Roses Red
Stupid, stupid , stupid
Chapter VI
Aurelia sat on the back of a huge horse, resisting the urge to wince at every stupidjolt the stupid animal caused her to feel during his stupid walk. 'Stupid Joseph for making me come on this stupid thing. Stupid Elaine for persuading him to send that stupid note to stupid Rian so that those stupid people were saved from a stupid ambush. Stupid mystery woman who hates my stupid guts. Stupid me! Why in the history of stupidness did I open my confounded mouth?'
Aurelia could hear herself sigh. She knew the answer to that one; how could she not say anything?
A man that sat a bit ahead of her on a brown mare turned to lookthrough the pale moonlight, a small grin lighting his face up at the sight ofthe disgruntled and well, no other word to describe it, pissy look on her fair features.
"I would hate to see your features freeze like that," Joseph said pleasently from the back of his mare. Aurelia turned a look to him that was so frosty he had no hesitation wiping the smile off his face, even though most of it was softened by the night. He harrumphed loudly and spoke again, "I didn't know you didn't know how to ride...I would think a nomad of all people would now how to handle a horse."
Aurelia looked down at the huge black beast below her and resisted a shudder, "That anyone would want to ride such a creature is beyond me."
Joseph grinned wickedly at the statement, "Are you frightened of them, Denise? Were you called Nissey the sissy amongst your tribal relatives?" he said it teasingly and Aurelia realised it was the first conversation they had had that didn't include them being sarcastic and hostile to each other.
Aurelia could feel herself unconciously smiling -and blushing a little-at his light tone, "I am not frightened of these things! It's just that when one rides them, one experiences much in pain! I really don't see why it would be worthwhile to ride the creatures when legs and feet work just as well. Besides, Seph, when one has such a small height compared to these things-"
Joseph let out a laugh, a suprisingly harsh, bark-like laugh, "That's what all you little girls say," and he gave her a small smirk before turning his eyes back to the front, eyes peeled through the dark.
Aurelia frowned at the thought of the pang she had felt when hesmirked at her and the way her stomach had done a flip-flop whenever he had laughed. She looked up at the sky above her, noticing the clarity of the night. She drank it in, blessing the Moon Goddess, Serena, ferventlyfor such a blessing as this perfect night when she was on the backof an unpredictable animal. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid...'
She slowly closed her tired eyes, glancing over at where Joseph sat, a smug smirk tugging across the harsh mouth, and then down to where the horse trundled on, pulled up her hood, covering her entire head, before she felt safe enough to truly relax and drift off into sleep.
Aurelia lay on a small pallet in the small area of a cloth tent. Outside she heard only the noises of the earth and the occasional rustlings of Jospeh's guards. Aurelia turned over on her side, her brow furrowing over the thought on why Elaine would want to send her with Jospeh on a campain. She turned over back on her back, then flipped to her opposite side, not being able to find comfort inside the small area where the tents gave a faint uncomfortable scent and the close contact of tent gave her a feeling of claustrophobia.
Aurelia sat up suddenly, an idea upon her. She quietly gather up her blanket and slipped ouside her tent, making she she was completely covered head-to-toe. She lay down a little waays from her seperated tent and felt immediatle better- as if this was what was supposed to happen. Aurelia felt herslef become at ease and drifted off into sleep
-Only to find herself in a world of shadowy murkiness that seemed to parallel the grounds where she had just fallen asleep. She was about to look down and see if maybe her body lay below her when a voice spoke in front of her.
"I wouldn't do that."
Aurelia looked up to see the Queen Elaine, who was dressed in the attire of a queen. Aurelia immediately sunk into a low curtsey, her black gown flowing around and gazed up through her eyelashes to watch Elaine. Elaine wore a gown of pale blue and a small neclace with a silver chain with a stone of mirky sapphire. Her brown hair was loose but held back with a coronet of silver and three blue stones stood lodged in it.
Aurelia rose slowly, her head bowed at the awesome sight Elaine made in her simple splendor.
"Aurelia, there is no need for courtesy to weigh us down in such a place as this," she said, smiling at her. Aurelia froze when she heard her name spoken. 'How did she know?'
"Aurelia, I promise your most guarded secret is safe with me. You are very unsafe, unfortunately, at my homeand had to be removed from my protection as quickly as possible- yes, you were in my protection," she said, catching a glance of Aurelia's skeptical gaze, "I am a suprisingly formidable and powerful woman- which is why I must set up these Dream meetings."
Aurelia found herself close to mirth, but couldn't let it out because Elaine was looking at her so mournfully, "What do I need protection from? I was doing quite fine by myself and onlyHer Majestywould be after me and seen as it has been 5 months since I have last been in Dyrria, and a year before since I last saw her, I don't think she worries too much."
Elaine scoffed notably at her statement," You, my dear have no idea what you're dealing with. You do not have to worry about only your mother looking for you, you also have a woman of a horrible nature after you. Unfortunately, she is also a powerful mage in her own right and bears the mark of both elven and fay."
"Who is she?" Aurelia asked, ashamed to say she was beginning to stop disbelieving her.
"Eb- er, Ebiba. Not anyone of consequence," Elaine said, trying to change the subject, but Aurelia latched onto it. 'Obviously she was never very good at hiding stuff!'
"I think your lying Elaine."
Elaine suddenly stood up to her full height, towering above the little Aurelia," Well, if that's what you think, then I'll just leave your sorry ass here until morning when you'll go the rest of your life with your magick controlling you!"
Aurelia quickly shut her mouth, more questions battering around in her tired mind than before.
Aurelia sat under a small, spindly tree, looking out over the lake before them. The sunshone brightly above them, rain clouds marring the edge of the pale blue sky. Beside her sat Joseph, chatting with her about the landscape about them, though Aurelia wasn't really listening.
'Was that real? Am I really destined to revive the Kingdoms and bring peace once again amongst us all?' Aurelia thought, all magic fading from what had felt like reality. Joseph was still talking beside her and she was jolted from any more ramblings when he smacked her on the arm.
"Are you listening?" he asked, annoyance showing in his handsome eyes. Aurelia snapped her head at him, pale eyes flashing," No! I stopped listening when stupid you started telling me about stupid rocks!" she said, putting herself into the defensive.
His eyes widened slightly, but he gave her a quiet smile and turned back around silently. Aurelia wondered if she had gone too far, because he really wasn't too bad. He was nice and had only been trying to teach her about stuff that obviously meant something to him.
She had closed her eyes and begun the rant at herself for being stupid and rude and selfish and grumpy when suddenly she was grabbed around the waist and pulled up. She jerked her eyes open to see Joseph grinning down from above her, holding her to the side of him and walking towards the lake.
"What are you doing!" she exclaimed, writhing in his grasp.
"Can you swim?" he asked, ignoring her question and still proceeding to the body of water.
"Er...yes? What the hell are you doing grabbing me!"
"Good. If I do not get an I'm sorry and you, Joseph, are the most wonderful speaker in the world I will drop you in it. Oh, and I also want to hear that rocks aren't stupid. Rocks have hearts and souls and now you have to apologize for hurting their feelings!" Joseph asid curtly, looking hurt when Aurelia giggled. 'He's so nice now! Why was he so mean to me back at Waer only to be funny and friendly now?'
"You are mental," Aurelia said, laughing harderwhen he pretended to look abused and pitiful -but still dangerous as he jokingly prepared to toss her in, "Ah, okay...I'm sorry, you're a wonderful speaker, not boring at all. You have abeautiful voice, lovely, astounding! I mean heavenly and...er, rocks aren't stupid...rocks are nice, sensitive beings with souls and hearts and," she sighed and rolled her eyes, "I'm sorry for hurting their feelings," she sighed again.
Joseph let out that barking laugh and let her go, laughing at her disgruntled face. Joseph turned away, laughing madly and Aurelia started to shake herself out of that scare with the water. Suddenly, Joseph vaulted around, and yelled "Aya!", sending the poor Aurelia head-over-heels into the water.
'That stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid...I will kill him!'
Author's Note: Another update! The muses smile upon me...or not ;p. I hope ya'll enjoy this chapter, but either way, I'm hoping for a review! R-E-V-I-E-W...review! well, okee dokee, I hope we all are seeing a less weird and jerky side of Joseph (he's still hot, though!) and I'll try to update sometime this week...now for my bootiful reviewers!
purpleglitterfaery: kick my booty? Maybe you never heard, but I have connections...like cyber mafia connections! and thank you for luuurving it!...Joseph is sooo gorgeous!
Ardelis Mercy: I love your new story, though not as much as your first, but that might be because I haven't gotten to know the characters yet...please update your new one soon! Joseph is arrogant...at least when he wasn't around Aurelia 24/7
mistyqueen: thank you! I love it when stuff rocks my socks off...lol
Glaze: lol, no worries, she will learn to control her powers...and I want a piggy! Can I have Poison...you can have Glitter! (see, I've named them all! lol)
Review and I'll hand out ten cyber...erm, what hasn't anyone used? Ice cream! Wait, all my cybercream melted...oh well, cyber melted ice creams it'll be!
±GT±