Lance couldn't have reached the door sooner for Sabina. She hugged
him quickly, then said, "Jasmine is here."
Lance's eyes flickered, showing brief emotion, "Indeed? Where?"
She patted his shoulder, "Just in the parlor. She doesn't want you to leave without her getting to say goodbye."
He opened the front door wide, "The feeling is mutual." Just inside the house was the parlor. It consisted of two small, round, white tables; one was surrounded by dining chairs, the other amidst two small couches. On one couch was a young girl of fourteen, just as Lance was.
She wore what every royal family member (or betrothed to a royal family member, in this case) wore: fishnets, garters, and the corset and underwear. The difference between her outfit and Lance's was that hers was a dark purple. The color made Lance think of a starry night with only half the moon.
He gave her his hand, "Jasmine.."
She stood as well, and her shoulder-length red hair bobbed slightly. "Lance, I can't believe you're leaving.."
He was sympathetic, "Oh.. Please don't be sad.. I'll be back.."
She wiped a tear from her cheek, smudging the white foundation she wore. She tried hard to keep eye contact, "You know you might not.. If your dad couldn't do it.. I don't know if you could."
Lance was instantly ready to speak for his father's defense, but allowed himself a moment to breathe. He finally spoke, "I don't think the Earthens killed him, Jasmine. I don't think he's dead."
"Then how do you explain his absence?"
"He has no ship to come back on."
"He has a phone he could call on."
"Maybe not.. I just have to know."
She leaned forward and kissed him. He matched her enthusiasm instantly, running his hands over her back, unhurried. He was just reaching beneath her corset when his mother appeared. She cleared her throat.
Lance removed his hand quickly and smiled at his mother, "Sorry, Mom.. What is it?"
She shrugged, "I was just going to suggest that Jasmine go with you."
Jasmine's eyes lit up, and she practically pounced on Lance, "Oh, please, Lance! Can I go? I won't be a bother, I swear!"
He put up a hand, "Jasmine, you know you don't bother me.. I would love for you to come."
She cheered, "Great!"
An idea struck Lance, "What will your mother say?"
Jasmine took a moment to think, ending up frowning, "She'll say I can't go.."
Sabina cleared her throat again. The two young lovers looked up at her. She turned her palms to the ceiling and shrugged her shoulders, smiling smugly, "Don't tell her."
Lance's eyes flickered, showing brief emotion, "Indeed? Where?"
She patted his shoulder, "Just in the parlor. She doesn't want you to leave without her getting to say goodbye."
He opened the front door wide, "The feeling is mutual." Just inside the house was the parlor. It consisted of two small, round, white tables; one was surrounded by dining chairs, the other amidst two small couches. On one couch was a young girl of fourteen, just as Lance was.
She wore what every royal family member (or betrothed to a royal family member, in this case) wore: fishnets, garters, and the corset and underwear. The difference between her outfit and Lance's was that hers was a dark purple. The color made Lance think of a starry night with only half the moon.
He gave her his hand, "Jasmine.."
She stood as well, and her shoulder-length red hair bobbed slightly. "Lance, I can't believe you're leaving.."
He was sympathetic, "Oh.. Please don't be sad.. I'll be back.."
She wiped a tear from her cheek, smudging the white foundation she wore. She tried hard to keep eye contact, "You know you might not.. If your dad couldn't do it.. I don't know if you could."
Lance was instantly ready to speak for his father's defense, but allowed himself a moment to breathe. He finally spoke, "I don't think the Earthens killed him, Jasmine. I don't think he's dead."
"Then how do you explain his absence?"
"He has no ship to come back on."
"He has a phone he could call on."
"Maybe not.. I just have to know."
She leaned forward and kissed him. He matched her enthusiasm instantly, running his hands over her back, unhurried. He was just reaching beneath her corset when his mother appeared. She cleared her throat.
Lance removed his hand quickly and smiled at his mother, "Sorry, Mom.. What is it?"
She shrugged, "I was just going to suggest that Jasmine go with you."
Jasmine's eyes lit up, and she practically pounced on Lance, "Oh, please, Lance! Can I go? I won't be a bother, I swear!"
He put up a hand, "Jasmine, you know you don't bother me.. I would love for you to come."
She cheered, "Great!"
An idea struck Lance, "What will your mother say?"
Jasmine took a moment to think, ending up frowning, "She'll say I can't go.."
Sabina cleared her throat again. The two young lovers looked up at her. She turned her palms to the ceiling and shrugged her shoulders, smiling smugly, "Don't tell her."