His dreams were a blur. Thoughts lingering from his conscious state and worries for Tea For Two seemed to blend with other visions. His old home, the stables where he used to ride when he was younger, and the familiar face of someone he missed. Someone he couldn't place at that moment, but dread crept over him as his home returned, except that time, destroyed. Reduced to rubble and debris. More images blended, and Tea For Two was suddenly standing in the midst of it all. Frey couldn't do anything, but he knew something bad was happening, and as a monstrous silhouette appeared behind the horse, he couldn't turn his head to look away.
It was just like back then. The massive jaws tore the horse in half, blood spattering over Frey's face, just like that time.
But unlike then, he got to wake up, and realise it hadn't been real.
Tears still ran down his cheeks, and his heart was racing from the horrid visuals. Despite the assurance that it had been nothing but a dream, the horror remained and he knew he would not be able to relax until he'd seen Tea For Two brought to safety.
"How are you feeling?"
Frey turned his head to spot Damien, sitting in an armchair next to his bed.
"Hauke made some tea." Damien held up a cup. "I think there's enough left for you, but it might have gone cold."
"I don't need it." Frey wiped his tears on the corner of his blanket before sitting up, realising to his disgruntlement that he wasn't wearing anything else. "And where are my clothes?"
"Really?" Damien had the nerve to look amused. "You're asking about your clothes? The ones you returned with?"
Frey supposed he should have figured out his clothes would have been removed. It did not sit right with him though.
"So... You let servants wash my body."
"No, because I knew you would throw a tantrum." Damien had a tired look in his eyes. "I washed you. Someone had to."
Frey wasn't thrilled by the idea of anyone washing him, really, but he had to agree Damien was better than anyone else.
"Will you please leave, then? I'm getting dressed."
"Where are you going?" Damien wrinkled his eyebrows. "It's late, and you're in no condition—"
"Please... Leave," Frey said through clenched teeth, and Damien let out a resigned sigh before standing up.
Frey pressed his lips together as he got dressed, fingers having numbed to a painful degree and made buttoning anything near impossible. He supposed it was one of those times where I valet would come in handy, but he'd still rather break his fingers than call for him.
It was still raining outside. Despite having brought a thicker coat, Frey hesitated to go. The stables were far away enough for him to get wet again, but he had to get there. He had to see if Tea For Two was back.
He got his answer as soon as he entered, and a wave of relief washed over him as he spotted the white mare tied outside her stall. The only thing holding him back from throwing his arms around her neck was the fact that she was not alone.
"Lord Clausson." Marius gave his presence a small nod without looking up. He'd knelt down next to Tea For Two to clean a smaller wound on her side, and Frey's mood sank for some reason. He'd expected things to go back to normal. Marius was supposed to have that stupid smile on his face, and Frey was supposed to insult him, but he didn't want to.
He didn't walk closer either. He just stood there for an awkward amount of time before finally clearing his throat.
"You brought her back."
"As I promised, my Lord."
Frey studied the supplies laid out around him. It must have taken a lot of time just to wash all the mud and leaves off, yet he seemed to have been tending to her wounds for a while.
"How did you pull her up from there?" he asked, and Marius pointed further into the stables at one of the other stalls where a large, black and white horse was standing.
"I had Sweeps help me," he said. "Don't worry about the name, it's not one of yours."
Frey fought the urge to smile at that. Instead he glanced out the window at the dark sky.
"I have to imagine you don't usually work this late. I'm certain the stable master would be happy to take over."
"That's a generous offer, my Lord." Marius still didn't look at him, to Frey's growing annoyance. "But I'm better suited for these particular tasks, and Master Reimar gets up earlier in the morning than me."
Frey had to scoff.
"Better suited than a stable master? That's quite disrespectful, don't you think?"
"Just the truth." Marius turned to soak another rag in a bucket of water. "Master Reimar is aware, and Lord Hargreaves is aware. My guess is I was hired because of that."
Frey was not supposed to inquire. He wasn't even supposed to care. The backstory of someone like Marius was of little relevance to him, and therefore useless.
"Because you can clean a wound?" he still asked before his voice of reason could stop him. "I like to think the stable master could do that as well."
Marius paused to draw a breath, possibly planning for a deep sigh, but he ended up releasing it slowly and continuing with his work, having moved on to Tea For Two's injured leg.
"I worked in a mine before. In charge of the horses."
Frey scrunched up his nose. He'd always hated the idea of horses underground, and from what he'd heard it was about as bad as he imagined. His father had refused to sell horses to North Kerilia specifically because of their mines. Perhaps it was a necessary evil, but Frey preferred not to think about it still.
"And I suppose those horses had a tendency to get injured."
"They were lucky if they lasted more than four years." Marius' tone was grave, and Frey pressed his lips together. "Did the best I could though."
As Marius turned to reach for a small bowl, Frey noticed the scratch marks on his face from when he'd fought him, and that inconvenient, sinking feeling that he only seemed to have around Marius grabbed hold of him.
He wouldn't apologise, he promptly decided. Marius had grabbed him without permission, despite Frey having informed him before that it was strictly forbidden. His intentions had been good, but that didn't change anything.
"Well then, it seems you know what you're doing." Frey readied himself to leave, a little disappointed he wouldn't get to talk to Tea For Two, but his pride kept him from it. "I'll come by to check on her tomorrow."
"Lord Clausson?" Marius said when Frey turned around, and while the latter kept beating himself up for humouring him, he still allowed him to continue.
"I've... Done some thinking, regarding earlier, and... Before that as well." Marius finally turned his head, but his gaze was lowered to the floor. "And I want to apologise."
Frey had not expected it, but it was also something he didn't mind so he let Marius continue.
"I've never had any intention to offend you, so you know." Marius shrugged awkwardly. "Yet I seem to do so all the time, so... I figure I just don't understand how to act around you. I guess I haven't interacted enough with the other lords to have learned how different our social languages are."
"Clearly."
"So, yeah, I want to apologise for not knowing, and... I want to clarify that when I tried to save you from falling the other day, it really was just because I didn't want you to get hurt. Same when I asked about your health before, and while I know you didn't like it, I grabbed you to bring you back because I... Care about your well-being. From what you said back then, it seems you're under the impression that I'm trying to humiliate you, but I don't do it to be snarky or to get something out of it. I was raised to care about people, and to show it. Because it's nice when people care." Marius sighed through his nose. "But the upper class is more about appearances, and I guess I understand that being grabbed by someone like me, or being vulnerable by talking about your health, is beneath you. I also should have realised that my attempts to lighten up situations by joking just come across as disrespectful."
Frey had gotten the apology he'd wanted. He'd managed to get the message across, and Marius finally understood the difference in their social classes, but it didn't feel right. Not when it was said out loud.
"We're not just about appearances. We care about each other, we just—" He cut his sentence short. He didn't have to explain himself to a servant. "... Well, either way, I'm glad you finally understand, and I accept your apology."
Marius bowed his head slightly before turning back to Tea For Two.
"That's a relief to hear, my Lord."
Frey still lingered, despite not wanting to.
"Stable boy."
Marius looked at him again, eyebrows wrinkled as if readying himself for whatever new insults Frey had come up with.
"You... Brought Tea For Two back, as you promised." He couldn't believe himself. "You've stayed past your workday to tend to her, and despite the horrendous amount of disrespect, you made certain I was out of danger as well."
He stared into Marius' eyes, begrudgingly.
"Thank you."
Marius looked genuinely stumped, but he soon found his words again.
"You're... Welcome, my Lord."
That time as he turned back, Frey was certain he could see a vague smile on his lips. It was a comfort, no matter how he tried to deny it.
"That does not mean you have permission to touch me in the future, so you know."
Marius' wide, eye-crinkling smile finally returned, and he raised his eyebrows.
"So no daily hugs then?"
Frey stared at him, eyes narrowing.
"On the off chance that you're serious, then no."