Hello there, nice to see you are still here. Sorry to have kept you waiting for so long, but a lot has been going on in my life. A lot of good stuff, I may add :).

Thank you Serendipityaey for taking the time to beta, and keeping me inspired.

"A bastard then ?!" The cry was more a statement then it was a question. Aislin looked up at, what she thought was, her best friend.

Tears welled behind her eyes as she stroked her still invisible flat belly. "It's not like that. We love each other. Iris, " she whispered.

But Iris turned her face away from hers: "You are not married, and you know as well as any other your father will not approve of this."

Aislin said nothing. Deep down she knew Iris was right. Her father would never approve to let her marry a simple farm boy. But Sebastian was different. He truly cared for her and she truly loved him. He had promised to take care of her and the baby and Aislin believed him.

"Then we will get married without his approval!" she said, surprised by the firmness in her own voice. "You have Always liked Sabastian, Iris...why can't you be happy for us?"

"Happy ?!" Iris stood up from the grass "No, Aislin... I am NOT happy for you! I think you made a big mistake and I will not stay around to see you throw away your life like this!" Without explaining herself any further, Iris walked away.

a sudden mist clouded her eyes...

when it was gone.. the scenery had changed.

It was a Sunday. Aislin walked thought the entrance of the church. She pulled at her skirt, aware it was more than tight around her growing waistline, it would not fit her much longer. It had taken her ages to find an outfit that was still decent enough to wear.
When she entered the church hall, she noticed she was late.
Most of the benches were already filled with people.

Luckily she spotted a seat close to the aisle

Quickly she moved to it but just as she wanted to sit down, the woman next to the empty place shoved towards her filling the empty space with her body. Aislin wanted to say something, but the harsh look in the woman's eyes made her turn and look for another place to sit.

Three benches down, another seat was empty, but when Aislin got close the same thing happened.

With the third spot, someone spat the word "taken" in her face.

Aislin soon realized what was happening. The word of her unplanned pregnancy must have come out, and she was shunned from the community.

She spotted Iris in the front, sitting next to her mother. She didn't turn round to see what the commotion in the back was, but kept looking if in front like a statue.

Aislin didn't even try to find another seat anymore. Biting her lip, she turned and walked away.

Outside the cold mist chilled her burning face...

Different images started flashing before her in a high tempo:

Her father shouting ...

Her mother crying...

Her friends ignoring her in the streets .

A stranger spitting, when she walked by.

The soft gentle eyes of Sebastian, when she was packing her bags to leave home forever.

When she woke, Aislin felt her back clammy with sweat. She looked at her sons empty bed. A little moment of panic hit her, until she remembered he was safe in the castle with Isabelle's handmaiden.

"Just a nightmare, " she whispered to herself. But who was she fooling... the images were not a fiction of her sleeping brain. They were memories she had tried to push back for a long time.

Aislin took a sip of water, standing by her bedside.

The memories kept flowing before her eyes. She missed her family... her friends.

She missed the ever comforting words of Sebastian when times had been hardest.

As her day begun, the old memories faded to the background.

Aislin realized she was still wearing her party dress. She must have fallen asleep very quickly after Elmont had brought her home.

Elmont...
What was she thinking! Would she really risk falling in love again? Would he even be interested if he heard her son was a bastard?

Aislin shook her head.
No. She had vowed to herself never to get hurt like that again.

So Elmont would just have to stay what he was to her... 'a silly crush'... no more!

-

Elmont found himself walking down through the corridors. He could tell, from the lit torches, it must have been evening already.

Even though he had no idea where he was, his footsteps were firm and steadfast.
Elmont stopped at the kitchen door.
It was slightly ajar, a soft candle light glistened on his foot. He heard the sounds of a spoon clinging on the floor, followed by a soft curse in a voice he knew all too well.

He opened the door and saw Aislin as she was slightly bent over the kitchen surface, concentrating on covering a cake with a cream like substance, she didn't notice him coming in.
When she accidentally looked up, she was startled by his presence, causing her to drop the spoon for a second time.

She tried to bow politely and pick up the cutlery from the floor at the same time. The clumsily combination made her look anything but graceful, but Elmont could only smile.

"Lord Elmont, what can I do for you?" She asked him when she had caught her breath.

Elmont stared at the woman in front of him. Somehow his surroundings were foggy and unclear. But Aislin stood out as a bright figure in the middle. He seemed highly aware of every little detail of her body: the curve of her ear that barely showed under a strand of hair, the way her chest moved up and down as she silently waited his answer and the little stain of white powder just above her left cheek.

He noticed his own heartbeat increasing. A warm glow flaring inside.
And old, but familiar feeling, he had not felt around a woman for a long time: desire!

"Do you care for something to eat, perhaps?" she asked him, after he had stayed silent for too long.

But Elmont could only swallow.

He took a step closer to her; his pulse racing in his veins. Somehow he wasn't held back by any thoughts about politeness, protocol, manners and the way a woman should be properly courted.

All that did not seem to matter right now. All Elmont knew and felt was desperately he wanted to kiss her. And he was not going to let anything change his mind.

Aislin still looked at him; questioning.

He moved even closer. He felt the tension rise in the small room. And when he noticed her wetting her lips, he knew she must feel it too.

Elmont reached for her; stroking the contour of her face with a single finger. Aislin didn't back off. She closed her eyes to enjoy his touch. Slightly turning her head on purpose so his fingers could caress her mouth. she parted her lips just slightly. Elmont could feel her warm breath on his fingertip. Playfully she opened her mouth and softly bit his finger.

He grinned; knowing it was an invitation for more. Her dark blue eyes seemed to look straight through him as she waited for his next move.

Her eyes seemed to draw him towards her with an unseen force. Elmont hooked both his hands on the back of her neck, lifting her face and pulling her closer until their lips finally touched.

He kissed her. A gentle kiss first but growing more and more eager when Aislin opened her mouth to let their tongues meet.

From that point, he seemed to lose any reason he might still have left. All he knew was her: her taste, her smell, her touch filling his senses with her very essence.

He kept kissing her, hungrily and she replied with the same eagerness he had for her. He could feel her hands stroking his lower back and torso; setting his skin on fire. The dark leather gave no protection to the heat of her touch.

Aislin let out a soft shriek. Elmont didn't realize he had pushed her backwards until she hit the kitchen table; it must have startled her. He mumbled an un-hearable sorry to her lips, but his blazing emotion for her could not be cooled.

In one swift movement he lifted her on to table.

Aislin let her fingers run through his hair as he trailed kisses on his face and neck. Now that she was sitting slightly higher, Elmont was in perfect position to kiss the creamy skin right above her neatly covered bosom.

She tasted sweet, as if her daily work with icing sugar had left its permanent aroma on her.

Driven by his passion and her eager response; Elmont wanted to explore more...

Gently he untied the lace bow on the front of her dress. When it came loose he could see the upper rim of her corset and the promise of the beautiful curves of her breasts.

He pulled a little harder; tangling the lace between his fingers.

Elmont placed hungry kisses on the fabric just below her cleavage. Unlike her sweet skin its taste was dull, cold and dry to his lips... he frowned...

…When he opened his eyes Elmont could see nothing but white. But when his eyes had slowly adjusted to the light he realized he was in his own bed. His lips touched the pillow he was hugging. His fingers grasping at the fabric of his sheets.

Aislin was no longer there before him... his vivid dream was broken.

His tongue touched his lips at the memory of Aislin. The images of his dream, mixed with the flashes from the evening before when they danced.

He looked through his window into the bright sunlight.

Maybe he would find a moment today, to ask Crawe some advice. He knew Aislin well. perhaps he might have a suggestion or two to help him court her.

Elmont smiled, as he got up to start the day.