Chapter Eleven

“Duncan’s cross with me, and the crew that were on the deck think I’m a creature sent straight from the Underworld to lead you on a path of destruction.”

Avalon looked over at where his husband was sitting on his small two-seater. They were in his suite. Jasper was dry and dressed in warm clothing, although those were the first words he’d said since Avalon pulled him from the sea.

Pouring the coffee Avalon had ordered, he took the two cups over to where Jasper was sitting and took the space beside him, handing over the cup, thinking about what to say. Remembering his own words about honesty, he said bluntly, “Duncan thought you’d gone flying off the ship in a misguided effort to free me from a marriage to someone with an eyepatch.”

Jasper was clearly thinking about his words. “That wasn’t my original intention. I just couldn’t let anyone harm those creatures – especially when they didn’t mean any harm. And then… I did think about it… after… when I was in the water and realized I couldn’t breathe.”

Jasper looked down at his cup. Avalon was struck by how slender his husband’s hands were. “My magic, or maybe it was the creatures around me… they reminded me that you’d suffered loss before, and it would be cruel for you to go through that twice in a lifetime, especially when neither case was through fault of your own.”

Avalon scratched at a dry spot on his face. He was still carrying the remains of salt spray on his skin from being in the longboat, and then holding Jasper’s wet and cold body. He’d been focused on taking care of Jasper once they reached the ship and hadn’t had a chance to wash. “Thank you,” I think. “You didn’t go jumping over the railings to end your life, though, I’m sure of that.”

“Not intentionally, no. Thank you for believing that of me, at least.” The small quick smile Jasper gave him warmed Avalon’s insides. “It’s not easy living as I do, knowing the truth of how people perceive me. Growing up, I always used to wonder how people could be so polite on the outside, and yet harbor such intense feelings inside.”

“Part of that is societal upbringing.” Avalon relaxed back in the seat, his arm along the back of it, not touching Jasper, but close, his other hand cradling his coffee. “I’ve always thought that people who don’t have any ranking are the happiest in so many ways, or at least more honest. They don’t care how they’re perceived by others. They just get on with living their lives. The rest of us have to set an example.” Avalon chuckled. “Not that the common folk pay any attention to the examples we’re supposedly setting. They get along perfectly fine without us.”

Jasper smiled again and nodded, but his expression quickly turned serious. “Being with me isn’t going to be easy on you,” he said quietly, his gaze fixed on his cup. “I never dreamed… what happened tonight. I thought it was a dream, and yet… as much as my insides are so jumbled and happy because being among those fascinating creatures was the very best experience of my life, I’m also aware of how my reckless actions, because of creatures no less, will not be seen in a positive light by the men you command.”

He looked up and Avalon knew what was coming. “As your friend, and as someone whose magic thinks kindly of you, I do believe you should use my actions this night to invoke the dissolution clause in our marriage contract. There is none that would condemn you, and I swear, as soon as I find somewhere safe to be, I will notify my mother and assure her your actions were purely a result of my untenable behavior.”

Avalon grinned. He knew that wasn’t what Jasper was expecting, but he couldn’t help himself. “I do realize we’ve barely known each other a week, but do you think there will come a time anytime soon when you might be working on ways to stay married to me, instead of looking for excuses to get out of it?”

“I don’t understand.” The one eye Jasper had uncovered flew open and he looked up at Avalon, the shock unmistakable. “There is no way in any country, in any part of the known world that my swim tonight, with creatures that could’ve harmed the ship, would be considered acceptable behavior for the Crown Prince Consort of a respected country. Not even the pirates would take me if they knew of my magic, and how just by finally falling asleep I caused the disturbance this evening. Avalon, please. If anyone had a reason to invoke the clause it would be you.”

Taking a large sip of his coffee, Avalon put his cup down on the closest table, and reached for Jasper’s free hand. “I find myself quite taken with you,” he said, keeping his voice low. He really didn’t want to spook his husband, nor have him feel uncomfortable in any way, although the urge to pull the frail man into his arms was strong.

“Admittedly, there might be some gossip once others learn of your magic, but none would dare say anything to your face, or mine. I confess what happened this evening has raised some questions I’d like answers to, as well, but giving up on our marriage is the last thing I’m thinking about.” He paused for a moment, and then added, “Even if that option was possible, which it isn’t, and before you get the wrong idea, that was my choice too, and something I am happy about.”

Jasper wasn’t a silly man. Avalon could almost see him decoding the words, connecting the dots, and coming to a logical conclusion. “You signed away your right to a dissolution clause?”

“I did. The same as you did. Despite my ranking higher in social circles than yourself, I wanted us to come into this marriage as close to equal as possible.”

“I should berate you.” Jasper looked out the porthole, not that he could see a lot as it was well past midnight. “And yet, I find my heart gladdened by your words. I’m not sure what that says about me.”

“That you’re a man looking for a connection just like I was when neither one of us knew it?” Avalon suggested. “That it’s possible two misfits can find each other in the chaos of life as we know it, and come to some accord?”

“My magic does like you,” Jasper admitted, which made Avalon smile all over again because he already knew Jasper’s magic was the core of the man himself and not a separate entity. “And you did, at great risk to your own person, row towards a pod of whales, in the dark, with no thought of your own safety, to pull me from the water.”

“I trusted you wouldn’t let your creatures hurt me,” Avalon said simply. “But tell me, what was it like swimming amongst so many of our sea creatures? Could you commune with them at all? How did you know how to swim if you’d never done it before?”

Putting down his coffee mug, Jasper leaned back, mimicking Avalon’s pose, their hands still joined. “I’m sure the fish were laughing at me,” he started. “They didn’t communicate in words as such, but…”

Avalon couldn’t stop smiling as he listened to his husband sharing the events from his own perspective. It was clearly an epic experience for his non-swimming husband. Yes, Avalon was tired – his shoulders were still complaining about the rowing - and he knew Jasper would need more sleep as well, but he wanted to savor a quiet shared moment with the man he was coming to have feelings for.