Author's note: Ah-hah! More reviews! Much hugs to you guys! Thank you. Now,
this isn't one of my best vignettes, so bare with me here. Thanks again,
reviewers!
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Sherwood Smith, save the plot line.
Flowering Love: Chapter Three of Hope is All
By Coppercurls
(Excerpt from Court Duel)
"Speak, then," he said, his voice just a shade deeper than usual.
I looked over my shoulder, and realized he was laughing. Not loud, but internally. All the signs were there, the shadows at the corners of his mouth, the sudden brightness of his gaze. He was laughing at me--at my reaction.
I sighed. "It concerns the party I must give for my brother's coming marriage," I said shortly, and still another quick look.
His amusement was gone--superficially, anyway.
"You must forgive my obtuseness," he murmured. "But you could have requested your assistance by letter."
"I did. Oh." I realized what he meant, and then remembered belatedly one of Nee's more delicate hints about pursuit--and pursuers. "Oh!" So he hadn't guessed why I'd really come--instead he thought I'd come courting him? And, well, here we were alone.
My first reaction was alarm. I did find him attractive--I realized it just as I was standing there--but in the way I'd admire a beautifully cut diamond, or a sunset above sheer cliffs. Another person, finding herself in my place, could probably embark happily into dalliance and thus speed along her true purpose, but the prospect simply terrified me.
He touched my arm, lightly, sliding his fingers up to my shoulder, and then under my hair to the back of my neck. His touch made me shiver. I closed my eyes--and gasped when lips met my own.
Heat flooded down my body, replacing the cold shock of his touch. I leaned into that kiss as his hands caressed me. So this was dalliance, this was why the others paired off and disappeared, why the lifted brows, the secretive smiles. It was powerful, mind-numbing pleasure.
But it was not joy.
(End Excerpt)
Well, at this point there was nothing I could do without getting myself in serious trouble. So I played along.
He showed me all the passion and desire he had behind his courtly ways in the time that followed.
After his, er--display, I swiftly left the Merindar house, more frightened than ever.
The next day, I woke to find a letter from my Unknown and one from Flauvic. My Unknown's was written on plain paper and a imported linen paper was Flauvic's message. It read:
My Dearest Countess Meliara-
May I have the pleasure of strolling with you at the start of the second green?
At the end with a large flourish he had signed his name. I realized he wasn't much for writing letters, since the one I had received yesterday was equally short and to the point. Although maybe that was a good thing.
Yet I know I preferred to read letters from my Unknown, but then again, who wouldn't? It was like a dream, having a man like that loving me, but then I had to go and get myself mixed up with Flauvic. What was I to do?
I sighed. Maybe I could straighten it all out if I went on that "stroll" with him. I penned him a quick response and gave it to Mora to send it to a runner.
I spent the next hour or so writing to my admirer--it gave me such a bubbly feeling to do it, and I pointedly ignored the fact that I was smitten with a man whom I didn't know. Or maybe I did know him, but I didn't know it was him. Does that even make any sense?
Well, it did to me, in a way. I spent my time before the second green grabbing a bite to eat and then talking with Nee and some of the other court ladies.
When the bell for the second green rang, I excused myself and made my way towards the Merindar house.
It was an awkward walk indeed, but eerily pleasant and polite. Flauvic made no attempts to mention what had happened yesterday until we stumbled upon Shevraeth.
A look of interest and strangely enough, hurt, spread across Shevraeth's face when he spotted us.
"Ah, The Marquis. Greetings," Flauvic said distantly and bowed.
I spoke up, "Good Afternoon."I gave Shevraeth a small curtsy.
"The same to you both," he replied stiffly. Then Shevraeth shot Flauvic a glance of venom and suspicion.
Flauvic barely faltered at this. "It seems to be a good time for me to get going," he pronounced grandly. He pecked me on the cheek and exited.
My face had, of course, turned a deep shade of crimson as Shevraeth questioned me with his raised eyebrow.
"Uhhh..." was all I managed to choke out.
He resolved to make it easier for me and ask me straight out, "Are you and Flauvic...ah..together?"
I sighed, hoping that he would forget the kiss Flauvic had planted on my cheek. "It seems to be that way," I explained. "Yet I did not want it to happen."
"You didn't? Then why did it?" he was confused. Well, confused for Shevraeth.
"Long story," I said as I let out another sigh.
"I have time," he looked up hopefully.
I chortled. "No, you don't," I told him. "And why aren't you in court? It's only the second green."
"We decided not to hold court today. There were no cases and we've tired of playing cards each day." he drawled.
"Oh." I sounded ever so intelligent.
Shevraeth probed me further, "Really, tell me why this happened between you and dear, dear Flauvic. He doesn't seem your type."
I snorted, "Maybe that's because he isn't? Besides, I already love someone else."
Shevraeth perked up a bit at this, "Fascinating. Would it happen to be the same man who sent you that lovely ring you're wearing?"
I reddened, "Yes. I love him."
"Well in that case, I love you too," he told me.
With his face titled to the left, he gently leaned in and softly brushed his lips to mine.
I deepened the kiss after it was all sorted out in my mind. Shevraeth--no, Vidanric, was my admirer. And a hell of a kisser, too.
Vidanric cupped my cheek with one hand and again eased his lips over mine, and blew my mind away.
I put the thoughts of what I was going to tell Flauvic away for a slightly less interesting time and focused on our amazing kiss.
Author's Note: Eish eish eish. It didn't turn out at ALL as I wanted it to. Oh well. I hope it's not too terribly awful. I got writer's block halfway through. Damn that. Anyway, REVIEWWWWWW!
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Sherwood Smith, save the plot line.
Flowering Love: Chapter Three of Hope is All
By Coppercurls
(Excerpt from Court Duel)
"Speak, then," he said, his voice just a shade deeper than usual.
I looked over my shoulder, and realized he was laughing. Not loud, but internally. All the signs were there, the shadows at the corners of his mouth, the sudden brightness of his gaze. He was laughing at me--at my reaction.
I sighed. "It concerns the party I must give for my brother's coming marriage," I said shortly, and still another quick look.
His amusement was gone--superficially, anyway.
"You must forgive my obtuseness," he murmured. "But you could have requested your assistance by letter."
"I did. Oh." I realized what he meant, and then remembered belatedly one of Nee's more delicate hints about pursuit--and pursuers. "Oh!" So he hadn't guessed why I'd really come--instead he thought I'd come courting him? And, well, here we were alone.
My first reaction was alarm. I did find him attractive--I realized it just as I was standing there--but in the way I'd admire a beautifully cut diamond, or a sunset above sheer cliffs. Another person, finding herself in my place, could probably embark happily into dalliance and thus speed along her true purpose, but the prospect simply terrified me.
He touched my arm, lightly, sliding his fingers up to my shoulder, and then under my hair to the back of my neck. His touch made me shiver. I closed my eyes--and gasped when lips met my own.
Heat flooded down my body, replacing the cold shock of his touch. I leaned into that kiss as his hands caressed me. So this was dalliance, this was why the others paired off and disappeared, why the lifted brows, the secretive smiles. It was powerful, mind-numbing pleasure.
But it was not joy.
(End Excerpt)
Well, at this point there was nothing I could do without getting myself in serious trouble. So I played along.
He showed me all the passion and desire he had behind his courtly ways in the time that followed.
After his, er--display, I swiftly left the Merindar house, more frightened than ever.
The next day, I woke to find a letter from my Unknown and one from Flauvic. My Unknown's was written on plain paper and a imported linen paper was Flauvic's message. It read:
My Dearest Countess Meliara-
May I have the pleasure of strolling with you at the start of the second green?
At the end with a large flourish he had signed his name. I realized he wasn't much for writing letters, since the one I had received yesterday was equally short and to the point. Although maybe that was a good thing.
Yet I know I preferred to read letters from my Unknown, but then again, who wouldn't? It was like a dream, having a man like that loving me, but then I had to go and get myself mixed up with Flauvic. What was I to do?
I sighed. Maybe I could straighten it all out if I went on that "stroll" with him. I penned him a quick response and gave it to Mora to send it to a runner.
I spent the next hour or so writing to my admirer--it gave me such a bubbly feeling to do it, and I pointedly ignored the fact that I was smitten with a man whom I didn't know. Or maybe I did know him, but I didn't know it was him. Does that even make any sense?
Well, it did to me, in a way. I spent my time before the second green grabbing a bite to eat and then talking with Nee and some of the other court ladies.
When the bell for the second green rang, I excused myself and made my way towards the Merindar house.
It was an awkward walk indeed, but eerily pleasant and polite. Flauvic made no attempts to mention what had happened yesterday until we stumbled upon Shevraeth.
A look of interest and strangely enough, hurt, spread across Shevraeth's face when he spotted us.
"Ah, The Marquis. Greetings," Flauvic said distantly and bowed.
I spoke up, "Good Afternoon."I gave Shevraeth a small curtsy.
"The same to you both," he replied stiffly. Then Shevraeth shot Flauvic a glance of venom and suspicion.
Flauvic barely faltered at this. "It seems to be a good time for me to get going," he pronounced grandly. He pecked me on the cheek and exited.
My face had, of course, turned a deep shade of crimson as Shevraeth questioned me with his raised eyebrow.
"Uhhh..." was all I managed to choke out.
He resolved to make it easier for me and ask me straight out, "Are you and Flauvic...ah..together?"
I sighed, hoping that he would forget the kiss Flauvic had planted on my cheek. "It seems to be that way," I explained. "Yet I did not want it to happen."
"You didn't? Then why did it?" he was confused. Well, confused for Shevraeth.
"Long story," I said as I let out another sigh.
"I have time," he looked up hopefully.
I chortled. "No, you don't," I told him. "And why aren't you in court? It's only the second green."
"We decided not to hold court today. There were no cases and we've tired of playing cards each day." he drawled.
"Oh." I sounded ever so intelligent.
Shevraeth probed me further, "Really, tell me why this happened between you and dear, dear Flauvic. He doesn't seem your type."
I snorted, "Maybe that's because he isn't? Besides, I already love someone else."
Shevraeth perked up a bit at this, "Fascinating. Would it happen to be the same man who sent you that lovely ring you're wearing?"
I reddened, "Yes. I love him."
"Well in that case, I love you too," he told me.
With his face titled to the left, he gently leaned in and softly brushed his lips to mine.
I deepened the kiss after it was all sorted out in my mind. Shevraeth--no, Vidanric, was my admirer. And a hell of a kisser, too.
Vidanric cupped my cheek with one hand and again eased his lips over mine, and blew my mind away.
I put the thoughts of what I was going to tell Flauvic away for a slightly less interesting time and focused on our amazing kiss.
Author's Note: Eish eish eish. It didn't turn out at ALL as I wanted it to. Oh well. I hope it's not too terribly awful. I got writer's block halfway through. Damn that. Anyway, REVIEWWWWWW!