"Oh, Jenny, dearest Jenny, I just hope you won't hate me…" Julian whispered, barely audible.
She turned around.
"What? Julian? Did you hear what-…" She didn't even get the last sentence out, before the black powers laid siege to her senses, and knocked her out.
He stared down at her pine needle green eyes, and sun-touched hair. For even in a state of unconsciousness, she was the light to his darkness…
~~~~~
Jenny groggily sat up. She looked around the black room. Rustic, antique lamps cast far-away shadows at the backs of her eyelids, while Beethoven played inside her ears.
"Julian?" Jenny murmured questioningly.
No one answered her. She suddenly became more aware of her surroundings. Jenny stood up, and paced the room. It was a massive room, with cathedral ceilings, and dark cherry oak wood walls. The rich, thick carpet was a blood red, with a hint of gold accents at the corners. The few pieces of furniture were made of similar wood as that of the walls. The lighting was very dark, with ancient lamps. There was a ledge, with a massive window that spanned an entire wall. It was night outside. The silvery moon cast shadows across the trees. There was snow falling, so it must have been winter…
'Wouldn't I be cold?' thought Jenny.
Then she noticed the large fireplace to her right. It was the entire wall. She walked over to it.
'Wow!' She thought. 'I can stand in it!!' The fireplace was so large, that the-in comparison- tiny lion heads guarding the sides were the size of a full-grown man!
"Jenny? I have something for you." Julian stepped out from the shadows.
"OH MY GOD!! You scared the absolute crap out of me! How long have you been hiding there for!?!" She screeched.
"Oh, sorry. Well, here." He handed her a small rose shaped box. It was beautiful! It had a small ruby insetted in the centre. The wood was a strong mahogany. Jenny carefully opened the lid. Inside was a series of black crushed velvet folds. She pulled one corner aside, then the other. Sitting, inside, placed almost precariously was a ring.
"It's called a Claddaugh ring. In ancient Gael, now Ireland, men would craft these out of Irish metals, that had been 'kissed by faeries' and would give them to the woman they loved as a marriage ring."
"It is so beautiful…but-." Jenny whispered. Julian cut her words off.
"You see the heart? The hands? The crown? They each represent love, cradled in two hands of friendship, then crowned in a promise of loyalty. But, now-a-days, with the lack of romanticism, people just give it as a promise of friendship, and occasionally love. All I ask of you, Jenny, is that you think of me as your friend until the time seems right."
"Oh, well, thank-you. It is beautiful." She answered back. But, something was wrong about this situation. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she was supposed to be doing something…
Julian got a look of puzzlement on his face, as though reading her thoughts, but he quickly covered it up. Jenny was right, something was wrong… she wasn't supposed to be here… it wasn't quite right. She felt as though something was making her forget… she stared up at Julian.
"What… what is happening? I am supposed to…" She quizzically stared into his icy blue eyes.
"Hush, now love, everything is perfect, and right. Nothing is wrong." But, something was wrong! It was on the tip of her tongue now…
"Come on Jenny, I will give you a tour of your new home." No, she wanted to say, but she couldn't get the words out. She could feel herself shaking her head, yes. She silently followed him.
~~~~~
"And, here is my room." Julian and Jenny had roamed the grounds of his estate. She had seen the pools, the saunas, guest rooms, her chambers, the servant's quarters, and even a library!
She peered inside his room, but he quickly closed the door, so she only got a glimpse into the room. From what she had seen, there was a large four-poster bed with black silk sheets, with a large black glass lamp on the night table. The entire room was massive, but she hadn't seen anything else.
"Well, I'll give you a chance to go and rest now. Good night." Julian leaned down, and perched a chaste kiss on her forehead, and walked away. Soon, he had disappeared into the shadows.
Jenny walked silently down the halls, very puzzled. Now that Julian was gone, she could put her thoughts together. Because something was wrong! She wasn't supposed to be here, but she didn't know why. She didn't remember anything from before. But it is something to do with me! She thought. If only she could remember… Maybe if she got good nights sleep…
~~~~~
He wondered how long his façade would work. She was bound to find out that she did not want to be here. She wanted to go back to little California, and go to school, be a veterinarian, and marry Tom. She even wanted a white picket fence. But, he had stolen her. He had seduced her soul into the shadow world. He really had no right to do this. And, now he was trying to suppress her memories with more of his black power. Something has to give -he thought. But what? Probably me. I really should tell her tomorrow… I will. I will finally do the right thing. I just hope she stays with me. I can give he so much more than Tommy boy can!! At the thought of Tom, Julian got furious. He stalked over to the bar, and poured himself a brandy, letting the warmth settle his inner anger.
"Stupid humans… if only Jenny knew. If only she knew how much I feel for her…"
~~~~~
When Jenny awoke that morning, she knew what was happening. She did not want to be here!!
"JULIAN!! YOU RAT!! I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND KILL YOU!!! She yelled at the absolute top of her lungs, with anger screaming from the depths.
Uh -oh. Julian thought. She figured it out. He emerged from the shadows in her room.
"You kidnapped me from my world! How could you?" She screamed, tears rolling down her flushed cheeks, pooling on the bed covers.
"How could you steal me? From my home!?!?" She sobbed, covering her face with her hands.
"They don't remember me, do they? You have already made them forget. I can't go back, can I? She whispered, with fear tickling at the corners of her voice.
"Jenny, I am sorry, but I needed you!" Julian yelped, scanning her soaked face for any signs of forgiveness.
"No… NO!" She yelled, crying so hard, her fragile body was wracked with sobs.
"Make them remember me, Julian! MAKE THEM REMEMBER ME!!!"
"Jenny, you know I can't. I am sorry, I love you, I am so sorry, my love." He tried to placate her anguished self.
"Leave. Get out." She whimpered into her pillow.
"Jenny…"
"NO! Leave. Now." She said, so controlled. So hurt. Julian left the room, slowly closing the door behind him.
He whispered into the dark hallway- "My love. I am sorry." So faint, so barely audible.
But the others heard him. Oh, yes, they heard him, and it tugged at a sadistic smile on their faces. The boy suffers! One said. We must rejoice! We will have our revenge yet…
The shadow men laughed joyfully.
She turned around.
"What? Julian? Did you hear what-…" She didn't even get the last sentence out, before the black powers laid siege to her senses, and knocked her out.
He stared down at her pine needle green eyes, and sun-touched hair. For even in a state of unconsciousness, she was the light to his darkness…
~~~~~
Jenny groggily sat up. She looked around the black room. Rustic, antique lamps cast far-away shadows at the backs of her eyelids, while Beethoven played inside her ears.
"Julian?" Jenny murmured questioningly.
No one answered her. She suddenly became more aware of her surroundings. Jenny stood up, and paced the room. It was a massive room, with cathedral ceilings, and dark cherry oak wood walls. The rich, thick carpet was a blood red, with a hint of gold accents at the corners. The few pieces of furniture were made of similar wood as that of the walls. The lighting was very dark, with ancient lamps. There was a ledge, with a massive window that spanned an entire wall. It was night outside. The silvery moon cast shadows across the trees. There was snow falling, so it must have been winter…
'Wouldn't I be cold?' thought Jenny.
Then she noticed the large fireplace to her right. It was the entire wall. She walked over to it.
'Wow!' She thought. 'I can stand in it!!' The fireplace was so large, that the-in comparison- tiny lion heads guarding the sides were the size of a full-grown man!
"Jenny? I have something for you." Julian stepped out from the shadows.
"OH MY GOD!! You scared the absolute crap out of me! How long have you been hiding there for!?!" She screeched.
"Oh, sorry. Well, here." He handed her a small rose shaped box. It was beautiful! It had a small ruby insetted in the centre. The wood was a strong mahogany. Jenny carefully opened the lid. Inside was a series of black crushed velvet folds. She pulled one corner aside, then the other. Sitting, inside, placed almost precariously was a ring.
"It's called a Claddaugh ring. In ancient Gael, now Ireland, men would craft these out of Irish metals, that had been 'kissed by faeries' and would give them to the woman they loved as a marriage ring."
"It is so beautiful…but-." Jenny whispered. Julian cut her words off.
"You see the heart? The hands? The crown? They each represent love, cradled in two hands of friendship, then crowned in a promise of loyalty. But, now-a-days, with the lack of romanticism, people just give it as a promise of friendship, and occasionally love. All I ask of you, Jenny, is that you think of me as your friend until the time seems right."
"Oh, well, thank-you. It is beautiful." She answered back. But, something was wrong about this situation. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she was supposed to be doing something…
Julian got a look of puzzlement on his face, as though reading her thoughts, but he quickly covered it up. Jenny was right, something was wrong… she wasn't supposed to be here… it wasn't quite right. She felt as though something was making her forget… she stared up at Julian.
"What… what is happening? I am supposed to…" She quizzically stared into his icy blue eyes.
"Hush, now love, everything is perfect, and right. Nothing is wrong." But, something was wrong! It was on the tip of her tongue now…
"Come on Jenny, I will give you a tour of your new home." No, she wanted to say, but she couldn't get the words out. She could feel herself shaking her head, yes. She silently followed him.
~~~~~
"And, here is my room." Julian and Jenny had roamed the grounds of his estate. She had seen the pools, the saunas, guest rooms, her chambers, the servant's quarters, and even a library!
She peered inside his room, but he quickly closed the door, so she only got a glimpse into the room. From what she had seen, there was a large four-poster bed with black silk sheets, with a large black glass lamp on the night table. The entire room was massive, but she hadn't seen anything else.
"Well, I'll give you a chance to go and rest now. Good night." Julian leaned down, and perched a chaste kiss on her forehead, and walked away. Soon, he had disappeared into the shadows.
Jenny walked silently down the halls, very puzzled. Now that Julian was gone, she could put her thoughts together. Because something was wrong! She wasn't supposed to be here, but she didn't know why. She didn't remember anything from before. But it is something to do with me! She thought. If only she could remember… Maybe if she got good nights sleep…
~~~~~
He wondered how long his façade would work. She was bound to find out that she did not want to be here. She wanted to go back to little California, and go to school, be a veterinarian, and marry Tom. She even wanted a white picket fence. But, he had stolen her. He had seduced her soul into the shadow world. He really had no right to do this. And, now he was trying to suppress her memories with more of his black power. Something has to give -he thought. But what? Probably me. I really should tell her tomorrow… I will. I will finally do the right thing. I just hope she stays with me. I can give he so much more than Tommy boy can!! At the thought of Tom, Julian got furious. He stalked over to the bar, and poured himself a brandy, letting the warmth settle his inner anger.
"Stupid humans… if only Jenny knew. If only she knew how much I feel for her…"
~~~~~
When Jenny awoke that morning, she knew what was happening. She did not want to be here!!
"JULIAN!! YOU RAT!! I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND KILL YOU!!! She yelled at the absolute top of her lungs, with anger screaming from the depths.
Uh -oh. Julian thought. She figured it out. He emerged from the shadows in her room.
"You kidnapped me from my world! How could you?" She screamed, tears rolling down her flushed cheeks, pooling on the bed covers.
"How could you steal me? From my home!?!?" She sobbed, covering her face with her hands.
"They don't remember me, do they? You have already made them forget. I can't go back, can I? She whispered, with fear tickling at the corners of her voice.
"Jenny, I am sorry, but I needed you!" Julian yelped, scanning her soaked face for any signs of forgiveness.
"No… NO!" She yelled, crying so hard, her fragile body was wracked with sobs.
"Make them remember me, Julian! MAKE THEM REMEMBER ME!!!"
"Jenny, you know I can't. I am sorry, I love you, I am so sorry, my love." He tried to placate her anguished self.
"Leave. Get out." She whimpered into her pillow.
"Jenny…"
"NO! Leave. Now." She said, so controlled. So hurt. Julian left the room, slowly closing the door behind him.
He whispered into the dark hallway- "My love. I am sorry." So faint, so barely audible.
But the others heard him. Oh, yes, they heard him, and it tugged at a sadistic smile on their faces. The boy suffers! One said. We must rejoice! We will have our revenge yet…
The shadow men laughed joyfully.