Chapter 3 Home, Sweet, Home
Somewhere In The Darkness
"WHAT IS IT, SPEAK UP MAN, OR I WILL HAVE YOUR TONGUE FOR DISTURBING ME AT THIS HOUR OF MEDITATION!" bellowed an angry cloaked source.
"My lord … sorry to disturb your meditation … but I have news, of the Chosen One and Protector," coward his young partisan. The cloaked figure strode toward the cowering follower with a menacing sneer. His plans to seize the Trion, and the control of the plateau, had gone south due to the Protector and Chosen One's intervention, and all those that were smart who followed the Black Lord had kept their distance from his brooding. However, this young partisan wanted to be in his lord's graces, so ventured to give him the word he so desired, to earn his praise.
"WELL WHAT IS IT!" roared the lord.
"It appears the young Protector and … the newly discovered Chosen One, had a helper … a source within Avalon … confirmed that the Chosen One was quite familiar with their assistant … it was her daughter … the old Protector was sheltering … the child from your fa… you my lord. The source also corroborated your belief that the young Protector and the Chosen One, would not have succeeded had the waif not been sent to help them, unleash their hidden powers," ended the young partisan.
"Well done … now what to do with you … most men would tell you not to intrude on me during my time of meditation … because they know heads have rolled for acts much less … BUT … you have indeed provided me GREAT INFORMATION … SO … I will spare you for now … BUT be warned if your information turns out to be false … you will wish you never stepped foot in here … BUT … if it is true you will be in my good graces …" stopped the Black Lord as he gave the young follower an inquiring look for his name.
"Juko … si..r" stuttered the young man.
"Juko … now be off before I change my mind!"
"Relix, my chambers now!" as the lord stormed out of his meditation room, to his chambers with Relix following close behind.
"Relix, confirm this information, and if it is true, put a bounty on the waif's head. I want the Trion, the plateau, and the Protector and Chosen One eliminated, YESTERDAY!"
Tree house-Eight Days Later
There she goes again! sighed Lord Roxton. Well, if the pattern continues like it has since the shifting plains occurred, she will be in here in about an hour, then leave before Veronica and Finn get up to go swimming before the morning meal. Oh, how I wish she would confide in me, but at the same point I understand her hesitation! I have not always handled her secrets well, JOHN, JOHN, JOHN, that is the understatement of the year!
Now I'm lecturing myself, or arguing, or whatever! At first, I thought she's just not handling the whole situation well. Marguerite is a very private person and even though she will probably deny it, even today, she sees all of us as her family. Yes, even Finn has found her way into her heart probably because she sees so much of herself in Finn.
This is another point I continue to kick my rear end nearly everyday. It was not until the cave, that I realized, while waiting for our death, that we have been much more lineate and patient toward Finn than we ever were with Marguerite when we first began our plateau adventure. I know enough to know that Marguerite and Finn have both had a rough childhood, and trusting others with their life and secrets were not on their top ten list of things to consider with others. No it was more like, "get in, get out, and only rely on yourself that way no one will get hurt, especially you."
Oh, but how my Marguerite has grown! I shudder when I think of the cold Marguerite that resided with us at first; but, now she is much warmer around all of us. Wellllllll, she still has her moments where she runs hot and cold, like lately… she's definitely a puzzle that is hard to put together at times. Just when you think you have it all figured out and set in the right place, you loose an important piece that links them all together, and you are back at the beginning again (well more like the middle, now a days); but, I guess the woman will always keep me on my toes, that is why I love her so much, and want to spend the rest of my life with her. There will definitely not be a dull moment with her in it. THE GREAT LORD ROXTON HAS BEEN CAUGHT, will be the headlines of the England Times, HA; and, I won't mind a bit!
Bloody hell, will she stop her pacing and just come to me already! She paces 20 steps to the window then stares out for five minutes, then paces again, then stares, and so on! Oh just admit it, you can not wait to be one with her again!
Yes, Marguerite the trophy that will never be concurred, because she is your equal and you love it. Her passion matches your own, and even though she's only told you that she loves once in the cave her actions speak louder than her words!
That's right keep giving yourself the old pep talk I think I am going insane! The love I have for that woman is slowly making me a madman, but oh how it is worth it! I am so glad no one can read my mind right now, what a pansy or hormonal male I am being they would say.
Speaking of hormonal, Marguerite has been more hormonal lately, I wonder why? Note to self, watch her more closely for the answers to her lustfulness and moodiness.
About thirty minutes more, DOWN BOY! Don't want to start and end before she gets here. Lord, that woman can make love, she has ruined me for anyone else, she is my one and only, and if only she would let me in and accept what I offer is for eternity it would be even better! Alright you are getting angry again. The time is getting closer, alright, replaying scenes from this past week, will not get you in trouble in here, now!
Well, that first night was all her, thank goodness there are only three bedrooms on the lower floor (Challenger's, Marguerite's, and mine), and George sleeps like a log. Boy was I surprised, when a very naked Marguerite, slowly inching her way up my bed, then opened the fly of my long johns, and straddled me! The mere sight of her naked form shot my little out of practice John straight up instantly!
She road me at first with a vengeance, but slowed her pace down when I raised into a sitting position. When our eyes met, the desperation I saw in hers nearly deflated my very hard member; but, she pulled my face toward hers, and continued to slowly grind into me, and pleaded with me to never stop (how could I refuse that as tears were streaming down her checks, oh, admit it those were not the reason you continued to help her in her administration, but you did wonder about them later!). She soon began to pick up the pace again, and locked her lips with mine to ceil our passionate groans, sigh, screams and pants from the others within the tree house. When I felt her organism approach I tried to hold off my own for as long as possible, this was for her, she needed this; she went over the edge and soon took me too.
I know it is selfish of me, but each time we have made love (and for me it is love) I've emptied my seed into her. This is so unmanly, but if she becomes with child, then it will bond her to me, forever. I know it is wrong especially with the dangers we have experienced and will continue to encounter on the plateau, but I want it to happen, I WANT HER FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE! I want to watch her grow with child, and know that I did that to her. She has not said one word about me not withdrawing, but I guess I haven't had the courage to ask either.
The rest of the nights have been at a much slower pace. She undresses at the end of the bed and crawls in from the side. She then cuddles up to me and begins to kiss my neck to arouse me from my slumber. Once I turn over and wrap my arms around her, she rolls us over so she is under me, and ready for my member to enter her (since the first night I have retired without my long johns on, after all it never hurts to be prepared).
There is not much fore play, but soft, slow, passionate kisses, as I slowly stroke my member inside her waiting cavity. The rhythm is an old familiar one that all sole mates have followed since the beginning of time. When I withdraw she pulls back just enough for the distance to be a bit further, then when I push back in she meets me the rest of the way, in and out, in and out, in and out … with the small sighs of pleasure from my love I have to restrain my desire to increase the pace to end it just then, just so we can begin again, each time we make love. God, even when the pace is slow the woman's administration is unbelievable, stroking my back and rear end as we continue to slowly grind into each other (innnn and outtttt, innnn and outtttt, innnn and outtttt, innnn and outttt). Then grasping my butt tightly when I reach down to rub her clitoris, then releasing it on a scream of pleasure that I capture in my mouth ( innn and outtt, innn and outtt, innn and outt). Then she returns the pleasure when she locks her legs around me, and begins to grind harder into me while replacing my hand with hers as the other hand begins to fondle one of her breasts (inn and outt, inn and outt, inn and outt, inn and outt). As she fondles herself for my pleasure her open stare of love and desire spur me on to send us both to our castle in the sky (in and out, in and out, in and out). I know when her organism is close, her gasps of pleasure are more frequent, and she tends to grasp my neck to pull my head down to hers to seize my mouth to hers to silence our screams of pleasure. Then her cavity walls clench my pulsing member as her organism takes a hold of her once again, and I pump a few more times before I release our future into her.
Then I roll off of her so not to crush her small form and pull her to my side so we can bask in the after glow of our love making, at least that was what I did the first few nights. She would then snuggle further into my side and drape her leg and arm over my torso and lower trunk. Then bury her head into my neck, and let silent tears run down her checks. At first being the self-centered, egotistic, and other terms Marguerite could come up with about my ego, I thought they were tears of the after effect of our lovemaking, which even to me is quite nerve racking because I've never felt this way with anyone else (that is POWERFUL, ESTATIC, ELATED, AND TERRIFIED all at the same time twisted and tangled together to form an erratic hard to explain feeling).
What a horny, lovesick sap, I am right now! WHAT THE BLOODY HELL!!! Who would be calling the elevator down at this time of the night! I hear Veronica and Finn running from their quarters and down the stairs to the main floor.
Well the interruption at least has helped the little man deflate 75 percent! Alright, where are my trousers? One leg then another, that's right, hurry up!
As Roxton dashed out of his room, Marguerite collided into his chest as she rounded the corner from her room. Marguerite nearly lost her footing, but Roxton was able to regain his balance in time to reach out and steady her as well. An unspoken question and answer passed between them to make sure the other was ok before they continued their way upstairs to the main room. What or more like who they saw among Challenger, Finn, and Veronica, was a sight for sore eyes; he was definitely hairier but still it was Malone being engulfed by Veronica, and slapped on the back by Challenger. Finn on the other hand remained back from the small group by the stairwell leading upstairs, looking quite out of place.
Roxton at that moment pulled Finn with him into the main room to join in the celebration, knowing Marguerite was right behind them headed toward their make shift family too. "Malone, welcome back, old boy, you have been missed!" exclaimed Roxton as he went to slap him on the back too. "I think Marguerite has missed you the most though or maybe it was more your coffee," with the tongue and cheek joke to get everyone in the room to laugh including Marguerite since Finn knew Marguerite often indicated that Malone made the best coffee.
It did work for everyone except Marguerite who had walked toward the elevator where her attention; but, only Veronica noticed, as her attention shifted from the small group to Marguerite and the elevator. Veronica was only partly aware of when Challenger began introducing Finn to Malone as the newest member of the tree house, she was more interested in the heiress's peculiar behavior toward the elevator. Veronica noticed that Marguerite's eyes had begun to tear up, her normal steal composure was replaced with nervous apprehension as she continued to gaze at the elevator; and, as if Malone's comment of Finn not being the newest addition conjured up the child, a mop of curly dark hair and grey-green eyes appeared from around the corner of the elevator shaft making eye contact with eyes that were identical to hers.
As the younger eyes gazed out upon Marguerite, they lit up with what appeared to be delight, adoration, and love; and, then a silent exchange between the identical eyes began. As Veronica continued to watch this interaction between the two from across the room, she noticed that Marguerite's earlier tension had begun to subside and a calmness that has never surrounded the heiress before took place right before her eyes.
The, spell Veronica witnessed was broken when Malone broke away from the small group, walked briskly to the elevator, gently picked up the girl, walked her back to the others, and then proceeded to give Marguerite a warning look to back off. The look Marguerite gave was one of shock, to hurt, then completely devoid of any emotion within three seconds. Her eyes were the only part of her that gave her true emotions away, because they were brimming with unshed tears.
The little girl, too, appeared to be shocked at Malone's antics. Veronica watched as the little girl, repositioned herself in Malone's arms so she could continue to look toward Marguerite. As Malone introduced her to the small group as Shorty, the little girl presented the group with a small grin and a small nod of acknowledgement; but, the others did not see the silent communication that also occurred between the heiress and the little girl. The love and longing in both females' eyes was enough to send anyone into tears, and the only person that became choked up at the scene was Veronica.
Men and Finn! If they would just look over toward Marguerite they would see how she is still near tears, with her arms crossed in front of her to hide the twitching ache to hold her little carbon copy. The look that passed between both of them minutes ago is the only thing keeping the little girl in Malone's arms. Malone did not realize that when he scooped her up to rescue her from Marguerite that he ruined a mother-daughter reunion … hug … whatever and the girl was really not in danger. The girl probably would have put up a little resistance if she wasn't so shocked from being taken away from her mother's nearby arms.
However, the little girl now appears to be taking in her surroundings and the others ok. When I glance over to Marguerite, I see the longing to join the group, but also the hesitation due to Malone's silent warning.
"Marguerite?" That's good I have her attention, and the others now since I raised my voice a little bit higher than necessary to draw her attention. "Would you mind helping set up the hammock in your room?" Marguerite's surprise at my suggestion is just priceless, and the others too. I imagine the others think that she will decline, but before anyone can say anything I push on with my plan.
"Now, Marguerite, before you come up with an excuse or two, to not share your room with the little girl, hear me out." That's right just play along, your secret is safe with me until you are ready to tell the others. "Your bedroom is the biggest one in the tree house, and is already set-up for a hammock. There are no more rooms in the house at this time. I'm sure the boys tomorrow can start building another room for her, but right now the only other place to put her is in the main room, besides yours."
"We all know that young children need their sleep, if she stays out here she will be up later than she should because we all stay up late, and then she will be up early in the morning when Finn and I go out to swim. No, Malone do not interrupt. I know you are going to suggest that you or Roxton could share your rooms, but that is out of the question. If she would have been a male child, yes, but she is a female, and … what do you guys always preach? Propriety?" So, the only real choices are Finn's, Marguerite's, or my room, and Finn's and mine will just not due they are close quarters for just one of us now. So, Marguerite you are just going to have to share for now!
Marguerite pretended to be a bit annoyed and put out of her way about Veronica's decision at first, then gave a short nod to acknowledge that she conceded this round. While Veronica was on her tirade, Roxton had slowly made his way toward his lady love for her support. You could see his concern for her, but also the waves of encouragement that expressed his support, but also something else was hidden behind his eyes, longing? "Yes, Marguerite, Veronica is right Malone, Challenger, and I will start tomorrow on a new room. This will only be for the best, for now."
Maybe this little girl will help Marguerite's maternal side kick in until we find her parents and then she will long to have her children with me. Oh, yes this little girl will be the ticket, to convince Marguerite we would make a great family together.
"Shorty, would you mind helping me get the hammock from the porch?" asked Veronica with her hand stretched out toward the little girl's direction. Malone let Mari slip to the floor, and then she took Veronica's hand to head for the porch. "Marguerite, we'll meet you in your room, in a minute or two."
"NO," a hesitant whisper escaped passed Marguerite's lips toward Veronica's direction. If anyone was paying attention to Marguerite they would have noticed a change in her disposition and resolve to go along with Veronica's plan, after John's silent encouragement. In response to her 'no' everyone's attention whipped back toward her, away from Veronica and the little girl. "No, Veronica. Thank you for trying to help me, but it is time to let you all in on one of my biggest secrets." As Marguerite was speaking, she had kneeled down to the floor with her arms open to encourage Mari to come to her. Mari did not require anymore encouragement to run into her mother's arms that she longed to be in a week ago.
For about three minutes, mother and daughter embraced each other in front of their make shift family with no thought of what the others would have to say/thought, except to just rejoice in their long overdue reunion; but, soon Marguerite felt the eyes of the others on her and felt the need to provide a short explanation then quickly retreat to her room to continue this reunion in privacy.
As Marguerite began to stand and adjust herself in an upright position to take her leave she saw the questioning looks from the others, but there was more in Roxton's which appeared to be shock, hurt, and … something else maybe recognition that their time together was now over. She turned toward Malone as she responded to the group's unspoken questions, "Thank you for taking care of Margaux for me, as she disappeared from me again during the shifting plains. You do not have to look any further for her family, I am her family, actually I am her mother," and with that Marguerite turned with Mari still in her arms in the directions of her bedrooms.
"Oh, Veronica thank you for suggesting the hammock earlier, but we won't need it anymore" Marguerite flipped over her shoulder as an after thought as she proceeded down the stairs to her bedroom, but stopped at the last step to make eye contact with Veronica to convey her gratitude, "and for trying to help me keep my secret for awhile from the others until I was truly ready ..." Then turned quickly to her room, so she did not have to explain further or look into John's eyes anymore, to see his shattered heart in his eyes once more.
Don't think about John, your daughter is home, she's HOME! Oh, God thank you for returning my little girl to me. Oh, how I have missed this, her in my arms, smelling her scent, her head nestled into my neck, and … and … everything else … I don't know what exactly… just this … complete … whole … feeling I am experiencing right now!
Well, it would be a hundred percent better if John was in here too, but you knew he would not want you once he found out. He would not want to be a part of an already made family, so just … NO JUST DON'T THINK ABOUT IT JUST BE HAPPY, PUSH THE SADNESS OF LOOSING JOHN AWAY, AND JUST CONCENTRATE ON YOUR FUTURE WITH MARGAUX AND THE BABY. That's right don't start sobbing, just enjoy the feeling of your daughter back in your arms.
Alright, find somewhere to sit, before you pass out with your daughter still in your arms, especially with her cuddling into you so tightly preventing your oxygen to reach to your lungs. "Margaux, sweetheart you are going to have to loosen up your hold on, mummy, or I am going to pass out soon!" I say in a half joking half choking tone.
As her head pops up from its place on my neck, the impish grin I fondly remember is quickly replaced by one of concern. "Mummy, why are you crying? Did I hurt you to much when I was cuddling you? I didn't mean to hurt you I'm just so excited that I'm with you again!" Her young voice, oh how wonderful it is to hear, and she uses it to comfort me while brushing my tears away with the pads of her little thumbs, oh the wait is finally over!
"No, sweetheart, these are happy tears. I have missed you so … much. You can cuddle with me all you want as long as it doesn't cut of my air supply. Mummy, has missed you so much! Right now you cuddling with me is the best thing for my wounded heart." After Mari had finished wiping Marguerite's tears away, she repositioned herself in the crock of heiress's neck, and comfortably buried herself into her mother again. A yawn soon escaped from Mari, then another, and then another, as mother and daughter continued to embrace each other on the bed. Marguerite began to sway back and forth while softly rubbing her hands up and down her back.
"Margaux, sweetheart before you fall asleep we should really get you dressed into something more comfortable," reluctantly requested Marguerite because she really didn't want to let Mari go at all that night.
"Mummy?" asked Mari as she proceeded to slide off her mothers lap.
"Yes, sweetheart," responded Marguerite as she began to pull out Mari's clothes from the dresser drawer where she placed them earlier that week in hopes that her daughter would return to her soon.
"May I make a request?" Mari softly inquired, not wanting to upset her mother. She learned that her mother could become very defensive, with others while watching her through the looking glass.
Marguerite turned to look at her daughter because her daughter's tone sounded so hesitant and small. The concerned heiress knelt on her knees, took both her daughters hands into her own, and said "Margaux, you can always ask me a question or make a request. Why the worried look, little one?"
"Well, I don't want to … umm … hurt your feelings," replied Mari.
"Sweetheart, I'm sure you wouldn't ever hurt my feelings, or if you did, it's not on purpose." Unless it's to ask why I couldn't get to you and then to tell me you hate me for it.
"Ok … well … could you call me Mari, now, or maybe Shorty? I really like to go by Mari, all my friends call me that," requested Mari, but pushed on once her mother's face distorted a bit and eye brows puckered into an odd expression, "it's just that, Margaux is an older name. I like it a lot, but Mari fits me right now, that's what Bochra says anyway, that it fits my 'spitfire disposition' and that Margaux is more suitable for me when I get older when I won't be as mischievous."
"Mischievous, eh? Alright, I will try to remember to call you Mari, it may take me awhile, so bare with me, ok. Alright, let's get ready for bed so we can cuddle some more under the sheet."