~*~*~*~*~*~
"Do you think it's just a case of 'Queen-envy'?" "I'm sure it's more then that." "Maybe it's a really -severe- case of 'Queen-envy'." Ginnelle Calder smiled smugly. "She's -always- had a severe case of 'Queen-envy', Ginny. At least since she met Fox. The girl is hopeless and clinging to a love that isn't going to ever be returned in the way she wants it to be. It's tragic really. In a way," Dora wrinkled her pert nose and shook her head slightly, waving away Ginny's comment with the flick of her delicate hand. "She's a middle child, raised in a family of elites. She's always put behind the Queen. I think that'd start to get to me too. A little." Dora was standing up for her? Caelan could hardly believe her eyes let alone her ears. It didn't feel real, watching them like this. Dora was sitting at Caelan's small desk, and Ginny had made herself comfortable in the chair across from her. It was Caelan's small room, an office of sorts that she used to help keep track of all the different girls that Janessa and her mother took into their home. All of the different Ladies in Waiting, they seemed to come and go constantly as different girls found young noble men to marry. What was wrong with the four of them that they were still here? Even Jolene had found someone. He was a scoundrel, but she had never been happier. Caelan longed to be that happy. But the room wasn't the same as she remembered it. Her things weren't where she remembered them, and those things decorating it had Dora's touch. What was going on? "Hmph... " Ginny absently tossed a silky dark lock of hair over her shoulder as she lifted her nose. "I still think she needs a good knock upside the head." She was a little bit younger then the rest of the senior Ladies in Waiting, and she could challenge even Dora with her beauty. She was exotic, with gleaming black hair that fell about her shoulders like sheer silk, complimenting the pale blue gown her wore. Her eyes were an odd, beautiful shade of violet, and tilted at the edges. She was half elven, and for a long time ashamed of her heritage for all of the ridicule she withstood as a child. Her long hair often hid her slightly pointed ears. "She's stronger and better then this, and I'm tired of picking up after her." "Ginny... A few extra duties are not going to hurt," Dora's rich red curls shone in the sunlight, framing her perfect, creamy complexion. "It's not like you have anything better to do anyhow." She shifted her petite frame in the padded armchair, crossing her legs as she flipped open a book that Cael didn't recognize, but could guess at what it contained. A roster of sorts that kept organized the different women and what their different duties were. Had Dora taken over her job? "I should think you would be more understanding then that. What with Derek and all," she flickered a glance towards the other woman, a pointed one that caused Ginny to stop still in her seat. She had a habit of fingering the earrings that the Explorer had given her. Ginnelle sighed aloud to hide the blush that was blooming in her cheeks. Her knee bounced as she pointedly looked away from Dora and towards the wall where Caelan was standing. Her eyes seemed to look right through her. "Haven't you given up on him yet? Let it go, Ginny," Dora snapped shut the journal as she pushed back the chair to stand. "Don't critize someone for having a problem that you yourself can't get over." She lectured, sounding far more mature then Cael had ever remembered her. It still shocked her, and it left her stunned into silence to watch the scene unfold before her. It was with serene and calm curiousity that she wondered why they had not seen her yet. She felt light, like she was floating through a dream... but then it all seemed so real. Her eyes wandered to the window, and she noticed now that the season was different. It wasn't thrown open to the summer sun, but shuttered closed against the biting winds of autumn. Bright colored leaves from a branch rustled against the window panes. Had this already happened? Maybe it was... something that was going to happen? "Yes, Dora," Ginny replied grudgingly, muttering beneath her breath. "It could be worse. If Flynn hadn't found her--" "If Flynn hadn't chased her, it wouldn't have happened." "Dora, Flynn stopped her. If he hadn't been there..." "I suppose you're right. I can't believe she put that rope around her own neck!" the red-haired woman shuddered as she tucked the journal under her arm and moved for the door. "At least it's cold enough that the scarf she has to wear to hide it doesn't look that out of place." 'What could have been worse?' she wanted to call out to them but found that her voice wouldn't work. 'What happened?'The room around her seemed to blur. She could still see them talking, but even their voices seemed to fade away and become muted. Ginny was following Dora from the room, and Caelan tried to follow, but her feet wouldn't move. Everything started to swirl around her until darkness began to spread across her vision once more. 'A rope? What was she doing with a rope?!' ~*~*~*~ "Caelan! Caelan, where are you?!" A voice broke into her thoughts and she could feel herself begin to swim back into consciousness. That had felt so real. When did that happen? Where was she now? Was it just a dream? "Caelan!!" "Fox?" her throat cracked as she tried to call out. It was a pitiful sound. Her hand went to her neck, feeling for the marks that her 'dream' had eluded to. "Cael! Answer me!" No... that wasn't Fox. She recognized the voice to know well enough that it wasn't her desired hero. "Help!" she choked, trying to move, "Help, I'm over here!" So dazed was she, that the darkened forest had not yet regained it's grip of fear on her, though she could feel her pulse begin to quicken. "Over here!" "Oh, thank gods!" Flynn had dismounted a short distance back when he had seen Red come running through the trees without her rider. He decided that she must have been spooked and maybe had thrown Cael, and he didn't want to take any chances. Having loosely tied his own stallion to a branch, he rushed forwards towards the sound of her voice. "Cael! Are you alright?!" "I'm over here!" she coughed. She'd fallen in a bed of dried, dead leaves. She didn't want to think of all the things that could be crawling on her. Instead she worried about light. The leaves had fallen enough away that she could just barely make out the moonlight peeking through the branches above, and it gave her just enough hope to start slowing her anxious, panicked heart. Flynn darted towards her, and fell onto his knees when he reached her. "Are you alright? I saw that your mare bolted, and I was afraid that she'd tossed you. Can you move?" he was pulling leaves off from on top of her as he continued to babble, the worry obvious in his tone. "Did you break anything? Are you bleeding?" "No... no, I can move. I didn't break anything... and I'm not bleeding. ... I don't think," she was positioning her arms beneath her so that she could push herself upright to sit. The ground was moist beneath her, and her nose wrinkled in disgust. "I think I just twisted my ankle. That's all.." She didn't feel the warm blood on her elbow as she was so flushed and warm. "Cripes... You scared me, Cael," Flynn fell back onto his heels as he looked at her, obviously trying to get a reign on his own emotions. "Don't do that!" "Don't do that?!" she started in on him immediatly. "You're the fool who goes where he isn't wanted! I told you I didn't want you to follow me!" Oh, did he ever aggrivate her. Why didn't he pester Ginny? He wouldn't have a hard time getting her under the sheets. "Hey! If I hadn't followed you, you would be stuck here now," he grumbled, knowing of his error, but having too much pride to fess up to it. He leaned over her once more, "Is it the right, or left?" With none too careful hands, he pulled away the rest of the leaves covering her legs. "Ow!" she cried quietly, gritting her teeth in determination. If she didn't need him to get back to the castle, she would wish that she had something to knock him upside the head with. "Left," she grumbled. He poked and prodded at the swollen ankle with more gentleness then she had expected, but nonetheless she had to bite her lip and look away. "Good..." he muttered quietly, "It's not broken. Can I help you up? We'll take my horse for now. We should get you back to the castle soon, people might start looking." "I doubt it," she mumbled as she put her arm around his shoulders, taking his hand as he began to help her stand. ~*~*~*~*~*~ Sarah -- To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Archives & Other DMI Lists: http://islesofmyst.com/lists.php3
