Author's Note: This one is a bit different, Shalon is two ages in each section. In the first, where she calls him Kevin is when she's a little girl, most likely just after he arrived. In the second she's just turned twelve.
Sonnets 75 & 18
So are you to my thoughts as food to life,
Or as sweet-season'd showers are to the ground;
"Sonnet 75," He watched her as she whirled around in a circle, giggling, before he turned back to his book. She fell to the ground in a patch of flowers and he leapt to his feet, throwing his book to the side, sprinting over to her. "Lady Shalon!" He knelt down, his heart pounding.
"Kevin!" She beamed up at him. "Kevin what's wrong?" She caught her hand in his silver ponytail.
"Lady Shalon you shouldn't be lying around in the grass!" He picked her up as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
And for the peace of you I hold such strife
As 'twixt a miser and his wealth is found;
"I'm sorry," her legs dangled as he set her down, his sword banged against his leg as he knelt, dusting off her pinafore and apron. "Kevin, I love you." She grinned as a smile pulled at his lips.
"Lady Shalon? You shouldn't think like that." She patted his cheek.
"You smiled." She giggled. "I made Kevin smile!" She danced away, spiraling once more.
Now proud as an enjoyer and anon
Doubting the filching age will steal his treasure,
"You can always make me smile, Lady Shalon." He went back to the tree he had been sitting under and picked up his book, dusting it off as he sat down, propping the cover against his thigh.
Now counting best to be with you alone,
Then better'd that the world may see my pleasure;
He peered at her over the thick cotton pages as she giggled from within the flower patch. He lifted an eyebrow, curious as to what she was doing. She looked at him over her shoulder and grinned before going back to whatever it was she was doing.
"Milady, what is it that you--" he broke off as she ran over to him, tripping and nearly falling, causing him to jump forward. She recovered and continued running. "Lady Shalo--" she tripped over her pinafore and stumbled into his chest, laughing merrily.
"K-Kevin I made you something!" She exclaimed. "But you have to ask me nicely for it!" Shalon hid whatever it was behind her back.
"P-Please may I have it?" He blinked at her as she used one hand to right herself, pushing on his thigh.
"Kevin! I want you to be my knight!" She placed a ring of flowers in his hair, letting her little fingers slide along his ponytail lovingly. He stared at her wide-eyed.
Sometime all full with feasting on your sight
And by and by clean starved for a look;
"Me?" He caught her delicate hand in his.
"Your hand's shaking, Kevin." She giggled before he brushed his knuckles against the side of her face.
"Well it's a big task, Milady, to take care of a princess such as you." His eyes softened as he rubbed a piece of dirt from her jaw. "You're getting very dirty, Milady, perhaps it's time to go inside?"
"You go inside." She giggled, scrambling away.
Possessing or pursuing no delight,
Save what is had or must from you be took.
"Milady!" He caught her about the waist and lifted her off the ground.
"Kevin!" She squealed as he chuckled, carrying her back towards the manor. "Kevin put me down!"
"If a knight's duty is to protect his princess then nothing is safe, not even the dirt you wear on your apron!" He adjusted her as she wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder. "Besides, you've worn yourself out." He pressed his cheek against her hair as her little lips brushed his neck.
Thus do I pine and surfeit day by day,
Or gluttoning on all, or all away.
He looked up as his bedroom door opened. The pitter-patter of young feet crunched on the plush carpet. "Good evening, Lady Shalon," he smiled softly as she clambered into his bed. "Is everything alri--" he closed his book as he heard her sniff. "Milady?" He blinked as she buried her face in his chest. He glanced at his book out of the corner of his eye, to remember what page he was on. Sonnet 18.
"K-Kevin," she choked out.
"Xerxes now, Milady, remember?" He stroked her hair as he set his book down.
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
"X-Xerx-nii." She opened her mouth to speak, and instead a rather large sob took over and she pressed her face against his side, bawling, his head dropped out his chest.
"What's wrong, Lady Shalon?" He tucked his hand against her legs, pulling her closer.
"M-Mom won't let me go to the sea shore!" She looked up at him, teary eyed.
"I-Is that what you're crying about?" He blinked, then laughed. "I'm so relieved."
"Don't laugh!" She smacked his chest. "She won't let me go!"
"Why not?" He fought back a chuckle.
"I don't know…" she wiped her eyes. "But I really want to go! All the other children have been!"
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date:
He wasn't entirely sure how he had been talked into this… how could he let a child, barely 12, talk him into taking her to the sea shore? He sighed as he watched her pick up seashells and examine them, putting them in the little bucket she had brought with her.
"Xerx-nii!" She called to him. "Look!" He slunk over, feeling rather odd being at the beach with his mistress. "Look at this one!" She held it up for him to see.
"That is pretty," he let her set it in his hand and he poked it over. It was sleek and pink with white swirls, something that Lady Shalon would enjoy of course. He looked over at her for a moment as she continued searching. Her pretty white dress was simple and rather wonderful, her hair was pulled back in a long braid down her back. She let out a scream of delight as the water rushed over her feet.
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;
He shielded his eyes from the blazing sun overhead as he set up the large umbrella they had brought with them, smoothing out the pretty blanket to sit on and unpacking the lunch the kitchen had prepared for them. "Lady Shalon! Lunchtime!" He smiled as she ran up, breathless.
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;
"Thank you, Xerxes." She smiled at him as she helped herself to the sandwiches and lemonade. "Do you think mother will be alright?" She looked down at her sandwich and he paused, in the middle of bringing a glass to his lips to drink.
"I do hope so," he sighed, setting his glass down. She smiled.
"I do too!" She grinned and he bumped her forehead with his knuckles. "What was that for?"
"For being cute," he chuckled. "Thank you for inviting me here with you, Lady Shalon."
"I wouldn't want anyone else to come with me," her eyes swam with an emotion he didn't recognize. "I love you Xerxes!" She beamed.
But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;
"Yes, I know," he smiled in return, offering her the plate of cookies the cooks had packed. "I wish you would stop saying that."
"But I love you, why should I stop saying it?" She laughed, helping herself. "You're silly."
"You're the silly one, Milady," he watched her as he ate one of the cookies, she had grown into quite the beautiful young woman. She was beginning to look like a woman, most certainly. Her long legs, elegantly folded to the side, were toned and shapely. Her body had lengthened and her baby fat was nearly gone, or had migrated, he thought wryly. Men were going to start courting her soon. His eye darkened.
Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou growest:
"What are you thinking about?" She tilted her head as he stared at her.
"Me? Why you of course, what else do I have to think about?" He chuckled darkly. "What are you thinking about?"
"You, but most likely in an entirely different way than you're thinking about me," she returned his dark chuckle and he choked on his lemonade. Her laughter rang in his ears.
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this and this gives life to thee.