A kiss
Ok so I got the school from a google search but when I checked out the website it seems really cool, so here's a link to the King's College London. .. It's been there since like 1107! (Not the website the school) How cool is that? I'd like to go there; I think old schools are cool. Ok, so here's the second chapter.
2. Reunion
"D-Deryn?" Jackson, Deryn's friend and research partner, caught up with her after running the down the hall after class.
Deryn had already gotten her doctorate in anthropology from King's College London, but decided to go back to get her doctorate in another subject, archeology. Jackson was her research partner, digging partner, workshop partner and really every other partner the teacher could assign.
"Yes?" She said. After eight years in Dr. Barlow's service, she was speaking like a lady. Nora never missed any 'aye' that Deryn said.
"I-I was wondering…" Jackson blushed. This was always the way he was around her. A lot of the men at the college would be cruel to Deryn for being an educated woman, but an odd few would stammer around her, blush and never look her in the eye. That was the price of being a strong, confident woman.
"What were you wondering, Jackson?" Deryn sighed. Sure they were friends but he never seemed to get comfortable enough around her to speak like colleagues. It made working together hard.
"If-if… i-if you wanted to go get some coffee?" He finally stammered out.
She smiled at him sweetly. After a long day of lectures, coffee would help her push through the rest of the day. "Yes. That sounds very nice! Thank you for inviting me."
Jackson looked up, surprised. "Oh."
"What's wrong?" Deryn asked, already halfway out the door. He ran to catch up with her.
"You said yes." He still looked perplexed.
"Indeed I did." She giggled. "Are you coming, or did you ask me so I can go alone?"
"Oh no! I mean yes! Sorry, coming!" She held the door open for him and he walked right through. About halfway to the café, Jackson turned to Deryn. "I am so sorry!"
"For what?" Deryn speed up, put her gloved hand on his chest and stood in front of him. "What did you do?"
"I-I didn't open the door for y-you. You o-opened it for me." Jackson blushed at the hand on his chest.
"Oh, is that all?" She laughed, took his arm and kept strolling. "I thought you meant that you had lost our final paper on hieroglyphs."
Elsewhere in the city, Emperor Aleksander entered London in search for Dr. Nora Barlow and the woman he thought was still her assistant, Ms. Deryn Sharp.
He got into the cab the king had send to pick him up, but instead of letting the driver take him to Buckingham palace, the 22 year old emperor directed him to King's College London where he knew Dr. Barlow had an office.
When he arrived at the college, he waved to the driver, telling him to go back and tell the king he would find his own way to their meeting.
Aleksander (as he called himself now) tried his best to swagger through the college with the confidence of an emperor, but inside he was nervous. He hadn't seen Deryn since they kissed on her last day on the Leviathan about eight years ago. They hadn't been able to keep in touch either, so he had no idea if she was even in London or if she was still with Dr. Barlow (or if she was single, though he shouldn't care about that).
Wandering down the hall Aleksander finally came across a door labeled "Dr. Nora Darwin Barlow." He knocked quickly, heard "Come in, come in." and entered.
"Dr. Barlow?" Aleksander entered tentatively, shyly looking around the dully light room.
"Alek." He heard Deryn's voice and a woman's figure in the back corner sitting on a stool.
"Deryn?" he rushed over to hug her but when he got close…
"Hello, your highness." Dr. Barlow got off her stool, with her Loris on her shoulder, and curtsied.
"Oh please, Dr. Barlow, don't curtsy. It's really not necessary." When she stood up, she was smiling. Aleksander held out his arms and Dr. Barlow walked into them, hugging him.
Pulling back, Nora looked up into Aleksander's face. "You've grown. You're probably taller than Deryn now." Dr. Barlow sat back down and regarded him.
"Speaking of Deryn," Aleksander rubbed the back of his neck, "how is she?"
"Mr. Sharp." Brovil said from his shoulder.
"Dr. Sharp." Barlow's Loris said.
"As he stated, Ms. Sharp is now a doctor of anthropology. She's also working on a doctorate in archeology." Dr. Barlow smile slyly at the young emperor. "I'm very proud of my little girl."
"D-Deryn's enrolled in this college?" His jaw dropped. "How could she get in?" Realization dawned on his face. "She's 'Dylan' again, isn't she?" Nora laughed at this.
"Heavens no! She's here as herself." Dr. Barlow saw that he didn't understand, and explained how Deryn found wonder in Dr. Barlow's work and wanted to pursue a career as well. Of course, she didn't have the money for college and women hardly ever got in, but Barlow obviously has plenty of pull in the school and money to pay for her schooling.
But, obviously, Deryn refused her help, and just as obviously, that didn't stop Dr. Barlow. While Deryn interviewed and applied like a normal student, Nora pulled strings, wrote letters, and created a special scholarship program. She argued that Deryn, being her assistant, would need higher learning, and she donated enough money for three students to have an all-expenses paid ride through college.
"Oh my! It's as if you're her benefactor."
"Yes, but don't tell her that." Dr. Barlow chuckle. "You know how mad she'd be if she ever found out."
"Mr. Sharp." Brovil chuckled.
"Dr. Sharp." Barlow's Loris corrected.
"Speaking of, where is Deryn? I'd like to see her."
"She's usually at a nearby coffee shop." Nora had an odd look in her eye.
"Well not to be rude-"
"Oh no, no please don't let me keep you!" Nora stood up and rushed Aleksander out the door. "Good-bye, your highness. I hope to see you again soon!" she sang as she shut the door on him.
Eight years and an empire and Dr. Barlow still makes me feel like a child that got spun around and tossed into a war room, the emperor thought as he set out on the street to find his old friend.
Deryn and Jackson sat across from each other in the small coffee shop. They chatted and laughed and drank their coffee like they always did. Until someone familiar, but anonymous, opened the door. Deryn's head rose when she heard the bell on the door ring. The familiar stranger looked around the café until he saw Deryn. Deryn jumped up when she saw his face.
"Alek?" She ran over to him. "Barking spiders, Alek is that really you?"
"DERYN!" Jackson jumped out of his seat and ran over to her grabbing her arm tightly. "How could you use such a vulgar term?"
"I'd let go of her if I were you." Alek said putting a constricting hold on Jackson's shoulder.
"Both of you need to let go." Deryn stood between them. "You boys need to get along." She glared at them both, and then smiled apologetically at Jackson. "You're right. I'm sorry for cursing, Jackson."
"You're apologizing?" Alek look at her in shock.
"Of course, a lady never curses." She smiled at Alek. "I'm sorry for being so rude to you, your highness."
"What? Deryn, who is this?" Jackson asked, he was quite confused.
"Oh I'm sorry, Jackson, I've been rude to you, too." She held out her hand with an open palm. "Alek, this is my friend and partner, Jackson. Jackson, this is… Um, how do I introduce you?" She asked Alek.
"Well," he said glaring at Jackson, "I'm usually introduced as Aleksander Ferdinand, Emperor of Austria-Hungry." Deryn giggled.
"Alright," turning to Jackson, "he's that." Alek stared at Deryn and she stared back. They just looked into each other's eyes for the longest time until Jackson couldn't take it.
"D-Deryn," he called, she jolted and looked at him questioningly. "How do you know an emperor?"
"She didn't tell you?" Alek smirked at her. "The Deryn I know wouldn't let a story like our meeting go unheard." Alek took a step forward and placed his hand on the small of her back, pulling her closer to him, making her look at him. She blushed.
"Maybe I've changed." Her face was red and she was smirking up at His majesty. Jackson did not like it.
"Well, it was nice meting you, sir, but Deryn and I should go finish our work." He looked over to her, "Deryn, you ARE coming, right?"
"Oh," she turned to face him, still blushing, "I, well, um, I-I think I'd like to catch up with Alek. You don't mind, do you?"
"I-I guess not."
"It's not like we have much work to do anyway, right?" Deryn asked. "I'll do the rest later, I promise!" she pleaded with him.
"Oh yes, alright. I'll just be going."
"It was nice to meet you." The Emperor held out his hand and they shook. As Jackson walk alone down the cold London road, he pulled a dark blue velvet box out of his pocket. Opening it, he saw his grandmother's diamond engagement ring and wondered if he would ever get a chance to give it to Deryn Sharp.
Aleksander sat across from Deryn at the coffee shop, just talking. He wanted so badly to hold her hand, but the more they talked, the more he realized she wasn't the same person he saved from a frost bitten bum. She went through college once and wanted to go through again to get a second doctorate. And she spoke properly the whole time! Deryn Sharp! Aleksander couldn't believe it.
Though he had changed, too; becoming an emperor could do that to a person. He was always busy, never had time to himself. He was only able to go to England because he was scheduled to meet with the king and discuss what sort of arrangement their countries would have; though he was planning on putting that off for as long as he could.
He wanted to know the new Deryn. She seemed nice, polite, eloquent, all in all the perfect woman. But he didn't want that, he wanted the reckless, impulsive, disobedient, rebellious Deryn he loved when he was younger. The one that joined the air force and won a medal for her bravery; the one that had saved him so many times. He knew she was in there, and he was going to pull her out.
Deryn sat across from Alek at the coffee shop she came to so often, in the town she had lived in for four years. As they conversed, she learned many new things about her old friend. First off, that it really annoyed him when she called him 'Alek' now. He wanted to be called 'Aleksander'- like that was ever going to happen.
He was so serious, too. No longer was he a sad young man she could beat in a foot race, 'Aleksander' was an emperor, a real one. He was all business with her and polite, as if he was speaking to a lady, not Deryn.
Sure, she was acting like a lady, but that was because he made her nervous. She couldn't have expected to have her first love walk through that door today. He caught her off guard! And she wanted him to think she was mature, though she was pretty sure she was blushing. But as soon as they were alone, she would make him express his true self.
"Alek! My goodness, it's so great to see you!"
"Deryn, please, call me Aleksander."
"Wow, Alek I can't remember the last time I saw… well, that's not true I have a very clear and fond memory of the last time we spoke."
"Yes, me too, but I go by Aleksander now."
"*sigh* Alek… Alek. Alek. Alek."
"Alright, now I know you're just 'winding me up.'"
"Yes, yes I am. Oh, and don't say that, you can't pull it off."
"As long as you call me 'Alek' I will use your phrases, 'aye'?"
"No, not okay. Don't do that, Aleksander."
"There you go. So how have you been?"
"Oh well… (She related the background that you already know) …and all that. How have you been? I'm sure being the Emperor of Austria-Hungry has some great stories!"
"Oh, not really. (Babbling about some government stuff I don't care about.) And now I'm here to speak with your king. I'm about an hour late at this point. I don't think he's going to like me."
They laughed.
"It's really good to see you, Deryn." He slid his hand a crossed the table and held her hand.
"You too, Your Highness." She leaned in to whisper, "Can I tell you a secret?"
"Always." He leaned in too. He waited, staring at her, hoping.
"I-I," She blushed a deeper red, "Is it wrong for me to miss calling you 'your princelyness'?" she asked giggling. Now it was Alek's turn to blush.
"W-well, I guess not, but you know I'm no longer a prince?"
"I don't care; you'll always be my prince charming." She looked into his eyes, rubbing the back of his hand with her thumb. Eventually they got up and left. Alek insisted he walk her home. This is when they got their chance to speak more intimately. And they both discovered that neither of them had changed at all.
With her arm in his and his hand on hers, the cold streets of London, England, became warm and inviting. As they reached the door of Deryn's house (right next to Dr. Barlow's- if they were paying attention, they would see her staring at them through her window), they were both completely unprepared for a good bye, so Deryn invited him in.
She made tea while he sat back and truly looked at her for the first time in eight years. He was taller than her now, about three inches, actually. As the tea kettle warmed up, Deryn let down her hair. It had darkened to a light brown that almost reached her bottom. It was silky and waving like a river, but her figure was what really impressed Alek. She was really a woman, but still slim and fragile looking, though that didn't fool Alek. He knew no one could break her.
And while he stared at her, she stared right back at him. Alek had grown tall and strong. His face looked very masculine and sharp. He had developed a nice even tan that really made his deep thoughtful green eyes seem wiser. His red-brown hair was dashingly long, long enough to grab handfuls of. He looked his part and had an air of authority and power about him, which was why she was happy to find that an insecurity beneath his formality and charm.
The kettle whistled and they both jumped. They drank their tea but didn't speak, just stared. They sat on her couch and with every sip of tea scooted closer and closer. And closer and closer. And closer and closer, until they met in the middle and their thighs touched.
Alek pushed the hair out of Deryn's face then placed his hand on the back of her neck making her look up at him. Deryn blushed again, but this time she welcomed the intensity and warmth. She leaned closer to Alek as he gently pulled her forward. Their lips met in the middle.
Alek never made it to his meeting.