A/N: hello reviewers!!! gee, i'm so happy fer all that response, and i really smiled at all Widow of Dracula's rapid comments!! please, read on, and R&R!! it inspires me when you tell me your thought of each chapter, and that really helps me to get on with the next chapter, and i kinda take pride in making it, when i know people awaits my story's update. thank you all! and now:
Chapter VII
Amadae lightly shook me awake after only a few hours sleep, which was all I had gotten since I left Ronan earlier. The thought of him brought a broad smile on my face.
"What are you so happy about?" Amadae asked, smiling as well.
"Uhm, well... to be honest, though it has been wonderful visiting Vladislaus, seeing him again, I'm just really looking forward to getting home," I said, still smiling, thinking about last night; 'Oh, those kisses...!' I thought, and smiled even broader.
I packed down my night-shirt, and took on a pair of riding pants, a silk-blouse with a corset over, my travel-boots, and then my leather-coat. I swung the rest over my back and went up on deck, having a small pain in my abdomen. It didn't hurt much, just an annoying prickle. Valerious, Nico, Laurén and Ronan stood, waiting for us, as we were to go to shore.
I had to fight off a smile, when I looked into his eyes. He, too, looked away.
"Good morning, Ladies. Shall we?" Valerious said, offering his arm to Amadae. They went over to a hole in the reeling, and went down a plank with half-circled wood pieces on it, so one wouldn't slide on it. I followed; the last three on my heel.
The sailors brought our horses along, so as soon as we had gathered resources, we were off to Transylvania, the rocking of the horse affecting the pain in my womb.
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We rode for a few days, finally reaching the mountains, where a storm was starting to blow up; a big annual snowstorm.
Nico had suggested to turn around and go back home now, since they might not make it in the storm when it really started up, full throttle. Laurén had wanted that as well, but Ronan, claiming to want to see his mission entirely through, to make sure that we were in no peril on the last bit, stayed behind, while the others returned home; I guess he did love, or at least, like me, in some way.
The last time we made a stop for the night, he had the first watch, and as Valerious crept into his tent, and Amadae fell asleep in ours, I sneaked out to Ronan, who sat by the fire.
"Hi," I said, as he turned around.
He said nothing, just smiled and moved over, so that I could sit next to him. He put his cape around me, putting an arm around my shoulders and I leant my head against his shoulder.
"You know, I never thought that I could really love someb-..." he sank, "That's why I enrolled at the Order. Then there would be a logic reason as to why I didn't stay with the women, and... and girls I...uhm..." he trailed off, looking away, into the woods around us, seemingly embarrassed. "I can't-"
"Then don't," I said with persuasion.
I stared at the fire, taking in its warmth. I just smiled, which he noticed, as he looked at me; he did love me.
"What?" he asked, grinning. I bit my lower lip a second.
"Nothing, really it's just..." I stopped and looked up at him. "There is something I must know, Ronan. I have to hear it coming from your lips... Do you... do you... love me?" I asked, feeling stupid.
I wanted to know. If he was ready to give up a lot of thing for me, and offered himself, his love, to me, I just couldn't, wouldn't be able to resist it. I moved his shoulder away, and turned him to me, and brushed my lips against his. He put his arms around me to take hold of me and keep me in place. 'God, this is good,' I thought, revelling in his kiss, as he put his gloved fingers into my hair.
"That's what I just said, you silly girl," he teased, once he broke away.
We had sat and talked for a few hours, and I felt like I got to know him, very well, in fact. I got hold of his age 29; 8 years older than myself, nearly a decade! He was a good leader, but was always in the shade of Vladislaus' leadership skills, though he thought he was better, and it was clear that he didn't say all his feelings towards Vladislaus, as he was sitting next to the love of Vladislaus' life, and Vladislaus' parents were sleeping nearby.
It concerned me that he and Vladislaus had this rivalry between them. If it wasn't these circumstances, I'm sure he would have disgraced and degraded Valdislaus so much that the people hearing it would be ready to hurt Vladislaus if he were so unlucky as to meet them.
But I got too tired to focus, and said 'Good night.' He stood and gave me a fiery kiss to dream about, and I walked back to my tent, feeling a bit woozy, as if I had had all of my blood run from my head and back into my body again. As I closed the vent, snow started to fall. I laid down and quickly fell asleep, my lips still burning from the kiss.
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We finally made it back home, and since the storm was in its peak now, Ronan was invited to stay till it was over. And invitation he gladly took. The storm would be over in about a week; then he would go back.
The earlier intimidation Valerious had felt towards Ronan was gone, as he talked to the man. Quite a man like himself, when it came to war: pride, honour, tactics, fight skill, weapon skill, God knows what! The only difference, almost, was that Ronan looked better, different and younger than the Elder. At the dinner table, he'd praise Ronan in high heavens, much to Ronan's embarrassment; he was clearly not into that big amount of 'applause', especially not from an (ex)officer of the Elder's position.
It then appeared that the storm might draw out a little, which of course meant that Ronan would stay longer. I couldn't help it, but every time I saw him, looked him in his wonderful chocolate eyes, I felt a suck in my stomach; a good feeling. I was in love with him, that much was sure, I found out, after I had admitted it to my stubborn mind. But at the same time, I felt a surge of guilt as well; Vladislaus. In my heart I had saved all my love for him over seven whole years! Why had I turned my back on that? I was so confused on that point, but then again, it felt so right when Ronan pretended to escort me to my room, but in reality stopped dead in his tracks and pulled me to the side and placed a lustful, though gentle kiss on my lips.
The first time he did so, he didn't push me harshly into an abandoned room, but looked around before taking my hands swinging me, as if in a dance, into a room, closing the door gentle and silently behind us, also locking the door.
He still held my hands as he tried to kiss me normally, but it was rather difficult since he wore a huge grin, which he was unable to put away, at all. He took my face in his hands, his thumbs on my chin. His lips ever so soft, so hard to resist the almost innocent temptation they brought along; so hard to think that he had ever betrayed a woman, ever.
When we had made love, it wasn't brutal, or vulgar, it was passion, love, and lust so deep and sensual, though at the same time gentle; innocent; pure. His touch was gentle, wanting, lustful, deep, and incredibly pleasurable. That alone was, almost, enough to bring me out of mind; thought; sense.
When he inhaled my scent, as he went across my neck to lick, suckle, kiss, pleasure me, his every affectionate movement was intoxicating. Goosebumps made my hair stand on end, a feeling as though having warm water poured over the body, trailing from the top of my head all the way down to my toes, giving a tearing shudder. And the most pleasurable thing of them all was when I could feel his fangs brush my skin, just pricking softly, a tickling sensation.
As his tongue penetrated my playful lips and searched deep, high and low inside my cave, one of his hands left my face and trailed down to my hip where it rested, and squeezed, extracting a small moan from me. He smiled into the kiss again. I leaned in on him, rubbing my body against his, sensually.
I was the one to draw away, as he started pulling at my clothes. I pushed in his stomach and withdrew my lips.
"No, Ronan. They, they mustn't know, not suspect. Please?" I said leaning against the door, hands on my back. A second it looked as thought flames burnt in his eyes, but it was a mere reflection of a torch. He smiled.
"No, you are right, Cassandra," he said, moving back to me.
He kissed me, before turning the key in the lock, opening the door and looking out. The coast was obviously clear as he stepped out side, closing the door afterwards. I leaned against the door a few moments, before going out myself, heading for my room.
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He did that on many other occasions, not just after dinner. In the garden, in the corridors, and it somehow never ceased to amaze me, those kiss, that touch.
I found him outside in the snow filled garden, one of the days, standing almost exactly where I stood when I was practising with my sword; a silver blade mixed with a specially forged kind of metal I couldn't remember the name on. In the blade there were blackened lines that twirled around on the plain side of the sword, as if the silver had been put in water for a long time. The hilt was simple because the handle was bound in soft leather, and gave a good grip on the sword, and never once had I dropped the sword, purposely.
In unsheathed it a long way away from him, so he wouldn't expect anyone being there with him. I walked stealthily over to him, planning on jumping out from the bushes next to him. His back was turned and he was dancing around with his sword in his hands, swinging it over his head and around him, twirling, attacking, and paring. I jumped forward to prod him in his back with my sword tip, but he made an ever-so graceful twirl around me, held me around my waist, put his sword to my throat, his head over my shoulder, and next to my face.
"Now, now, Lady. Aren't we feisty?" he said amused, letting me go.
"How did you know?? And how did you know it was me?!" I said, sounding incredulous, but also awed.
"Lady, you are not that stealthy, and I recognised you on your lovely scent, or perfume, if you will," he said, his hands on my shoulder, and his lips on mine, as soon as he was finished talking, silencing me from any protests.
"And, what are you doing with a sword?? Can I see it?" he said, releasing me, just taking the sword out of my hands, a smile on his face.
"I was about to practise with it, and no, you may not see it. Where are your manners, sir Knight?" I said, taking back the sword from his searching eyes.
"It's very beautiful. You use a sword?? Valerious allows that? Or are you practising out here in secrecy??" he said, snugly, walking around a fight-prepared me.
"Thank you. And obviously, I do use a sword. Valerious has trained me; very well, in fact. I practise out here because the terrain isn't plain and straight. It makes me better, more skilled at outside combat. What couldn't happen if put my foot into a hole under hand-to-hand combat and I got so surprised because I wasn't trained in it?? I could get hurt, if not killed!" I said, persuasion strong in my voice. Once again I realised the thickness of my accent.
"Very good answer, milady. You are quite right. But, when is it, exactly, you are planning on using a sword??" he asked, stopping his walk, surveying me with crossed arms.
"When ever it might be I need it, Ronan. Why do you care to know?? You think it is inappropriate for a woman to learn how to defend herself, do you?" I said, a little pinch of anger in my gut, if he was about to answer 'yes'. He looked at me for a while.
"No. I think it is a good idea, but I want to be the one in command," he said, much to my bewilderment. He turned away and left, leaving me very dumbfounded. It took minutes to forget about the thing he had said last. 'Be the one in command,' I thought. What did that mean?
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The last few days, before the storm was expected to blow over, both the Elder and Ronan got very silent, and the Elder was very deep in thought, most of the time when I saw him. At the same time, Amadae had begun smiling even more than already and questioning me, asking things like 'How are you and Vladislaus coming along?', one which took me terribly by surprise, and 'You and Ronan are getting friendly...?', which somehow sounded more like a statement, than an actual question. Did they know? Maybe... maybe they did, since she knew about Vladislaus and me... when it once was.
The elder had proclaimed that the storm should be over in a day or two, days that could only go by too fast, I feared. Amadae came to my room a few hours before dinner, wanting to give me something, which was stored inside a little wood cabinet. Opening it, the most bedazzling dress was neatly folded into the box.
It was a white dress made of overly sleek silk. Here and there weirdly shaped squares were sewn, which were a kind of lighter midnight blue, except on the top of the dress. Instead of blue squares, they were yellow, and the squares were smaller. The front wasn't low, at all. The sleeves were going all the way down on the hand, and a little ring could be put on you finger to make sure that the triangle on the back of the hand didn't crawl back up. On the triangle, small emerald, sapphire and ruby-beads were sown on, glittering in the light of the candles. From the shoulder, a long silver-white, oval-shaped piece of silk hung. All in all, it looked like something a empress would wear.
"Oh but, Amadae!! I can't wear this, I can't take this! I-"I started.
"Oh don't be silly girl. I can't fit it any more, and if you won't have it, I will have to sell it, or give it away. It's yours if you want it, which, judging by the look in your eyes, I am very sure you do," she said, smiling pulling it out of the box lining it up against me, at my shoulders. I just smiled.
"Thank you, Amadae," I said, a shy smile on my face.
"Oh, it's nothing, my dear. You just try it, and if it fits, wear it at dinner?" she said, taking her part in being shy. About what, though?
"I will," I said, and with that Amadae gave me a hug and went out.
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Over an hour later, I descended the staircase to the dinning hall. My auburn hair was curling, as if by coincidence, and it hung down over my shoulder, like a water cascade. I opened the door, and immediately thought something was wrong. The table, which I had begun to think was edged into the floor, was replaced with a little round table, ebony wood. On the table a few candles were put, and two plates with some dish I didn't remember the name of.
Ronan was the only other person in the room, besides me. He had turned around at the sound of the door creaking open, and closing again. He looked surprised, and his mouth was open as if he wanted to say something, but his jaw just fell further open, and his face looked like it had a gaping hole. He closed it abruptly, realising what he was doing.
He was clad in a green shirt of sorts, velvet, I think. His pants were black, and they weren't exactly tight, because the material had folds. He had a leather belt around his waist and a pair of buckled boots. I stood indifferent, surprised at the changes of the room, and how much difference the table made from the normal one. At the same time I was wondering what was happening. Ronan seemed to have collected him self, and found his tongue.
"Wh- Why don't you come and sit, Cassandra," he said, gesturing to the chair he stood next to.
I began walking towards him, he pulled out the chair for me and pushed it in again, and I said 'Thank you.' He walked around the table and sat down himself. A second he just looked at me then said,
"Please, eat, Cassandra."
"I will... but what is going on, Ronan," I said, looking around, unnerved.
"Nothing is going on. Just... eat," he said.
An awkward feeling under my skin, I began eating. Why had he arranged this?? What for? Did the Valerious' know? They must have. How would he ever get that other table out of here, if he didn't get the permission? Getting through to the main course, and onto the desert, in silence, was very imperfect. We didn't speak much; he just asked if the food was good. How was I supposed to know? I hardly tasted the food, because I was alert on why all of this was made. He had been watching me for a little while, chewing his food. He made a snort.
"I can't say this went as perfect as I had imagined it, Cassandra. I had wanted to bedazzle you, wanted to make this a night never to forget, because of all the good things that was supposed to take place that we were going to talk about. But there is one way to make this evening memorable, still," he said, getting up from his chair, walking around the table, taking my hand, getting down on one knee, "and the way to do that, would be if you would love me for the rest of your life?" tears formed in my eyes and realisation shot into me, as he pulled something from his pocket; a ring. It was an, almost, microscopic ruby flower with a sizzling diamond in the middle.
I eyed it, nodding frantically, my fingers over my mouth, tears running. He took hold of my ring finger and was about to push the ring on, when he noticed a silver one with a dragon eye-shaped sapphire on. I tried to pull it off, but it was impossible. He just smiled, took my other hand and put the ring on my finger there.
I got up pulling him with me and hugged him, giving him a kiss; many, in fact. I began laughing, as he picked me up by the waist, lifted me off the floor and swung himself and me around. Once done, he put me down again.
"I hate to say this, but you know it, just the same. I have to go back. I have to tell the Order of my decision. I will return as soon as possible, and then, we will marry, yes?" he said, that irresistible smile on his face, so innocent. I nodded, feeling suck in my stomach form my own decision.
"Yes, my love. I will make all the plans, for you, for me; for us!" I said, snugly into his ear as I hugged him to me.
I kissed him again, and this one got a little more serious. He picked me up in his arms and was about to walk to the door, when I twisted in his grip so that he had to put me down on the floor, again.
"Don't be stupid, Ronan! You can't walk with me all the way up the staircase. What about... We can run upstairs. I'll race you for a kiss!" I said, smiling, starting to run.
"Hey! Wait for me!" he said, grinning, following me in great speed.
I didn't know where this sudden childish stamina came from. I felt like I could do anything right now; I was flying at that moment!
Panting I got to my room, first, but it was done to sheer 'luck' as Ronan tripped in a carpet fold. He came up behind me.
"Right, so where do you want that kiss?" he said leaning against me. I looked at him in mock thoughtfulness.
"My bellybutton..." I said, smiling. So did he, as he knew that the whole dress would have to be lifted off of me for him to get there. I kissed him and pulled him with me inside. He stopped me.
"I thought you didn't want this to happen, for them to know...?" he said.
"Well, you didn't mind it the last time, now did you, husband? I thought so," I said, as he shook his head and followed inside closing the door after him.
A/N: hope you like it! and i hope you'll excuse me for taking this long, if you were waiting, cus i've had family problems(still do:'() that needs to be sorted out... now, R&R, any not-so-painful-flames are accepted:D
