To Live Again 10
Sigh I don't have any witty remarks this time.
Usually I do, but not now, because I know I left it at a cliffhanger before and I'm just gonna continue this now. Also, heads up, I'm planning on making this a trilogy, and TO LIVE AGAIN is just the first installment.
As usual, to Adam and Heather.
Every song seemed to melt into the next as they danced, until Rojer's vision was obscured by a crimson mist of rage.
That man was far to close to his little songbird.
Nobody should touch her like that.
Nobody but him.
Joelle was HIS!
HIS!
He bit his lip until blood coursed down his chin as he saw the couple drift over to the punch.
The man, whoever he was, gave an admittedly graceful bow and seemed to insist on getting her punch for her.
Rojer expected her to be annoyed, but instead, she blushed prettily, something she didn't do often, being more wild and independent than most ladies.
Annoyance gnawed at him, and he restrained a growl. Why was she never like that with him?
She couldn't have known this man more than a few months, and she was being more agreeable and sweet with him than with her intended, namely; him.
The cold drink in the warm air made sweat bead on the glasses. He saw Joelle reach up to brush a drop off the stranger's bottom lip, the smile, blushing again, and then their lips met. Again!
He could take it no more. Forget timing, forget planning!
This interloper was kissing his woman and nobody touched Rojer's property!
"Attack." He hissed, wiping away the blood trail down his chin and drawing his sword, leaping down from his perch to weave through the trees in order to attack the man who held his girl directly.
-------------------------------------------------------
Erik set his glass on the table, letting his other arm slip around Joelle's trim waist. He looked down into her eyes and saw that they were unusually bright, lit from within with an emotion unfamiliar to him, though some part of him found it vaguely familiar. Her lips were reddened slightly from the kiss and her cheeks were pleasantly flushed. The sun glinted off her ebony hair and warmed his skin. He couldn't remember ever being so happy.
It was a simple pleasure, holding the woman he loved in the sunlight, surrounded by flowers and family, but so many men took it for granted, what was so precious to him.
"Whatcha thinking about?" Joelle asked.
He shook his head, "Just the day, and the sun and you. Not necessarily in that order."
She smiled, "I love you."
"And I you, my dear." Something sharp jabbed him in the back.
"Step. Away. From. The. Girl." A voice said from behind him.
Another feeling gripped Erik, one he hadn't felt in a good while: Fear.
"Now!" The man continued. Erik recognized the voice; Rojer had returned. "Hands up, scum."
Slowly, he acquiesced, "Don't hurt her." Erik breathed.
"Oh, I don't intend to hurt her." Rojer assured, "In fact, I mean to wed her"
"I'll do whatever you want, just let him go." Joelle whimpered. "Please... if you have any love for me at all, spare him!"
Rojer turned Erik roughly around, "Oh, I don't intend to kill him. Yet. No, first he'll suffer for every time tonight I've seen him touch you. Then longer for every time I think he might have touched you." A wicked smile spread across the handsome face. "And a whiplash for every kiss, and for every kiss that might have been." He poked Erik in the chest with his sword. "So you see, my love," He laughed, looking at Joelle, "I won't be letting him go for a very long time. Maybe, once he's been properly broken, I'll let you keep him as a pet!" His laughter increased, "Oh yes! But he'll have to be neutered first, can't have naughty puppy touching daddy's toys!"
Joelle's face went dead white, "You bastard..."
Erik glared and drew the sword he'd taken, just in case. "I think not." He said coldly, the mention of the whip stirring up old memories and old angers.
"Oh, so you want to fight, little boy?"
"Little boy? I'm older than you." Erik replied disgustedly.
"He's insane, Erik, ignore what he says." Joelle advised.
-------------------------------------------------------
The men fought, and Joelle looked around in panic, noting the chaos around them. Her family had their own battles to fight, and she knew Rojer wouldn't fight fair.
'I have to do something!' she thought.
Sure enough, she soon saw Rojer's hand disappear into his coat. She knew she wouldn't have time to warn Erik, so with a loud cry, she grabbed the first item her hand landed on and brought it crashing down on Rojer's head!
Her vision went hazy and she was aware of a horrible crashing noise and the feeling of little things stabbing into her hands. Vision returning, she looked down at her hands and saw that they were riddled with glittering shards of crystal and dripping blood. She looked down at Rojer and saw the remains of the giant, expensive crystal punchbowl laying on the ground and blood gushing from Rojer's head. She was suddenly aware of a sore, tingly feeling in her arms from the wrists up. The, looking at Erik, she felt the world slip away in a most unusual feeling as the ground surged up to her face before complete blackness overwhelmed her.
Erik was confident, fighting that insane young upstart, that he would win. Suddenly, Joelle came out of nowhere and bashed Rojer in the head with the massive crystal punchbowl he'd seen earlier. The man went down easily, and Erik saw a dagger roll out of his hand...which rolled out of his vest!
He realized Joelle had just saved his life.
He looked over at her, realizing that the amount of adrenaline required for such a tiny woman to lift such a large thing and maneuver it downward with such heft would surely be detrimental. Her delicate hands dripped with blood and she swayed on her feet, all color leaving her. He jumped to catch her, and was suddenly aware of the sounds of battle dying down behind him.
He turned around. Most of the pirates, for pirates they must have been, had either been beaten, or had run off. Dom and his formidable father were just tying up the last of them. Erik carried Joelle to one of the now-empty tables, and lay her down on it, lifting one of her hands to carefully remove the sharp crystal shards. He was so focussed on this task that he didn't notice Raoul come up behind him.
"What happened?"
Erik jumped at the sound of the voice, wheeling around angrily. His rage at being distracted dissipated swiftly when he saw his former enemy. Raoul's normally impeccable outfit was torn and some gashes showed through. A long, thin slash mark ran down his right cheek. His lip was split and bleeding and a bedraggled Christine hung on his arm, eyes wide.
Erik sighed, "Rojer came and made some rather rude comments, and treated Joelle as if she were property, so we fought. Rojer would have pulled the same underhanded maneuver on me that nearly killed Dom, had Joelle not smashed a punchbowl over his head. I think he still might be alive, but I was more concerned about Joelle at the time. She was running on pure adrenaline at the time, so she passed out fron shock and exhaustion." He smoothed Joelle's hair lovingly. "I think she'll be alright, but I need to get the shards out of her hands. And what happened to you?"
Raoul blushed. "That brute tried to take Christine. I couldn't let that happen." He looked down, "Not again." He muttered.
Erik nodded distractedly, "Good, good. Alright. Why don't you go help Monsieur Etienne and Dom tie up the remainder of the villains."
--------------------------------------------------------
Dom gave the rope an extra tug, causing the captives to protest. "Oh shut up." He scolded, "You deserve much worse than this for crashing my wedding."
Colette nodded, still trembling behind him.
"Who do you work for?" Lyle demanded.
"I think you know." One of them says. "He's probably gone with his pretty little wench by now."
The two men were stunned, felt they should have seen it coming.
"They're wrong."
They looked over. Raoul and Christine approached. "Joelle beat down her own demons." Raoul said softly. "Erik's taking care of her."
"Is she ok?" Lyle asked immediately, worried for his youngest child.
"Just unconscious... Shock, mostly, and Erik's getting the shards out of her hands." Raoul assured.
"Shards?"
"Apparently she broke a punch bowl over the jackass's head."
Dom looked impressed. "Always knew she had it in her."
"Show me where they are." Lyle insisted, "I need to see my daughter."
So Raoul did. For a moment, they were unnoticed and Lyle observed the scene silently. The young man, Erik, held Joelle's hand as gently as if it was made of glass as he wrapped it in strips of fabric torn from the once pristine white tablecloth. Her other hand had obviously already received similar treatment.
Lyle felt his heart warm as the man kissed Joelle's tenderly, then touched her cheek, looking at her as if she were the world's most precious treasure, which, in Lyle's eyes, was true.
"So you're Erik." He said softly, shattering the moment.
The man nodded, looking suddenly nervous. "I am." He replied, then his eyes went back to Joelle's face. After a moment, he continued, "You are blessed to have such a daughter." He remarked.
Lyle smiled, "That I am. I'm glad you can see that."
"She saved my life." Erik informed him, "I was trying to save her, but I forgot that the man I fought was by no means honorable. So she saved me. And now look at her." He sighed, touching Joelle's cheek again, "This shouldn't have happened."
"No, son, it shouldn't have." Lyle agreed.
Erik looked at him, fear entering his eyes.
"None of this should have happened." He clarified, "This should have just been a beautiful day to look back on and you and I should have met under better circumstances."
The other man brightened a little, but the wary look remained.
"I can see that you love my daughter, though, and, if you decide you want to marry her, you have my blessing, if only for what I see today."
"I should have protected her better." Erik insisted.
"She's not the type girl who would be content with that." Lyle consoled, "Trust me, her mother was the same way. Just hold her when she awakens. Be there." He sighed, "I tried to protect her too, son, but look what happened there! Kidnapped under my very nose from her room. I'm told I have you to thank for her rescue, and you have my eternal gratitude."
------------------------------------------------------------
It was a little odd to be called 'son' by a man who was only about ten years older than he was, but, Erik reflected, Lyle hardly had any way of knowing that, and the mask showed a younger face than his fifty years. Insecurities were harder to keep down without Joelle's reassurance, but he battled with his nerves for her. After all, this was her father, someone important to her. Then her remembered the mask again, and a smile crossed his face: There was no ing deformity in view, for the mask made him look human, normal, almost worthy of Joelle.
"Perhaps we should take her home?" Erik suggested tentatively, looking around, "I think this party's over."
Lyle nodded, "Yes, let's. Dom, best wishes for your honeymoon, Erik and I will take your sister home."
The man's grin at Erik was a little mischievous as he continued, "The carriage ride will give us a chance to get to know one another.
Erik gulped.
------------------------------------------------------
That's all for now.
I have my doubts about this chapter, so please be merciful.