Roxton entered the room quietly so he would not awaken Keira, expecting to find her asleep. But he was not expecting her to be laying in Marguerite's lap, with Marguerite stroking her hair almost absently, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
As he walked towards the two of them, Marguerite finally noticed he was in the room. Her eyes turning towards him, although Roxton still got the impression that she wasn't all there.
"How is she?" He asked quietly, still afraid Keira might wake.
"Oh, all right." Marguerite replied, finally seeming to come out of her daze. "She woke up only once. Nightmares."
Roxton nodded.
"Who can blame her?"
"I think that I got the whole story out of her." Marguerite told him. "She's been through quite a lot."
Roxton smiled to himself.
"What?" Marguerite demanded.
"Nothing. It's just.." Roxton grinned.
"What?" Marguerite's voice was sharper this time.
"I don't know. I just never quite pictured you as the motherly type. But, here you are." Roxton explained.
Marguerite rolled her eyes.
"Hardly." She muttered.
"I don't know, it's sweet." Roxton tried to please her. "And you look quite content."
"Yes, well, I think it's well past my bed time." Marguerite gave him a small smile.
She tried to slip out from under the sleeping princess, but Keira woke
up anyway.
"You're leaving?" She asked sleepily, although Marguerite could have sworn she heard a hint of alarm in the younger girl's voice.
"It's all right. Roxton will stay with you. There are just some things I need to see to." Marguerite explained.
Keira regarded Roxton.
"Oh." Was all she said, although Marguerite saw a smile play across Keira's lips.
"What?" Marguerite asked.
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather stay?" Keira spoke softly so that Roxton wouldn't be able to hear her. "I'm sure I can find something to keep myself occupied for a few hours."
The look on Marguerite's face was priceless.
"I'll see you in the morning." She ignored Keira's comment. "Have fun." She told Roxton as she made her way from the room.
"What was that about?" Roxton wondered.
"Nothing." Keira assured him.
She paused.
"A love like that must hurt pretty badly." She sighed. "But for some reason, it seems so grand."
"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about." Roxton insisted.
Keira laughed softly despite her foul mood.
"Tell me, Lord Roxton. Do you always deny your feelings so intensively? It doesn't matter anyway. Even if I couldn't read it in your soul, it is plain enough on your face. Gods, it pours off of you in waves, strangling me with it's intensity. You love her. The others must be idiots if they haven't noticed by now."
Roxton just regarded the princess, shock smeared across his face.
"Sorry." Keira sighed. "I know it's none of my business, and I know it's rude to snoop through people's emotions without their consent, but it's so very overwhelming." She didn't seem to be talking to Roxton anymore. "First Marguerite, now him.. I only hope the others have more control over their feelings, or I might leave their company mentally crippled."
Roxton barely caught her last words, as her voice dropped steadily.
"What on earth are you talking about?" He demanded.
Keira appeared startled that he was still there, regarding her. His dark eyes seemingly tearing holes into her soul.
Watching her, almost as a hunter might watch it's prey. But no.. not *a* hunter.. *the* hunter. Above all other predators on the land. Keira almost suspected that he might walk softer than she could. She was convinced he would be able to outrun the wind if he had to. And in that moment, Keira saw every aspect of the man standing before her.
Every quality, both good and bad. Every emotional weight he carried with him each day, and she swore she could almost see the man he would eventually become at the end of his days.. although it almost seemed impossible that he might become even greater than he was.
And then, like a door slamming shut in her face, the images faded. Before she could completely grasp an understanding of this man, and his place in the world, she once again found herself seated upon a bed, in a Treehouse, so far from home, with the room so much colder than she remembered it. A shiver ran down her spine and Keira marveled at how lucky Marguerite really was.
"Sorry." She repeated softly, speaking to Roxton this time. her voice wavering slightly. "I can read people's emotions.. sometimes their thoughts. And on top of everything else, it's just a little bit overwhelming right now. I.. uh, freaked out Marguerite a little bit too." Keira spoke, remembering the way the Heiress' tears had seemed to
burn her flesh, even as she had slept.
"I can imagine." Roxton agreed. "Marguerite doesn't like people getting too close, or knowing too much."
He finally sat upon the bed. And in the soft light he suddenly looked so old... Keira closed her eyes. The night was playing tricks on her. Why was this man suddenly brining every psychic gift within her blazing to life? It was like a million tons of water crashing down upon her.
"I think.." Keira began. But doubt swayed her tongue.
However, Roxton's attention had already been captured.
"Go on." He urged her.
"No." Keira spoke. "It is not my place."
"Does.. does she love me? Even half as much as I love her?" His eyes pleaded with the small girl before him.
"I cannot tell you." She replied sadly. "Marguerite's heart is hers to reveal."
'Of course she loves you.' Keira screamed within. 'And maybe if the two of you could just for one moment be honest with one another.. for just a few seconds find a way to put aside all the half-truths, insecurities, and fears, and for just one minute be two people so completely in love that it has become painful for you both.. maybe the
two of you might finally find what it is that you two spend each day looking for.'
But, Keira held her tongue. It wasn't her place. It wasn't her issue. She had more than her share of problems to solve without accepting the problems of others.
'But, maybe that is what you are here for.' That little voice of reason within whispered into her ear. 'They help you, you help them, and you each go away with something more than you had before.'
Keira regarded Roxton, who appeared to be lost in his thoughts.
'Goddess knows they need some kind of help.'
She lay upon her side and closed her eyes. Eager to claim another couple of hours sleep before the day officially began. But something nagged her within, determined to cheat her of her sleep until she gave the universe what it was waiting for.
'Fine!' Keira caved. 'I'll help. I'll do my best.'
And sleep was once more hers.
~*~*~*~
It was the change in Keira's breathing that finally alerted Roxton to the fact that the young girl was finally asleep once more. She stirred in her sleep, and he wondered what she was dreaming about. Hopefully, nothing unpleasant. In his opinion, a child should only have one nightmare a night. And even that seemed a bit much.
He remembered how she had regarded him so intensely earlier. His soul, and his mind, an open book for her to devour with one swipe of her midnight blue eyes. One thing was for sure. With her around, life was bound to become a lot more interesting.
'But then again,' he asked himself. 'when has life upon this damned plateau ever been boring?'
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Not where I was going to end it, but I took the rest and turned it into the start of chapter three. Still not quite sure where I'm going to go with this. But, I'll have an entire week to think about it since I will be out of town until next Sunday. Reviews greatly appreciated. Flames will be used to roast marshmallows, for who can resist their fluffy gooey charm? lol
Dai stihó
~CrimsonCat~
As he walked towards the two of them, Marguerite finally noticed he was in the room. Her eyes turning towards him, although Roxton still got the impression that she wasn't all there.
"How is she?" He asked quietly, still afraid Keira might wake.
"Oh, all right." Marguerite replied, finally seeming to come out of her daze. "She woke up only once. Nightmares."
Roxton nodded.
"Who can blame her?"
"I think that I got the whole story out of her." Marguerite told him. "She's been through quite a lot."
Roxton smiled to himself.
"What?" Marguerite demanded.
"Nothing. It's just.." Roxton grinned.
"What?" Marguerite's voice was sharper this time.
"I don't know. I just never quite pictured you as the motherly type. But, here you are." Roxton explained.
Marguerite rolled her eyes.
"Hardly." She muttered.
"I don't know, it's sweet." Roxton tried to please her. "And you look quite content."
"Yes, well, I think it's well past my bed time." Marguerite gave him a small smile.
She tried to slip out from under the sleeping princess, but Keira woke
up anyway.
"You're leaving?" She asked sleepily, although Marguerite could have sworn she heard a hint of alarm in the younger girl's voice.
"It's all right. Roxton will stay with you. There are just some things I need to see to." Marguerite explained.
Keira regarded Roxton.
"Oh." Was all she said, although Marguerite saw a smile play across Keira's lips.
"What?" Marguerite asked.
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather stay?" Keira spoke softly so that Roxton wouldn't be able to hear her. "I'm sure I can find something to keep myself occupied for a few hours."
The look on Marguerite's face was priceless.
"I'll see you in the morning." She ignored Keira's comment. "Have fun." She told Roxton as she made her way from the room.
"What was that about?" Roxton wondered.
"Nothing." Keira assured him.
She paused.
"A love like that must hurt pretty badly." She sighed. "But for some reason, it seems so grand."
"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about." Roxton insisted.
Keira laughed softly despite her foul mood.
"Tell me, Lord Roxton. Do you always deny your feelings so intensively? It doesn't matter anyway. Even if I couldn't read it in your soul, it is plain enough on your face. Gods, it pours off of you in waves, strangling me with it's intensity. You love her. The others must be idiots if they haven't noticed by now."
Roxton just regarded the princess, shock smeared across his face.
"Sorry." Keira sighed. "I know it's none of my business, and I know it's rude to snoop through people's emotions without their consent, but it's so very overwhelming." She didn't seem to be talking to Roxton anymore. "First Marguerite, now him.. I only hope the others have more control over their feelings, or I might leave their company mentally crippled."
Roxton barely caught her last words, as her voice dropped steadily.
"What on earth are you talking about?" He demanded.
Keira appeared startled that he was still there, regarding her. His dark eyes seemingly tearing holes into her soul.
Watching her, almost as a hunter might watch it's prey. But no.. not *a* hunter.. *the* hunter. Above all other predators on the land. Keira almost suspected that he might walk softer than she could. She was convinced he would be able to outrun the wind if he had to. And in that moment, Keira saw every aspect of the man standing before her.
Every quality, both good and bad. Every emotional weight he carried with him each day, and she swore she could almost see the man he would eventually become at the end of his days.. although it almost seemed impossible that he might become even greater than he was.
And then, like a door slamming shut in her face, the images faded. Before she could completely grasp an understanding of this man, and his place in the world, she once again found herself seated upon a bed, in a Treehouse, so far from home, with the room so much colder than she remembered it. A shiver ran down her spine and Keira marveled at how lucky Marguerite really was.
"Sorry." She repeated softly, speaking to Roxton this time. her voice wavering slightly. "I can read people's emotions.. sometimes their thoughts. And on top of everything else, it's just a little bit overwhelming right now. I.. uh, freaked out Marguerite a little bit too." Keira spoke, remembering the way the Heiress' tears had seemed to
burn her flesh, even as she had slept.
"I can imagine." Roxton agreed. "Marguerite doesn't like people getting too close, or knowing too much."
He finally sat upon the bed. And in the soft light he suddenly looked so old... Keira closed her eyes. The night was playing tricks on her. Why was this man suddenly brining every psychic gift within her blazing to life? It was like a million tons of water crashing down upon her.
"I think.." Keira began. But doubt swayed her tongue.
However, Roxton's attention had already been captured.
"Go on." He urged her.
"No." Keira spoke. "It is not my place."
"Does.. does she love me? Even half as much as I love her?" His eyes pleaded with the small girl before him.
"I cannot tell you." She replied sadly. "Marguerite's heart is hers to reveal."
'Of course she loves you.' Keira screamed within. 'And maybe if the two of you could just for one moment be honest with one another.. for just a few seconds find a way to put aside all the half-truths, insecurities, and fears, and for just one minute be two people so completely in love that it has become painful for you both.. maybe the
two of you might finally find what it is that you two spend each day looking for.'
But, Keira held her tongue. It wasn't her place. It wasn't her issue. She had more than her share of problems to solve without accepting the problems of others.
'But, maybe that is what you are here for.' That little voice of reason within whispered into her ear. 'They help you, you help them, and you each go away with something more than you had before.'
Keira regarded Roxton, who appeared to be lost in his thoughts.
'Goddess knows they need some kind of help.'
She lay upon her side and closed her eyes. Eager to claim another couple of hours sleep before the day officially began. But something nagged her within, determined to cheat her of her sleep until she gave the universe what it was waiting for.
'Fine!' Keira caved. 'I'll help. I'll do my best.'
And sleep was once more hers.
~*~*~*~
It was the change in Keira's breathing that finally alerted Roxton to the fact that the young girl was finally asleep once more. She stirred in her sleep, and he wondered what she was dreaming about. Hopefully, nothing unpleasant. In his opinion, a child should only have one nightmare a night. And even that seemed a bit much.
He remembered how she had regarded him so intensely earlier. His soul, and his mind, an open book for her to devour with one swipe of her midnight blue eyes. One thing was for sure. With her around, life was bound to become a lot more interesting.
'But then again,' he asked himself. 'when has life upon this damned plateau ever been boring?'
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Not where I was going to end it, but I took the rest and turned it into the start of chapter three. Still not quite sure where I'm going to go with this. But, I'll have an entire week to think about it since I will be out of town until next Sunday. Reviews greatly appreciated. Flames will be used to roast marshmallows, for who can resist their fluffy gooey charm? lol
Dai stihó
~CrimsonCat~
