Okay, I was very disappointed in the lack of feedback for my first big romance scene. Should I be racier? I can always change things back to R, and heat things up a bit. Of course at this point theres going to be grand battles and angst before our heroes get any action of the nice kind. Also, the Latin is as close to being right as I can its going to get, being a few years out of high school. It means basically "Queen of the devil, ruler of hell, bring darkness to the earth. Woman of darkness, shed your blood, by your hands cover the earth in blood." Ishy I know. Anyhow, ahem. Peace- silverrain
I'd done what I had to, I'd brought her to Sandeman to be photographed and prodded. Gently I'd brushed her dark skin with the Sandeman's new solution, watching as the runes were once more hidden in the fine fabric of body. Then I'd just returned her to her prison before her jailors woke from their drugged sleep, no qualms and no question, just kissed her fiercely one last time and trusted fate to bring us together again.
Perhaps I'd been a whole person in her arms last night, but today I was just a soldier again. A good soldier followed orders and left their lovers in the hands of murdering bitches. If anything happens to her in the next four days I don't know how I'll carry on, except that the soldier will have to because it's what we were trained to do. I tell myself that fate will be kind, that nothing will happen to her, we'll be allowed more than one night together. A thousand nights wouldn't be enough, but I'd take one more if it were all that was offered. That's how love affects us I guess. It doesn't matter how long you have each other, so long as it's this moment and the next. But I can't help but think that there could be so much more between us if we just had the time.
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"Time is running out Otto, where is that little whore?" My irritation wells up like a tangible flow of fire, and I curb the urge to reach out and strangle the insignificant little peon standing before me.
"My humblest apologies Lady Charlotte, the Crone simply doesn't understand how the three of them overslept she said it was surely a mystical influence. Perhaps it was some force of the prophecy my lady, ensuring that things are carried out in their proper times and orders." I may be a faithful sister of the order, but I've always believed more in cold hard science than these damn prophetic bits of mumbo jumbo. On the other hand, as I was about to ascend to the position of queen it would hardly do to say so. Instead I satisfy myself by toying with little Otto.
"Are you implying Brother Otto, that MY time and order are not the proper ones? Perhaps you think someone else would be better suited in leading our people on this great day? Or may I assume that I am safe in my role as divine sister at this moment. As my future husband you have the right to question my authority in these matters. Speak up you blubbering idiot, if you have a useful opinion." It is absolutely delightful watching Otto's lower lip quiver in fear as he faces me. He looks precisely like the cowardly little puppy he is. No, this little thing won't be any trouble at all as a husband, I was safe in assuming where the power would lie. "And what in dear god happened to your face you imbecile? Were you playing kick the can with a rotweiller?" If anything Otto's face becomes impossibly redder.
"I, I fell on the gravel…
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"…on the gravel, during a bar fight I mean." Think quick idiot, she's never going to believe that I got in a bar fight. "I mean I was walking outside this bar and this man came flying out of a window and knocked me to the ground. I mean that's how I got hurt, yeah huh." I drop my eyes as I stutter, let her think me more of a weak coward. The more she underestimates me the better the chances are of her dropping her guard.
"God Otto you're such a little idiot, how did Ames White put up with such a sniveling, pathetic thing as you. If I were him I'd have died of laughter at the sight of your cowering." Bitter laughter bubbles up and I quickly bite down on my lips to prevent its escape. Oh yes, killing dear Charlotte would be almost as therapeutic to my down trodden soul as doing away with White had been. No, all I needed was one tiny opportunity and good sister Charlotte would be replaced by my dark queen.
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"Regina de diaboli, in Hades dominii, terram infuscate." Her withered hands shook handfuls of herbs over our bound bodies. I lay next to my sister on a dais of stone in the center of the cell. Ropes bound our wrists and ankles to hidden steel supports, we had been positioned in a perfect yin yang, my head picking up at the base of Max's feet.
My sister shook in fear or suppressed anger, it was difficult to judge which given our current positions and my inability to see her face. My own features remained stoically calm. The Crone had raised me after my own mother's death, and while I most certainly didn't trust her, her presence comforted me. Besides, this was only the ritual purification, nothing much to worry about here. I couldn't wait to see my sister's reaction to the blood letting.
"Pulla Domina, minuete. A mane tu, terram cruentet."
She advances purposefully on us with her blade held high, my breath grew raspy in my own ears.
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He was holding my hand, stroking his fingers across the flesh of my palms. He was covering my body with his protecting it, he would keep me safe. ##The blade sliced into the flesh at the crook of my elbow, bringing forth a swell of thick red blood, my blood.## It wasn't happening, no he was there his body twined with mine, moving with me, speaking to me. It wasn't happening, his fingers were stroking through my hair, gently teasing the barcode at the nape of my neck, brushing forward over my cheeks and lips so that he could memorize my features in case we weren't ever together again. In case, we weren't. It wasn't happening, it wasn't happening, it wasn't happening, his face was fading, it wasn't happening.
