Laochaire

Noxious Concoction

Featured Gaelic and Pronunciations:

- Tiugainn (choo-geyn) - come along

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3 April, 1744

Versailles, Paris, France

Things were all right, for a while. Jamie had moved back into our bedchamber and we slowly worked on repairing the rift that had come between us. Twice, I woke up to him touching me, but when I tried to return the favour, he wouldn't let me. Another time, I awoke to his head between my legs, teasing me with his tongue and making me groan and growl his name through gritted teeth. He still wasn't interested in the same being done to him, but the fact that he was reaching out to me on his own was enough for me. Baby steps were needed in his recovery - for a man as proud as Jamie Fraser, it could take quite a while for him to recover his pride. At least he stopped pushing me away, and he always kissed me before he left.

He promised he would be around more, and at first, he held true to his promise, until he slowly started being absent from the house for longer and longer periods during the day. When I brought it up to him, he told me that Charles was demanding his attention more and more each day. "I'm sorry, mo ghràidh. Really, I am, but ye ken how important this is," he'd said to me, taking note of my irritated expression.

"Can't ye tell him ye'd rather be home with yer family then out running aboot with prostitutes?" I demanded from the bed, my knees pulled up against my chest.

"Charles doesnae think like that, mo gráidh . Ye ken tha'," he said. "Why don't ye come te Versailles with me when I meet Duverney fer chess tomorrow? Ye can bring the lads."

"I'll no' have them anywhere near that actual shithole of a place," I said. "Ye ken the royal family just shits and pishes wherever they please?"

"Then you come with me," said Jamie kindly, sitting down on the bed beside me and leaning over to kiss my cheek. "Will ye come?"

"I'd rather ye spend time with yer sons, Jamie," I said, taking the bait but still putting up a fight.

"When we return, we'll spend every second of the rest of the day with them. I promise ye," Jamie replied. "Please?" I let out a sigh, giving into him.

"All right, fine," I told him. "But fer tha', ye owe me." He chuckled, then pulled my legs out and pushed me back down onto the bed.

"I think I can pay my dues," he said, subtly pulling the hem of my shift up to expose me. "I'm glad te see yer hair come back. Fer Christ's sake, dinnae ever rid yerself of such a lovely bush ever again!"

"I'll be glad te spare meself the pain," I told him with amusement.

The following day, we rode in the carriage together, my ungloved hand held tightly in his as the carriage bumped over the cobblestone streets of the city. I kept my eyes out the window, a nasty feeling beginning to burn inside of me. I didn't know what was coming, nor when it would, but whenever something bad was going to happen, I could always sense it.

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"What are the names of your sons again, Madame Fraser?" Duverney had asked me. I was standing behind Jamie, my hand resting on his shoulder, while Jamie played Duverney in chess.

"Archie and Brian," I answered Duverney. "Archie was named fer my father and Brian fer Jamie's."

"How very... Scottish," said Duverney.