Interlude: Enchanting Bonds
Infer Manor was a time-old place, timeless in its natural beauty and substantial wealth. In the early morning servants scurried to prepare for the day's meals, and make sure its master is in comfort.
Infer Manor may be considered a titanic building that towered over the small town beneath it, but to one woman opening a window on one of its towers, it was home.
Moira looked down on the courtyard and smiled. Everything was running in a predictable and smooth fashion. Of course with her as head servant and caretaker, there was never any doubt of any misfortune.
Gently fixing the curtains of Lady Helena's room, Moira began her personal task of inspecting the room for the woman.
In the few months the lady has been a resident at Infer, Moira was blessed with the dubious honor of being the personal attendant of the room; making sure the lady was always in the best of care, and never bereft of a clean environment.
…the usual mess…'such a messy girl' she mentally noted.
As Moira began to pick up the many pieces of clothing that adorned the usually clean floor, something caught her eye. It was so small that she would have missed it if she was not so lucky; a gem.
Picking the delicate piece in by her fingers, she rolled the item between her fingers to better study it. Dented.
"Such a shame," Moira whispered to herself. Looked around the room to find its home, the bed's glittering surface lead her to it's prior home.
Yes, it definitely belonged to the embroidery.
Smoothing out the surface of the bed in order to make sure to find any loose clips to have adjusted, Moira's intense scrutiny was interrupted by a booming voice.
"What do you think you're doing?" Lady Helena entered the room in an angry huff.
Wearing a traditional aquamarine velvet dress that covered everything except her pale back, the lady was the picture of beauty the servants have come to know; the only thing that marred her features was the heated look in her eyes.
"I was simply cleaning-"
"I don't care! I wish to be alone!" Helena shouted back.
Nodding ever so gracefully in attempt to conceal her growing frustration, Moira softly remarked in a neutral tone, "As you wish my lady, I only ask you allow me to finish sorting out your clothes,"
Walking to her dresser and sitting down to comb her hair, Helena replied, "Just hurry," Brushing her hair in an almost painful way, Helena watched the old maid through her mirror.
Finally breaking the silence that seemed to have swept the room, Helena asked, "Where has he been?"
Moira not floundering in her stride in an effort to quickly clean the room and leave the horrid girl's room, replied coyly, "Who, my lady?"
Brushing her hair in a more rapid fashion, Helena's eyes bore into the back of Moira's head, "Endymion, who else could I be talking about, old maid," she snapped back.
Finally done with her task, Moira slowly walked towards the room's exit; as she walked out the door she responded, her voice holding a secretive snipe, "Why, he's been in his room for the last two days, my lady"
She didn't turn back to watch Helena's face gloom in naïve comprehension; a violent shadow falling across her face.
Sometimes things happen for a reason. They may be an unpleasant turn of events in one's life, yet surely fate's course is fair for all. For if it were not, would there be any point to life?
Sometimes people make choices that change the course of what fate had previously woven--for better or for worse.
But fate is a clever girl. If not mischievous.
Sometimes things happen for a reason. They may be an unpleasant turn of events in one's life, yet surely WE can make our own fate…
"What fate has brought you in my life, Rouhey?"
Endymion laid a gentle hand on the back of the girl who was sleeping as though she had no care in this often harsh reality.
The room was painted a dark maroon by the curtains that shielded the bed's occupants from the morning sun; a trail of torn and unkempt materials adorning the floor, ending at the king-sized bed.
The bed itself was a work of art maybe overlooked only by the sated desire that radiated off the occupants. As Endymion traced one miniature freckle on her back, he was reminded of the night's previous…activities, a cunning smile making its way onto his face.
Yes, now he knew her most intimate secrets.
Coming down, he laid a trail of tender kisses across her back; climbing towards her neck and finally her ear.
"Time to wake up, Rouhey," He said, fondly nuzzling her neck in an effort to hasten his efforts.
The bundle half hidden in the mountains of pillows on the bed groaned, then reaching towards her naked torso she grasped the sheet over her head; cuddling safely away from the irritating voice that interrupted her dreams.
"You can hide all you want, but remember darling: I know your secrets…" He whispered mostly to himself.
Reaching for the covers that shielded her from his own nudity, he seized them in one substantial pull. Before comprehending what had happened, and why she had been interrupted from her sleep, Serenity woke to find Endymion towering over her.
Both began a silent war of staring at each other, finally coming vis-à-vis after their enthralling night.
It would be Serenity's barely whispered word that would break the silence, "Hello,"
"Hello to you too, Rouhey,"
Blushing at the name she vaguely remembered him whisper so many times the few nights they were…
Shaking her head from the thoughts she was certain flushed her face, Serenity began to get up from his hold; yet his arms barred her attempts.
Looking questionably at him, she asked, "I thought you wanted me to wake up?"
Resting his forehead against her own, he smiled, "So you heard me, hm?"
Now accurate her face was a blooming red hue, she turned her face away from his unwavering eyes and muttered, "Maybe…"
Placing a kiss on her forehead, he began another trail leading up to her neck, where he stroked her tender flesh between the base with his teeth. Her body illuminated with unbridled desire for the man that brought her to such heights, and showed her true splendor…
"Well, it seems that your body has lain its invitation,"
Coming out of her thoughts, Serenity look down between his naked chest and much to her utter mortification---her own.
Her breasts looked full, slight bruises and love bites adoring them…and crushed in the interval between their body's were her nipples grazing his chest in an effort to convey her not so secret desire.
Hastily bolting from her position under him, she rose to a sitting position. Quickly surrounding herself with the covers.
Much to the amusement of Endymion.
"You know, Rouhey, I have seen you, and all of you," She groaned. "All of you.."
"What do we…I mean…well," She paused looking for the right words to describe her jumbled thoughts, "What does THIS mean…you and me…THIS?"
Hesitating for a moment before answering her question, Endymion looked over his shoulder to the onyx dresser that was used as clothing storage. Unlacing himself from the sheets, he made his way to the dresser and opened it.
Choosing a fine off-white garment, he closed the door and turned to the girl on his bed. Nude.
But to his astonishment she was not looking at him, but at the wall to her right. Bemused he had once again forgotten her true innocence, her naïveté that was so captivating. Her question had not caught him off guard, for many women occupied her place and asked similar, if not the exact question.
The true matter of fact was this was different. It FELT different.
The usual and sometimes predictable actions of his life were to simply seduce a woman, take what was needed and never look back. He had never awoken to…to caress their backs. He never looked back.
Until now. There he stood, his stormy eyes filled with confusion as he…looked back.
Slowly walking to the bed, he asked her to move her hands up as to dress herself, she complied--still not looking at him. He walked to the edge of the bed, still bewildered by his thoughts and began his own task of dressing. If not for to prepare for the day, it was a simple measure to comfort her…
Even though he though he was preparing for the day…of course.
"Moira will guide you through Infer Manor. She will see to your comfort,"
Nervously biting her lip, Serenity found the courage to ask a final question, her heart burning in uncertainty, "Will I see you again?"
Time seemed to have stopped after her last word was so timidly asked. While she stared at the sheets once more, already memorized in her minds the complex patterns and textures of the covers; he stared at the creature he should just forget.
But he knew as much as his rational mind told him to, he could not forget…
Sometimes things happen for a reason. They may be an unpleasant turn of events in one's life or maybe something….enchanting, yet surely fate's course is fair for all. For if it were not, would there be any point to life?
"I would not care otherwise, Rouhey,"
A/N: Evil comes this way.