A/n: THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING!!!! ^ ^ Rainfall, you're an awesome reviewer.
I get such a huge grin on my face every time I see a new review, thank you
thank you thank you.
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Ch. 2:
Shanie ran her fingers lightly over the Scrancan lord's chest as he blinked at her sleepily. "My lord, if you would only do me this one favor..." She grinned as he moaned an assent, and thought viciously of the beauty that had snubbed her in the forest. Lovely or no, no one humiliated her and got away with it.
~-~
Tristan and Darkan circled each other, each with wooden honed practice knives in their hands. Suddenly, Tristan ducked as Darkan thrust in a blur with his left hand and came up in attack. Darkan easily parried, sending Tristan back in defense. As if in mortal combat, they kept their eyes honed to every pinpoint of movement on their opponents' bodies. Darkan and Tristan began circling again, only to be interrupted by Eos's musical voice. "What are you two doing? You promised me that you wouldn't practice without me!" A hint of concern was in Eos's voice...rightfully. For the past few weeks, the two men had been constantly creating tension whenever they looked at each other, whenever they were in the same room.
It had gotten to the point where Eos threatened to leave if they were going to act like two dogs fighting over territory; after that, they had learned to keep their odd wariness of each other away from Eos. Darkan shook his head, and then smiled at Eos. "Don't worry about us. We're honestly not going to try to kill each other like we did on the boat." Tristan kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Darkan's right, the boat was just too...confining." Eos snorted, then helped Darkan with his equipment as he gave her the same puppy dog look that both he and Tristan had discovered while on the boat. While she smiled and talked with them intently, she accidentally missed the glares that the two men were exchanging over her head.
Later, Eos stared as her ('honestly, I'm humble and I won't squeak a word to annoy you or talk overmuch mistress, I honestly won't but if you need anything I'll get it for you fast as you can say servant. By the way my name is Maina and I have two sisters and a brother here that will get anything for you as well, not that the other servers won't because we're all very hospitable here and we don't get many guests here. Have you met the lord? He's very kind and handsome, everyone likes him and I'm sure you'll like him. Well anyway, that should get you in. I have your bath ready and just give me those clothes to wash; Dear, dear, these are so dirty we'll have to give the back in a few days so sorry mistress.') maid chattered on and on and on while she tried to teach Eos how to cook. "Now you put the oil in the pot first, always put the oil when you fry things. But if you want to deep fry, then you should put in animal fat or grease because it's so much better. That reminds me, we should try fried chicken tomorrow because it's really good. Did I mention that we serve that only once a month? Not that your ladyship will do any-oh, I'm going off again. Well, then you put the skinned chicken in here, and just wait until it's that nice brown color. Oh yes, and you have to put in those herbs and clean the chicken first, I forgot." At that moment, Darkan knocked on the door and Eos nearly ran to get it. Her eyes sparkling with relief, she smiled at Darkan, who gave a slow, lazy grin back. "So, Eos, want to help us?"
"Gods yes! I mean, yes. Thank you." Unaware of her blazingly haunting hazel eyes, she pretended to bat her eyes at him and said in a throaty purr meant to mock the attempted seduction of young nobles, "But of course, I would love it if we would just go...swordfight in the forest." Something glimmered in Darkans eyes, which was quickly suppressed. Then he matched her mocking imitation of the unknowingly hilarious Scancran nobles and said in a deep, smooth voice, "Oh yes. Quite. Let's go." He kissed her hand, and they walked hand in hand out the door. With Maina staring with an incredulous look on her face, and then an odd look.
~-~
Mithros looks down at the Goddess-Elect and sighs. [Must everything go her way? If she chooses the wrong one to be her Guardian-]
The Goddess smoothly interrupts. [Neither appears to be the wrong one. They both shine with the light of possibility.]
Mithros's gaze darkens. [What do you mean? Darkan Finousri may be his current name, but he has been destined to Guard her since and before the time of his birth. Can you imagine what could go wrong if she goes with the sun-bright one? He would crush her, destroy her with his love for her.]
The Mother Goddess replies, [Exactly. Love. He is deeply in love with her, and so is Darkan. Because of this, he would do anything to protect and nurture Eos because it is set into the Guardian to protect at all costs. That is the basis of their Guardianship, in the first stanzas of the Guardian creed.]
Two hearts twine as one
Love burning strongly as a sun
Guard the Goddess with your soul
Shielding Her from darkness's blight
[Both could be her Guardian. Both love her by choice, both would die for her. That is why they are in contention, although they are not aware of it. Even Darkan does not know. They compete to Guard her, to be able to love her alone.]
[This can only lead to pain and suffering for the young one. She is one of us, but so young.]
[She is like a diamond. The Goddess Elect is beautiful and intelligent, yet strong as an adamantine saber and far more dangerous. She will know to make the right choice when the time comes.]
[And if the two young stags in contention for their title inadvertently lose the life of the Goddess Elect?]
[Let us hope that day never comes.]
~-~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ch. 2:
Shanie ran her fingers lightly over the Scrancan lord's chest as he blinked at her sleepily. "My lord, if you would only do me this one favor..." She grinned as he moaned an assent, and thought viciously of the beauty that had snubbed her in the forest. Lovely or no, no one humiliated her and got away with it.
~-~
Tristan and Darkan circled each other, each with wooden honed practice knives in their hands. Suddenly, Tristan ducked as Darkan thrust in a blur with his left hand and came up in attack. Darkan easily parried, sending Tristan back in defense. As if in mortal combat, they kept their eyes honed to every pinpoint of movement on their opponents' bodies. Darkan and Tristan began circling again, only to be interrupted by Eos's musical voice. "What are you two doing? You promised me that you wouldn't practice without me!" A hint of concern was in Eos's voice...rightfully. For the past few weeks, the two men had been constantly creating tension whenever they looked at each other, whenever they were in the same room.
It had gotten to the point where Eos threatened to leave if they were going to act like two dogs fighting over territory; after that, they had learned to keep their odd wariness of each other away from Eos. Darkan shook his head, and then smiled at Eos. "Don't worry about us. We're honestly not going to try to kill each other like we did on the boat." Tristan kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Darkan's right, the boat was just too...confining." Eos snorted, then helped Darkan with his equipment as he gave her the same puppy dog look that both he and Tristan had discovered while on the boat. While she smiled and talked with them intently, she accidentally missed the glares that the two men were exchanging over her head.
Later, Eos stared as her ('honestly, I'm humble and I won't squeak a word to annoy you or talk overmuch mistress, I honestly won't but if you need anything I'll get it for you fast as you can say servant. By the way my name is Maina and I have two sisters and a brother here that will get anything for you as well, not that the other servers won't because we're all very hospitable here and we don't get many guests here. Have you met the lord? He's very kind and handsome, everyone likes him and I'm sure you'll like him. Well anyway, that should get you in. I have your bath ready and just give me those clothes to wash; Dear, dear, these are so dirty we'll have to give the back in a few days so sorry mistress.') maid chattered on and on and on while she tried to teach Eos how to cook. "Now you put the oil in the pot first, always put the oil when you fry things. But if you want to deep fry, then you should put in animal fat or grease because it's so much better. That reminds me, we should try fried chicken tomorrow because it's really good. Did I mention that we serve that only once a month? Not that your ladyship will do any-oh, I'm going off again. Well, then you put the skinned chicken in here, and just wait until it's that nice brown color. Oh yes, and you have to put in those herbs and clean the chicken first, I forgot." At that moment, Darkan knocked on the door and Eos nearly ran to get it. Her eyes sparkling with relief, she smiled at Darkan, who gave a slow, lazy grin back. "So, Eos, want to help us?"
"Gods yes! I mean, yes. Thank you." Unaware of her blazingly haunting hazel eyes, she pretended to bat her eyes at him and said in a throaty purr meant to mock the attempted seduction of young nobles, "But of course, I would love it if we would just go...swordfight in the forest." Something glimmered in Darkans eyes, which was quickly suppressed. Then he matched her mocking imitation of the unknowingly hilarious Scancran nobles and said in a deep, smooth voice, "Oh yes. Quite. Let's go." He kissed her hand, and they walked hand in hand out the door. With Maina staring with an incredulous look on her face, and then an odd look.
~-~
Mithros looks down at the Goddess-Elect and sighs. [Must everything go her way? If she chooses the wrong one to be her Guardian-]
The Goddess smoothly interrupts. [Neither appears to be the wrong one. They both shine with the light of possibility.]
Mithros's gaze darkens. [What do you mean? Darkan Finousri may be his current name, but he has been destined to Guard her since and before the time of his birth. Can you imagine what could go wrong if she goes with the sun-bright one? He would crush her, destroy her with his love for her.]
The Mother Goddess replies, [Exactly. Love. He is deeply in love with her, and so is Darkan. Because of this, he would do anything to protect and nurture Eos because it is set into the Guardian to protect at all costs. That is the basis of their Guardianship, in the first stanzas of the Guardian creed.]
Two hearts twine as one
Love burning strongly as a sun
Guard the Goddess with your soul
Shielding Her from darkness's blight
[Both could be her Guardian. Both love her by choice, both would die for her. That is why they are in contention, although they are not aware of it. Even Darkan does not know. They compete to Guard her, to be able to love her alone.]
[This can only lead to pain and suffering for the young one. She is one of us, but so young.]
[She is like a diamond. The Goddess Elect is beautiful and intelligent, yet strong as an adamantine saber and far more dangerous. She will know to make the right choice when the time comes.]
[And if the two young stags in contention for their title inadvertently lose the life of the Goddess Elect?]
[Let us hope that day never comes.]
~-~
