Title: Love-Lost
Chapter title: Finding
Author: Penguins Stealing My Sanity
Disclaimer: I only own Senesen so far. Everything else belongs to Mercedes Lackey. (damnit)
Summary: "You can't be alone forever." Vanyel is dead, but can Stefen find love again? Is that love what it seems?
Setting: Four years after Vanyel's death
Type/Genre: Action/Adventure/Romance
Rating: somewhere between R and PG-13 so far
Warnings: SLASH SLASH SLASH SLASH! Oh, and there may be a little slash. Stefen and ? (it's a guy; don't like homosexual pairings, don't read this.) By the way, this story contains slash. )
This idea just came randomly to me; I've got a general idea of where it's going, but I'm not quite sure…I'm still getting everything fully-formed up in my head. Here's the first chapter anyway. I'm probably going to write more no matter what anyone thinks of it. This first chapter might not be very juicy, but it'll get better. I promise. I love exciting slash!
Stefen's POV. Might be rated little high…not sure yet, we'll see how the rest of the chapters go.
K, now enjoy!
- Love-Lost -
Chapter One: Finding
:> Penguins Stealing My Sanity :>
I stood gaping like an idiot at the young courtier standing in front of me. The young man's hands rested lightly on my shoulders, though they'd been gripping me tightly a moment before. I could still remember feel of his lips pressed against mine, his tongue exploring my mouth—
He kissed me! Gods—he kissed me!
Senesen's bright blue eyes were searching my face, looking for some reaction; I could only stare at him in shock.
He kissed me—!
/Get over it, Bard/ said the soft voice at the back of my mind. I'd often fancied that it was Vanyel's voice; it certainly sounded enough like the dead Herald, and the voice didn't seem to think in the ways I always did. The words it spoke could easily have come from Vanyel's mouth…
But…he kissed me!
/You act as if you've never been kissed before./
Not since Van…
/Well, Vanyel's gone. He's been gone for four years. You have to move on./
But I love him. It was a weak argument, and one I'd had often with the voice.
/Of course you do. But he's not here for you to love./
He'll always be in my heart!
/How romantic./ The voice dripped sarcasm. /You've written too many love songs, Bard. This is the real world, not some sappy ballad./
But—
/What would Vanyel say if he were here right now/the voice asked patiently.
I almost smiled thinking of my beloved. He'd tell me to stop acting like an ass and take this strapping young lad to my bed.
/Precisely. Now, get moving, before you scare the boy off./
"Bard Stefen—" Senesen's face and ears had turned a deep shade of red. "I—forgive me. I don't know what I was thinking…"
"I don't know what you were thinking either," I agreed, "but I'm frankly gland you were thinking it. I don't know that the thought would ever have occurred to me." Now Senesen gaped at me. I winked and gave the boy a gentle smile. "Next time, though, I suggest luring your conquest into a more private place. Not everyone's comfortable with shaych you know. You'll notice that everyone is carefully averting their eyes."
Senesen blushed deeper. "I'm…sorry…"
"For what? Didn't I just suggest we continue this somewhere more private?"
His jaw dropped again. "You…did?"
"You have to learn to read between the lines, Senesen," I chided gently, then grinned. "Come on." He followed after me in a sort of dazed stupor.
As far as I could tell, Senesen was the same "type" of young man I had been at his age, sleeping with every willing man, spending night after night frequenting taverns and getting too drunk to stumble back to wherever I really belonged. It was certainly nothing to hold against the boy; actually, the little scene he'd made in the middle of the crowded hallway rather reminded me of my infatuation with Vanyel. Unlike my beloved, I was going to give in immediately to the physical desires that suddenly sprung up within me. The voice whispered halfheartedly that I might be wise to do what Vanyel had done with me before we'd become lovers, get to know this boy before I took him to my bed…but it was all so tedious, and I just wanted a companion, someone to hold me…
I unlocked the door of my room, and motioned Senesen inside with a smile. The courtier's face looked as if all his dreams were coming true.
:Enjoy yourself, ashke a very familiar voice whispered in my mind, and I nearly jumped out of my skin in surprise. Vanyel's voice chuckled softly, and then his presence faded from my mind.
End Chapter OneA little short, but I think it's good. But, then again, I'm not the one who gets to review the story… (cought cough hint hint) So, go make friends with the little purple button down there, and make my day!
:>