Title: Alive

Author: Lady Marguerite Blakeney

Email: MargueriteBlakeney@hotmail.com

Notes: I know, I should have put out the chapter 2 of Forever but I'm having some serious writers block on it. I promise I'll have it out soon!! In the mean time, here's a little short story. It's 100% Fluff.

And now, Presenting….

Alive

A short story by Lady Marguerite Blakeney



He heard the shot.

The pain wasn't as bad as he had imagined or anticipated, just a sudden jolting of his body and the echoing of the shot continuing in his head. 'Must have been Chauvelin.. Demm me, a marvelous good shot.' Red blood, red like the color of Marguerites hair, flowed from the wound in his stomach. White hands covered in it as he tightly pushed against it, as if that alone could save him. 'Perhaps it is my time, then.' He felt his knees give out and other hands were on his shoulders, distant voices calling his name out. He was hoisted up, gently actually, and could feel something hard press against his back. 'I do hope Andrew remembers to use that letter..' He tried to talk, but the pain in his stomach suddenly intensified and he found it impossible to speak. The letter that he thought of was one he had wrote that would be delivered to Marguerite should he die in France. It was as follows;

My Dearest Marguerite,

This letter will be my last to you, my love, because by my orders Andrew has sent this to you. I regret to tell you this, my sweet angel, for I know this will bring tears to your blue eyes and the last thing I would wish to cause you is pain and tears. I have died, Andrew will fill you in on the rest as I am writing this before it has happened, out of caution. I know I told you Andrew would write to you, but as I thought about it I realized with how much grief you would have just by seeing the letter was from him.

Your name, my love.. my one and only love, was on my lips as I took my last breath. My angel, I shall watch you now and keep you from harm, pain, and evil. Know this, my darling, I died loving you. I died as I was born, loving you. Please do not cry, I cannot stand it when you cry because I feel so utterly useless. Except this time I sha'n't be there to hold you and stop those cursed tears. I died a happy man, My Margot, because I knew I had the love of the most beautiful woman in the world. I knew what it was like to love you, to make love to you, to kiss you, to hold you, to watch you smile, but most of all to watch you live. I want you to live, darling.. If the revolution is still going on, please make the boys continue the work. You will find a letter to Andrew and the rest; every single one has a letter, in the left bottom drawer of my desk in my study. Please make sure they get to them. Heaven pales in comparison to the place I held in your arms. I love you for all eternity, darling, and I shall see you again soon where we will be together for the rest of forever.

Yours Eternally, Truly, and Humbly

Percy



Je t'aime, Marguerite Blakeney.





Marguerite woke with a startled gasp, her hand resting upon her chest as she took in deep breaths. She was clothed in one of Percy's shirts, one that swallowed her slender limbs and fell only to mid – thigh. Tears spilled down her cheeks and she hesitantly reached up to brush them away. He was dead? He was really gone? She reached out blindly in the darkness of her room, searching her bed. All she met was coldness and blankets. Her hands covered her face as she began to sob hysterically. Stumbling, she slid out of her bed and made her way down the hall with only the faint light of the moon casting through the windows to guide her. Tears caused her vision to blur, and suddenly she found herself on her knees on the expensive carpet. Her love, her soul mate was gone. Never could she feel his kisses on her lips, wake to find his eyes gazing at her, the feel of his hands in her hair. Violent sobs shook her frame, her hair falling about her face as the tears rolled from her cheeks to drop to the floor. She was so weak, so heartbroken that she failed to notice a man coming up behind her. Strong arms picked her up and carried the still sobbing Marguerite back to her room.



Percy was dead.



Again, Marguerite woke with a startled cry. She was alone. Last night hit her with full force and she again started to sob. Her cheeks, normally cool and pale, were flushed and slightly swollen. Like wise, her eyes were red and painful. Her hair was a mess and stuck to her cheeks, and it felt like a giant knot. What was she going to do? How could she ever live with out him?

"Lud m'dear! What ever are you crying for? You have been in bed all day now, sleeping and crying, come on now I had a bath prepared for you!" She had really lost it now, she was hearing his voice. Turning to the door, hesitantly, she was almost afraid to look. If he was not there, she could quite possibly become worse. To her great surprise and wonderful thrill, the handsome figure of Sir Percy Blakeney stood at the foot of her bed. She leapt up, the sheets tangling around her and she ended up tripping and falling out. Instantly, Percy was at her side, kissing the red cheeks and tucking her hair behind her ear. "Darling! Are you alright?" He helped her stand up, although her legs were quite shakey and he ended up holding her tightly to him. Her arms wrapped around him, her voice whispering into his chest as she listened to the comforting heartbeat.

"Tell me you're not dead.. tell me you're not a ghost!" He chuckled at her frantic words and her arms that practicly crushed him in their grip.

"Of course I'm not, m'dear, I am quite alive and well! Why should I not be?" He scooped her up, carefully laying her back on the bed as he kissed her lips. Her arms did not remove from around his shoulders and so he lay next to her, lightly caressing her cheeks.

It was then she realized that the horrible ordeal was all a realistic nightmare. A horrific nightmare! "Darling, Why have you been crying hm? You were so tired and sobbing when I found you last night that you fell asleep before I even picked you up. I held you most of the night, dear, while you sobbed hysterically even in your sleep!" She remembered it all now, he had been gone in France and she had had a silly nightmare. Slowly, with a soft voice, she told him of her nightmare and the horrible images. He kissed her when she finished the tale, and it was certainly not a chaste kiss either. She felt his hands slide under the hem of her shirt and caress her stomach.

"Well, My Margot, as you can see I am quite alive.." As if to prove this statement, he began to trail hot kisses down the length of her neck. Her fingers curled in his hair as his hands traveled further under the costly silk of the shirt she wore.

After several hours of love making, Marguerite and Percy lay content in each others arms. Percy couldn't help but watch his sleeping wife. Her cheeks were flushed and her hair was disheavled and yet.. he couldn't recall a time when she had been so beautiful. Her fears for his life touched him deeply, he never would have imagined she would have such a reaction. Instinctively, he pulled her closer to him as he buried his face in her hair. He never wanted to put her through so much pain and this experience alone taught him that he had to be so careful now. He lived for her.