nearby table. She then went over to Brendon and smiled down at him.

"It is alright, it's only natural when someone is hurt. Right now just focus on getting better alright?" She said as she looked him over.

He certainly was handsome, even though he was sick. She tried not to stare to much but it was difficult, she had never seen a man shirtless before. She took the bowl of soup in her hand a spooned some of it before looking up at him.

"Here, I'll help you eat, the doctor said you shouldn't try to sit up until you've rested for awhile."
 
Brendon thanked her, using his long legs to scoot himself up so he was resting less awkwardly against the headboard of the bed. He really probably could feed himself, his shoulder didn't hurt too badly just then. He explained this and proved it to her by taking the bowl of soup, and finishing it off with one gulp. He'd been pretty hungry. And that pitcher of water was half gone in the next few seconds as well. Now that they were in better lighting, Margaret was probably able to see all of his horrible scars, the ones on his palms even stood out now, the cross- shaped scars all over his body did. He was ashamed of them, but maybe she didn't really see them.... Hopefully. They were his embarrassment to deal with for being such a hell-sent son.~
 
Margaret watched as he ate on his own and smiled a little as he easily finishsd off his food and half the water, glad to see him eating. Her eyes wandered over him again as she took in his body, slowly starting to notice little scars all over his body. The most noticeable ones where on his hands, a cross shape right in teh middle of his plam. She slowly reached out and ran her fingers over it as she looked at it curiously.

"What is this?" She asked softly as she looked up at him.
 
Brendon frowned, covering her hand with his own. "Nothing... it's.. " He looked at the bed again, feeling a little more refreshed. Though he was still hurting. "My parents, being devout Catholics.... didn't like anything about me because..." He floundered for an explanation. "I was too different. I could do things no one else could... so they tried to beat and burn the strangeness out of me. All it did was cause me to almost die. The strangeness is all still there." He added bitterly, leaning his head back. "They still try, but..... not so often or 'I wouldn't be good looking enough to marry' As my cow-mother says." He decided to keep it vague about his strangeness. No sense in scaring her. But he felt she did deserve an explanation, after all, here he was, depending on her, though easily if allowed he could have gotten up and gone home. But something else kept him here... he was afraid it was mutual attraction. Margaret looked so lovely tonight, as she did, always. Would it be so bad for them to simply marry like their parents wanted? They'd both be free to live their own lives then. And he wouldn't mind taking care of her. At all.
 
Margaret listened to his story quietly and found herself understanding his pain. She knew what it was like to be beat for not being what her parents wanted. Originally they wanted a son but they got a daughter instead, already a disappointment since birth. As time went on they started to get more and more strict with her before finally resorting to beatings to make her into the perfect little girl. She squeezed his hand gently and placed her other one on top of his.

"I understand...I understand completely." She said as she looked down at her lap for a moment. "You don't have to tell me any more if it makes you feel uncomfortable in any way."
 
Brendon strangely didn't feel uncomfortable about it anymore... "It's alright... if I tell you.." He said, holding one hand out, and charging enough energy to form a glowing blue sphere of energy. He'd never used any of his magic before in the open. And he'd understand completely if Margaret ran away or sent him home, never wanting to see him or hear from him again. After all, his parents had brainwashed him to believe that no one would ever love him while he was such a hopeless monster.~ It might prove true yet.
 
Margaret jumped back when he formed the blue orb in his hand, not out of fear but out of surprise. She had not expected something like that at all. After she got over her surprise she leaned in once more and reached out uncertainly to touch it, pulling her hand away quickly as she realized that she didn't know if it was safe or not. She looked up at Brendon then back to teh orb before looking to him finally.

"How...Did you do that?" She asked as she looked over the lovely light that he had created, it was very very pretty in her opinion.
 
"I'm what the church priests would call a natural-born Exorcist. I can banish monsters, ghosts, ghouls-- which is what really bit me in the basement a few days ago. It's safe....... for you to touch, the energy's low level enough to where it wouldn't hurt anyone." He assured her, smiling a little. He was a little tired, so he had to close his eyes just enough to rest for a moment. To his annoyance, he coughed. "There's a downside to magic. It drains the body physically as well as internally." He explained, taking another drink of water to cease his coughing. He would -not- get sick. He refused to make poor Margaret suffer in taking care of him any longer than necessary!~
 
Margaret gently reached out and touched the light, running her hand through it curiously. It was warm and she could feel it run through her body, right up her arm and into her chest. She pulled her hand back when she heard him cough and looked at him worriedly. When he explained that using teh magic made him tired she frowned a bit.

"Then you shouldn't do any, especially right now, you're already injured and you need all teh rest you can get. I'm certain you don't want to prolong your stay in bed." She said as she looked at him.

She reallyed didn't want him to push himself to much, even if he was trying to explain things to her. He could tell her more when he was healtier and not as pale as he was.
 
"You may be right..." He agreed, his voice sounding fainter, even as the colorful blue sphere turned from blue, to red, green, gold, orange, even purple and pink before vanishing altogether like a futile light show disappearing altogether. As if vaguely he were trying to demonstrate, that exactly like his magic extinguishing, he too felt like disappearing, gradually. It was true- there were times Brendon wondered about the sameness of his life, one day exactly like the next, with the only differences ever being what his parents were hating him for, or lately, seeing Margaret. He wasn't too sure on how he felt about death, if his life ever ended before it was supposed to. He knew he'd rather die protecting someone, than living uselessly and ending up in a stupid accident. He veered his thoughts from such depressing matters. It wasn't fair of him to be a gloomy patient, so he managed a smile. "Although I must say you and your family's hospitality has been beyond expectations. If there's ever anything I can do to repay this kindness, all you'd ever have to do is ask." He said with sincerity.

Brendon truthfully enjoyed Margaret's company, and would linger if he could, but he willed his body to heal faster, just so he wouldn't be too burdensome. The impression her family must have on him was probably close to thinking he was an invalid. Or accident prone... He wasn't sure he wanted to know.
 
Margaret watched the light change colors before finally disappearing, giving Brendon a look as she let her hands land on her hips like a scolding mother, though she was probably much cuter than a scolding mother. She gently pushed him back down ontp the bed and pulled the sheets up a little more around him, the guesture very innocent and kind. She didn't want him to push it, he was already weak from that bite and fainting certainly didn't help with his condition. She smiled down at him as she grabbed the wet cloth and rewet it so it was nice and cool, placing it gently on his forehead before standing up.

"Right now, all you need to is get better. You can think about paying me and my family back after that. Now get some rest and don't even think about getting up, you are on bed rest lockdown and I will happily keep you locked away if you don't do as the doctor said." She said, joking a bit as she waved a finger at him in a scolding manner. "Now then, I will be retiring for the evening. If you need anything just call for a maid with the rope by the door, it will summon one for you and you can ask them for what you need, that is also the only time you are allowed up understand? Anyway, good night Mr. Mitchell, I will be back to check on you in the morning." She said with a polite smile as she headed over tot he door to leave and get to bed herself.
 
Brendon chuckled at Margaret's humor and thanked her again, amazed she'd taken his terrible secret so well, without even a little fear that anyone else would have expressed. It made him admire her all the more, and glad she was his friend. Even if they didn't get romantically involved or married, friendship itself was rare to Brendon's life. He had acquaintances, he had social groups-- but a real friend wasn't tolerated in his family's eyes. No one was safe around Brendon according to his father. He sighed, and turned out the light, not ringing for anyone throughout the night and simply going to sleep.~ If things went well, he'd be on his way home tomorrow. He was already feeling a lot better.
 
The next morning Margaret ate her breakfast before heading to Brendon's room, a maid following behind her with a tray of food and pitcher of water to drink. She knocked on the door lightly before peaking inside and smiling at Brendon, hoping that she wasn't waking him from his sleep. She took the try from the maid and set it on the table like she had done the other day, turning to him and walking over to him to check his fever, pulling a soft hand on his forehead.

"How are you feeling this morning?" She asked him softly, just incase he still wasn't completely awake yet.
 
Brendon was awake, and feeling better. "I'm almost 100% I think." This so far seemed to be true. "Thanks to your care." He added, wondering if he'd have to borrow a horse to make it home. He really did feel guilty for putting her and her family through such a stress!

"If ever I'm too troublesome I know I can manage to ride home." He assured her, thinking as always, he -was- trouble.~
 
Margaret smiled and brought the food over to him and set it in his lap, glad that he was doing better now. She then took a seat next to him and motioned for him to eat as she began to speak.

"That is good, and it was no problem taking care of you. It would have been heartless of me to send you home like that! We'll also take you home in our carriage, just to be safe. Now please do eat, I'm very certain that you are hungry." She said softly to him.
 
Brendon chuckled. "In any case,if ever your family has any chores they need help with, feel free to write me and I'll hurry over to pitch in at any time. Same goes with the social events. I feel they're most certainly worth attending when you're there... Perhaps this was bold of me..." He apologized, in case she considered his words scandalous! Oh dear, perhaps his injury was making him babble more than when he was at his best...~
 
Margaret found herself blushing a bit as she sat next to him, slightly flattered that he enjoyed himself at the party because she was there. She laughed a bit as well as she placed a hand on his shoulder gently, making sure not to touch the bandages where his wrapped up wound was.

"You are welcome to every party we have from now on, Mr. Mitchell. I'll personally make sure that you are sent an invitation." She said with shy smile before motioning to his food. "Now please do eat something. We wouldn't want to send you off with an empty stomach."
 
Brendon was happy to have such a good looking breakfast. Oatmeal, toast, even fried eggs. He ate with manners, but he made sure to eat all that he'd been brought, between occasional sips of milk or coffee.~ "I must thank you Lady Margaret, for everything you and your family have done... Are your parents still home? I'd like to thank them as well, once I'm dressed and ready to leave. The hospitality here has been far better than what I receive at my own home." She would of course, understand how that felt.... someday, it would be nice just to live with Margaret away from both their families! But that wasn't going to happen for a while yet, unfortunately...~ Besides, he wasn't entirely sure how she felt about him!
 
Margaret smiled as she watched him eat all his food, glad that he was eating properly now after some good rest. She shooker her head lightly and laughed a bit as he thanked her.

"It's alright, I'm sure anyone would have done the same thing....And I'm sorry but my parents aren't home at the moment, they both had things to do today and had to leave right after breakfast..."

She smiled at him a little more, glad that he was doing better. It was nice to know that there was someone that was going throught what she was going through, at least then she had someone she could find comfort in. Letter to her grandmother were nice but sometimes you needed to speak to someone face to face.
 
Brendon finished breakfast, read the paper, and was soon ready to get dressed and leave in just moments. "I'd best get home now.. I'm sure some of the servants have noticed my absence." He told her, knowing the punishment for staying gone too long if his parents' found out. Oh well, he regretted nothing, and just planned on staying as far from them as possible if needed. He'd camp out in the woods,... or go visit people he knew. Anything. He realized then that he despised his parents probably as much as Margaret hated hers'. It was sad things had to be this way, but he began wondering... could he influence four minds at once to make them permanently nicer people? He'd done it once before... but he remembered how stubborn his father was... and doubted it would even work. So he settled on his final preparations for leaving. He assured her he'd see her as soon as possible, before getting into the carriage, which would take him home, waving to her as he left.
 
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