Spellbinder - 2001-05-23
revor's heart skipped a beat at Selene's words...and her hand was so soft and warm as she held his. She thought he was wonderful. And she cared for him. It seemed that the real Selene was being revealed more and more with each passing moment and it warmed the young knight's heart. He could care less about what her father would do. He would take on his whole army for Selene's hand if that was what it took.
Trevor brushed the tear away with a gentle finger and smiled. He tilted his head and regarded Selene with one of his patented devil may care looks and replied, "My dear Selene, have you forgotten that danger is something I live with every day? If I worried about every little bandit, warlord...or angry father, that might threaten me in the course of a day, why, I'd be cowering like a yellow dog and running away with my tail between my legs." He grinned and held a piece of cloth to her cheek, dabbing the tears falling across the smooth perfection of her skin. "Besides, I'm getting a bit fond of rescuing you from villians and high spirited horses. It gives me something to do." He tossed his head and laughed, "Not to mention you may just have to rescue me again! Ha! The Order would love to hear THAT tale!"
His eyes turned serious for a moment as he moved closer to Selene. He gently caressed her still moist cheek as he murmured, "I will not leave you, lovely Selene. I think you are the one who is wonderful. You saved my life and I believe you have stolen my heart somewhere amidst all the action. I could no sooner leave you than I could stop being a knight. Please do not be afraid. I can handle your father, trust me." He leaned close and kissd her soft cheek. She melted into his arms and he held her close.
Yvonne - 2001-05-24
iana loped along the road with typical lupine grace, her paws causing little dust eddies to up and swirl through through the air as she passed. Her twin, Deran, was somewhere behind with her pack and weaponry -- it was her turn to scout ahead and perhaps catch dinner as well.
They didn't know where the road led, or even if it led anywhere, but that didn't really matter. The Llowran pair were highly desirable as mercenaries, and a job would likely come to them instead of the other way around. The Wruria -- humans -- were almost as predatory as the Llowra when it came to business, and since they'd completed their last job they had nothing to do.
Suddenly a flicker of dusky brown caught her eye, and she immediately crouched low on the road, her reddish fur blending in nicely with the reddish dust. It was lucky she'd noticed it when she had ... there was a rabbit crouched in the bushes up ahead. The wind was blowing its scent to her and it was cautious, but not frightened ... not yet. She lay there, waiting, until the rabbit ventured out onto the grassy verge and began to graze, before slowly creeping into the trees to circle around it. The rabbit didn't sense its danger until it was too late, and there was only time for a thin, high pitched scream before Diana broke its neck with a sharp shake of her head.
She put it down and licked her chops free of the tangy blood before scooping up her prize and heading back down the road in the direction she had come to meet her brother.
Amber - 2001-05-25
he smiled through her tears at him, his words even provoking a soft laugh from her. He made her feel so much better, more so than any of the courtiers' unending, repetitious poems and sappy, dissonant songs and fake "love" ever could. Her heart lightened with his words, her fear and anxiety melting away at the gentleness of his speech and his touch. She found, for once, she didn't care anymore what her father would have her do. She didn't want to do what he'd want anymore; she wanted to live her life for once. And she was going to.
Her heart thudded in her chest at his words, more romantic and poetic than she'd ever heard in all of her life. They were enchanting, and she knew that he was right. She would trust him, and when.. if the time came, she'd rather abandon her entire family for him. Home didn't seem quite so wonderful anymore. Not after meeting real people, like Tiel and Trevor, who cared about real things, not superficial things like her parents and their friends.
She realized suddenly just how much these last few days had changed her. When she'd first set out, she'd have scoffed at him, "played" with him and not felt anything... But now, she actually cared, and it was a bit scary, this feeling of vulnerability. She trusted him; it was her father she didn't trust.
She closed her eyes and leaned into his embrace, feeling nothing but his arms around her, like a protective shield against the world that wanted nothing more than to tear them apart, set her back upon her gold tinfoil throne with her invisible puppet strings back. She knew now that she could never, would never go back. Not if it meant losing everything she'd found. Especially Trevor.
"I trust you Trevor." She said softly, smiling now, her tears drying. She was content just to hold him, to stand near him, in his arms, and hear the steady rhythm of his heart.
Finally, reluctantly, their situation set back in and she sighed, lifting her head to look at him. "Trevor.. We need to get as far away from here by sunset as possible. I would like to find Tiel and perhaps Starstruck... And.. I need a bath and a bed." She said, wrinkling her nose, knowing he'd probably get some amusement out of her tidiness. Traipsing around the countryside, along with every trying thing, emotional and physical, made her feel dirty and had exhausted her thoroughly, probably more than she knew. She was still running high on the emotions and the adrenaline from the battle and these revelations, and she knew he must be in the same condition, perhaps a bit worse...
Spellbinder - 2001-05-30
Still wearing the smile he replied, "Thank you, Selene." He then kissed her again, a short kiss which conveyed his passion eloquently, despite its brevity.
Gazing down at her again, he nodded. "Quite right you are. I...." he was about to say he thought that Azari needed to be found as well, but he stopped himself before uttering those words. He marveled at his newfound discretion and wondered if Selene's bearing had something to do with it. Recovering quickly, he improvised. "...I could use some help with my armor, if you do not mind?" He knew he was dodging the issue, but he did not want to spoil the magic that they shared. There would be time later to settle the matter and there was no way he wanted to be caught in the crossfire. Best to let the ladies settle their differences in their own way. He failed to realize that he was the issue which was at the heart of the whole mess.
Laura - 2001-05-31
zari was unable to spend much time consintrating on getting settled in her newly found home. The aching emptyness she felt in her heart for Trevor's sad news disturbed her greatly. She decided to go back to High Tor and visit the Anisley's shop again to see if they have heard of the news.
Yvonne - 2001-06-01
"here to now?"
Deran looked over at his twin and yawned, exposing startlingly white teeth and a pink tounge. She kicked him in the ribs.
"Answer me."
"I don't care. I don't want to go anywhere."
"Mmm." Diana tucked her russet hair behind her ears and leaned forward into the long grass. They lay just out of sight of the road, but the road was quiet enough that they were not disturbed. Dew had made the grass damp and a small fire crackled merrily a few feet away, singing a countermelody to the chorus of crickets that taunted the pair. Finally she rolled onto her back and stared up at the stars. "Maybe ... maybe I don't want to either. Maybe we should go home ...?"
Deran smiled. "With our last commision, that would be welcome. We would be welcomed."
"That is true. I miss our wreshalal. The wruria are grating on my nerves."
"Perhaps tomorrow we shall set out ..."
"Perhaps ..."
Copyright (c) 1999-2001 Abigail Laughlin and the members of the Circle of Stone.