Hey I know I should be working on my other stories and that I'm talking far too long but I have a serious case of writers block and My exams are coming
I own nothing Rachel Caine owns everything (well apart from Daniel and the whole angel world thing but hey ) R&R ty xx
Oh and the songs I listen to while writing this were
Charlene Soraia : Wherever you will go
Sia : My love
"Oh" I said as I saw someone sitting on the bench that I usually reside on. This was strange seeming as I'm the only one who really comes up here. "I'm sorry I didn't realize someone was here" I said to the intruder. I usually come up here to relax and calm down after a hard couple of hours training; the scenery usually calmed me as I sat reading. I looked closer at the person that had stole my spot, It was a man no wait, a boy not that older than me. He had long black dishevelled hair that fell down to his ears, tanned skin and the top that he was wearing did a very poor job at covering the lines of muscles that travelled down his arms and his chest. The top clung to him like an extra skin and he had dark trousers to match, he didn't sprawl across the bench like every other boy does; he sat straight but leaned slightly forward, tense and alert.
I wonder if his wings were the same colour as his hair. I thought to myself, I shook my head slightly pushing the thought out of my mind.
Slowly, he turned towards me and I stood shocked, his eyes were the most beautiful colour I had ever seen, a lovely light blue but a deep blue as they ringed the pupil. I stood looking at him, he seemed familiar but surely I would remember seeing him.
"No that's okay" His voice was deep and surprisingly gentle. He moved towards the other side of the old worn out wooden bench, it creaked under his weight. I just looked blankly back at him, those eyes were amazing.
Daniel
I sat there staring out at the hills that surrounded the kingdom; the sun was close to setting. The sky was a calm purple and pink and it cast deep and dark shadows over the forest. The yellow colour of the balcony walls seemed to fade into the light.
"Oh" came a quiet voice from behind me. I turned and froze.
Standing there was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, her long brown hair fell down passed her shoulders and stopped just at her waist, her skin was light and she was small. She was wearing a white corset with a long white skirt that fell to the floor, placed over her shoulders was a light blue shall. In her left hand she was holding a very old looking book. Her eyes were a dark brown almost black that seemed to fit in with the shadow that had been cast by the setting sun.
"I'm sorry I didn't realize it was taken" she said. Why was she apologizing?
"No that's okay" I said and slid across the old bench so that she could sit down.
I had come up here to relax after training, today's training was hard and relentless, but then again, war was relentless and hard. You had to push yourself if you wanted to be a warrior. The tattoo on my chest still burnt after training, the tattoo a warrior gets absorbs the training you do and keeps it, it makes you stronger.
The girl stood there not knowing what to do, she caught her pink lower lip between her teeth like she didn't know she was doing it. Then moved forward and sat down, I was surprised, nobody ever tries to disturb me, they're all too scared, everyone's afraid of me, they avoid me whenever they can and I let them. I have no idea why but they do.
Claire
I slowly sat down on the bench, it moaned under the added weight and I could feel myself blushing. Why had I sat down? Normally I would have gone somewhere else, anywhere where I could avoid other people. The tattoo on my arm stung, I knew that today's training was good. I sighed, girls weren't allowed to fight or become warriors, it was against the law, girls had to stay at home and look after the children and homes. How ridiculous is that? I mean the only difference between women and man was that women could have children. That's it really. Yes we have breasts and we don't have a male reproductive system but I really don't understand why woman can't fight alongside men. I really don't understand and it really does piss me off. Men think that they can just rue over women… sorry but this topic really pisses me off I think you can tell.
I slowly looked in the corner of my eye at the boy sitting next to me, well man really, he was staring out at the landscape looking tired, and he still sat slightly forward like he was expecting an attack at any time. My eyes narrowed, he was probably a warrior, he probably just finished training like I did but in an actual training room. I envied warriors like that; I'd love to be able to train properly instead of secretly.
"My name is Daniel" He said turning towards me.
I froze, Daniel, the Daniel. The Daniel who was the best warrior in all time ever; the same who had fought in numerous battles and wars without even a scratch; that's where I had recognized him from. Most people avoided him, not because he was rude or stubborn, but because they were scared of him.
"You're a good fighter" I said looking him in the eye. It must get lonely, being avoided by everyone. "I'm Claire" I added. But I knew what that was like. I don't know why but most people avoid me too, but I'm glad of it. Certain people just know how to push my buttons.
He looked shocked, "T...thank you" He said looking at me with confused eyes. I smiled he had such wonderful eyes…wait what was I thinking. Snap out of it Claire.
I quickly looked down at the book I was holding, it was my favourite; it was about a man who had created a monster 'Frankenstein' was the name. It was written by a young mortal down below, Mary Shelley she is very talented. I liked it because it wasn't all happy like the other books and it was gothic and creative. I looked at the page number and closed the book. Reading is my escape from this sexist place. It makes me forget about everything.
"You're not scared of me?"He asked quietly, I looked up taken aback by his question, why on heaven would I be scared of him? He's just good at fighting why would I be afraid of him.
"Why would I be scared of you?" I asked my voice sounded more shocked than I would have liked it to. Damn control Claire, I hissed in my head.
"Everyone normal is" He answered and looked back out at the hills; his face was covered in shadow.
"Oh well I'm defiantly not normal" the corners of his mouth twitched "But why would they be?"
"I really don't know" He said almost as if he didn't mean me to hear it.
"Well they are all idiots" I couldn't stop myself from saying it, I felt like I had to make him feel better in any way I could.
He looked at me and smiled, his smile made me shortly forget how to breathe, it seemed to light up his whole face. Oh for god sake Claire My inner voice said, you have no time to be distracted at the moment.
"That's really not how a lady should talk" He said smiling. I internally snorted like I care.
"I don't care they are their just scared of things that they don't know how to control" I said looking down at my book, I placed it besides me.
"Which book is that?" he said looking at it.
"'Frankenstein'" I picked it up so he could look at it. "It was written by a young mortal"
"Really? They are very talented aren't the" He said not as a question
"Yes" I answered, I was envious of the humans, and they are all free and can do whatever they feel like. We angels can't.
He handed it back, I saw the muscles in his arm flex.
I sat back and sighed, my body had relaxed now, and tiredness had taken over. The silence between us wasn't awkward it was calm and pleasant.
"CLARISSA!" A voice called from the castle below. I sat up and looked over the balcony; I could see a figure standing in the large garden.
"CLARISSA!" it called again. Margret.
"Crap" I whispered. I turned around and grabbed my book, I looked at Daniel, his face was alarmed and alert. "I have to go" I said "It was nice meeting you" I said and ran down the stairs into the darkened castle.
I ran down the old carpeted halls, framing all of them were large creepy looking portraits of old queens and kings; their faces looking down on anyone who passed with a sense of power. Like everyone who looked at them was beneath them. The walls they were hung on were, dark red with flowers and vines wrapping around the frames.
Dropping my skirts, I pushed open the door to my room, and sitting on the bed was Margret.
"Where did you go?" She demanded
"I was just reading" I said holding up the book at my side.
If she had any suspicions on this she kept them to herself. Margret was a small woman, who had laugh lines either side of her mouth and her eyes. Worry lines on her forehead and greying hair, she was very pretty for her age and very kind and when she gets angry she has an Irish accent.
"Did you do your daily training?" She asked
"Yes Margret" I sighed and instantly regretted it
"Well I'm sorry for wanting to take care of you seeming as nobody else will" She snapped.
I flinched, that was true. My parents had left me at the castle wall when I was one and a half, a warrior had found me. He had instantly taken me to the court, there I had been examined to see if I was hurt and then put in the care of the castles nursery. That's where I grew up, people came and went to look at me to see if they wanted me but nobody ever did. Until Margret, she was coming to drop off a dress she had made to one of the women who owned the nursery and she saw me. She always said that she wanted me from the first time she saw me, of course I was too young to remember. There she had taken me in, even though she had just lost her husband to a large battle and she couldn't have kids. She said she was lonely; that and she thought I was adorable. I had grown up in her care ever since.
"I'm sorry" I said quietly, she looked up at me with kind grey eyes
"I know" She said, stood up and hugged me.
"Forgive me" I said hugging her back. I was only just taller than her.
"How's the book coming along?" She asked once we had finished. I sat down on the bed and she followed.
"Okay she's very talented for a mortal" I said handing her the book
She nodded "Yes and so very young" She muttered.
I yawned, she instantly looked at me. "You need to sleep, especially with all the training you've been doing"
I wanted to point out that she was the one making me doing all the training when a knock sounded at the door. Margret stood up and walked to the door, she slowly pulled it open.
"Hello" She said to the person standing outside
"Is Clarissa here?" said a voice that I didn't recognize
"She's sleeping now" Margret said her tone light but forward.
"Okay but this came for her" Margret reached forward and too whatever it was the person was holding
"Thank you" She said and nodded
"Have a good night" The stranger said and Margret shut the door.
"Who was that?" I asked
"No idea" She replied "But this is for you" She handed it to me
It was a rectangle shaped book with a white ribbon wrapped round it. I slowly pulled the ribbon and took off the lid; I smiled as I saw what was inside. Inside lay a very old looking book 'Wuthering heights' the cover read. I pulled it out and looked it over. The cover was leather and the writing old, I flicked through the pages, they were yellow and decaying but in the good way. It was written by yet another mortal.
"Wow" I whispered
"What is it?" Margret asked
"A book" I answered still looking at it. She moved forward and took it from my hands, I looked back at the box and saw a small piece of paper at the bottom.
I thought you'd like it
Daniel
I looked at the note my eyes reading and re-reading the elegant script. Daniel? I was frozen to the bed, Daniel? Why did he give me this, and wasn't it only a minute ago that I had seen him? How did he get this to me so fast? It wasn't Daniel who had come to the door because the voice was higher than his.
Suddenly, I smiled a large smile that I hadn't smiled in a long while.
That night, I couldn't sleep; I just couldn't get comfortable. There was no rain to keep me awake, it wasn't too hot or too cold, and I wasn't thinking about Daniel. My eyes just wouldn't close, it was like they were too scared. Every time this happens it's always different, I kept changing positions, changing my pyjamas, opening and closing the window but I just couldn't sleep. It was the feeling like you were being watched, you fidget and feel uncomfortable, it was like that but it felt like a thousand people were staring not just one.
After two hours of this, I decided to go for a walk. I slide on some ballet flats and my long shall and stepped out into the hall. It was cold, and dark. I walked quietly, careful not to alert any of the warriors or the sleeping occupants of the rooms I was passing. My feet made no noise as they glided over the hideous carpet, my dress falling down to the floor.
When I came to the door I was looking for I stopped and ducked back around the corner, two warriors stood looking out for unwanted guests. Slowly, I walked up to them; they stilled and stared at me as I approached.
"I'm here to see Cameron" I said quietly
"Who may I say is visiting?" One asked with an emotionless tone
"Clarissa, Clarissa Danvers" I said looking at them.
"Okay" One said and turned towards the door "Stay here" He flung over his shoulder as he knocked on the door.
The other warrior, stood looking at me his hand always on his sword. The doors opened and the warrior came out, he beckoned for the other warrior to stand down and said I could go in.
I went into the large room and heard the door shut gently behind me, sitting in the middle of the room in a large wooden chair reading was Cameron Merlot.
Cameron was one of the only people I trusted other than Margret, he knew about the fighting and about everything else. He was old like Margret and had the same laugh lines and greying hair. I always thought they'd make a great couple but they would always laugh and say I didn't know enough about love to tell them about it. Cameron was like me, he loved to read, but we had different reading styles, he would read history books about wars and politics and conspiracy theories. Whereas I would normally go for the romantic thriller and horror books, he always said it was because I was a girl and it was only the romantic parts that I liked. He was partly right but I also liked the action and the horror parts as well.
"Hello Clarissa" He said not taking his eyes off his book
"Hello Cameron" I said and walked slowly up to him. I was always so scared of scaring him to death or giving him a heart attack because he looked like it could happen any time.
"I bet you're wondering why I suddenly have warriors outside my door" He said finally looking up at me with large green eyes.
"Yes" I said and knelt down beside his chair.
"Well the king has suddenly decided that I'm valuable to him and everywhere I go I need to be guarded" He rolled his eyes under his round glasses.
"Why now? Why not earlier?" I asked
"I have no idea" He marked his page and shut the book. He placed it on the table next to him and stood up, he was taller than me but only by a little. "How was training today anyway?" He asked looking down at me.
"It was fine" I said but he heard the doubt in my voice
"Hmm doesn't sound like it" He mused and walked over to one of the large bookcases surrounding the walls. "Who is he?" he suddenly asked. This was the problem with Cameron; he knew exactly what was wrong every time.
"Er...no one" I stammered taken aback by his question
"Don't lie to me Claire" He said sternly, he was the only one allowed to call me that. Anyone else would find their teeth the other side of the room. Well apart from Daniel but felt that I could trust him.
"How did you know?"
"I can just tell now tell me"
"His names Daniel" hesitating on his name. As soon as it was out of my mouth Cameron looked up.
"Daniel as in the warrior" I nodded, He looked at me "I can't say I'm surprised" He sighed
"What?" I asked
"Well Claire if you haven't noticed you aren't exactly normal" He said
"Yeah and what does that have anything to do with it"
"I could just tell you wouldn't be attracted to these normal men who live to work" Well that was true. They expected me t sit at home looking after their kids and wasn't allowed a life I'm sorry but that's not happening.