(Just something quick and lighthearted to offset my mood as of late. It's been a hard time lately, and I apologize to those that I said I would be around to, but wasn't.)
~*~*~*~*~*~ It was a beautiful night. The moon was full and cast the castle's garden's in it's bright, pale glow. Flowers were blooming everywhere, bursting in vibrant colors of every shade imaginable. The gardeners had outdone themselves, limestone paths wound around sloping hills of flowers, and plants, leading the eye constantly ahead to the next focal point, the joining of paths where maybe a fountain gurgled or a graceful statue stretched towards the sky. The courtyard was alive with life, even at the late hour. Even the stone walls of the castle climbed with green living vines. ~plink~ One such young man was wandering the gardens, the sounds of crickets music to his ears. His heart was light and there was a grin tugged upon his lips. His elite uniform nearly blended into the evergreen bushes around him, his mussed, dark blonde hair a contrast to a black jacket with a banded collar decorated with the Queen's stag's head. He wore the jacket casually open as his shift was over, and his bow still hung askew of one broad shoulder. ~plink~ "Oh... get up already," he grumbled to himself, though still he smiled, mischief glinting in his hazel eyes. He bent to retrieve another pebble, and flicked it up at the second story window above. ~plink~ He held his breath as he could see the curtain flutter behind the arched, gilded window as someone fumbled with the latch. It was finally pressed open and he could see the slender, graceful shape of a female, her narrow waist leading his eye up to a wonderful bosom. Her pale skin glowing in the moonlight against the dark filmy silk of her night gown. He swallowed thickly as his eyes lingered upon those shadowed recesses of her chest. "Wrong window, Flynn," a sleepy, almost gravely voice spoke in an irritated grumble. The young recruit's eyes snapped up from the woman's chest to see Dora Beale in all of her not so wonderous glory. Dora who was, during the day, beautiful. A pampered swan that other women envied and men desired. With rich gleaming red curls that brushed her pale milky skin, full lush lips, and large gleaming green eyes. This evening there was hardly a hint of all of that beauty. Flynn's brows furrowed, and his nose wrinkled. Strands of her hair poked out from beneath a cloth cap, and some sort of mask was lifted onto her forehead. Worst of all, Dora had some sort of green mud caked over her chin and cheeks and nose. "What the hell happened to you? Does Liam know about this?" Flynn gasped in mock concern and horror. "We're here to protect you too, you know... Give a hollar the next time last month's leftovers attack you." He shifted the long bow upon his shoulder and then raked a hand though his mussed hair as she made the most offending signal with her fingers and then slammed shut her window. "A good evening to you as well," he muttered with a mock salute before picking his way out of the bushes. As he backed up he recounted the number of windows from the perpendicular wall of the courtyard and shook his head ruefully. Only off by two. He must be more nervous then he realized. He tossed a small pebble from his hand and snatched it out of the air. He wondered if she knew what kind of an effect she had on him as he approached what he hoped was the correct window. ~plink~ He shifted his feet, the dry brush beneath him crackling and breaking the endless drone of the crickets. ~plink~ Maybe there was something else he could do to wake her up. Maybe just a slightly larger stone... but he didn't want to break her window. As he felt the ground around him for his next pebble, he tossed the one in his hand. "Ow!" "Oh, gods! Cael, I'm sorry!" he shot upright, jumping from his crouch in the bushes. "What in the nine hells are you doing!?" He was starting to get used to this. "I'm so sorry, Cael," he spoke sincerely, inwardly kicking himself for his foolishness. How could he be so stupid!? But he didn't regret it. He didn't regret any moment with her... and already he could feel his heart skip at the sight of her. Her dark hair shone against the pale gown she wore. He never realized how long it was for how she had taken to wearing it fastened atop her head. It fell in loose waves and ripples past her shoulders from the way it had been twisted and pinned. It was just tousled enough from sleep that he instantly had the desire to run his fingers through the thick locks. "It's late, Flynn," she spoke, rubbing at her brow from where he must have struck her. "Come take a walk with me," he replied quickly, his voice husky and low, a deep purr just loud enough for her to hear. "Now?" Her blue eyes, wide with disbelief, shone with silver from the moon. "What better a time? It's a beautiful night..." he trailed off, watching her. She wasn't at all like Dora. She wasn't beautiful from odd rituals or hours of work. It was her natural beauty that attracted him. And the way she held herself, confident in who she was and not trying to earn anyone's approval. ... Except for Fox's. "I'm off duty," he added, "And you know I would love to spend the time with you." He really envied the other man, and wondered how he couldn't see what was right before his nose. "It's late, Flynn," she repeated in her wonderfully groggy voice. She looked so sweet in her sleeping gown. He would have taken her for the best dinner he could afford if he had been in that bachelor's auction. He thought much less of Fox now then ever after learning that he had done nothing. "I promise it'll be worth your while," he gave her his most handsome, charming grin. A rogish bright smile that had earned a kiss or two in his past. "Go away, Flynn," she never held back, did she? Spoke just what was on her mind. "Aww... Please, Cael?" he still smiled. "I'm going back to sleep." And that was that. The young guard's broad shoulders slumped with his rejected sigh as the window closed and the latch clicked. Another time. He would find himself something to drink, and ponder his next approach. ~*~*~*~*~ Sarah _________________________________________________________________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com -- To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Archives & Other DMI Lists: http://islesofmyst.com/lists.php3
