5/?
"Dammit, Marguerite! I turn my back for a moment and you disappear!" Roxton muttered as he peered out of the cave to determine if the raptor had found something better to eat. Nodding when he heard no further sounds, he turned and followed the heiress' footsteps into the cave. A curious breeze ruffled his longish hair, tickling the back of his neck and sending a slight shiver down his spine. "Marguerite!" he called as he slowly inched his way further. Damn, but it was dark even with the gleaming crystal.
He followed the path until he reached the open area and then paused a moment. She had to be around here somewhere -- the crystal alone would keep her occupied for days. Roxton called out once more, but with uncertainty. Yes, she was forever wandering off when there were potential jewels to be had, but she always answered when someone called for her. That is, if she was able.
The last, foreboding thought spurred his hunter's instincts into overdrive. Peering into the semi-lit darkness, he finally glimpsed an oval shape near the edge of the cave. He walked the few remaining steps and found the object to be Marguerite's hat. Realizing she wouldn't willingly leave the item behind, his concern increased a notch.
"Marguerite!" he called one last time. Then, suddenly, he heard a soft groan coming from a few feet ahead. Hurrying toward the sound, he found her sprawled across the cavern floor. He laid the rifle aside and knelt down, easing her head into his lap. "Are you alright?"
She groaned and tossed him an evil look. "What does it look like? I fell and bashed my skull against the damn rock!"
Roxton flashed a confident grin at her and murmured, "Yes, I'd say you are. OK, up you go, but slowly."
The room swirled around her forcing her to close her eyes in the hope of regaining her equilibrium. "Easy," Roxton cautioned as he drew her to her feet.
She nodded fleetingly, only to regret the action a moment later. When she reopened her eyes, she caught her reflection in the crystal. Marguerite, shocked by the normalcy of the image, stood still, her mind replacing the haggard form from her dream with the one that she now saw.
Roxton, curious by her sudden fascination, squeezed her arm and asked, "What's wrong?"
Marguerite shook her head slightly, murmuring, "Roxton, when you look at me...what do you see?"
As a typical member of the male gender, Roxton, caught off guard by her question, failed to read the underlying fear in her words. Instead, he awkwardly answered, "I, uh, see you."
She nodded wryly and shook his hands away. "Of course you do," she bit out scathingly as she grabbed her hat, jamming it low over her eyes before stalking back to the mouth of the cave. "What else is there to see?"
***
One more section and we're done! Hope you're still enjoying it!
"Dammit, Marguerite! I turn my back for a moment and you disappear!" Roxton muttered as he peered out of the cave to determine if the raptor had found something better to eat. Nodding when he heard no further sounds, he turned and followed the heiress' footsteps into the cave. A curious breeze ruffled his longish hair, tickling the back of his neck and sending a slight shiver down his spine. "Marguerite!" he called as he slowly inched his way further. Damn, but it was dark even with the gleaming crystal.
He followed the path until he reached the open area and then paused a moment. She had to be around here somewhere -- the crystal alone would keep her occupied for days. Roxton called out once more, but with uncertainty. Yes, she was forever wandering off when there were potential jewels to be had, but she always answered when someone called for her. That is, if she was able.
The last, foreboding thought spurred his hunter's instincts into overdrive. Peering into the semi-lit darkness, he finally glimpsed an oval shape near the edge of the cave. He walked the few remaining steps and found the object to be Marguerite's hat. Realizing she wouldn't willingly leave the item behind, his concern increased a notch.
"Marguerite!" he called one last time. Then, suddenly, he heard a soft groan coming from a few feet ahead. Hurrying toward the sound, he found her sprawled across the cavern floor. He laid the rifle aside and knelt down, easing her head into his lap. "Are you alright?"
She groaned and tossed him an evil look. "What does it look like? I fell and bashed my skull against the damn rock!"
Roxton flashed a confident grin at her and murmured, "Yes, I'd say you are. OK, up you go, but slowly."
The room swirled around her forcing her to close her eyes in the hope of regaining her equilibrium. "Easy," Roxton cautioned as he drew her to her feet.
She nodded fleetingly, only to regret the action a moment later. When she reopened her eyes, she caught her reflection in the crystal. Marguerite, shocked by the normalcy of the image, stood still, her mind replacing the haggard form from her dream with the one that she now saw.
Roxton, curious by her sudden fascination, squeezed her arm and asked, "What's wrong?"
Marguerite shook her head slightly, murmuring, "Roxton, when you look at me...what do you see?"
As a typical member of the male gender, Roxton, caught off guard by her question, failed to read the underlying fear in her words. Instead, he awkwardly answered, "I, uh, see you."
She nodded wryly and shook his hands away. "Of course you do," she bit out scathingly as she grabbed her hat, jamming it low over her eyes before stalking back to the mouth of the cave. "What else is there to see?"
***
One more section and we're done! Hope you're still enjoying it!
