Mary's Path
Tea with Anna

As the next week came around a rumour started spreading in the kitchen. There were talks about the sickness coming back in full strength again. People were getting sick. Mostly in the poorer parts of the city. But the fear was that it would spread.

Mary listened to the others talking about it and felt sorry for the people that were sick. Memories of her parents lying in their bed with fever wrecking their bodies came back to her.

She tried to push the memories aside and focus on her work. There were so many things for her to think about these days that if she didn’t block them all out during the day, she would have been unable to do any of her work.

When she was alone in her room, the thought that weight heaviest on her mind was what Zerden had said about Erik. She really didn’t want to lose her friend. But on the other hand, she couldn’t afford her reputation to be tarnished.

Maybe in time she could let go of her feelings for Zerden and move on. But she didn’t think that Erik could be that one, even if he would have feelings for her. Witch he didn’t.

That didn’t help her to decide what to do about Erik though. Mary tried to come up with a solution but didn’t replace any. Finally, she decided to talk to Zerden’s mother about it. Anna always had solutions to things.

---

It was Wednesday afternoon and Anna had felt restless all day waiting for Mary to come. It had been a couple of weeks since she last saw her, and Anna had noticed Zerden actin strange lately. Zerden hade moved out of his parents’ apartment and into the soldiers’ accommodations. But he still visited her almost daily.

The last two weeks or so she had seen a change in him. He seemed unfocused, like he was constantly thinking about something else.

Anna secretly was hoping that he had asked Mary to go to the soldiers’ feast with him. She knew he had thought about it, and he had even asked his mother if it would be a good idea.

Anna had for years been hoping for something like that. She looked at Mary like a daughter so to her there were no better candidate to be her daughter in law. Anna had seen the way Zerden had been looking at Mary for the last year and her hope had grown.

Mary had become a beautiful young woman, so tit was no surprise that Zerden had become interested in her. Not only was she beautiful with her pale skin, bright green eyes and flaming red hair. She was also a good person, kind and caring. She had lived a difficult life and it had made Mary lose her confidence.

Anna was certain that with a little attention from Zerden that would change. She knew Mary had feeling for Zerden. The only one that had figured that out yet was probably Zerden. Anna chuckled at the ignorance of her son.

Now she was waiting on Mary to come so that she could ask her what was happening with Zerden. She was hoping for good news and was excited as she heard the knock on the door. She went to led Mary in and invited her to join her at the table for a cup of tea.

They exchanged pleasantries and talked about the situation in the city for a while. Ana could feel that Mary had something on her mind, so she decided to start getting to the point of why she had asked her over.

“Mary I was wondering if you could clear something up for me” she asked Mary.

“If I can, I will” Mary said looking at her with surprise.

“Zerden has been acting a bit strangely the last couple of weeks and since you and him are so close I was wondering if you knew why”

Anna saw that Mary became uncomfortable and she wondered if it had something to do with Mary being scared that Anna and her husband not accepting a relationship between Mary and Zerden. In that case Anna would set her straight.

“I don’t know if it’s my place to say” Mary said.

“You know Zerden almost as well as I do Mary. You know he won’t tell me and I’m worried that something is wrong. Can you help me put my mind at ease? I promise that what ever you say stays between the two of us” Anna coxed her. Mary looked at her and then nodded.

“Zerden have started seeing one of the princess’s ladies-in-waiting, lady Sarah. But since lady Sarah thinks he is below her status they have to keep it a secret for now.” Mary said.

Of all the answers to her question, this was the one she had least expected Anna thought. She just looked in surprise at Mary, trying to wrap her head around what she had told her.

“You mean to say that he has a love interest in this lady?” she finally asked Mary and got a nod in response. “Are you sure Mary, that doesn’t sound like him?”

“I am, I have been going as their chaperon”

This made Anna even more surprised, and angry. She didn’t know what possessed her son to turn away from Mary and go after this lady, a woman that saw him as not worthy of her acceptance but still wanted his attention.

But Anna recognised that Zerden was free to make his own choices when it came to love. How ever poorly she thought they were. But to make Mary come along, that was just cruel. Annas maternal instincts kicked in full gear as she sensed Mary being hurt.

If it had been someone else, Anna would have talked to her husband to have a strict work with the person. But now that it was Zerden she didn’t know how to handle it.

“I’m sorry my dear” she told Mary, putting her hand on top of Mary’s.

“About what?”

Clearly Mary didn’t want anyone to know about her feelings for Zerden, Anna thought, and who could blame her in this circumstance.

“I know it must take time away from Zerden and you, I know how good friends you are” she therefore said. Mary shrugged.

“It was bound to happen sooner or later” she told Anna.

Yes, Anna thought, but it was supposed to happen with you.

“Is there something else on your mind?” she asked Mary, going back to her first instinct.

“Yes, I think I need your advice on something” Mary confessed.

“I would be honoured to help you”

“For the last couple of weeks my friend Erik has been going to church with me. It has been really nice not being alone” Mary started.

“But the other day Zerden told me that I shouldn’t do that anymore. That it isn’t proper for me to spend time alone with a man. Now I don’t know what to do. I do want to keep seeing Erik, he’s my oldest friend. But I don’t think I want to marry him, and I definitely don’t want to get a bad reputation” she continued, and Anna could se she was close to tears.

Anna realised that this was probably the angriest she had ever been with her son. Fist she replaces out that he is making Mary go with him to meet his love interest and now she learns that he on top of that is being jealous enough of this Erik to make Mary feel bad for seeing him.

That was the only explanation that Anna could come up with. Why else would he make Mary feel this way? He knew just how lonely the poor girl was, why would he try and take away one of the few people she considered her friend?

“Did Erik do anything to you Mary, something that made you uncomfortable?” Anna asked.

“No, he is always kind to me. I mean he teases me, but not so that I feel sad or anything. I tease him as well and we just laugh about it” Mary said.

“Could Zerden have misunderstood his teasing and though he was trying to hurt you?”

“I don’t think so. Erik, Zerden and I don’t hang out together really. We have done once in a while. But I think it was at least a year ago since the last time we did. Zerden did see Erik this Sunday as he was walking me back from church.”

“Did Erik teas you then?”

“Yes, he teased me and told me I looked beautiful. But he didn’t even punch me or tickle me or anything so I don’t see how Zerden could have misinterpret it as something bad”

Anna smiled and looked at Mary. She was so innocent in some ways, totally oblivious to how she looked and the effect she had on men around her.

“Mary, I don’t think Erik was teasing you. I think he was giving you a compliment” Anna suggested. Mary looked at her as she had grown an extra head.

“I don’t think so” Mary said.

“Okay, you know best my dear. But do me a favour and don’t listen to Zerden in this case. Keep seeing your friend if it makes you happy. But if he does something that upsets you or makes you uncomfortable you let me know and I’ll send that husband of mine to have a word with him. Okay?”

“Okay” Mary agreed.

The continued to talk for a bit longer about other things before Mary took leave to meet up with Zerden. Apparently, they were to go and meet that lady again.