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Parker didn't stop until they hit the small lake in the private gardens. “Look at the birds!” She pointed to the little yellow ones on top of the water, occasionally ducking under for food.
"They are ducks,” He informed her with a smile, panting slightly, his eyes drinking in the scene. This was an enchanted place, a secret walled garden just for them. They could be anybody in here, do anything.
“Ducks." Parker nodded, “Don't you just want to go in there with them?” She asked, sitting down on the edge of the small lake to watch them. "They are so free, they just fly away when they want." Parker wondered what it would be like to be so completely free, to go anywhere, do anything, be anyone.
“Yes they can," Jarod said wistfully, looking up at the sky. “Did you know they always come back to the same place next year though?"
"They do?" Parker frowned, thinking that was a bit silly. "If they like it in that place so much, why don't they just stay there?"
"I don't know," Jarod told her, having no idea, although he thought it might have something to do with the seasons. They seemed to come and go when the weather changed.
“Oh,” She thought Jarod would know, he seemed to know lots of things. "If I can get into your room at night, can you teach me everything?" She asked eagerly, desperate to learn the things all the boys got taught, to know her letters and numbers.
"I don't know everything," Jarod said candidly. The more he read and learnt the more he realised that there was so much more he didn't know. There were so many books in the library and Jarod was eager to get to them all.
“You know letters and numbers. Teach me them." Parker argued, desperate to learn. “Or Latin like Bobby."
“Latin is difficult,” He warned her. He didn't find it difficult, but all the monks complained about it all of the time.
"Then normal letters first, then Latin. I'm smart you know." Parker said with pride, knowing she was smart, even though no one would acknowledge it since she was just a girl.
“Okay,” He agreed, thrilled by their little secret.
Parker beamed a smile at him, “And when I grow up, I will be able to read and write like the smart men, and show them us girls are not as stupid as they think."
Jarod nodded at that, wondering why it was so important to her, if she liked books the same as he did. None of the other children he had ever met, or even adults had ever wanted to learn to read.
"I can draw too." Parker admitted, "Not very good though, I have to do it on the ground too, so father doesn't yell at me for using the ink and paper."
"Paper is very precious," Jarod nodded emphatically. "But he is rich isn't he?” He asked, guessing he could buy all the paper in the world if he wanted.
Parker nodded, “Lots and lots. Owns all the land you can see. I can teach you needlepoint if you like," Parker offered him, in case he wanted Parker to teach him something back.
"What's that?” He asked, never having heard of it.
"Sowing, you make things, like pictures for the wall and clothes and things." She tried to explain. It was just boring old needlepoint to her.
“Ohh, like darning the torn clothes,” He nodded in understanding, although his mother had never called it that. She had only done it to mend their clothes, never for things to put on the walls or pictures.
Parker nodded and touched the embroidered gold strips on her dress. “Like this.” She explained. "I will show you some of my work next time I see you. So you know."
“Ohh, that is pretty," Jarod said, reaching out to touch it. His hands were clean now, Sydney teaching him to always clean them before touching the paper. They were stained with ink though, but that wouldn't come off, so made them look dirty.
"It's very pretty." Parker agreed. "I can make you some pretty clothes in class Jarod." Parker whispered. She had to learn how to make men's clothes anyway, just in case. It was just something she had to learn, since proper ladies were meant to be able to sew.
“You can?” He asked in awe. Nobody had ever offered to do anything like that before.
Smiling beautifully at him, Parker nodded. "Uh huh. Like my ones, like the ones Bobby wears."
He frowned after a moment and looked at her, there was the name of that boy again. "Who is Bobby?” He asked, not knowing who she was talking about.
“Lyle." Parker clarified.
“Why do you call him Bobby?” It made no sense if his name was Lyle.
"Bobby is his real name, nick name." Parker tried to explain. "He is Lord Robert Lyle Parker of Somerset. He thinks Bobby is too babyish for him. I'm the only one to call him that. Father doesn’t call him Robert, which is the full name of Bobby, but he calls him Lyle because they like it better."
Jarod just nodded, not knowing how somebody could have two names like that or what she was even talking about really. “You are very different from him.”
"He is nice, well nice to me. Sometimes I think I should have been a peasant. Would be much better. You could run and play and talk to anyone and not get into trouble." Parker said wishfully, imagining what it would be like.
“And you have to work all day,” he informed her seriously. Not having any money didn’t make you free. What it meant was you had to be up at first light and then work all day until the day was too dark to work in any longer and then you were so tired all you wanted to do was go to sleep.
"Better than not doing anything but classes all day long. When I'm married, all I do all day long is try to have a baby for the man. It's so boring." Parker whispered dramatically, her ice blue eyes wide as saucers as she said it.
Jarod's eyes opened wide as he thought about that. “That isn't good,” He said sagely, nodding his head. He didn’t know anything about making babies at all, but from the look of it, it wasn’t going to be any fun at all.
"No it's not good." Parker shook her head. "If I could, I would trade with those peasants. Where they can marry for love, not for money and more land. And you could have babies you wanted and give them hugs, not so the man could have an heir. And you could have lots of real friends and talk to everyone."
“I never had any friends,” Jarod confessed in a whisper. He had always been alone, the other kids not really liking him very much. It had been alright though, his parents had loved him and that was more than enough, he had never felt lonely before.
"I'm your friend." Parker whispered back, hurt by his words. He was a wonderful, gentle, kind boy, and Parker had to wonder how the other kids hadn’t like him. Parker, even as a peasant, would jump at a chance to be his friend, and it hurt her that the other kids didn’t feel the same abut this wonderful little boy.
“You are?" Jarod looked up at her, looking into her eyes. He had never seen anyone with eyes that colour before and he thought that they were the prettiest things he had ever seen. There were blue, but lost a winter frost kind of blue. Even though Lyle had the same colour, they were somehow different, cold and hard and sometimes scary. He got a look about him sometimes and his eyes were like looking into a frozen pond.
Parker nodded a little, smiling at him. "I will always be your friend Jarod, until we are both dead." She promised in a quite voice full of conviction. No matter when her father sent her away to be wed, when she had her own children, when she was old and wrinkly, they would always be best friends.
“Me too," Jarod vowed softly, holding her eyes with his. "No matter what."
"No matter what." She repeated with a nod of her head. "So is your room right next to the library?" Parker asked, thinking of ways she could get into see him.
Jarod nodded. it wasn't really a room, more like a recess in the wall where they had put a little bed and he even had his own desk there where he could work if he had to. Sydney trusted him now to bring his parchment and writing instruments there. He hadn’t worked up the courage to ask for any for him to do his own drawing or writing on, and he kept telling himself that he should ask him soon.
"I can come see you when you're not working." Parker looked around as she whispered it, as if it were a big secret.
Jarod looked around too, wondering what she was looking for and then nodded. "I work lots and lots.” He told her, "And Sydney lets me read ANY book I want.” He whispered that with a hushed awe. He liked his work very much, it stopped the boredom and didn’t mind that he worked for long hours. Sometimes though, he just longed to go outside and run in the fields, splash in the stream and lie in the sun, smelling the fresh grass.
“Ohh," Parker whispered back, her eyes wide open. "That is very good." She had to sneak in lots now, so he could teach her to read too. The way he had said it, made books sound like the most magical, amazing things on the earth, and Parker wanted to be able to read them as well.
"I can show you and we can read them together.” He said enthusiastically. "But you have to be VERY careful with the books,” He cautioned.
Parker nodded quickly, "Sydney always says I'm not allowed around his books because I'm a girl and I would ruin them. But I won't, I promise I won't. And you can teach me how to read them too."
"I will," Jarod said, his whole being lighting up at the thought of that. "But you have to practice, every single day.” He told her, knowing how much trouble Lyle had and how he had to do things over and over again. Sydney told him that was normal, and nothing was wrong with Lyle. Jarod was just very special that he only had to do things once to learn them properly. And that Jarod mustn’t judge him for that, not everybody could be as lucky as him to learn things so quickly. Jarod didn’t judge him though, all he wanted to do was help him, but Lyle wouldn’t let him.
"I promise, I will practice every night before bed, so father doesn't find out." Parker grinned madly, very excited by the idea. "I will come visit you tonight, after Sydney leaves."
“You can do that?" Jarod whispered. They locked the doors because Sydney was worried about his library and there was no way to get out, so that meant she couldn't get in. It also meant that Jarod couldn’t get out. Sometimes the thought of what lay outside his new domain scared him and sometimes it excited him.
Parker nodded with a mischievous smirk. "All I do all day is needlepoint, singing and dancing lessons, lady lessons. When I don't have them, I have nothing else to do. I look and wander lots. I know all the secret doors."
"There are secret doors?” He whispered, his eyes wide at that. He didn't even know where in the castle he was. The idea of secret passageways was very exciting to him though, firing up his imagination.
Parker nodded, “Yes! Lots of them too. I think for when there is big fights, we can all run out safely. I don't think even father knows about them. I can go anywhere, even outside with them." Parker whispered in surprised awe, loving her secret passages, she could get anywhere with them. It was like a whole new world opened up when she had discovered them.
“You can?” He said, his voice dropping even lower. Sydney had told him time and time again it wasn't safe for him to go outside. There were bad people that would want to hurt him, or take him away to make him work for them because he was clever. There were people that wanted to hurt the Duke, take things from him and they would do that anyway they could.
Parker nodded, “One day, maybe we can go into the real outside, just us two?" Parker asked him, hoping he would want to.
He nodded, but a little fearfully. "I like it out here,” He said, looking around at the gardens. He had never seen anything like this before. And this was the real outside too, wasn’t it? He looked back at her for a moment as he realised something. "We can't be friends yet."
"We can't?" Parker frowned in confusion, not understanding why they couldn't.
Jarod shook his head as he watched her.
"Why not?" She whispered miserably, "I want to be your friend, why can't I?" That had upset her terribly, all Parker wanted to do was be his friend, his best friend, and now he was saying they couldn’t be friends.
"We can't be friends if I don't even know your real name,” He whispered back, taking her hand, seeing he had upset her now and he hadn't meant to do that.
Looking at her hand held gently in his soft, ink stained hand, Parker looked around to see if anyone was close to them. Her name was a secret, her father had told her never to use it. Leaning into his ear, Parker ever so silently whispered her full name to him. Her father had told her one day when she asked why she wasn’t allowed to use it, that it was because her mother chose it, and it upset him time and time again when it was used. It upset him because it reminded him of the wonderful wife he had lost because of her.
Jarod listened to her as she told her his name and wondered if nobles had some special customs about names. Nobody used her father's name, and her brother went by a different one and she didn't use her name. They also had names that were very long too, which he thought was rather strange. "Now we can be friends.” He smiled at her.
That brought a bright, broad smile from Parker, glad they could be friends. "But you mustn't use it Jarod. It upsets father when people uses my name."
Jarod nodded, not understanding though. "I promise,” He told her, taking his promise very seriously. He wouldn’t betray her secret, not for anything.
"Thank you." Parker whispered, holding his hand tightly, not wanting to lose this boy.
When Sydney realised Jarod wasn't coming back he got up and started looking for him, worried he might be lost. The boy needed some time to himself but now he was worried. He was very tender and while he was gaining confidence in his learning and abilities, he seemed very sheltered. He supposed that was from spending so much time with the monks after losing his parents at such a young age. "Jarod?” He called out, wandering through the garden looking for him.
Parker's head snapped up as she head Sydney's voice. "Is it time for you to go back now Jarod?" She asked, upset he would be going and leaving her alone.
Jarod nodded and got up. "I will get in trouble,” He told her, although didn't want to go. He liked talking to this girl and he had never really had a friend before.
Parker climbed up as well, “Maybe I could come with you?" She asked, knowing Sydney would say no, no matter what she said. She was Sydney’s Lady, daughter of the Duke, and she still couldn’t get him to say yes to lots of things.
"I don't know, I have work to do,” He said in uncertainty. It would be time for the midday meal soon though, when they normally break for the lesson.
Parker looked up as Sydney made his way over and looked up at him sheepishly. "Hello Sydney." She said softly, looking up at him from a lowered head.
"Salutations Milady," Sydney said. "I was wondering what had happened to my little Jarod and now I can see." Sydney said, his voice serious, but his eyes twinkling, glad to see that the girl had found someone she could talk to. He couldn’t approve of their friendship officially, but what the Duke didn’t know, couldn’t hurt him.
"It isn't her fault Sydney," Jarod said, coming to her defence, not wanting her to get into trouble.
"Shhh," Parker whispered, not wanting Jarod in trouble. There was nothing really Sydney could do to her, but lots he could do to Jarod. "Did you tell my brother off Sydney?" Parker demanded.
"No I did not," Sydney said, narrowing his eyes at her, wondering what tale the little brat had spun about what had happened. He had not told him off at all, had merely pointed out a few facts about life. Sydney didn’t like the young Lord at all, he was puffed up with his own self importance, which Sydney could understand, after all he would run all this one day. What Sydney couldn’t tolerate is how much of a bully he was. Jarod was a gentle child and Lyle too easily pushed him around.
"Why not?" She stomped her foot. "Look at what he did to my Jarod's face!" Parker pointed at it, very upset by it. “You should have told him off, that was nasty what he did!”
Jarod ducked his head in embarrassment and tried to hide behind Sydney now. He was very intimidated by Sydney still, everything about this place and the Duke especially. Since he had never really met him, it was more the idea of that scared Jarod, and the fact that he had so much power over his existence.
"That is not your concern Milady.” He said, but was glad that she had taken Jarod's side. It worried him a little though at the way she referred to him as 'my Jarod'. He hoped she understood he wasn’t a living doll, a toy to discard when she tired of the novelty of him.
"But he hurt my friend." She whispered, not thinking it was right or fair Lyle had hit him like he had.
“Yes he did and you know how things work Milady," Sydney sighed. That was the way of the world. Those with money and power took advantage of those without, there was nothing new there. It had always been this way and always would. Those with the money controlled everything and ruled the lives of those who lived under them. Sydney had learned to live with that a long time ago and make the necessary compromises so that he could pursue the things he wanted. It was a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things really.
"It's not right." Parker said every so quietly, tears in her eyes. "He shouldn't have hurt Jarod, you should have told him off for it. I will tell him off for it." Parker said, her tears forgotten as she threw her shoulders back. She would teach her twin it wasn’t right to hurt others like he did.
"Don't you cause trouble on account of this Milady," Sydney urged her, knowing it would only come back on Jarod tenfold and he was in no position to defend himself. She could afford to indulge in emotions like that, he and Jarod couldn’t. Whatever she did or said had no real consequences. For people like Sydney and Jarod though, those consequences could impact very harshly. Their very lives hung on the goodwill of their patron.
"Someone has to make it right but don't they Sydney?" Parker asked, all her determination vanishing, looking at Jarod, knowing she didn't want him hurt even more. Her brother could be so spiteful sometimes he would hurt Jarod on purpose.
"The world isn't fair little one," Sydney said tenderly as he touched her face. “You run along now, midday meal will be served soon."
“Yes sir," Parker said softly, knowing he was very right. Moving to Jarod, she gave him a quick hug before running off to get changed into her good clothes for the meal.
"Bye," Jarod said softly and waved as she ran off. He didn't know where she had come from or where she was going now. His mind was afire with the idea of secret passageways though. They would take him to places he couldn’t begin to imagine.
"They are ducks,” He informed her with a smile, panting slightly, his eyes drinking in the scene. This was an enchanted place, a secret walled garden just for them. They could be anybody in here, do anything.
“Ducks." Parker nodded, “Don't you just want to go in there with them?” She asked, sitting down on the edge of the small lake to watch them. "They are so free, they just fly away when they want." Parker wondered what it would be like to be so completely free, to go anywhere, do anything, be anyone.
“Yes they can," Jarod said wistfully, looking up at the sky. “Did you know they always come back to the same place next year though?"
"They do?" Parker frowned, thinking that was a bit silly. "If they like it in that place so much, why don't they just stay there?"
"I don't know," Jarod told her, having no idea, although he thought it might have something to do with the seasons. They seemed to come and go when the weather changed.
“Oh,” She thought Jarod would know, he seemed to know lots of things. "If I can get into your room at night, can you teach me everything?" She asked eagerly, desperate to learn the things all the boys got taught, to know her letters and numbers.
"I don't know everything," Jarod said candidly. The more he read and learnt the more he realised that there was so much more he didn't know. There were so many books in the library and Jarod was eager to get to them all.
“You know letters and numbers. Teach me them." Parker argued, desperate to learn. “Or Latin like Bobby."
“Latin is difficult,” He warned her. He didn't find it difficult, but all the monks complained about it all of the time.
"Then normal letters first, then Latin. I'm smart you know." Parker said with pride, knowing she was smart, even though no one would acknowledge it since she was just a girl.
“Okay,” He agreed, thrilled by their little secret.
Parker beamed a smile at him, “And when I grow up, I will be able to read and write like the smart men, and show them us girls are not as stupid as they think."
Jarod nodded at that, wondering why it was so important to her, if she liked books the same as he did. None of the other children he had ever met, or even adults had ever wanted to learn to read.
"I can draw too." Parker admitted, "Not very good though, I have to do it on the ground too, so father doesn't yell at me for using the ink and paper."
"Paper is very precious," Jarod nodded emphatically. "But he is rich isn't he?” He asked, guessing he could buy all the paper in the world if he wanted.
Parker nodded, “Lots and lots. Owns all the land you can see. I can teach you needlepoint if you like," Parker offered him, in case he wanted Parker to teach him something back.
"What's that?” He asked, never having heard of it.
"Sowing, you make things, like pictures for the wall and clothes and things." She tried to explain. It was just boring old needlepoint to her.
“Ohh, like darning the torn clothes,” He nodded in understanding, although his mother had never called it that. She had only done it to mend their clothes, never for things to put on the walls or pictures.
Parker nodded and touched the embroidered gold strips on her dress. “Like this.” She explained. "I will show you some of my work next time I see you. So you know."
“Ohh, that is pretty," Jarod said, reaching out to touch it. His hands were clean now, Sydney teaching him to always clean them before touching the paper. They were stained with ink though, but that wouldn't come off, so made them look dirty.
"It's very pretty." Parker agreed. "I can make you some pretty clothes in class Jarod." Parker whispered. She had to learn how to make men's clothes anyway, just in case. It was just something she had to learn, since proper ladies were meant to be able to sew.
“You can?” He asked in awe. Nobody had ever offered to do anything like that before.
Smiling beautifully at him, Parker nodded. "Uh huh. Like my ones, like the ones Bobby wears."
He frowned after a moment and looked at her, there was the name of that boy again. "Who is Bobby?” He asked, not knowing who she was talking about.
“Lyle." Parker clarified.
“Why do you call him Bobby?” It made no sense if his name was Lyle.
"Bobby is his real name, nick name." Parker tried to explain. "He is Lord Robert Lyle Parker of Somerset. He thinks Bobby is too babyish for him. I'm the only one to call him that. Father doesn’t call him Robert, which is the full name of Bobby, but he calls him Lyle because they like it better."
Jarod just nodded, not knowing how somebody could have two names like that or what she was even talking about really. “You are very different from him.”
"He is nice, well nice to me. Sometimes I think I should have been a peasant. Would be much better. You could run and play and talk to anyone and not get into trouble." Parker said wishfully, imagining what it would be like.
“And you have to work all day,” he informed her seriously. Not having any money didn’t make you free. What it meant was you had to be up at first light and then work all day until the day was too dark to work in any longer and then you were so tired all you wanted to do was go to sleep.
"Better than not doing anything but classes all day long. When I'm married, all I do all day long is try to have a baby for the man. It's so boring." Parker whispered dramatically, her ice blue eyes wide as saucers as she said it.
Jarod's eyes opened wide as he thought about that. “That isn't good,” He said sagely, nodding his head. He didn’t know anything about making babies at all, but from the look of it, it wasn’t going to be any fun at all.
"No it's not good." Parker shook her head. "If I could, I would trade with those peasants. Where they can marry for love, not for money and more land. And you could have babies you wanted and give them hugs, not so the man could have an heir. And you could have lots of real friends and talk to everyone."
“I never had any friends,” Jarod confessed in a whisper. He had always been alone, the other kids not really liking him very much. It had been alright though, his parents had loved him and that was more than enough, he had never felt lonely before.
"I'm your friend." Parker whispered back, hurt by his words. He was a wonderful, gentle, kind boy, and Parker had to wonder how the other kids hadn’t like him. Parker, even as a peasant, would jump at a chance to be his friend, and it hurt her that the other kids didn’t feel the same abut this wonderful little boy.
“You are?" Jarod looked up at her, looking into her eyes. He had never seen anyone with eyes that colour before and he thought that they were the prettiest things he had ever seen. There were blue, but lost a winter frost kind of blue. Even though Lyle had the same colour, they were somehow different, cold and hard and sometimes scary. He got a look about him sometimes and his eyes were like looking into a frozen pond.
Parker nodded a little, smiling at him. "I will always be your friend Jarod, until we are both dead." She promised in a quite voice full of conviction. No matter when her father sent her away to be wed, when she had her own children, when she was old and wrinkly, they would always be best friends.
“Me too," Jarod vowed softly, holding her eyes with his. "No matter what."
"No matter what." She repeated with a nod of her head. "So is your room right next to the library?" Parker asked, thinking of ways she could get into see him.
Jarod nodded. it wasn't really a room, more like a recess in the wall where they had put a little bed and he even had his own desk there where he could work if he had to. Sydney trusted him now to bring his parchment and writing instruments there. He hadn’t worked up the courage to ask for any for him to do his own drawing or writing on, and he kept telling himself that he should ask him soon.
"I can come see you when you're not working." Parker looked around as she whispered it, as if it were a big secret.
Jarod looked around too, wondering what she was looking for and then nodded. "I work lots and lots.” He told her, "And Sydney lets me read ANY book I want.” He whispered that with a hushed awe. He liked his work very much, it stopped the boredom and didn’t mind that he worked for long hours. Sometimes though, he just longed to go outside and run in the fields, splash in the stream and lie in the sun, smelling the fresh grass.
“Ohh," Parker whispered back, her eyes wide open. "That is very good." She had to sneak in lots now, so he could teach her to read too. The way he had said it, made books sound like the most magical, amazing things on the earth, and Parker wanted to be able to read them as well.
"I can show you and we can read them together.” He said enthusiastically. "But you have to be VERY careful with the books,” He cautioned.
Parker nodded quickly, "Sydney always says I'm not allowed around his books because I'm a girl and I would ruin them. But I won't, I promise I won't. And you can teach me how to read them too."
"I will," Jarod said, his whole being lighting up at the thought of that. "But you have to practice, every single day.” He told her, knowing how much trouble Lyle had and how he had to do things over and over again. Sydney told him that was normal, and nothing was wrong with Lyle. Jarod was just very special that he only had to do things once to learn them properly. And that Jarod mustn’t judge him for that, not everybody could be as lucky as him to learn things so quickly. Jarod didn’t judge him though, all he wanted to do was help him, but Lyle wouldn’t let him.
"I promise, I will practice every night before bed, so father doesn't find out." Parker grinned madly, very excited by the idea. "I will come visit you tonight, after Sydney leaves."
“You can do that?" Jarod whispered. They locked the doors because Sydney was worried about his library and there was no way to get out, so that meant she couldn't get in. It also meant that Jarod couldn’t get out. Sometimes the thought of what lay outside his new domain scared him and sometimes it excited him.
Parker nodded with a mischievous smirk. "All I do all day is needlepoint, singing and dancing lessons, lady lessons. When I don't have them, I have nothing else to do. I look and wander lots. I know all the secret doors."
"There are secret doors?” He whispered, his eyes wide at that. He didn't even know where in the castle he was. The idea of secret passageways was very exciting to him though, firing up his imagination.
Parker nodded, “Yes! Lots of them too. I think for when there is big fights, we can all run out safely. I don't think even father knows about them. I can go anywhere, even outside with them." Parker whispered in surprised awe, loving her secret passages, she could get anywhere with them. It was like a whole new world opened up when she had discovered them.
“You can?” He said, his voice dropping even lower. Sydney had told him time and time again it wasn't safe for him to go outside. There were bad people that would want to hurt him, or take him away to make him work for them because he was clever. There were people that wanted to hurt the Duke, take things from him and they would do that anyway they could.
Parker nodded, “One day, maybe we can go into the real outside, just us two?" Parker asked him, hoping he would want to.
He nodded, but a little fearfully. "I like it out here,” He said, looking around at the gardens. He had never seen anything like this before. And this was the real outside too, wasn’t it? He looked back at her for a moment as he realised something. "We can't be friends yet."
"We can't?" Parker frowned in confusion, not understanding why they couldn't.
Jarod shook his head as he watched her.
"Why not?" She whispered miserably, "I want to be your friend, why can't I?" That had upset her terribly, all Parker wanted to do was be his friend, his best friend, and now he was saying they couldn’t be friends.
"We can't be friends if I don't even know your real name,” He whispered back, taking her hand, seeing he had upset her now and he hadn't meant to do that.
Looking at her hand held gently in his soft, ink stained hand, Parker looked around to see if anyone was close to them. Her name was a secret, her father had told her never to use it. Leaning into his ear, Parker ever so silently whispered her full name to him. Her father had told her one day when she asked why she wasn’t allowed to use it, that it was because her mother chose it, and it upset him time and time again when it was used. It upset him because it reminded him of the wonderful wife he had lost because of her.
Jarod listened to her as she told her his name and wondered if nobles had some special customs about names. Nobody used her father's name, and her brother went by a different one and she didn't use her name. They also had names that were very long too, which he thought was rather strange. "Now we can be friends.” He smiled at her.
That brought a bright, broad smile from Parker, glad they could be friends. "But you mustn't use it Jarod. It upsets father when people uses my name."
Jarod nodded, not understanding though. "I promise,” He told her, taking his promise very seriously. He wouldn’t betray her secret, not for anything.
"Thank you." Parker whispered, holding his hand tightly, not wanting to lose this boy.
When Sydney realised Jarod wasn't coming back he got up and started looking for him, worried he might be lost. The boy needed some time to himself but now he was worried. He was very tender and while he was gaining confidence in his learning and abilities, he seemed very sheltered. He supposed that was from spending so much time with the monks after losing his parents at such a young age. "Jarod?” He called out, wandering through the garden looking for him.
Parker's head snapped up as she head Sydney's voice. "Is it time for you to go back now Jarod?" She asked, upset he would be going and leaving her alone.
Jarod nodded and got up. "I will get in trouble,” He told her, although didn't want to go. He liked talking to this girl and he had never really had a friend before.
Parker climbed up as well, “Maybe I could come with you?" She asked, knowing Sydney would say no, no matter what she said. She was Sydney’s Lady, daughter of the Duke, and she still couldn’t get him to say yes to lots of things.
"I don't know, I have work to do,” He said in uncertainty. It would be time for the midday meal soon though, when they normally break for the lesson.
Parker looked up as Sydney made his way over and looked up at him sheepishly. "Hello Sydney." She said softly, looking up at him from a lowered head.
"Salutations Milady," Sydney said. "I was wondering what had happened to my little Jarod and now I can see." Sydney said, his voice serious, but his eyes twinkling, glad to see that the girl had found someone she could talk to. He couldn’t approve of their friendship officially, but what the Duke didn’t know, couldn’t hurt him.
"It isn't her fault Sydney," Jarod said, coming to her defence, not wanting her to get into trouble.
"Shhh," Parker whispered, not wanting Jarod in trouble. There was nothing really Sydney could do to her, but lots he could do to Jarod. "Did you tell my brother off Sydney?" Parker demanded.
"No I did not," Sydney said, narrowing his eyes at her, wondering what tale the little brat had spun about what had happened. He had not told him off at all, had merely pointed out a few facts about life. Sydney didn’t like the young Lord at all, he was puffed up with his own self importance, which Sydney could understand, after all he would run all this one day. What Sydney couldn’t tolerate is how much of a bully he was. Jarod was a gentle child and Lyle too easily pushed him around.
"Why not?" She stomped her foot. "Look at what he did to my Jarod's face!" Parker pointed at it, very upset by it. “You should have told him off, that was nasty what he did!”
Jarod ducked his head in embarrassment and tried to hide behind Sydney now. He was very intimidated by Sydney still, everything about this place and the Duke especially. Since he had never really met him, it was more the idea of that scared Jarod, and the fact that he had so much power over his existence.
"That is not your concern Milady.” He said, but was glad that she had taken Jarod's side. It worried him a little though at the way she referred to him as 'my Jarod'. He hoped she understood he wasn’t a living doll, a toy to discard when she tired of the novelty of him.
"But he hurt my friend." She whispered, not thinking it was right or fair Lyle had hit him like he had.
“Yes he did and you know how things work Milady," Sydney sighed. That was the way of the world. Those with money and power took advantage of those without, there was nothing new there. It had always been this way and always would. Those with the money controlled everything and ruled the lives of those who lived under them. Sydney had learned to live with that a long time ago and make the necessary compromises so that he could pursue the things he wanted. It was a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things really.
"It's not right." Parker said every so quietly, tears in her eyes. "He shouldn't have hurt Jarod, you should have told him off for it. I will tell him off for it." Parker said, her tears forgotten as she threw her shoulders back. She would teach her twin it wasn’t right to hurt others like he did.
"Don't you cause trouble on account of this Milady," Sydney urged her, knowing it would only come back on Jarod tenfold and he was in no position to defend himself. She could afford to indulge in emotions like that, he and Jarod couldn’t. Whatever she did or said had no real consequences. For people like Sydney and Jarod though, those consequences could impact very harshly. Their very lives hung on the goodwill of their patron.
"Someone has to make it right but don't they Sydney?" Parker asked, all her determination vanishing, looking at Jarod, knowing she didn't want him hurt even more. Her brother could be so spiteful sometimes he would hurt Jarod on purpose.
"The world isn't fair little one," Sydney said tenderly as he touched her face. “You run along now, midday meal will be served soon."
“Yes sir," Parker said softly, knowing he was very right. Moving to Jarod, she gave him a quick hug before running off to get changed into her good clothes for the meal.
"Bye," Jarod said softly and waved as she ran off. He didn't know where she had come from or where she was going now. His mind was afire with the idea of secret passageways though. They would take him to places he couldn’t begin to imagine.
