The Seahorse and the Spice 🪼🎩✔

30: History Starts Now

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO
"Thomas Barma was living it up as any third son would. He had hardly any responsibilities and all the money of his father's title. He was at the top of his game and was dashing enough with the ladies but his favorite thing to do was go drinking-"
"At your tavern, right, Mummy?" I said, looking up at my mother with utter admiration.
Mother looked at me with that golden smile she always had and touched my hair.
"That's right, my tavern. You know this story, Salem, why do you want me to tell it to you almost every night?"
"Because you're the bestest story teller ever! And I don't like the other lady that tries to tell me what to do... Mummy, when are we going to go home?"
Mother looked at me with a pained expression as she leaned me back to go to sleep. She stood up and kissed my forehead.
"I don't think we can ever go back, sweetling. We'll just have to make due."
"But I don't like this house and I never get to see Papa. When is he gonna come back?"
Another pained expression flew across Mother's eyes but she smiled, staying positive for me.
"That's a good question, lovey. Maybe you can ask your father that whenever you see him... You see him more than I do." She mumbled.
I don't think she knew I heard her but I kept it to myself. She kissed me goodnight and I watched her leave, unaware of the turmoil deep in her soul.

TEN YEARS AGO
"Salem, you need to take your studies seriously. You'll be the duke one day and how will you manage if you don't know how to work finances?" Father yelled at me from behind the desk.
I didn't want to listen to him. I hated it here. I had hated it ever since I was brought to this miserable property as a child and I hated it now that I was older. More so now since I eventually found out why we were here, how it all worked out, and that we would never go back home.
The door was open and I watched my mother scrub the floor with a brush, trying to get out an oil stain where Lady Janis had spilled perfume all over the floor.
"Salem, are you even listening to me?" my father boomed.
I looked over at him slightly but I caught Mother looking from the corner of my eye. Seeming to realize the door was open, Father got up and was tromping over until he saw who was cleaning on the floor.
"Elicia..."
"Duke Barma." She said, stopping and getting on her knees with a small tilt of her head. "I wasn't eavesdropping on your conversation."
"I... never accused you of it. What are you scrubbing at so hard?"
"Stop it." I growled. My parents looked over at me. "You, Father, stop acting like you give a shit about my mother."
Mother glared at me from the floor as I stood up and walked over to him. I pointed at my mother.
"This woman is my mother and look at her. She's down on her hands and knees scrubbing away at something that will never come out because that witch of a wife of yours did this. She causes all sorts of problems for Mum-"
"Lord Barma, please, it's alright."
I looked at her with wide eyes and I felt my knees go weak.
"Wh-what did you call me...?"
"Milord, there's no need to come to my defense." She said softly.
I felt my mouth fall open and tears prick my eyes. This woman -the one I adored with all my fiber, the one I loved more than anyone, and the woman who was always there for me, my mother- just addressed me as a nobleman. I rounded on my father, who for some reason, also seemed oddly uncomfortable.
"Look at what you've done to her. LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE MADE HER! Look at what you've done to my mother!"
I couldn't handle it anymore and left. I wasn't an emotional man but I loved my mother so much and I've had to watch her dwindle away to almost nothing. She wasn't eating well (what she was given) and she had a lot of headaches. He's already killed her physically and now he's working on her mind. She called me 'Lord Barma'! LORD BARMA! Like an actual scullery maid!

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For the next couple of weeks, I tried to avoid both of my parents at all costs. Father, because I didn't want to hear what he had to say and Mother, because I was afraid she'd address me all proper again. I didn't know if I could take that degrading attribute again. My mother was strong and independent but... she was breaking in so many pieces. I can't catch up and I can't mend her the way I wish I could. The only one who could mend her completely would by my father and he has stupid Janis.
I wasn't watching where I was going and tripped over someone. I was about to yell at them when I saw it was my mother, but she was sprawled out on the floor. I gasped and crawled over to her, touching her face. She was hot to the touch, scorching. I immediately grabbed her up and found another maid to tell her to get some ice water and call for a doctor. I put Mother in her room and pulled a chair up beside the bed. I looked at her red and calloused hands where she had rubbed them raw... they were nothing like the soft hands I remember in my childhood.
Mother stirred and opened her eyes a little. I smiled as she looked around.
"Where am I?"
"You must have passed out while cleaning the floor."
"Oh... I'm so sorry, Lord Barma-"
"I will never speak this way again, Mum, but I swear to God himself that if you call me Lord Barma one more time, I will bloody bash your head in." I snarled.
Mother just smirked at me, used to my tempers as of late.
"Duly noted."
"So... say my name."
"Why?"
"Because I want to hear you say it once more."
She reached up and touched my cheek softly. "My darling, Salem. My evening heart and my morning sun..."
It was so good to hear her say my name again.