"No. My name is Del, if you please. All my friends call me Del."
"Del? Then would you consider us friends?" I asked hesitantly.
He smiled a charming smile. "Certainly, Jenallia. I have saved you twice now. Do you not think friendship a suitable reward?"
"Jen. My friends call me Jen," I offered with a shy smile up at him. He had moved closer on the couch and still held my hand in his. At my words, his smile grew softer and he tightened his grip on my hand.
"Jen. It suits you."
"My mother disagrees," I said. "She thinks it is too common for a woman of the upper strata."
He chuckled. "She would."
We chatted companionably for a few more minutes before he rose.
"If I do not want to incur the wrath of your family, I should probably leave before they return."
"That is wise," I answered, standing as well. "It was good to see you."
"And you. Thank you for your mercy." He took my hand in his again and pressed a gentle kiss to the inside of my wrist.
I shivered at the touch and looked up into his dark eyes. "I will see you again soon?"
"At the latest, in a week. Get well, Jen."
"Thank you, Del."
He let go and stepped away, waving before he disappeared back into the hallway. I sank down on the couch and touched my wrist where he had kissed it. What did he mean by such an intimate gesture? We hardly knew one another and I was the reason his childhood friend was going to be on trial next week. And yet, he seemed eager to become friends.
While I was still reflecting on our conversation, reviewing his words and looking for any hidden meaning, examining every look and touch, I heard the front door open. Remdon poked his head in and, when he saw me, joined me on the couch.
"Have you heard about the trial?"
"It is in a week," I answered.
"Yes. I will be testifying, as will Anassia. They will want you there as well, but as the intended victim, you do not have to attend."
"I would like to go."
"I do not think it wise. It may be difficult for you to see her after all she did to you."
"No, I think I should be there."
"Are you certain?" He took my hands in his and looked into my eyes.
"I promise, it will not hurt me to see her again. I think it would help give me closure," I answered honestly, squeezing his hands.
"Then I will take you with me."
"Thank you, Remdon. I will try not to embarrass you."
"Oh Jen, you know you never embarrass me. I think you are refreshingly frank and unaffected."
We were laughing as Remdon caught me up on all the latest foibles and missteps of the ridge folk when Mother and Fernillia returned. They joined us in the parlor and began telling me about all the shopping they had done. Remdon soon left with a comment about not needing to be caught up on women's fashion.
That night, before retiring, I penned a short note to Del.
"My friend, Remdon has overcome his qualms about taking me to the trial (though I admit I did not tell him my true purpose in attending). I thank you for your offer of an escort, but I will be safe in my brother's hands. -J"
I sealed it and addressed it to Del, then asked Mirella to place it with the rest of the outgoing mail. With her usual ability to sense how I was feeling, she knew not to ask about it and quietly did as I requested.
While I did not expect to hear from Del, I realized that I was missing him. The week before the trial seemed to drag by slowly as I anticipated meeting him again.
Noting the preoccupation of my mind, Remdon assumed that I was worried about facing Mistress Ildasan again after her attack. He caught me in the library a couple days before the trial and sat next to me, taking my hand in his.
"I hate to see you so worried, Jen," he said.
"I am not worried. I am just distracted."
"By the trial?"
"By something completely different." It was basically honest. My interest in Del was quite independent from the trial, though I looked forward to seeing him there.
"So you are truly not anxious about seeing her again?"
I knew Remdon was struggling to understand. I decided to try explaining again, hoping it would go better than it had in the past. "I am not."
"How can you not be? She tried to kill you!"
"She tried to kill me twice, you know, and you will own that I was not nervous to meet her again after her first attempt either."
"I do not understand how you can be so blasted calm!"
I considered that for a moment before answering. "I believe it is just not in my nature to be anxious about this. I am rarely anxious about things I understand and I understand Mistress Ildasan. I understand her motives and I understand why she targeted me."
"How can you not be worried that seeing her again will bring back memories of what happened?"
I tried to think of a way to answer without baring the harsh truth, but none came to mind. "I already relive the worst memories in my dreams," I answered honestly. "Every night, I am back in the woods being chased by ghost wolves or passing out alone. Truly, the dreams are worse than the reality was. So seeing her cannot take my mind to any worse places than it already travels."
Remdon let go of my hand, wrapping his arms around me instead. "Oh Jen, I am sorry. And yet you still do not rage at her. Do you not hate her?"
"I do not."
"Why?"
"Because I feel that, given the right inducements, I might have become her."