Things where becoming critical. It was nearing the end of the semester and
Arnica was stuck on her Art History paper. The final thing needed to finish
up the semester and she was having trouble. Practically pulling her hair
out of the pores. Arnica grumbled, shut the bibliography of Marie Cassette
and grabbed her down filled coat out the door. She needed to get a breath
of air before trying to finish up the paper. It was due in eight hours
anyways.
Inside the pub that she was introduced to about two and a half months earlier she meet across David. He was smoking yet again and gulping at some of the Scottish beer. Arnica smiled. At least there was one person, with in reason, that she could drown her sorrows with. William was in her art class, but seeing as he was probably off somewhere participating in a ball or something she stuck with David. She plopped herself down after making a visit to the bar and smiled at David.
"Hey! Arnica how are you?" David already seemed a bit gone on the beer.
"Good, just burning the midnight oil on my homework. I just need to finish up my paper but I got writer's block." "Yea," David nodded. "Why do they ask artists to masquerade as writers anyways?" Arnica laughed. She wondered the same thing letting her mind drift off into random thoughts. One of which happened to be where William was and how he'd finished the paper. _+_+_+_+_+_
William stood in the corner of the busy room. Harry and his friends where chattering away once in a while switching their gazes to his direction. He was long ready for sleep, but stayed only to keep his name out of the newspapers. 'Prince William Walks Out On Dinner'. The tabloids would take anything and twist it into some kind of crazy love interest piece. Although what kind of life would there be for a member of the royal family who didn't get paired up with any eligible girl out there. Everyone wanted to write his love life for him. Everyone wanted to make guesses as to how and who he'd marry in the end of it all. Did it ever occur to them that maybe who they thought was 'good enough' wasn't who he had in mind? Now the semester was over and Arnica would probably be more inclined to spend her summer with someone in her family or even go home for the summer. That was something he wasn't ready to go see happen. David walked to sofa and flopped onto the couch. He was as drunk as ever and Arnica had a hell of a time getting him into the apartment. Arnica sighed, wondered into the kitchen and then to her computer hooked up on the counter. She sighed. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to get her butt out in into the world. Now she only had three hours to finish and get to the school in time. She swallowed some aspirin and rubbed her temples. Time to work her butt off.
_+_+_+_+_+_+_
By seven Arnica felt completely drained. She packed up her floppy disk and other junk in her backpack and made her mad dash to the school. Arnica found her legs burning and her throat dry when she finally made her way to Professor Fitzgerald's office door. She was allowed in and low and behold William was inside nodding away as something the professor had said. It made her feel, for a few moments, like the semester had started all over again. Arnica smiled and shook the professors hand and hugged William hello.
"Ah my dear with the green eyes. How are you?" Professor Fitzgerald smiled and nodded.
"Very good professor I was hoping to submit this report to Professor Xanthan."
"Oh he just left to speak to the dean of students." William offered. Arnica's face fell and she exaggeratedly fell to the floor.
"Oh no. I need to run to the parking lot. Please excuse me." With that Arnica made herself run out the building and actually did make it to the parking lot and caught Professor Xanthan before he even made it out. Ten minutes later she was still collapsed on the cement bench shaded by a several oak trees. She felt someone shake her shoulder and she looked up to the face of William Windsor. She smiled and pushed herself up into an upright position. William sat next to her and smiled at her exhausted limp form.
"So did you make it?" She smiled and faintly nodded. It being the only thing she could do, and she really wanted to fall asleep on his lap and not get up until next semester.
"Well I suppose its time to get you to your flat." She stood up, her legs almost failing her. By the time they made it to her flat it was about mid- morning and what was once a dormant flat was now very much active. David was still asleep on the couch even though there was music coming from the kitchen.
" Arnica, mammita wrote us asking us to Fed-Ex some homemade jam. She said she'd trade us some of her cooked pico. Pappita really loved the apricot.Oh, hey William." Estella looked a little flustered what with no make-up and hair not blown dry. Then she got a good look as Arnica's perfectly exhausted face. Estella helped William take her to her bed and before falling fast asleep Arnica heard her cousin chattering away about Joseph. ******
Estella looked in on David after serving some coffee to William. She smiled and sat down with the prince sipping at the scalding liquid.
"Is it true? Do you have a crush on Arnica?" William looked at Estella, his eyes bulging, and shook his head no. "Ah you do. You have school boy crush. That's so cute. I didn't really believe that you did. You know on the phone, but lately I've been noticing. By the way where's your bodyguard?"
"Outside I told him I'd only be a moment." William stood to leave hugging Estella goodbye and stopping at the sight of David. He frowned and kept walking shutting the door behind him.
David stayed there, unmoving and breathing shallow drunken breaths. He'd woken the moment that Estella had brewed the coffee, but upon hearing the two in the other room he didn't get up. It was tricky, but Estella hadn't been the only one to notice William's affections. He was sure though, that if anyone was blind to them it was Arnica. He needed to move quickly. What normal girl would resist the Prince of Wales if given the chance to beloved by him?
Late at night David awoke again to the deathly dark room around him. He sat up taking off his shoes and creeping along the old wooden floors to the open door of Arnica and Estella's bedroom. He peered in, Arnica was asleep. Her chest falling and rising with each take of air. David rubbed his right hand across his forehead nervously. He hadn't heard Estella leave but he didn't see her in the room nor where any of the lights on. He crept into the room and sat down next to Arnica. He bent forward and kissed her lips. She stirred and opened her green eyes to his face. He smiled and pulled away a bit.
"Arnica I love you." His chest was pounding and his brain was over active with a thousand voices screaming at him the same thing: "What if she doesn't love you?" Arnica smiled and ran her hand across his messy black hair and her lips parted slightly.
"I know David." She pushed with her hand, guiding him closer, and kissed him. David couldn't help but smile.
_+_+_+_+_+_ The semester was officially over. Estella and Arnica had found full time jobs close into town and moved from the school provided living space into an older flat. True it was less new but it was a lot less trouble then flying home and then back. Estella worked as a waitress in a rather prestigious restaurant and Arnica was a bike messenger for a small company. However these jobs did not detain Joseph Titilman from continuing to visit and William Windsor from accompanying him from time to time. Although those visits where becoming more and more infrequent being explained as "business". What Arnica did not know was that it was because of David and her becoming a couple. David knew, but selfishly he kept that knowledge away from Arnica. He loved her, needed her. She was home and comfort and adoration all in one. She was perfect for him. And, her feelings? David was kind and gentle with her. Always caring for her well being and always able to share some laughs when Estella was away. David felt no pity for William. He was prince of an entire country. He would have not cared for her as David knew he could. William had his choice of women, and that was it.
Estella, however, was cautious of David. It was less then coincidental that David and Arnica should become a couple right after her conversation with William. But how to bring it up to Arnica was another matter. When it came to matters of the heart Estella felt she could not possibly be able to tell her cousin her fears. All that she could do was wait for an opportunity to bring the matter up. But there was scarcely a moment that David was not around Arnica or that they both were away working. Riding horses with Joseph was the only moment in which Estella felt truly able to speak of the most private matters with him. Estella looked to Joseph, and smiled; the mare beneath her shaking her head to ward of some flies.
"Joseph what do you think of David?" He smiled and took her hand in his own.
"I think David is a good person; a bit of a loner and dark, but a good person none the less. Now if your asking what I think about Arnica and David well. I'm not so sure about all that. He's a fine chap, but his entire personality changes when he's around her. It's like he'd afraid someone will come in and take her away." Estella nodded.
"I feel the same way. I like him but not for Arnica. I always get the feeling that he may hurt her." Joseph laughed kissing her hand.
"I do not think he'd hurt her. Over possessive maybe. But, not hurt her." Estella nodded.
"Maybe. What about William?"
"He's fine. A little discouraged but David isn't like Michael. William knew that Arnica would not enjoy his company for long. David on the other hand is from America so he feels he has no chance with her."
"Like hometown advantage," Estella smiled.
"Yes I suppose," Joseph nodded. "I try to tell him that there won't be any long term endearing relationships with David and Arnica but he is hard to convince."
"What with the honeymooners? Yea. Everytime I try to get something out of Arnica I'm left hanging." She shrugged. "Oh well at least I have you. Right?"
"Right."
_+_+_+_+_+_+_
Inside the pub that she was introduced to about two and a half months earlier she meet across David. He was smoking yet again and gulping at some of the Scottish beer. Arnica smiled. At least there was one person, with in reason, that she could drown her sorrows with. William was in her art class, but seeing as he was probably off somewhere participating in a ball or something she stuck with David. She plopped herself down after making a visit to the bar and smiled at David.
"Hey! Arnica how are you?" David already seemed a bit gone on the beer.
"Good, just burning the midnight oil on my homework. I just need to finish up my paper but I got writer's block." "Yea," David nodded. "Why do they ask artists to masquerade as writers anyways?" Arnica laughed. She wondered the same thing letting her mind drift off into random thoughts. One of which happened to be where William was and how he'd finished the paper. _+_+_+_+_+_
William stood in the corner of the busy room. Harry and his friends where chattering away once in a while switching their gazes to his direction. He was long ready for sleep, but stayed only to keep his name out of the newspapers. 'Prince William Walks Out On Dinner'. The tabloids would take anything and twist it into some kind of crazy love interest piece. Although what kind of life would there be for a member of the royal family who didn't get paired up with any eligible girl out there. Everyone wanted to write his love life for him. Everyone wanted to make guesses as to how and who he'd marry in the end of it all. Did it ever occur to them that maybe who they thought was 'good enough' wasn't who he had in mind? Now the semester was over and Arnica would probably be more inclined to spend her summer with someone in her family or even go home for the summer. That was something he wasn't ready to go see happen. David walked to sofa and flopped onto the couch. He was as drunk as ever and Arnica had a hell of a time getting him into the apartment. Arnica sighed, wondered into the kitchen and then to her computer hooked up on the counter. She sighed. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to get her butt out in into the world. Now she only had three hours to finish and get to the school in time. She swallowed some aspirin and rubbed her temples. Time to work her butt off.
_+_+_+_+_+_+_
By seven Arnica felt completely drained. She packed up her floppy disk and other junk in her backpack and made her mad dash to the school. Arnica found her legs burning and her throat dry when she finally made her way to Professor Fitzgerald's office door. She was allowed in and low and behold William was inside nodding away as something the professor had said. It made her feel, for a few moments, like the semester had started all over again. Arnica smiled and shook the professors hand and hugged William hello.
"Ah my dear with the green eyes. How are you?" Professor Fitzgerald smiled and nodded.
"Very good professor I was hoping to submit this report to Professor Xanthan."
"Oh he just left to speak to the dean of students." William offered. Arnica's face fell and she exaggeratedly fell to the floor.
"Oh no. I need to run to the parking lot. Please excuse me." With that Arnica made herself run out the building and actually did make it to the parking lot and caught Professor Xanthan before he even made it out. Ten minutes later she was still collapsed on the cement bench shaded by a several oak trees. She felt someone shake her shoulder and she looked up to the face of William Windsor. She smiled and pushed herself up into an upright position. William sat next to her and smiled at her exhausted limp form.
"So did you make it?" She smiled and faintly nodded. It being the only thing she could do, and she really wanted to fall asleep on his lap and not get up until next semester.
"Well I suppose its time to get you to your flat." She stood up, her legs almost failing her. By the time they made it to her flat it was about mid- morning and what was once a dormant flat was now very much active. David was still asleep on the couch even though there was music coming from the kitchen.
" Arnica, mammita wrote us asking us to Fed-Ex some homemade jam. She said she'd trade us some of her cooked pico. Pappita really loved the apricot.Oh, hey William." Estella looked a little flustered what with no make-up and hair not blown dry. Then she got a good look as Arnica's perfectly exhausted face. Estella helped William take her to her bed and before falling fast asleep Arnica heard her cousin chattering away about Joseph. ******
Estella looked in on David after serving some coffee to William. She smiled and sat down with the prince sipping at the scalding liquid.
"Is it true? Do you have a crush on Arnica?" William looked at Estella, his eyes bulging, and shook his head no. "Ah you do. You have school boy crush. That's so cute. I didn't really believe that you did. You know on the phone, but lately I've been noticing. By the way where's your bodyguard?"
"Outside I told him I'd only be a moment." William stood to leave hugging Estella goodbye and stopping at the sight of David. He frowned and kept walking shutting the door behind him.
David stayed there, unmoving and breathing shallow drunken breaths. He'd woken the moment that Estella had brewed the coffee, but upon hearing the two in the other room he didn't get up. It was tricky, but Estella hadn't been the only one to notice William's affections. He was sure though, that if anyone was blind to them it was Arnica. He needed to move quickly. What normal girl would resist the Prince of Wales if given the chance to beloved by him?
Late at night David awoke again to the deathly dark room around him. He sat up taking off his shoes and creeping along the old wooden floors to the open door of Arnica and Estella's bedroom. He peered in, Arnica was asleep. Her chest falling and rising with each take of air. David rubbed his right hand across his forehead nervously. He hadn't heard Estella leave but he didn't see her in the room nor where any of the lights on. He crept into the room and sat down next to Arnica. He bent forward and kissed her lips. She stirred and opened her green eyes to his face. He smiled and pulled away a bit.
"Arnica I love you." His chest was pounding and his brain was over active with a thousand voices screaming at him the same thing: "What if she doesn't love you?" Arnica smiled and ran her hand across his messy black hair and her lips parted slightly.
"I know David." She pushed with her hand, guiding him closer, and kissed him. David couldn't help but smile.
_+_+_+_+_+_ The semester was officially over. Estella and Arnica had found full time jobs close into town and moved from the school provided living space into an older flat. True it was less new but it was a lot less trouble then flying home and then back. Estella worked as a waitress in a rather prestigious restaurant and Arnica was a bike messenger for a small company. However these jobs did not detain Joseph Titilman from continuing to visit and William Windsor from accompanying him from time to time. Although those visits where becoming more and more infrequent being explained as "business". What Arnica did not know was that it was because of David and her becoming a couple. David knew, but selfishly he kept that knowledge away from Arnica. He loved her, needed her. She was home and comfort and adoration all in one. She was perfect for him. And, her feelings? David was kind and gentle with her. Always caring for her well being and always able to share some laughs when Estella was away. David felt no pity for William. He was prince of an entire country. He would have not cared for her as David knew he could. William had his choice of women, and that was it.
Estella, however, was cautious of David. It was less then coincidental that David and Arnica should become a couple right after her conversation with William. But how to bring it up to Arnica was another matter. When it came to matters of the heart Estella felt she could not possibly be able to tell her cousin her fears. All that she could do was wait for an opportunity to bring the matter up. But there was scarcely a moment that David was not around Arnica or that they both were away working. Riding horses with Joseph was the only moment in which Estella felt truly able to speak of the most private matters with him. Estella looked to Joseph, and smiled; the mare beneath her shaking her head to ward of some flies.
"Joseph what do you think of David?" He smiled and took her hand in his own.
"I think David is a good person; a bit of a loner and dark, but a good person none the less. Now if your asking what I think about Arnica and David well. I'm not so sure about all that. He's a fine chap, but his entire personality changes when he's around her. It's like he'd afraid someone will come in and take her away." Estella nodded.
"I feel the same way. I like him but not for Arnica. I always get the feeling that he may hurt her." Joseph laughed kissing her hand.
"I do not think he'd hurt her. Over possessive maybe. But, not hurt her." Estella nodded.
"Maybe. What about William?"
"He's fine. A little discouraged but David isn't like Michael. William knew that Arnica would not enjoy his company for long. David on the other hand is from America so he feels he has no chance with her."
"Like hometown advantage," Estella smiled.
"Yes I suppose," Joseph nodded. "I try to tell him that there won't be any long term endearing relationships with David and Arnica but he is hard to convince."
"What with the honeymooners? Yea. Everytime I try to get something out of Arnica I'm left hanging." She shrugged. "Oh well at least I have you. Right?"
"Right."
_+_+_+_+_+_+_