Deep felt thanks to LuvinEvian and Courtaney for their tremendous help! Love you guys:) --EF
:Grace looked out of her window, tears in her eyes. If only she had followed her mind and had Samuel walk her friend...Eve would be safe at home at this very moment. Yet now she never would be coming home again. Samuel had found Eve's reticule, torn up and covered with blood, while searching for her. Eve had never made it back to her cottage, for Samuel had found the reticule laying on the ground several hundred yards from their farm.
"God help her," she prayed, not wanting to think of Eve's horrible demise by wolves as Samuel speculated. "God forgive me for not caring more about my dear friend"
Eve awakened from her nap feeling amazingly refreshed. Stretching, she looked around, wondering of Julian's whereabouts. "Maybe he's outside," she thought, standing up and walking to the bars of her cage.
She laughed at the memory of Julian trying to pluck the feathers from the chicken. "That was so thoughtful of him." She smiled, appreciative of the trouble he tried to go through for her. She realized in spite of his insistence she stay with him, Julian cared about her welfare. Although she still wasn't sure what made him react so strangely when she had fallen into his lap earlier.
Her thoughts ended when Julian entered the room. Flowers filled his hands. He smiled at Eve as she looked towards him. "I thought you would like these," he said displaying his bounty.
"They're lovely, Julian, but why did you get so many?" Eve chuckled. "Those are enough to fill an entire garden."
He did not want to tell her it was because of the guilt he felt at tearing up her reticule. He had taken a rare chance and gone close to Harmony in the daylight and placed the shredded purse on the same hill he found her. Fortunately for him, the villagers were having market day and so did not see him make his way down from the mountain. Now they would think Eve dead, and not have any reason to suspect that she still lived.
"They seemed to compliment your beauty," he said truthfully. "I would be happy to place them in water for you, if you would like."
"Thank you. Actually, I was wondering if I could have some water for a proper bath," Eve asked. "Please."
"Of course, my dear. I will be happy to heat the water for you, "Julian agreed. As he started to do so, Julian felt even guiltier for what he had done. Though he held her captive, she was still kindhearted towards him. What a beautiful person she was...inside and out. She even said please for her bath--
A bath meant that Eve would be...undressed. How was he going to be able to stand it? He moved the water off of the huge fire, not wanting it to be too hot for her. Eve would be in the altogether, he thought as he poured the water into a wooden bowl, setting it on the floor.
"Julian," Eve called, holding the bars of the cage, waiting for him to open it.
"Yes, my dear," Julian answered, coming to the cage and unlocking the latch. He held out his hand, and Eve carefully stepped on him. As her tiny bare feet tickled his palm, Julian swallowed nervously. What this beautiful woman did to him.
Cupping his other hand in front of her so she would not lose her balance, he carefully carried her over to the bowl. He extended his fingers, and Eve walked across them, again tickling his palm. "Oh, Eve," he groaned to himself.
Eve turned to look at Julian, a shy smile on her face. "Julian, do you think you can...um..."
"What, my dear?"
"Give me a little privacy," Eve asked, her cheeks turning rosy.
"Oh, certainly, I can--I can do that," Julian stammered. He lowered his head as he backed away. "I'll be right outside. Will one half hour suffice?"
She nodded. "Yes, that will be more than enough time. Thank you."
"You're welcome. Enjoy your bath." Halfway to the door, Julian turned around. "I'll be right over in the other corner. If you need anything just call. Your voice is tiny, but as I said, with so little company, I can hear the grass growing outside." He grinned. "The water isn't too hot, is it?"
Eve splashed her fingers about the bowl. "No, it's just perfect."
"Great!" His cheeks hurt from the excess smiling. In a matter of moments, Eve would be in her natural state. He would try to be a gentleman, but he just knew his eyes would wander. "I'm going to go on over now."
"Okay," she said. Julian sat down next to a pile of wood, intending on carving a bear cub for Eve. As he reached for the perfect piece for his carving, his peripheral vision gave him a scintillating view of Eve's beautiful golden skin. Julian's throat went dry. He slammed his eyes closed, not wanting to infringe on her privacy a moment longer. Even though the very sight of her stirred feelings he thought were dead to him forever. He sighed. They might as well be. What good could feeling these feelings be, when there was no way he could ever act upon them. Oh, to be a normal man again.
Julian's dream
Julian held Eve's hands in his. The dance they had shared had just ended, and everyone around them was applauding.
"My beautiful bride," he whispered, as he lifted one of her hands to place a kiss on the palm.
"My beloved husband," Eve breathed, loving the look of passion in his hazel eyes. She then laughed in delight, for Julian had swept her up in his arms.
"You are my world, Eve. I love you so."
"And I you. Let's go home, Julian."
He nodded and smiled. "Home."
End Dream
"Julian?"
"Julian!"
He felt a tug on the hem of his trousers, and looked down to find his beautiful Eve. "Are you okay?" she asked. "I've been calling you for a while now."
He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, my dear, I got lost in thought. Did you need something?" he asked, noting she had one of the tiny furs wrapped about her.
"I was wondering if you've seen my reticule. It contains rose hips I like to use on my skin."
"Your reticule?"
"Yes, it's my... Have you seen it? Julian?"
Julian looked down at her with shame filled eyes. "Yes, I have seen it Eve. I destroyed it."
"Destroyed it? Don't tease me Julian, where are you hiding it?" Eve began to walk around Julian's feet, but he leaned down and halted her by holding his hand in front of her.
"I am telling you what happened, my love. I couldn't bear any chance of anyone finding you."
Eve's eyes widened, and she took a step back. "What do you mean?"
"I...I tore it up and took it back to the village." At Eve's confused look, he continued. "It had blood on it."
"Blood--but why? Why would you do this, Julian? I don't understand!" Eve cried, tears burning her eyes.
"Eve, please, do not cry. I didn't do this to hurt you. I cannot bear the thought of you leaving me, or your friends in the town coming to look for you and taking you away. So, I covered the reticule with chicken blood and left it shredded for the townspeople to find."
"They'll think..."
"The wolves got to you, yes."
"How could you do this?" Her body trembled with anger. "Who are you to do such a thing!"
"I am the one that you will be with forever, Eve. I had no choice."
Eve's tears were blinding her vision. "How could you let my friends think that I am dead? How could you hurt me this way?"
Julian shook his head. " The last thing I would want to do is hurt you, but I cannot lose you. I will never be parted from you Eve."
"Just because you are in exile, does not mean that you can condemn me to the same fate!" Eve screamed, turning to run away from him.
"Do not run from me, Eve. You will never get away. I'm sorry this upsets you, and I so hate your tears, but this is the way it will be. You here with me, now and forever."Julian easily caught up with her, and prevented her from going any further. Taking care not to hurt her, Julian lifted Eve and brought her to his eye-level. "You will never leave me Eve. I told you before I have been alone too long! It is useless to waste any of your strength on entertaining the idea any longer. You think what I did is wrong, perhaps, but I would do it again. I would do anything right or wrong to end the painful loneliness I've experienced for far too long. You will be angry, but I do believe in time will ebb, and you grow used to your new environment."
"And if I don't?"
"You'll have to keep trying."
"You can't keep me here, Julian!" Eve screamed again.
Julian had had enough. "I can do anything Eve, have you not learned this by now? You will NOT leave here! I forbid it! " He raised his voice, causing Eve to put her hands over her ears. She began to cry in earnest, but Julian would not be moved by her tears. "I would rather hear your crying day and night than to endure another moment with just myself as company. If this makes me evil, so be it."
He returned Eve to the cage as her sobs grew louder and tears flowed faster. "I'm going out for more firewood. I'll be back later." He walked to the door and turned around. "I do sympathize with you, but it changes nothing."
Eve fell to her knees on the floor of the cage. She wanted to go, and he needed her to stay. Why did she care about his pain when he didn't care about hers? She sobbed. And now everyone thought she was dead...she had no one who would look for her. Eve shivered, still clad only in the fur. Would she ever taste freedom again, she wondered. And sadly, she wondered if she ever managed to get away, would Julian ever find a way to defeat his painful loneliness.
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