"So, my dear...Here we are, together, alone," Jeral said, smiling. Lale
fought to stop trembling. Instead she put a disgusted expression on her
face and stood more confidently.
"Actually, I find you...completely repulsive," She said disdainfully. "I'm afraid you have to leave, now. I'm busy."
"Oh?" Jeral said, raising one perfectly arched pale blonde eyebrow, "I disagree," Lale opened her mouth to call for Para to come and help her, though gods knew what Para,--sweet, chubby Para—could do. "And don't think of calling for your maid...she is quite, err, occupied at the moment." His wicked grin told her all she needed to know—Para was hurt, and most likely badly.
"What have you done to Para?? And what did you do to Terem, you horrid old Sorcerer!" Lale screamed, red in the face. Jeral glided liquidly over to Lale as she bellowed, and placed a cool, dry finger to her lips, eyes gleaming.
"Hush, hush, little Lale. Don't worry, sweetling, Jeral is here," he cooed, smiling maliciously. He slipped his finger away, and quickly, before Lale could realize what he was going to do, placed his lips upon hers.
The world seemed to stop for a second. Lale was dimly aware of her blood rushing and roaring in her ears. His lips were quite as cool and dry as his finger had been, and tasted faintly, oddly, of blueberries.
The everything went black, and Lale slipped blissfully into unconsciousness.
*-*-
Terem strode angrily into his friend and mentor's room. It was brightly lit, as usual. A cheery fire burned in the hearth, sending flickers of light across gold painted walls and rich tapestries. Terem noticed that it was dark out—a lovely kind of dark, he thought wistfully. A dark with stars and bright moonlight—a darkness made for lovers. He then remembered his purpose for coming here, and hollered.
"Ranas!!" he bellowed. Ranas stepped mildly into the room. He was a middle aged man, Terem's philosophy teacher. Snow white hair crowned his balding head, his skin a golden tan, and his eyes a deep brown. He was short, but not stocky. He wore eyeglasses, which were extremely expensive for the man, but a much needed necessity.
"Yes, Terem," Ranas answered quietly. He motioned for Terem to sit down on an overstuffed red velvet chair that had seen better days. Terem sat as Ranas turned to a large cabinet and pulled out a platter of pastries and fruit. He plucked a pastry for himself—a sweet one, at the core of which was fig—and offered it to Terem before speaking again.
"Now, Terem, tell me what is bothering you."
Terem took a slice of honey cake, and, between bites, related all that had happened in Lale's room. Ranas waited, thoughtfully tugging at his chin, until he was completely done. Finally, as Terem was licking honey off this fingers, he spoke.
"You know what you must do, Terem."
"I do?" Terem said in bewilderment. Ranas leaned forward, his face sincere.
"You must LEAVE, Terem. Leave, and only come back when I deem it safe. Go to one of your fathers' remote estates or something. Just get out of here, and quickly!" he said.
"But-But-I cant do that!" Terem exclaimed, appalled.
"Why ever not?" Ranas asked, steely.
"Because-Because-Well, my honor for one," Ranas snorted derisively, "plus, well, Lale, and I need to stop Jeral, and Lale might need me! I mean, she could be hurt right now!" Terem exclaimed frantically.
"Terem. First of all, there is nothing we can do NOW, for sure. I will bet you my whole estate and a honey cake that the door to Lale's room is warded by magic. Secondly, I will watch Jeral carefully and report to you, oh brave one. Thirdly, Lale-Well, she isn't staying permanently, anyways—we can convince her to leave, or something. But Terem, the important thing is that you mustn't do what Jeral wants you to! You would KILL Lale's SOUL, for god's sake!" Ranas cried.
"I cant leave," Terem whispered, his eyes locked on Ranas. "I cant leave her to face this all by herself."
"Do you love her?" Ranas asked, carefully. Terem considered for a moment, and then slowly shook his head.
"No. Not yet. I barely know her, now. But I believe I could grow to love her very easily. And she is a good person and...Goddamnit! JERAL will steal her soul even if I don't! I Cant DO that to her, don't you SEE?" Terem rose, angry at his teacher's unbelievable reaction. He COULDN'T leave! He COULDN'T!
*-*-*-
Lale moaned at the pain in her head as she woke. She ached all over, as if she had been slammed against a wall. Then she suddenly realized what had happened th night before—she had blacked out, but what had happened afterwards? What had he done to her? "Ah, dearest, you are awake," Jeral murmured. Lale froze. She opened her eyes to find Jeral leaning over her, smiling at her fondly.
"What—What happened?" Lale asked, blearily. She didn't realize until after she said it that he was the worst possible person to ask.
"Why, my dear, do not you remember last night?" He asked, in mock sorrow. She slowly shook her head, dreading what the answer would be. Had he—hurt her? Worse—raped her? She shook her head more vigorously, and he smiled languidly at her. He reached out a finger and traced the outline of her lips tenderly. Lale watched his finger, repelled. She tried to raise her hand to brush his hand away, and to her horror, found she could not move her body.
Jeral leaned close to her, so close, she could feel his breath on her face, and through her parted lips. His hand snaked to her cheek, rubbing the soft skin tenderly.
"Why, my dear," he said, sensuously, softly. Lale could feel each word on her cheek, her mouth, her soul, and she dreaded his next words. She closed her eyes tightly as he continued, "Last night...you agreed to marry me."
[A/N: Muahahahahahah! I am evil, aren't I. You probably weren't expecting THAT! Well, maybe, I dunno. But sorry for not updating in so long—life has been crazy, plus my muse ran away from home for a few weeks. So, RnR! And Enjoy!!]
xx Aeriel Ravenna
"Actually, I find you...completely repulsive," She said disdainfully. "I'm afraid you have to leave, now. I'm busy."
"Oh?" Jeral said, raising one perfectly arched pale blonde eyebrow, "I disagree," Lale opened her mouth to call for Para to come and help her, though gods knew what Para,--sweet, chubby Para—could do. "And don't think of calling for your maid...she is quite, err, occupied at the moment." His wicked grin told her all she needed to know—Para was hurt, and most likely badly.
"What have you done to Para?? And what did you do to Terem, you horrid old Sorcerer!" Lale screamed, red in the face. Jeral glided liquidly over to Lale as she bellowed, and placed a cool, dry finger to her lips, eyes gleaming.
"Hush, hush, little Lale. Don't worry, sweetling, Jeral is here," he cooed, smiling maliciously. He slipped his finger away, and quickly, before Lale could realize what he was going to do, placed his lips upon hers.
The world seemed to stop for a second. Lale was dimly aware of her blood rushing and roaring in her ears. His lips were quite as cool and dry as his finger had been, and tasted faintly, oddly, of blueberries.
The everything went black, and Lale slipped blissfully into unconsciousness.
*-*-
Terem strode angrily into his friend and mentor's room. It was brightly lit, as usual. A cheery fire burned in the hearth, sending flickers of light across gold painted walls and rich tapestries. Terem noticed that it was dark out—a lovely kind of dark, he thought wistfully. A dark with stars and bright moonlight—a darkness made for lovers. He then remembered his purpose for coming here, and hollered.
"Ranas!!" he bellowed. Ranas stepped mildly into the room. He was a middle aged man, Terem's philosophy teacher. Snow white hair crowned his balding head, his skin a golden tan, and his eyes a deep brown. He was short, but not stocky. He wore eyeglasses, which were extremely expensive for the man, but a much needed necessity.
"Yes, Terem," Ranas answered quietly. He motioned for Terem to sit down on an overstuffed red velvet chair that had seen better days. Terem sat as Ranas turned to a large cabinet and pulled out a platter of pastries and fruit. He plucked a pastry for himself—a sweet one, at the core of which was fig—and offered it to Terem before speaking again.
"Now, Terem, tell me what is bothering you."
Terem took a slice of honey cake, and, between bites, related all that had happened in Lale's room. Ranas waited, thoughtfully tugging at his chin, until he was completely done. Finally, as Terem was licking honey off this fingers, he spoke.
"You know what you must do, Terem."
"I do?" Terem said in bewilderment. Ranas leaned forward, his face sincere.
"You must LEAVE, Terem. Leave, and only come back when I deem it safe. Go to one of your fathers' remote estates or something. Just get out of here, and quickly!" he said.
"But-But-I cant do that!" Terem exclaimed, appalled.
"Why ever not?" Ranas asked, steely.
"Because-Because-Well, my honor for one," Ranas snorted derisively, "plus, well, Lale, and I need to stop Jeral, and Lale might need me! I mean, she could be hurt right now!" Terem exclaimed frantically.
"Terem. First of all, there is nothing we can do NOW, for sure. I will bet you my whole estate and a honey cake that the door to Lale's room is warded by magic. Secondly, I will watch Jeral carefully and report to you, oh brave one. Thirdly, Lale-Well, she isn't staying permanently, anyways—we can convince her to leave, or something. But Terem, the important thing is that you mustn't do what Jeral wants you to! You would KILL Lale's SOUL, for god's sake!" Ranas cried.
"I cant leave," Terem whispered, his eyes locked on Ranas. "I cant leave her to face this all by herself."
"Do you love her?" Ranas asked, carefully. Terem considered for a moment, and then slowly shook his head.
"No. Not yet. I barely know her, now. But I believe I could grow to love her very easily. And she is a good person and...Goddamnit! JERAL will steal her soul even if I don't! I Cant DO that to her, don't you SEE?" Terem rose, angry at his teacher's unbelievable reaction. He COULDN'T leave! He COULDN'T!
*-*-*-
Lale moaned at the pain in her head as she woke. She ached all over, as if she had been slammed against a wall. Then she suddenly realized what had happened th night before—she had blacked out, but what had happened afterwards? What had he done to her? "Ah, dearest, you are awake," Jeral murmured. Lale froze. She opened her eyes to find Jeral leaning over her, smiling at her fondly.
"What—What happened?" Lale asked, blearily. She didn't realize until after she said it that he was the worst possible person to ask.
"Why, my dear, do not you remember last night?" He asked, in mock sorrow. She slowly shook her head, dreading what the answer would be. Had he—hurt her? Worse—raped her? She shook her head more vigorously, and he smiled languidly at her. He reached out a finger and traced the outline of her lips tenderly. Lale watched his finger, repelled. She tried to raise her hand to brush his hand away, and to her horror, found she could not move her body.
Jeral leaned close to her, so close, she could feel his breath on her face, and through her parted lips. His hand snaked to her cheek, rubbing the soft skin tenderly.
"Why, my dear," he said, sensuously, softly. Lale could feel each word on her cheek, her mouth, her soul, and she dreaded his next words. She closed her eyes tightly as he continued, "Last night...you agreed to marry me."
[A/N: Muahahahahahah! I am evil, aren't I. You probably weren't expecting THAT! Well, maybe, I dunno. But sorry for not updating in so long—life has been crazy, plus my muse ran away from home for a few weeks. So, RnR! And Enjoy!!]
xx Aeriel Ravenna