A/n: No more disclaimers. I've had'em the past 20 chapters. You can assume for the rest of the story.
Much like her beloved Charles,I met Pearl through Elliot's torturings of the charming young lady. I heard a scream as I was tacking my horse up for a long,calm ride,and watched as a carriage rushed by with two men on the roof. "Odd..."I thought as another scream filled the air. I mounted Erik,my favorite white stallion,and rushed off to see precisely what was happening. After all,someone might be stuck in a runaway cart,or at least that's what I thought.
The poor creature beneath me had no interest whatsoever in anything but his stall. I couldn't blame him,I didn't care for France much myself. I liked it back at home,in England,a lot better. It seemed to take forever for us to draw even with the carriage and when we did I was sickened by the sight.
A young woman was sobbing,completely defenseless,under a man near her age who looked as if he need a good washing. It was obvious what the man,or shall I say boy,was attempting to do,and rape so disgusted me. Erik never even noticed as I slipped from his back and into the carriage,he only kept running. I directed my eyes from the more sensitive parts of the lady's body and grabbed hold of the back of the man's neck as best I could. "Leave the woman alone,boy."I nearly growled in French,then repeated it in English,just in case. My accent was heavily British but the boy stiffened at the command and turned his haed to face me.
When I saw the blood dripping down his chin,my first instinct was to tell the driver to stop so I could maul this boy out of the prescence of this innocent young woman. It was no wonder at all to me now why she had been screaming. I ignored my first idea,surely she'd already done that and the speed we were moving at was dangerous enough. "Who the hell are you?" The boy glared as he tried to twist loose of my grip. "That isn't your concern,child." I growled low in my rhtoat.
Finally he took a swing at me. I ducked,bent his arm backwards and kicked open the door. I doubted pushing him out at this speed would kill him,but it would certainly injure him. Without another thought I shoved him out and closed the door once more. Turning to the stunned lady,I began to take my jacket off,"Mademoiselle..I am truly sorry for that..that person's actions. Are you alright?"
She blinked at me in silence for a very long time then whispered in a very soft turn,"Who are you..?" I looked at her curiously. In England I never had to introduce myself,everyone simply knew myself and my family. "Alec." I answered softly. "Jenoviva." She frowned at my last name,as if trying to remember something. "And yours?"I asked gently. She seemed to pierce me with those golden eyes,"Pearl Barye." It was my turn to stare as I haded her my jacket to replace her tattered clothing. This had to be coincidence.
"You don't..paint..do you?"My voice gave a tiny tremble. Sighing,she nodded,"Yes,but not very well I'm afraid,Alec." Such modesty! I was truly taken aback. "By any chance have you ever comissioned a work with two turtle doves roosting in a tree,encircled by two gold wedding bands at the bottom?" I had to know,even if the poor woman was shaking. "Yes..just a year or two ago,Monseiur."She whispered faintly,her teeth chattering. "How do you know about that?" I started to answer,then glanced out at Erik,who had begun to slow down. He was lagging half a foot behind the carriage.
I opened the door slowly,not attracting the attention of the two thugs above me. I whistled under my breath and Erik picked up the pace,enough so I could get my foot into a stirrup and swing up on hi sback. "Give me your hand." I whispered to Pearl as I slid my legs out of the stirrups. Erik was thorougly lathered with sweat and we were losing ground again. Without thinking,I leapt sideways,grabbed Mademoiselle Barye and pulled her onto Erik's back in front of me. The poor horse slowed down to a walk immediatley,dropped his head,and snorted a few times to clear his nose.
When we'd stopped I slipped off the creature's back and helped Pearl off as well. I pulled the saddle and bridle from Erik and let him rest as Pearl calmed down from her experience. "Oh..no.." She sighed suddenly. "All my things were..." I held up a bag I'd grabbed as Erik had slowed down,only seconds before I'd grabbed Pearl. She squealed in delight and nearly ripped it from my hands. "My sketches,my clothes! Thank god I didn't have my cello with me!" She smiled as I chuckled,"Indeed,artist and musician? Do tell,Pearl,are you an actress too?" Pearl shrugged as she began searching for a dress with the least wrinkles in it. Finding a dark aquamarine one that seemed to satisfy her,she moved into the brush to change.
"Why were you asking me about that particular piece?" I jumped as she appeared behind me,clothed,and except for those terrible scars,quite pleasing to my eyes. "It just so happens that work hangs in my family's den. Aaron Wright,the man you made it for,gave it to my parents as an anniversary gift." I stopped myself from flirting with her,though that was quite a temptation. Of course,I was a bit of a skirt-chaser in those days,too.
Pearl blinked at me then shook her head,apparently lost for words. I smiled and shook my head back at her,"No reason to act so stunned. Surely you get complements all the time?" She sighed and turned from me,"Hardly Alec." My heart skipped a beat when she said my name. So far I'd been too stunned by her physical appearance to notice anything else,but her voice was all but entrancing. I caught myself staring at her,much to her dismay. "Trying to create some pretty little picture out of my abnormality?"She snarled in an icy tone that sent nearly every hair on my body on end.
I opened my mouth to answer but she growled and went on,"You want to know why I'm so "good" at art?At music? At dance,voice and sculpting? At writing?!" She grabbed her bag as she went,her eyes had darkened,I noted. "Because I never leave the damned house!I hide,like a cockroach,for fear people..stupid,Ignorant,HUMANS,will attack me,smash me if I show my face on the streeth!" She moved over to Erik and though I felt inclined to stop her,I couldn't move. "I've done nothing to them,nothing at all..yet I always have to hide in my cage.."She began to trail off as a dreamy look spread over the harsh expression she'd once had. She reached up and began to stroke Erik's nose,who whickered softly and gave her hand the gentlest of licks. "Animals are so much different than humans...so much more intelligent.."Pearl mumbled softly as she continued. "They judge upon action..scent...They only fear things that threaten." She chuckled and kissed Erik's nose. "Maybe I am a threat to the human race and I just haven't realized it yet.."
As her voice died away I found I was no longer paralyzed. "Mademoiselle Barye,I-" Pearled turned and smiled serenly toward me as I tried to apologize. "Pearl,Alec..just..Pearl.." "Right." I nodded to her softly. "Pearl,I wasn't staring at you in the manner you think. I didn't realize it would upset you so..severely. I couldn't tear my eyes from your beauty." She sighed,seeming to come slowly out of her sudden..almost intoxicated-like haze,"No..forgive me. I didn't mean any of what I said to you..at least not about you.." Frowning,she changed the subject abruptly,"What is this fantastic fellow's name?" Erik nuzzled into her shoulder as I answered,"Erik." She stiffened,stared at me a moment,then laughed,"How ironic.." I blinked at her but decided not to press the subject. I didn't want to set her temper off again. "Can you ride well? With a normal saddle?"I asked kindly. She nodded as she continued to fawn over Erik,leaving me somewhat jealous,"I can ride bareback if I need to,Alec.." Well..the horse -had- provived the transportation for me to save her...
When she hugged him around the neck,I gave up and groaned.
Much like her beloved Charles,I met Pearl through Elliot's torturings of the charming young lady. I heard a scream as I was tacking my horse up for a long,calm ride,and watched as a carriage rushed by with two men on the roof. "Odd..."I thought as another scream filled the air. I mounted Erik,my favorite white stallion,and rushed off to see precisely what was happening. After all,someone might be stuck in a runaway cart,or at least that's what I thought.
The poor creature beneath me had no interest whatsoever in anything but his stall. I couldn't blame him,I didn't care for France much myself. I liked it back at home,in England,a lot better. It seemed to take forever for us to draw even with the carriage and when we did I was sickened by the sight.
A young woman was sobbing,completely defenseless,under a man near her age who looked as if he need a good washing. It was obvious what the man,or shall I say boy,was attempting to do,and rape so disgusted me. Erik never even noticed as I slipped from his back and into the carriage,he only kept running. I directed my eyes from the more sensitive parts of the lady's body and grabbed hold of the back of the man's neck as best I could. "Leave the woman alone,boy."I nearly growled in French,then repeated it in English,just in case. My accent was heavily British but the boy stiffened at the command and turned his haed to face me.
When I saw the blood dripping down his chin,my first instinct was to tell the driver to stop so I could maul this boy out of the prescence of this innocent young woman. It was no wonder at all to me now why she had been screaming. I ignored my first idea,surely she'd already done that and the speed we were moving at was dangerous enough. "Who the hell are you?" The boy glared as he tried to twist loose of my grip. "That isn't your concern,child." I growled low in my rhtoat.
Finally he took a swing at me. I ducked,bent his arm backwards and kicked open the door. I doubted pushing him out at this speed would kill him,but it would certainly injure him. Without another thought I shoved him out and closed the door once more. Turning to the stunned lady,I began to take my jacket off,"Mademoiselle..I am truly sorry for that..that person's actions. Are you alright?"
She blinked at me in silence for a very long time then whispered in a very soft turn,"Who are you..?" I looked at her curiously. In England I never had to introduce myself,everyone simply knew myself and my family. "Alec." I answered softly. "Jenoviva." She frowned at my last name,as if trying to remember something. "And yours?"I asked gently. She seemed to pierce me with those golden eyes,"Pearl Barye." It was my turn to stare as I haded her my jacket to replace her tattered clothing. This had to be coincidence.
"You don't..paint..do you?"My voice gave a tiny tremble. Sighing,she nodded,"Yes,but not very well I'm afraid,Alec." Such modesty! I was truly taken aback. "By any chance have you ever comissioned a work with two turtle doves roosting in a tree,encircled by two gold wedding bands at the bottom?" I had to know,even if the poor woman was shaking. "Yes..just a year or two ago,Monseiur."She whispered faintly,her teeth chattering. "How do you know about that?" I started to answer,then glanced out at Erik,who had begun to slow down. He was lagging half a foot behind the carriage.
I opened the door slowly,not attracting the attention of the two thugs above me. I whistled under my breath and Erik picked up the pace,enough so I could get my foot into a stirrup and swing up on hi sback. "Give me your hand." I whispered to Pearl as I slid my legs out of the stirrups. Erik was thorougly lathered with sweat and we were losing ground again. Without thinking,I leapt sideways,grabbed Mademoiselle Barye and pulled her onto Erik's back in front of me. The poor horse slowed down to a walk immediatley,dropped his head,and snorted a few times to clear his nose.
When we'd stopped I slipped off the creature's back and helped Pearl off as well. I pulled the saddle and bridle from Erik and let him rest as Pearl calmed down from her experience. "Oh..no.." She sighed suddenly. "All my things were..." I held up a bag I'd grabbed as Erik had slowed down,only seconds before I'd grabbed Pearl. She squealed in delight and nearly ripped it from my hands. "My sketches,my clothes! Thank god I didn't have my cello with me!" She smiled as I chuckled,"Indeed,artist and musician? Do tell,Pearl,are you an actress too?" Pearl shrugged as she began searching for a dress with the least wrinkles in it. Finding a dark aquamarine one that seemed to satisfy her,she moved into the brush to change.
"Why were you asking me about that particular piece?" I jumped as she appeared behind me,clothed,and except for those terrible scars,quite pleasing to my eyes. "It just so happens that work hangs in my family's den. Aaron Wright,the man you made it for,gave it to my parents as an anniversary gift." I stopped myself from flirting with her,though that was quite a temptation. Of course,I was a bit of a skirt-chaser in those days,too.
Pearl blinked at me then shook her head,apparently lost for words. I smiled and shook my head back at her,"No reason to act so stunned. Surely you get complements all the time?" She sighed and turned from me,"Hardly Alec." My heart skipped a beat when she said my name. So far I'd been too stunned by her physical appearance to notice anything else,but her voice was all but entrancing. I caught myself staring at her,much to her dismay. "Trying to create some pretty little picture out of my abnormality?"She snarled in an icy tone that sent nearly every hair on my body on end.
I opened my mouth to answer but she growled and went on,"You want to know why I'm so "good" at art?At music? At dance,voice and sculpting? At writing?!" She grabbed her bag as she went,her eyes had darkened,I noted. "Because I never leave the damned house!I hide,like a cockroach,for fear people..stupid,Ignorant,HUMANS,will attack me,smash me if I show my face on the streeth!" She moved over to Erik and though I felt inclined to stop her,I couldn't move. "I've done nothing to them,nothing at all..yet I always have to hide in my cage.."She began to trail off as a dreamy look spread over the harsh expression she'd once had. She reached up and began to stroke Erik's nose,who whickered softly and gave her hand the gentlest of licks. "Animals are so much different than humans...so much more intelligent.."Pearl mumbled softly as she continued. "They judge upon action..scent...They only fear things that threaten." She chuckled and kissed Erik's nose. "Maybe I am a threat to the human race and I just haven't realized it yet.."
As her voice died away I found I was no longer paralyzed. "Mademoiselle Barye,I-" Pearled turned and smiled serenly toward me as I tried to apologize. "Pearl,Alec..just..Pearl.." "Right." I nodded to her softly. "Pearl,I wasn't staring at you in the manner you think. I didn't realize it would upset you so..severely. I couldn't tear my eyes from your beauty." She sighed,seeming to come slowly out of her sudden..almost intoxicated-like haze,"No..forgive me. I didn't mean any of what I said to you..at least not about you.." Frowning,she changed the subject abruptly,"What is this fantastic fellow's name?" Erik nuzzled into her shoulder as I answered,"Erik." She stiffened,stared at me a moment,then laughed,"How ironic.." I blinked at her but decided not to press the subject. I didn't want to set her temper off again. "Can you ride well? With a normal saddle?"I asked kindly. She nodded as she continued to fawn over Erik,leaving me somewhat jealous,"I can ride bareback if I need to,Alec.." Well..the horse -had- provived the transportation for me to save her...
When she hugged him around the neck,I gave up and groaned.