Wow, sorry it took me a little longer to post this time. I just haven't
been in the mood to write lately. But when the mood struck, damn did it
strike.
Skylar poked at her dinner morosely. Tantalizing odors wafted around the dining room, but her appetite had completely abandoned her. She strained every once of foresight she had...nothing. Her eyes darkened with frustration. Still, nothing. She was here for a reason, wasn't she? God had unceremoniously dumped her back in Valdemar, just like the last time. So where was the disaster? Where was the complete catastrophe that couldn't be stopped without her? Skylar's eyes flicked up as Talia entered the room. She hastily got up and started to leave. Under Talia's measuring gaze Skylar felt a discomfort she couldn't explain. Logically she noticed that the herald's presence seemed to comfort most people, but she just couldn't shake the feeling that Talia was against her for some reason. She paused just outside the door to look at Talia again. Feeling eyes on her Talia turned and looked at Skylar with an unreadable expression. Suppressing a shiver, Skylar hurried back to her room.
... ... ...
Skif yawned as he strolled back toward his room. He turned at the familiar sound of hoof beats and had to smile, forgetting his exhaustion, as he looked into Cymry's bottomless eyes. Whickering softly, she playfully butted him with her head. :You seem awfully tired just from a little weapons training with some insignificant trainees. Could it be that there's actually someone here that surpasses your skill? Or maybe you're just getting old.: "Hey!" He protested, grabbing her head so he could look her in the eyes. "If I'm getting old, then so are you, you old nag." She pranced away. :Well then I guess you're just not as good as you thought you were.: Skif snorted indelicately. "Oh please. The entire collegium together can't best me in terms of throwing knives, and you know that. Why do you think I'm teaching the trainees instead of Alberich?" :Don't flatter yourself dearheart. You're just teaching them so you don't have time for any mischief.: Grinning, he grabbed for her, but she stayed just out of reach. "Just for that I'm going to tell the stablemaster that you're not feeling well and can't be fed anything rich until I say so. That means no honey horse head." Cymry returned to him, radiating mock docility. :I take it back. You're teaching them because Alberich knows you're the best. Just don't let it go to your head.: Skif rolled his eyes at her. "Goodnight love." Head butting him gently again she cantered back toward the other companions. Running his hand through his hair and suppressing another yawn he headed toward the promise of well-deserved rest.
... ... ...
Skif walked into the common room that connected three different bedrooms. He was about to collapse into his, when he heard someone singing. Skif loved music as much as any herald but there was something different about this song. He started in shock when he realized it was coming out of Skylar's room. He stepped closer to listen almost unconsciously. The melody wasn't beautiful. But there was something about the intricate descant that pulled on him. He realized that she must have the bardic gift, no one else could infuse a tune with so much emotion. Closing eyes he could practically see the song on the back of his lids. An intense, devotional type of love danced with the music. He stood there for a moment, not realizing that the song had ended. Hardly daring to breathe he walked to her half open door. She sat on the edge of her bed with her legs folded under her and her eyes closed.
"I've never heard that particular tune before. Is it from your world?" She didn't even open her eyes.
"No. It's from Valdemar. I couldn't expect you to know it though. No one does." Her voice was soft and some of the sardonic tone seemed to have left it. Hesitantly he walked into the room.
"Why not?" Finally she opened her eyes and looked at him for a moment.
"Only three people ever heard it. One was the writer, one died young, and the third is me." She nodded toward a chair indicating he should sit down.
"Well, why didn't anyone else hear it from the composer?" Her mouth twisted without humor.
"As you may have been able to tell, it's a love song. When the object of the song died, he couldn't bear to sing it anymore." Skif felt like he should know the people she was talking about.
"It's amazing." He said softly, fervently. She looked down.
"He was amazing." Silence followed that statement.
"Would you sing it again?" Her head jerked up in surprise. Meeting her eyes he realized with a flash that this was the first real emotion that she had ever showed him.
"Alright." With that one whispered word, the compelling melody again brought him into a world of devotion. The air crackled with emotions so tense the room could not seem to contain them. He let out an audible sigh of regret when it was over. He noticed with satisfaction that he was rewarded with a true smile in response to his appreciation.
"I feel like I should know the people you're talking about. But I can't figure it out."
"You're right, you should. The composer is Vanyel. And the subject...the subject is 'Lendel."
Skif nodded, not as surprised as he thought he would be.
"If my room was Vanyel's, was yours...?" His voice trailed off. She nodded.
"I asked for it in particular for that reason. The fact that someone not completely repulsive is in one of the adjoining rooms is just a bonus." He felt more relaxed around her than he ever had before. Finally the impenetrable barrier that hid Skylar's soul was starting to crack.
"So you were close to them?" She laughed bitterly.
"Yeah, I was. You would think that by then I would know not to get close to anyone. When I'm here, people die. That's just the way it is." Her quiet acceptance of that statement pulled at his heart. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and help her through her hidden grief. But there was something he had to know first.
"Were you in love with either of them?" The question was asked softly. She gave him a peculiar half smile.
"What, you think I'm stupid enough to fall in love with a Shaych? I'll admit my judgement isn't always the best, but I'm extremely thankful that my blindness doesn't extend that far." Her eyes darkened and he could feel that he had closed herself off again. "Not to be rude or anything, but I'm very tired." He groaned inwardly at how close he was to finally getting to know her. But he didn't push his luck, just nodded in resignation.
"I'll let you get to sleep then." He hesitated for scarcely a breath. "Sleep well." She gave him a shadow of a smile and closed her door in his face. Biting his lip he stared at the cold wood with something very close to physical pain. He shook his head, struggling to clear it. What was wrong with him? Why did this girl's opinion of him mean more than anything else in the world? He collapsed into bed and realized that his lethargy had mysteriously left him. He rolled over and prepared himself for another sleepless night.
So what do you think? Is there a romance in the air? ;D Let me know your vote.
Skylar poked at her dinner morosely. Tantalizing odors wafted around the dining room, but her appetite had completely abandoned her. She strained every once of foresight she had...nothing. Her eyes darkened with frustration. Still, nothing. She was here for a reason, wasn't she? God had unceremoniously dumped her back in Valdemar, just like the last time. So where was the disaster? Where was the complete catastrophe that couldn't be stopped without her? Skylar's eyes flicked up as Talia entered the room. She hastily got up and started to leave. Under Talia's measuring gaze Skylar felt a discomfort she couldn't explain. Logically she noticed that the herald's presence seemed to comfort most people, but she just couldn't shake the feeling that Talia was against her for some reason. She paused just outside the door to look at Talia again. Feeling eyes on her Talia turned and looked at Skylar with an unreadable expression. Suppressing a shiver, Skylar hurried back to her room.
... ... ...
Skif yawned as he strolled back toward his room. He turned at the familiar sound of hoof beats and had to smile, forgetting his exhaustion, as he looked into Cymry's bottomless eyes. Whickering softly, she playfully butted him with her head. :You seem awfully tired just from a little weapons training with some insignificant trainees. Could it be that there's actually someone here that surpasses your skill? Or maybe you're just getting old.: "Hey!" He protested, grabbing her head so he could look her in the eyes. "If I'm getting old, then so are you, you old nag." She pranced away. :Well then I guess you're just not as good as you thought you were.: Skif snorted indelicately. "Oh please. The entire collegium together can't best me in terms of throwing knives, and you know that. Why do you think I'm teaching the trainees instead of Alberich?" :Don't flatter yourself dearheart. You're just teaching them so you don't have time for any mischief.: Grinning, he grabbed for her, but she stayed just out of reach. "Just for that I'm going to tell the stablemaster that you're not feeling well and can't be fed anything rich until I say so. That means no honey horse head." Cymry returned to him, radiating mock docility. :I take it back. You're teaching them because Alberich knows you're the best. Just don't let it go to your head.: Skif rolled his eyes at her. "Goodnight love." Head butting him gently again she cantered back toward the other companions. Running his hand through his hair and suppressing another yawn he headed toward the promise of well-deserved rest.
... ... ...
Skif walked into the common room that connected three different bedrooms. He was about to collapse into his, when he heard someone singing. Skif loved music as much as any herald but there was something different about this song. He started in shock when he realized it was coming out of Skylar's room. He stepped closer to listen almost unconsciously. The melody wasn't beautiful. But there was something about the intricate descant that pulled on him. He realized that she must have the bardic gift, no one else could infuse a tune with so much emotion. Closing eyes he could practically see the song on the back of his lids. An intense, devotional type of love danced with the music. He stood there for a moment, not realizing that the song had ended. Hardly daring to breathe he walked to her half open door. She sat on the edge of her bed with her legs folded under her and her eyes closed.
"I've never heard that particular tune before. Is it from your world?" She didn't even open her eyes.
"No. It's from Valdemar. I couldn't expect you to know it though. No one does." Her voice was soft and some of the sardonic tone seemed to have left it. Hesitantly he walked into the room.
"Why not?" Finally she opened her eyes and looked at him for a moment.
"Only three people ever heard it. One was the writer, one died young, and the third is me." She nodded toward a chair indicating he should sit down.
"Well, why didn't anyone else hear it from the composer?" Her mouth twisted without humor.
"As you may have been able to tell, it's a love song. When the object of the song died, he couldn't bear to sing it anymore." Skif felt like he should know the people she was talking about.
"It's amazing." He said softly, fervently. She looked down.
"He was amazing." Silence followed that statement.
"Would you sing it again?" Her head jerked up in surprise. Meeting her eyes he realized with a flash that this was the first real emotion that she had ever showed him.
"Alright." With that one whispered word, the compelling melody again brought him into a world of devotion. The air crackled with emotions so tense the room could not seem to contain them. He let out an audible sigh of regret when it was over. He noticed with satisfaction that he was rewarded with a true smile in response to his appreciation.
"I feel like I should know the people you're talking about. But I can't figure it out."
"You're right, you should. The composer is Vanyel. And the subject...the subject is 'Lendel."
Skif nodded, not as surprised as he thought he would be.
"If my room was Vanyel's, was yours...?" His voice trailed off. She nodded.
"I asked for it in particular for that reason. The fact that someone not completely repulsive is in one of the adjoining rooms is just a bonus." He felt more relaxed around her than he ever had before. Finally the impenetrable barrier that hid Skylar's soul was starting to crack.
"So you were close to them?" She laughed bitterly.
"Yeah, I was. You would think that by then I would know not to get close to anyone. When I'm here, people die. That's just the way it is." Her quiet acceptance of that statement pulled at his heart. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and help her through her hidden grief. But there was something he had to know first.
"Were you in love with either of them?" The question was asked softly. She gave him a peculiar half smile.
"What, you think I'm stupid enough to fall in love with a Shaych? I'll admit my judgement isn't always the best, but I'm extremely thankful that my blindness doesn't extend that far." Her eyes darkened and he could feel that he had closed herself off again. "Not to be rude or anything, but I'm very tired." He groaned inwardly at how close he was to finally getting to know her. But he didn't push his luck, just nodded in resignation.
"I'll let you get to sleep then." He hesitated for scarcely a breath. "Sleep well." She gave him a shadow of a smile and closed her door in his face. Biting his lip he stared at the cold wood with something very close to physical pain. He shook his head, struggling to clear it. What was wrong with him? Why did this girl's opinion of him mean more than anything else in the world? He collapsed into bed and realized that his lethargy had mysteriously left him. He rolled over and prepared himself for another sleepless night.
So what do you think? Is there a romance in the air? ;D Let me know your vote.