Chapter 11 – Views of Others.

It was an unfortunate inevitability that Fraser would have to face the spellswords who were the core team of the expedition, and that there would be a reaction. There was a history of rude and snide marks from them about his relationship with Uriah, and that was before he’d even lost his magic. Sure, they’d always been careful about it, given who his parents were, but that still hadn’t stopped it. Give magic to someone unpleasant, and it just seemed to make them worse. His parents were prime examples of that. After the loss of his magic, it had gotten worse, but just like before, Fraser had mostly just ignored it. Sure, it grated and annoyed him, but he’d suffered through much worse. Uriah, on the other hand, never took it so well, but they seemed to be sensible enough not to do it when Fraser wasn’t around. Accidents could happen when training, and Uriah was good. Fraser was pretty sure that their fear of Uriah was part of the reason that they did it in the first place.

They made a stop that evening in a motel complex in another small town that was little more than a collection of businesses that supported the farming community around them. It wasn’t much to look at at all, and had seen much better days. A coat of paint would be a good start, but demolishing and rebuilding would probably be the only solution to actually make it presentable. But, in the end, it was their only option for a bed, and Fraser wasn’t going to be picky about it. Even if those from the other vehicle were. It just wasn’t a good sign.

What was a bit odd though, was that seven people had exited the other vehicle. He knew that there were going to be four spellswords, and a couple of archivists, but the extra was a surprise. He wasn’t someone that he recognised at all, dressed in tidy clothes that looked like they had just been purchased off the shelf and were questionable in their practicality for the expedition, and had an air about him that placed him squarely in the founding family camp. He gave the buildings a quick, dismissive look, and then stormed off to reception.

“Do you know him?” Fraser asked Julia as she stood looking around, also seemingly not impressed with the place.

“No.”Julia shook her head. “I don’t recall him being listed.”

At least he wasn’t the only one.

While the man had completely ignored them, they weren’t so lucky with the others, Burt’s gaze had turned their way, a nasty grin settling on his face as his eyes settled on him.

“I knew you were queer, and Uriah’s lap boy, but it seems that you’re a sissy as well.” Burt all but sneered at him, the other spellswords around him laughing in response as they all walked closer.

“You really are dressed up as one too. Oh how the elite have fallen.”

It stung. Well, the first comment at least, Fraser flinching, even though he tried not to. Uriah growled, his hands clenching, sparks forming around them.

“How I dress is none of your business,” Fraser managed. It was a weak comment, but right now he couldn’t think of anything better. There was a reason he usually just ignored them.

“Wait... rings too?” Burt laughed hard, like it was the funniest thing in the world. And then stopped suddenly as a loud slap echoed across the yard. Julia was standing right in front of him, her hand still in the air and its imprint very red on his face.

“That is not how you talk to the founders, irrespective of your history with them.” Her voice was hard and sharp, tinged with authority.

Burt stood there, a look of shock and anger on his face as Julia turned, and walked back towards them. “Come, let’s go organise our rooms,” she said, only briefly pausing as she reached them. “The boys there can fare for themselves.”

Fraser and Uriah followed her to the reception, though he didn’t miss the words that Burt growled under his breath, his skin crawling at them. He’d known that Burt was, well, not nice, but the image had just gotten a lot worse.

“I don’t believe that we’ve met,” Julia stated as they reached the reception, the other member of the expedition emerging from it. “I don’t recall you being listed.”

“Ah, Julia Morestone, and Fraser Calworth.” He gave them a slight nod. “I was a late addition, as requested by,” he looked at Fraser, “your parents, in fact. I won’t be a bother to you at all. I have been requested to stick with Burt and his team.”

“And you are?” Julia was sounding annoyed, and a little stressed.

“Riddling Fle. Please excuse me, I need to see if I can find something suitable in this hovel.” He gave them a smile, and then started walking off, back towards the vehicles and Burt. The name wasn’t familiar at all.

The inside of reception wasn’t much better than the outside, but at least it wasn’t in need of a paint job. An older man sat behind the desk, looking at them warily as Julia walked straight up to him. “You with that man?” he asked, nodding his head in the direction of their vehicles.

“Yes and no. We’re booking rooms for our vehicle only. Two singles and a double.”

“Yeah, we got those available.”

Fraser didn’t pay much more attention to the proprietor as Julia finished organising the rooms, and was then given three keys. Emerging from the office, Riddling was nowhere to be seen, Burt and the others now across the road and preparing to enter the tavern there.

“Julia,” Uriah started with a low voice, “make a show of selecting a room, and getting comfortable in it, but don’t stay in it tonight. I don’t trust Burt not to do something stupid. You very much embarrassed him in front of his peers.”

Julia glanced across the road, and then back at them, the creases of worry present. “You think...?”

Uriah nodded. “I know what he is like, and out here, position means little.”

“Where should I sleep then? Get another room?”

“No,” Fraser said, knowing exactly where Uriah was coming from. “Stay in our room. There is more safety there, and they’d be stupid to try to do something to us. Words, yes, but nothing more.”

“There’s only two beds...”

“Uriah and I’ll just share.” Fraser shrugged, trying to hide his blush. No ulterior motive there at all.

Uriah chuckled, a big smile on his face as he placed his arm around Fraser. “We’ve done it once already, and I’m more than happy to keep doing so.”

“Oh. Umm. Sure.” Julia looked a little flustered, but nowhere near as red as Fraser was pretty sure he was now. She was deliberately avoiding looking at them though, her gaze on the rooms.

“Come on then, let’s get this charade over with,” Fraser said, heading towards the rooms. “And find some food. I’ll make something for us all. No way I’m going to go eat over there.” Not with Burt and his peers there, and he wasn’t that confident in tavern food in the first place.

“Umm. Sure.” Julia still seemed in a bit of a daze.

The rooms... well, at least they were clean. Mostly. The one that they selected to be Julia’s had a musty smell like it hadn’t been used in a while and someone had forgotten to open any windows, the other single a little better, their driver taking it without any complaints. Or saying much of anything at all, in fact. He gave Fraser a quick look and a weak smile as he was handed his key, and then just went to look at it. Potentially regretting the conversation that he’d have to have with Fraser’s parents was Fraser’s guess, but right now, Fraser didn’t care about that. He could report back what he wanted.

The double was actually quite a bit better. The beds were large enough that he and Uriah would indeed be able to share, though given that the motel room was just that, one big room with an attached bathroom, there would be no hiding from Julia. There wasn’t even that much space between the beds, the choice of furniture not necessarily the best for the size of the room. Not that that concerned him much. The kitchen was serviceable enough that he would be able to make some proper food, and once they had extracted their required bags from the car, they went in search of the grocery store that surely would be there somewhere.

Like the rest of the town, it wasn’t much to look at, little more than a convenience store with a small range and exorbitant prices. But enough that he could make something serviceable, Fraser humming to himself as he selected what he wanted, getting it paid for, and then heading back to the motel. This was kind of nice, doing this, with the company that he had. With Uriah right beside him. Even having Julia there wasn’t a bad addition either. He felt somewhat free, away from the city. Away from the Guardians. Well, mostly. Right now, with just the three of them, not being judged at all. He felt like he could be a little more true to himself. Whoever that was.

Callie. He really did like that name. Ever since he’d been a small child. He didn’t remember exactly when he’d discovered it, or even where, but he’d taken an instant attachment to it. Still had that attachment too. There was just something about it.

With only a little bit of extra cleaning, he was able to start preparing the food. A simple meal, roasted pork topped with gravy, mashed potato, and a side of blanched and tender cooked vegetables. Probably far below what Julia was used to eating, but it was wholesome, the produce that he’d bought actually fresher than what they’d usually be able to acquire in the city. He was rather proud of the end result, which the three of them ate around the small table that had been placed in one corner of the motel room, Uriah giving him his usual thanks, and Julia complimenting him on his talent for preparing food, especially since he was largely self-taught. And alluding to still being jealous of what the two of them had, along with a half-repeated comment that she’d said earlier that he was still completely lost on.

Then it was just them settling themselves in and making themselves comfortable, conversation light as they all went back to reading. Fraser could see Julia blushing occasionally as she sat on her bed, still reading the book that Fraser had given her that morning. Uriah was seated similarly on their bed, e-reader in hand, Fraser lying on it and snuggled up against him, book held lazily in his hand. His progress was slow, his thoughts more occupied by the current situation, and just how happy he was with what he was doing right now. And of the ring on his finger and what it meant. When it was finally time to retire, Julia made a show of making sure that she was not looking in their direction as he and Uriah snuggled up together in their bed, then turning out the light and hopping into her own bed.

She did make some rather cute noises, though, as she tried to settle herself down. As to how quickly she fell asleep, Fraser had no idea. It was a completely foreign situation to her, and quite unusual, even if their parents were wanting them to marry. Hell, they might have even been pleased with what they were doing, if they ignored Uriah’s presence. Except he was here, and he was the one that Fraser was going to marry. No matter what.

They had been completely right, too. Burt had not taken Julia’s action well at all, his pride and his stupidity leaving a slight that he, in his foolishness, wasn’t going to leave alone. It was well after midnight when Fraser got woken by the sounds of Burt, and one of the other spellswords, talking in hushed voices, just outside of the room next to them. The room that Julia was meant to be sleeping in. Some curses and swearing, the trying of the door handle, and then the distinct use of magic as they just forced their way in, uncaring for the nature of what it was that they were about to attempt. And then some more swearing, far too loud, as they realised that they had been tricked, and that Julia was in fact not there. It didn’t take them a second to conclude where she actually was, and Fraser grinned in amusement as they argued over whether or not they were going to try and force their way into his room, or try and come up with something else. That they were willing to try and hold the grudge for longer was a worry, but at least they did appear to conclude that they didn’t want to risk having to fight Uriah by themselves. Two of them, somewhat inebriated, would be suicide.

“At least they’re not completely stupid,” Uriah said quietly, once it was apparent that they had finally left and gone back to whatever rooms they were using. Or collapsed on the street. Or made their way back over to the tavern, to drown their anger in some more alcohol. As long as they stayed away, it didn’t matter what they did.

“You think they’ll try again? At the anomaly, perhaps?” That would, unfortunately, be their best opportunity.

Uriah shifted slightly, Fraser doing likewise in response, pulling in closer, his arm gently wrapped over Uriah’s chest, their fingers intertwined. “If they don’t find themselves too busy dealing with the creatures. They might take another dig at us before then, though, to try and bait Julia, or call her out on her stance.”

“I... I appreciate what she did, even though she probably should have stayed out of it.”

Uriah chuckled. “Her reputation is at stake too, though I doubt that was the reason that she did it.”

He agreed with Uriah on that. Straight after the declaration by his parents, he’d wanted nothing at all to do with her, but, as much as he didn’t want to admit it, he was warming up to her. Not as a fiancee, but someone who could be a friend. Her comments, though, were leaving him confused as to exactly what she wanted out of all this. She had declared yesterday morning that she wanted the marriage, her family dead set on it. But he almost felt as if she was alluding to something else.

She had certainly been enjoying the book though. The smiles, the blushing, her eagerness to read it. That one had a male love interest in it? He wasn’t quite sure. The books he had had a roughly equal split between male and female love interests. But always a female lead.

“And that other guy? Riddling?” Fraser was still pulling a complete blank on him. He was aware of all the founding family names, even if he didn’t know who half the members of each family were. Things that he’d been forced to learn.

“No clue there either. You could ask?”

He didn’t feel the desire to do that. Neither the man, nor his parents. The latter not even an option in his mind. The way that he had acted though, had been very much that of one from a founding family. The arrogance and self-entitlement. And that he had completely ignored Uriah. That in particular annoyed him. But it wasn’t going to do him any good to stew on it.

Fraser gave Uriah’s neck a kiss. Fine, he was going to give in to it. Just accept it, that since the declaration, since he’d admitted it to himself, he’d become more... affectionate. Both wanting to give, and desiring. Sure, he’d always been a little like that, without realising it, with how physically close he’d always been to Uriah, how he’d sat and leaned against him, but now, it was that much stronger, and more understood. And he wasn’t ashamed about it at all.

“Are we going to be able to make this work?” he quietly asked. Fears still plagued him, about their future. “I... I really want this. I really do love you, Uriah.”

He could almost feel Uriah’s smile in response, his tone gentle and caring. “I love you too, Fraser. Callie. We will make it work, make it through all this.”

Fraser made a happy noise, snuggling in closer, and ignoring the quiet chuckle from the other bed. Trust Julia to have woken as well.