Disclaimer: Still, Abhorsen, Lirael, and Sabriel belong to Garth Nix. ::crosses arms and sulks:: Fudge buckets!
A/N: You asked for it. This is JUST the beginning. I promise you, it WILL get better! I had to cut it short, or else it would be pages upon pages upon pages upon pages upon pages etc. long.
Dawn had finally arrived, the bright yellow making the ship glow. The rays peeked through Daman's window, lighting the room with their magic, and they found their way to his eyes. The sun shone on his sandy hair, and it appeared blonde, and his tanned skin twinkled under the rays.
Slowly, he opened his eyes, groaning at the sudden flash of light. He rubbed them, sitting up, blankets falling away from his bare chest. A shadow formed at his window, blocking the sun. He looked up, and Belyn was resting her hands on his windowsill. She was wearing a simple white, thin-strapped gown. Hazy light filtered in around her, lightening her raven hair and making her look like an angel. A smile played upon her lips, a mischievous smile for an angel.
Daman smiled back, grinning at the angel who'd laughed in his dreams. Suddenly, though, the smile disappeared from her face. She gasped and ducked away, blinding Daman with sun. Looking down, he realized what it was.
Belyn fell to her knees outside Daman's window. She covered her eyes with her hands, her flaming cheeks shielded too. She'd stared at a half-naked, maybe naked, man for the first time. Slowly, she uncovered her eyes, trying to calm herself.
Daman chuckled to himself and pulled a shirt from his bedpost. He pulled it on, leaving it unbuttoned, and he moved towards the windowsill. He leaned out into the bright sunshine, and Belyn walked straight into him. Her hands rushed to her mouth, her pink cheeks turning red. Daman chuckled quietly again, and pretended to massage his shoulder.
"Are you okay?" Belyn stuttered through her hands. Daman grinned, nodding, and dropped his hands to his side. He reached out for her wrists and pulled her closer. She came up below his shoulders on level ground, and now she was at his chest.
She looked up at him with sparkling emerald eyes, and her skin melted with the sun's yellow glow. Daman laced his fingers in between hers and he looked down into her eyes. "I'm fine," he whispered. He brought his lips down her fingers, and kissed the tip of her index. Belyn's cheeks flush again, and she bit her lip. She'd never been treated this way genuinely.
"Would you like to come in?" Belyn nodded and started for Daman's door, but she was held back by his interlacing fingers. She looked up at him curiously and a devious grin played upon his lips. "Come through the window."
The window was low enough to sit on, and wide enough for her to lay straight upon her back. She removed her fingers from his, turning around, and sat down on the sill. She felt strong arms wrap around her waist, and she was lifted to her feet on the other side of the window. She turned in Daman's arms to face him, and suddenly felt very bare. She'd left the shawl on deck, and the dress she slept in showed more than she wanted.
Daman hugged her close before letting her go, before the blood could rush through her cheeks once more. Belyn crossed her arms over her chest and sat down, at Daman's invitation. She sat atop his unmade bed, feeling his warmth from the night flow through her. Daman leaned out his window, asking for two breakfast trays to be brought in.
Belyn felt something flow through her body, something she'd never felt before. She was nervous. She'd never dined alone with him, and she had never been treated so grand. She tucked her loose hair behind her ears, licked her lips, and let her hands fall to her lap.
Daman looked down at her. Her skin was paling, thanks to an ointment Herim had given her. He long, raven hair was untangled, freshly combed and shiny. Sara had cleaned her up, from head to toe. Her eyes held something of a mystery, an unsolved past and unknown future. She was beautiful, and she was oblivious to the fact.
She rocked with the gently swaying of the boat, and Daman was glad she wasn't seasick. His late grandfather, King Touchstone, was seasick, but it hadn't run down his family lines - yet. She bit her lip, and he wondered what she was thinking.
Belyn could see Daman's smooth, tan chest through his open shirt. It was much too big for him, stretched and threadbare, so she could see past the thin cotton too. She forced her eyes away, and forced her thoughts onto other things. She was confused. She didn't know why she was so interested and embarrassed about him, it was something she couldn't explain.
Belyn's thin frame was perfectly outlined by the white dress. Sara must have altered it to fit her so well. The chest dipped low and was tight against her chest. Her arms were wrapped around her waist, and she shivered. She was cold out of the sun. Daman went to her side with a blanket in hand, and she wrapped it around her shoulders. He let his arm linger on them, and he pulled her closer.
"Where are we?" Belyn asked, breaking the ice.
"We're nearing Aunden. We're heading for the Ratterlin River, and we'll start searching at Cloven Crest." The place was murmured in her sleep, so he and Herim decided to start there first.
"Thank you Daman, for everything. Who knows what would have happened to me if you hadn't rescued me." Her bruises had faded, small tints of gray their only remains. She felt no pain, and felt better than she ever had, thanks to Herim's healing and Charter Magic.
"And thank you also, for offering to help find my family. I am forever in your debt." Belyn looked up to Daman with a smile of thanks. She was ready to serve him forever, if only it meant being by his side day and night.
"I can think of something to start your payment with," Daman said, and he placed his hand under Belyn's chin. Her skin warmed at his touch as he brought her lips closer to his. They touched, sending an explosive feeling through her body, and they melted softly together. Slowly, she moved her arms to around his neck, and Daman's around her waist, pulling her closer still
A knock at the door sent them reeling for composure, and quickly Daman stood, his back to Belyn. She lifted her fingers to touch her lips, and she could still feel his warm lips against hers, and she could still taste the new taste of her first kiss.
The door opened to a young boy who worked in the kitchens. He carried two trays in his arms, balanced delicately with both strength and skill. He placed them on the table that sat next to Daman's bed. With a salute to him and Belyn, the small boy walked away, shutting the door behind him.
"You still owe me," Daman said as he and Belyn sat down. She licked her lips again, still savoring the taste of Daman in her mouth. She nodded slowly, showing nothing on the outside. But inside, she was exploding with fireworks.
Belyn's food was pushed toward her as she unfolded a cloth napkin in her lap. Sara had taught her the proper way to eat, along with how to hold herself and act in front of gentlemen and the elderly. Belyn felt royal - she wasn't used to this kind of treatment. The plate before her held eggs and bacon, sausage and biscuit, and a sweet cake covered in a brown syrup. She played with it, wondering if she should it eat or not.
"It's called a pancake. They don't taste that good without the syrup, but with it they're delicious. Try it, you'll like it." Daman watched her contemplate it, and he suppressed a laugh. He forgot that Belyn had lived on what she could find, and had never tasted the foods of the royals.
"Where do you live?" Belyn asked, trying to strike up conversation. She picked up a strip of bacon and chewed, the tender meat melting on her tongue.
"Uh, Belisaere." If he told her he was a royal, would she like him for that and not for who he was? He didn't think so, greed wouldn't affect her. But still, he wanted to make sure. But still, he wasn't lying.
"What do you do?"
"I make things. Toys, furniture, houses." Belyn nodded. She continued eating, but after a time of silence, she spoke.
"Can I see some of them? Your toys, I mean, if you have then on board."
Daman nodded, rising from his chair, finished with his meal. Belyn was done as well, and she pushed her plate away from her. He patted the bed, motioning for her to sit there. She rose, to sit back down on the bed. Though the warmth was still there, she shivered, and moved back farther into the warm confines of the bed.
Daman knelt next to where Belyn's feet dangled. He noticed with a smile, even her bare feet were perfect, though dirty, and the perfection ran down to her toes.
There was a drawer underneath his bed, made of strong, Chartered wood. It was deeper than the outside portrayed, and extended halfway through the bed. The room filled with the musty, suffocated smell of wood, the breeze blowing the scent around and outside into the sea's air. Belyn breathed in the pine scent, feeling it tingle the insides of her nostrils. She'd remember this day if the scent was all she could recall.
Daman brushed her feet with his arm as he stood, letting the connection hold up to her knee. He held a wooden crate filled with many contraptions, colors, and sizes, but each a beauty she never thought possible of a toy. Each bore a Charter mark, each different in strength and job. He pulled up a chair and set the crate down in front of Belyn, and he sat down on his bed next to her, their legs meeting in an electrifying touch.
Belyn picked up what appeared to be a small, yellow and red spinning top. She held it in her hands, gently gripping the sides, and she felt it transform into a tiny songbird, a pale blue creature with wings who sung of bright sunshine and warm summer days. It flew up from her palm, fluttering its wings against her cheeks. It landed on her head, amongst the nest raven hair, and sang it's song still. It ruffled its feathers in her hair, sending shivers down her spine and a giggle spilling from her lips.
Another bird joined its friend, singing, flying, twirling around Belyn's head. This one provided the harmony voice, male and female, singing of a love song, a young love. Belyn sensed a quick beginning, then a downfall of feelings, and then up to glorious heights. The song ended with a happy trill, the hint of the beautiful destiny of lovers. Suddenly, the two birds became tops again, falling from both air and nest of hair. She let one final giggle sound, and then finally placed then back in the crate.
Daman watched the girl's face light up with the joy of the toys. The light from the opposite window filtered in and around her face, framing the image of an angel with perfection. The white sleep dress glowed in the light, and Daman found himself looking for her wings. She threw back her head when she laughed, the long raven cape hanging from her head shimmering over her back. For the first time since she'd boarded the ship, he saw that she was truly happy. He smiled. She was happy with him, not with Sara or Herim.
He stood, watching as she sorted through the crate full of toys he'd made. The smile never left her lips, the ones he longed to kiss again. He sorted through everything he knew about her, but he couldn't find a single flaw. Daman could feel himself falling, and he didn't even bother catching onto anything that flew past him on his descent. He felt like he knew her, every inch of skin, every thought inside her head. Something about her made him want to forget what he was and live a simple life with her. But, soon or later, reality would come racing back to catch him. He told himself, over and over, that it was too fast, too quick. He needed to get a grip.
Belyn kept her head down, or tried to, though the happiness she felt playing when the toys brought her chin up, curling her lips into a smile. She was happy here, unlike she'd ever been. Her cheeks were beginning to flush from the thoughts rolling through her head, her hands starting to tremble. Try as she might, she couldn't remove them from her head.
She felt a connection to him, a bond that went deeper than mutual trust. Almost as if she'd spent her entire life with him, their souls destined to meet, like, and love. She wanted to follow her heart, who was screaming, "Let go! Fall! Kiss him!", while her head tried to take a rational approach. Belyn didn't want to be rational, to be like herself, safe and cautious, with an ever-lasting guard.
Belyn looked up, watching Daman, and at the same time, he looked up as well, his eyes never leaving hers. Their eyes locked and for a single moment they stopped breathing, blinking, living. Slowly, Belyn stood and Daman waited, and then they advanced on each other with slow, deliberate steps. . .
A/N: Love me yet? I enjoy writing cliffhangers so much! ^^
Please review - tell me what you think, and remind me of any itsy bitsy little details I've forgotten.
A/N: You asked for it. This is JUST the beginning. I promise you, it WILL get better! I had to cut it short, or else it would be pages upon pages upon pages upon pages upon pages etc. long.
Dawn had finally arrived, the bright yellow making the ship glow. The rays peeked through Daman's window, lighting the room with their magic, and they found their way to his eyes. The sun shone on his sandy hair, and it appeared blonde, and his tanned skin twinkled under the rays.
Slowly, he opened his eyes, groaning at the sudden flash of light. He rubbed them, sitting up, blankets falling away from his bare chest. A shadow formed at his window, blocking the sun. He looked up, and Belyn was resting her hands on his windowsill. She was wearing a simple white, thin-strapped gown. Hazy light filtered in around her, lightening her raven hair and making her look like an angel. A smile played upon her lips, a mischievous smile for an angel.
Daman smiled back, grinning at the angel who'd laughed in his dreams. Suddenly, though, the smile disappeared from her face. She gasped and ducked away, blinding Daman with sun. Looking down, he realized what it was.
Belyn fell to her knees outside Daman's window. She covered her eyes with her hands, her flaming cheeks shielded too. She'd stared at a half-naked, maybe naked, man for the first time. Slowly, she uncovered her eyes, trying to calm herself.
Daman chuckled to himself and pulled a shirt from his bedpost. He pulled it on, leaving it unbuttoned, and he moved towards the windowsill. He leaned out into the bright sunshine, and Belyn walked straight into him. Her hands rushed to her mouth, her pink cheeks turning red. Daman chuckled quietly again, and pretended to massage his shoulder.
"Are you okay?" Belyn stuttered through her hands. Daman grinned, nodding, and dropped his hands to his side. He reached out for her wrists and pulled her closer. She came up below his shoulders on level ground, and now she was at his chest.
She looked up at him with sparkling emerald eyes, and her skin melted with the sun's yellow glow. Daman laced his fingers in between hers and he looked down into her eyes. "I'm fine," he whispered. He brought his lips down her fingers, and kissed the tip of her index. Belyn's cheeks flush again, and she bit her lip. She'd never been treated this way genuinely.
"Would you like to come in?" Belyn nodded and started for Daman's door, but she was held back by his interlacing fingers. She looked up at him curiously and a devious grin played upon his lips. "Come through the window."
The window was low enough to sit on, and wide enough for her to lay straight upon her back. She removed her fingers from his, turning around, and sat down on the sill. She felt strong arms wrap around her waist, and she was lifted to her feet on the other side of the window. She turned in Daman's arms to face him, and suddenly felt very bare. She'd left the shawl on deck, and the dress she slept in showed more than she wanted.
Daman hugged her close before letting her go, before the blood could rush through her cheeks once more. Belyn crossed her arms over her chest and sat down, at Daman's invitation. She sat atop his unmade bed, feeling his warmth from the night flow through her. Daman leaned out his window, asking for two breakfast trays to be brought in.
Belyn felt something flow through her body, something she'd never felt before. She was nervous. She'd never dined alone with him, and she had never been treated so grand. She tucked her loose hair behind her ears, licked her lips, and let her hands fall to her lap.
Daman looked down at her. Her skin was paling, thanks to an ointment Herim had given her. He long, raven hair was untangled, freshly combed and shiny. Sara had cleaned her up, from head to toe. Her eyes held something of a mystery, an unsolved past and unknown future. She was beautiful, and she was oblivious to the fact.
She rocked with the gently swaying of the boat, and Daman was glad she wasn't seasick. His late grandfather, King Touchstone, was seasick, but it hadn't run down his family lines - yet. She bit her lip, and he wondered what she was thinking.
Belyn could see Daman's smooth, tan chest through his open shirt. It was much too big for him, stretched and threadbare, so she could see past the thin cotton too. She forced her eyes away, and forced her thoughts onto other things. She was confused. She didn't know why she was so interested and embarrassed about him, it was something she couldn't explain.
Belyn's thin frame was perfectly outlined by the white dress. Sara must have altered it to fit her so well. The chest dipped low and was tight against her chest. Her arms were wrapped around her waist, and she shivered. She was cold out of the sun. Daman went to her side with a blanket in hand, and she wrapped it around her shoulders. He let his arm linger on them, and he pulled her closer.
"Where are we?" Belyn asked, breaking the ice.
"We're nearing Aunden. We're heading for the Ratterlin River, and we'll start searching at Cloven Crest." The place was murmured in her sleep, so he and Herim decided to start there first.
"Thank you Daman, for everything. Who knows what would have happened to me if you hadn't rescued me." Her bruises had faded, small tints of gray their only remains. She felt no pain, and felt better than she ever had, thanks to Herim's healing and Charter Magic.
"And thank you also, for offering to help find my family. I am forever in your debt." Belyn looked up to Daman with a smile of thanks. She was ready to serve him forever, if only it meant being by his side day and night.
"I can think of something to start your payment with," Daman said, and he placed his hand under Belyn's chin. Her skin warmed at his touch as he brought her lips closer to his. They touched, sending an explosive feeling through her body, and they melted softly together. Slowly, she moved her arms to around his neck, and Daman's around her waist, pulling her closer still
A knock at the door sent them reeling for composure, and quickly Daman stood, his back to Belyn. She lifted her fingers to touch her lips, and she could still feel his warm lips against hers, and she could still taste the new taste of her first kiss.
The door opened to a young boy who worked in the kitchens. He carried two trays in his arms, balanced delicately with both strength and skill. He placed them on the table that sat next to Daman's bed. With a salute to him and Belyn, the small boy walked away, shutting the door behind him.
"You still owe me," Daman said as he and Belyn sat down. She licked her lips again, still savoring the taste of Daman in her mouth. She nodded slowly, showing nothing on the outside. But inside, she was exploding with fireworks.
Belyn's food was pushed toward her as she unfolded a cloth napkin in her lap. Sara had taught her the proper way to eat, along with how to hold herself and act in front of gentlemen and the elderly. Belyn felt royal - she wasn't used to this kind of treatment. The plate before her held eggs and bacon, sausage and biscuit, and a sweet cake covered in a brown syrup. She played with it, wondering if she should it eat or not.
"It's called a pancake. They don't taste that good without the syrup, but with it they're delicious. Try it, you'll like it." Daman watched her contemplate it, and he suppressed a laugh. He forgot that Belyn had lived on what she could find, and had never tasted the foods of the royals.
"Where do you live?" Belyn asked, trying to strike up conversation. She picked up a strip of bacon and chewed, the tender meat melting on her tongue.
"Uh, Belisaere." If he told her he was a royal, would she like him for that and not for who he was? He didn't think so, greed wouldn't affect her. But still, he wanted to make sure. But still, he wasn't lying.
"What do you do?"
"I make things. Toys, furniture, houses." Belyn nodded. She continued eating, but after a time of silence, she spoke.
"Can I see some of them? Your toys, I mean, if you have then on board."
Daman nodded, rising from his chair, finished with his meal. Belyn was done as well, and she pushed her plate away from her. He patted the bed, motioning for her to sit there. She rose, to sit back down on the bed. Though the warmth was still there, she shivered, and moved back farther into the warm confines of the bed.
Daman knelt next to where Belyn's feet dangled. He noticed with a smile, even her bare feet were perfect, though dirty, and the perfection ran down to her toes.
There was a drawer underneath his bed, made of strong, Chartered wood. It was deeper than the outside portrayed, and extended halfway through the bed. The room filled with the musty, suffocated smell of wood, the breeze blowing the scent around and outside into the sea's air. Belyn breathed in the pine scent, feeling it tingle the insides of her nostrils. She'd remember this day if the scent was all she could recall.
Daman brushed her feet with his arm as he stood, letting the connection hold up to her knee. He held a wooden crate filled with many contraptions, colors, and sizes, but each a beauty she never thought possible of a toy. Each bore a Charter mark, each different in strength and job. He pulled up a chair and set the crate down in front of Belyn, and he sat down on his bed next to her, their legs meeting in an electrifying touch.
Belyn picked up what appeared to be a small, yellow and red spinning top. She held it in her hands, gently gripping the sides, and she felt it transform into a tiny songbird, a pale blue creature with wings who sung of bright sunshine and warm summer days. It flew up from her palm, fluttering its wings against her cheeks. It landed on her head, amongst the nest raven hair, and sang it's song still. It ruffled its feathers in her hair, sending shivers down her spine and a giggle spilling from her lips.
Another bird joined its friend, singing, flying, twirling around Belyn's head. This one provided the harmony voice, male and female, singing of a love song, a young love. Belyn sensed a quick beginning, then a downfall of feelings, and then up to glorious heights. The song ended with a happy trill, the hint of the beautiful destiny of lovers. Suddenly, the two birds became tops again, falling from both air and nest of hair. She let one final giggle sound, and then finally placed then back in the crate.
Daman watched the girl's face light up with the joy of the toys. The light from the opposite window filtered in and around her face, framing the image of an angel with perfection. The white sleep dress glowed in the light, and Daman found himself looking for her wings. She threw back her head when she laughed, the long raven cape hanging from her head shimmering over her back. For the first time since she'd boarded the ship, he saw that she was truly happy. He smiled. She was happy with him, not with Sara or Herim.
He stood, watching as she sorted through the crate full of toys he'd made. The smile never left her lips, the ones he longed to kiss again. He sorted through everything he knew about her, but he couldn't find a single flaw. Daman could feel himself falling, and he didn't even bother catching onto anything that flew past him on his descent. He felt like he knew her, every inch of skin, every thought inside her head. Something about her made him want to forget what he was and live a simple life with her. But, soon or later, reality would come racing back to catch him. He told himself, over and over, that it was too fast, too quick. He needed to get a grip.
Belyn kept her head down, or tried to, though the happiness she felt playing when the toys brought her chin up, curling her lips into a smile. She was happy here, unlike she'd ever been. Her cheeks were beginning to flush from the thoughts rolling through her head, her hands starting to tremble. Try as she might, she couldn't remove them from her head.
She felt a connection to him, a bond that went deeper than mutual trust. Almost as if she'd spent her entire life with him, their souls destined to meet, like, and love. She wanted to follow her heart, who was screaming, "Let go! Fall! Kiss him!", while her head tried to take a rational approach. Belyn didn't want to be rational, to be like herself, safe and cautious, with an ever-lasting guard.
Belyn looked up, watching Daman, and at the same time, he looked up as well, his eyes never leaving hers. Their eyes locked and for a single moment they stopped breathing, blinking, living. Slowly, Belyn stood and Daman waited, and then they advanced on each other with slow, deliberate steps. . .
A/N: Love me yet? I enjoy writing cliffhangers so much! ^^
Please review - tell me what you think, and remind me of any itsy bitsy little details I've forgotten.