On Twilight Isle
The air hummed with voices of conversation and laughter when Topaz arrived on the isle that evening. Already two duels of magic were in progress and everyone there appeared to be in a good mood. The overall impression Topaz had was one of mild exhilaration. Even the goblins appeared to be in an above average wanting-to-please and giggly mood.
“Good evening Topaz.” Azjah was the first to have seen her. Topaz returned her greeting with a wide smile and proceeded to greet her other friends. Even though she could not see him, she felt Lucien’s presence, and that had nothing to do with her shielded senses or any magical influence.
“Good luck.” Topaz called to Azjah when she heard that Azjah was called to a ring. Topaz watched the duels for a while and enjoyed a cup of chocolate coffee. It had been very nice of Mory and ever so thoughtful to provide the goblins with the kind of coffee she liked best.
“Evening, Topaz.” Rena was sitting by herself. Good, the fairy thought, she’d been wanting to talk to her, and walked over to where she was sitting and joined her.
“Good evening Rena,” she returned the greeting with a smile, “How are you doing?” As usual, Rena avoided the question and instead invited Topaz to confide what she might.
“I’m waiting for tomorrow evening to hurry up and get here.” Took her up on the invitation in a confiding near whisper. “Lucien's supposed to be having the day off.” She hoped that was still true. “Yes, I think things are going well, too.” They certainly were, but Topaz was not immune to the little uncertainties that plaque most everyone when falling in love. “Most of the time anyway. When I'm not scared out of my mind. Good thing those moments never last long.” Rena agreed, and Topaz quickly changed the subject. “I heard you've challenged Tass.”
The change of subject had worked. Rena’s impeding challenge remained the conversation topic even after Azjah and Mory had finished their duels and joined them for a while. Topaz found her gaze drawn to a spot just behind Azjah more than once. Was that were Lucien was standing? She couldn’t be sure. Topaz only half-listened to the continuing conversation.
“Topaz, are you okay?” Rena asked into Topaz’s thoughts.
“Mmm? Yes, I'm okay. With a tendency for day-dreaming these days, sorry.” Topaz firmly pushed any thoughts of Lucien away.
“Nothing wrong with that, Topaz. And I take it your business went well last night?”
“Business?” Topaz tried to remember what business she was tending to the previous evening. “Retired Etherean, watched Jal officiate, went to sleep early.”
“Not you, Topaz...him.” Rena pointed to Mory. “Etherean retired?”
“Yes, after ten years of officiating, and he wouldn't even let me throw him a party or announce it on the boards. Rather sad, that.” That had gotten most everyone’s attention. No one seemed to like the news of Etherean’s retirement or the quiet way in which he had wished to go about it.
Discoveries
Moderator: Azjah von Drachen Walde
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Topaz
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Lucien had picked just that moment to fade into visibility, Topaz noticed with a welcoming smile and went to greet him, enjoying the way he had to appear to have eyes only for her. That was a far better compliment than anything he could have put into words, she thought.
“I did not mean to intrude.” She guessed that wasn’t what had kept him from showing himself any earlier.
“You are not.” The look with which he regarded her was searching for something.
“You left Rena.” He could just read her thoughts from her mind; she certainly wasn’t shielding her thoughts from him. But obviously he wasn’t doing so. Perhaps he was referring to that.
“Yes. Would you like an introduction?”
“If you would like.” Now his obsidian gaze slid between herself and Rena.
“I'd like for you to meet my friends. I'd also like to have you to myself.” If he wasn’t going to read her mind, she’d just have to think out loud more.
“As you like.” He motioned for her to precede him. But Topaz would have none of that and instead took his arm.
“Oh, come along. I'll introduce you.” He gave her a startled look, but did come along.
“Rena, I would like for you to meet a very special man. This is Lucien. Lucien, meet my friend and very good student, former Overlord and Baroness to be, Rena.”
Topaz watched Lucien as he bowed formally with a pleased smile and let go of his arm. “Good evening Rena. That is quite an introduction.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Lucien.” Rena extended her hand his way.
“You are a student of Topaz's?” Topaz didn’t like seeing him brush his lips across Rena’s knuckles at all.
“Yes, I am.” Rena turned in her seat and introduced Lucien to Mory. “I would like to introduce you to Moyrloch Silverwing. Mory, Lucien.”
Her timing could not have been to Mory’s liking; he had a mouth full of sausage and was in a hurry to rectify the situation. “Mory is also a good friend. We battled a picnic basket monster together.” Topaz sought to give him an extra moment to swallow.
“Och, pardon me.” The two men shook hands. “Pleased tae meet ye, lad.” A moment later everyone was seated, Lucien had slipped his arm around Topaz’s waist and she was leaning comfortable against him.
“You were correct again. The poem did have some answers. Thank you.” Topaz offered just as Lucien was waving over one of the goblins.
Topaz tried to listen to the conversation but they spoke too quietly for her to be able to make out the words. When his business with the goblin was done, he replied. “Your choice in poetry is telling Topaz.” His remark sparked her curiosity, but the goblin already returned with Lucien’s order; beer for Rena, and a glass of wine for Topaz.
The wine had a rich, golden color. The color and almost the syrupy consistency of the wine told Topaz it was of the very best even before Lucien commented, “Coffee is not as enjoyable as a fine white dessert wine.”
The fairy beamed a smile to him as she accepted the glass. “How did you guess? Would you like to test the bouquet?” He did.
“It should be a good year.” He returned the glass.
“I will let you know in a moment.” Topaz took a slow sip, then another smaller one, and generally took her time about making up her mind as to just how good a year it might be. At length she turned her light blue gaze up to Lucien and waited until it was answered by Lucien’s midnight colored one. “It is indeed a very good year, and getting better. The wine's very good too.”
“Nae t' steal ye away from company an' such, bu' I believe I owe ye dinner somewhere private? Away from th' noises.” Topaz overheard Mory invite Rena. Perhaps Jal had seen something she herself had missed when she’d assumed a few days ago that were already going out together. Then again …
“And I thought we were talking about the wine.” He replied with a small smile.
“I thought we were talking about layers.” Answered with a flirtatious wink.
“I did not mean to intrude.” She guessed that wasn’t what had kept him from showing himself any earlier.
“You are not.” The look with which he regarded her was searching for something.
“You left Rena.” He could just read her thoughts from her mind; she certainly wasn’t shielding her thoughts from him. But obviously he wasn’t doing so. Perhaps he was referring to that.
“Yes. Would you like an introduction?”
“If you would like.” Now his obsidian gaze slid between herself and Rena.
“I'd like for you to meet my friends. I'd also like to have you to myself.” If he wasn’t going to read her mind, she’d just have to think out loud more.
“As you like.” He motioned for her to precede him. But Topaz would have none of that and instead took his arm.
“Oh, come along. I'll introduce you.” He gave her a startled look, but did come along.
“Rena, I would like for you to meet a very special man. This is Lucien. Lucien, meet my friend and very good student, former Overlord and Baroness to be, Rena.”
Topaz watched Lucien as he bowed formally with a pleased smile and let go of his arm. “Good evening Rena. That is quite an introduction.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Lucien.” Rena extended her hand his way.
“You are a student of Topaz's?” Topaz didn’t like seeing him brush his lips across Rena’s knuckles at all.
“Yes, I am.” Rena turned in her seat and introduced Lucien to Mory. “I would like to introduce you to Moyrloch Silverwing. Mory, Lucien.”
Her timing could not have been to Mory’s liking; he had a mouth full of sausage and was in a hurry to rectify the situation. “Mory is also a good friend. We battled a picnic basket monster together.” Topaz sought to give him an extra moment to swallow.
“Och, pardon me.” The two men shook hands. “Pleased tae meet ye, lad.” A moment later everyone was seated, Lucien had slipped his arm around Topaz’s waist and she was leaning comfortable against him.
“You were correct again. The poem did have some answers. Thank you.” Topaz offered just as Lucien was waving over one of the goblins.
Topaz tried to listen to the conversation but they spoke too quietly for her to be able to make out the words. When his business with the goblin was done, he replied. “Your choice in poetry is telling Topaz.” His remark sparked her curiosity, but the goblin already returned with Lucien’s order; beer for Rena, and a glass of wine for Topaz.
The wine had a rich, golden color. The color and almost the syrupy consistency of the wine told Topaz it was of the very best even before Lucien commented, “Coffee is not as enjoyable as a fine white dessert wine.”
The fairy beamed a smile to him as she accepted the glass. “How did you guess? Would you like to test the bouquet?” He did.
“It should be a good year.” He returned the glass.
“I will let you know in a moment.” Topaz took a slow sip, then another smaller one, and generally took her time about making up her mind as to just how good a year it might be. At length she turned her light blue gaze up to Lucien and waited until it was answered by Lucien’s midnight colored one. “It is indeed a very good year, and getting better. The wine's very good too.”
“Nae t' steal ye away from company an' such, bu' I believe I owe ye dinner somewhere private? Away from th' noises.” Topaz overheard Mory invite Rena. Perhaps Jal had seen something she herself had missed when she’d assumed a few days ago that were already going out together. Then again …
“And I thought we were talking about the wine.” He replied with a small smile.
“I thought we were talking about layers.” Answered with a flirtatious wink.
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Topaz
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“Ah yes. The complex ambiance.” There certainly were a lot of those and Topaz suspected that there was a lot on his mind he wasn’t saying.
“I am glad you decided to show yourself.” Topaz remarked just before wishing Rena and Mory fare well. They were ready to leave for dinner.
“How could have denied your wish?” He said once they were seated again. But he had already told her he wasn’t peeking into her mind.
“I was wishing, wasn't I? The magic must have been staying then.” His dark eyes gave away nothing. “I'm glad they did.”
“They seem not to mind going to ground.” Topaz took that for a positive sign and again leaned against him.
“How have you been since the desert? I'm sorry I fell asleep.” She wondered at the flutter in her belly as he slid his fingers through her hair and tilted her face up to him. “Is it possible that anything will keep you tomorrow?”
Topaz wondered if he had heard her question and waved a greeting to the Arch mage who had just arrived, when Lucien inquired, “Will you be there?” At her positive reply he added, “Then it will be a fine evening.”
But the dark clouds forming over the rings kept Topaz from enjoying his words as much as she might have. They worried her. She had paid little heed to what Azjah was doing, but obviously Lucien wasn’t neglecting his duties, no matter how much it appeared that his attention was on Topaz alone. Though she admired his skills, she didn’t like this. She didn’t believe the deliberately innocent look he was giving her either as lightning ripped earthward from the largest of the clouds, almost striking Brigath.
“What time shall I come for you?” Though the clouds did not disappear, she was happy to let him know that she would be there by late afternoon. “I will join you then as soon as possible.” His answer suited her well, she thought as she picked up the glass.
“This is acceptable then?” He gave her a fanged smile as he indicated the wine.
Topaz took a sip before nodding, “More than just acceptable. Thank you very much.”
She was mesmerized when he reached over and touched his fingertip to the wine’s surface, and then traced her lips. “Good.” He said out loud what she was thinking. She licked the wine from her lips, still tingling from his touch.
“I have a view of all the towers from the Citadel. Why do you think Topaz wants it so bad?” Topaz blushed. It took her half a moment to realize that Will was talking about the citadel rather than commenting on her private thoughts. And there was that rolling thunder again. Topaz almost groaned. What had Brigath done now? But Lucien wasn’t looking at Brigath, he was looking at Will.
“The citadel is indeed a fine place.” She could breathe again. This man had way too much an effect on her. She whispered “You should do that again sometime more private.” Then continued in a more normal voice. “I'd love to be able to call it mine again for a while.”
“Then why do you not take it back?” He wanted to know and also promised he’d bring a bottle of that wine with him tomorrow.
“I've been trying. But Will keeps winning whenever I finally get far enough to challenge him. I can only beat him when he's having a bad day. A whole bottle? You would not try to make me tipsy, would you?”
“Are you subject to such?” She was, but not from just one bottle of wine, no matter how heady a wine it was. Not that he’d need wine, his caresses were plenty enough to make her feel light-headed.
Topaz enjoyed the light-hearted banter back and forth that followed. Until he asked if he should bring anything else, food perhaps. That question sent a warm shiver down her spine and brought the butterflies back to fluttering in an instant. She’d not had dinner yet, either. “You are making hungry.”
“You have made me hungry for days.” He looked hungry, too, she thought, or at least the way he looked at her was and she wasn’t at all sure if she should like that or not.
“Oh, look, Azjah is dueling again.” But she kept her eyes on him.
Lucien in turn leaned in closer and she felt his teeth graze her throat. “You have. Very.”
Her heart skipped a beat. She kept her mouth firmly shut to prevent herself from saying something else extremely stupid that he would only be mistaking for a further challenge, and tried hard to keep from melting entirely. She reached for the glass again and took a sip. That did not make for any kind of protection from his charms, though, especially not when he brushed his fingertips along the lower edge of her already quivering wings. She kept the glass in her hand.
“You seem at a loss for words.” Speechless was not usually a word used to describe the fairy, but it would have fitted now.
There was a lot she wanted to say, but not here. “And I wasn't even cold to begin with.”
He took the glass from her hand. “Tell me about where we are going tomorrow then.”
That she could do. “Deep into Darkenwood Forest. To lake with a mossy beach, an old willow and a little waterfall.” She took a deep breath, and tried to see her forest the way he might. “No people, fae or otherwise.” She answered his question of who else might be there before describing the place further, “Not even any of the larger game. But you will find fae magic in abundance there. It can look and feel very beautiful, it should do so even gray in gray.” He gave a shrug. “Most of the time the water is smooth, not unlike the dance floor you made for us, twinkling the stars back at the sky.” She smiled. “I am sure you will like the willow, too. She sounds like she's whispering in a strange soft language, even when there isn't a breeze to move her leaves. I like listening her and the waterfall talk with ach other, even if I can't make out a single word.”
“I am glad you decided to show yourself.” Topaz remarked just before wishing Rena and Mory fare well. They were ready to leave for dinner.
“How could have denied your wish?” He said once they were seated again. But he had already told her he wasn’t peeking into her mind.
“I was wishing, wasn't I? The magic must have been staying then.” His dark eyes gave away nothing. “I'm glad they did.”
“They seem not to mind going to ground.” Topaz took that for a positive sign and again leaned against him.
“How have you been since the desert? I'm sorry I fell asleep.” She wondered at the flutter in her belly as he slid his fingers through her hair and tilted her face up to him. “Is it possible that anything will keep you tomorrow?”
Topaz wondered if he had heard her question and waved a greeting to the Arch mage who had just arrived, when Lucien inquired, “Will you be there?” At her positive reply he added, “Then it will be a fine evening.”
But the dark clouds forming over the rings kept Topaz from enjoying his words as much as she might have. They worried her. She had paid little heed to what Azjah was doing, but obviously Lucien wasn’t neglecting his duties, no matter how much it appeared that his attention was on Topaz alone. Though she admired his skills, she didn’t like this. She didn’t believe the deliberately innocent look he was giving her either as lightning ripped earthward from the largest of the clouds, almost striking Brigath.
“What time shall I come for you?” Though the clouds did not disappear, she was happy to let him know that she would be there by late afternoon. “I will join you then as soon as possible.” His answer suited her well, she thought as she picked up the glass.
“This is acceptable then?” He gave her a fanged smile as he indicated the wine.
Topaz took a sip before nodding, “More than just acceptable. Thank you very much.”
She was mesmerized when he reached over and touched his fingertip to the wine’s surface, and then traced her lips. “Good.” He said out loud what she was thinking. She licked the wine from her lips, still tingling from his touch.
“I have a view of all the towers from the Citadel. Why do you think Topaz wants it so bad?” Topaz blushed. It took her half a moment to realize that Will was talking about the citadel rather than commenting on her private thoughts. And there was that rolling thunder again. Topaz almost groaned. What had Brigath done now? But Lucien wasn’t looking at Brigath, he was looking at Will.
“The citadel is indeed a fine place.” She could breathe again. This man had way too much an effect on her. She whispered “You should do that again sometime more private.” Then continued in a more normal voice. “I'd love to be able to call it mine again for a while.”
“Then why do you not take it back?” He wanted to know and also promised he’d bring a bottle of that wine with him tomorrow.
“I've been trying. But Will keeps winning whenever I finally get far enough to challenge him. I can only beat him when he's having a bad day. A whole bottle? You would not try to make me tipsy, would you?”
“Are you subject to such?” She was, but not from just one bottle of wine, no matter how heady a wine it was. Not that he’d need wine, his caresses were plenty enough to make her feel light-headed.
Topaz enjoyed the light-hearted banter back and forth that followed. Until he asked if he should bring anything else, food perhaps. That question sent a warm shiver down her spine and brought the butterflies back to fluttering in an instant. She’d not had dinner yet, either. “You are making hungry.”
“You have made me hungry for days.” He looked hungry, too, she thought, or at least the way he looked at her was and she wasn’t at all sure if she should like that or not.
“Oh, look, Azjah is dueling again.” But she kept her eyes on him.
Lucien in turn leaned in closer and she felt his teeth graze her throat. “You have. Very.”
Her heart skipped a beat. She kept her mouth firmly shut to prevent herself from saying something else extremely stupid that he would only be mistaking for a further challenge, and tried hard to keep from melting entirely. She reached for the glass again and took a sip. That did not make for any kind of protection from his charms, though, especially not when he brushed his fingertips along the lower edge of her already quivering wings. She kept the glass in her hand.
“You seem at a loss for words.” Speechless was not usually a word used to describe the fairy, but it would have fitted now.
There was a lot she wanted to say, but not here. “And I wasn't even cold to begin with.”
He took the glass from her hand. “Tell me about where we are going tomorrow then.”
That she could do. “Deep into Darkenwood Forest. To lake with a mossy beach, an old willow and a little waterfall.” She took a deep breath, and tried to see her forest the way he might. “No people, fae or otherwise.” She answered his question of who else might be there before describing the place further, “Not even any of the larger game. But you will find fae magic in abundance there. It can look and feel very beautiful, it should do so even gray in gray.” He gave a shrug. “Most of the time the water is smooth, not unlike the dance floor you made for us, twinkling the stars back at the sky.” She smiled. “I am sure you will like the willow, too. She sounds like she's whispering in a strange soft language, even when there isn't a breeze to move her leaves. I like listening her and the waterfall talk with ach other, even if I can't make out a single word.”
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Topaz
- Legendary Adventurer
- Posts: 1283
- Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2004 5:31 pm
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“The old willows sing with or without a breeze. They can lull you to sleep if you let them.” Topaz had allowed the old tree to do just that many times in the past. View people could comprehend why she would prefer to stay in the forest to sleeping in a soft bed. Lucien sounded like he might.
“What do you intend to do with that glass?” He was still holding it when she asked but quickly set it down onto the table now.
He kept his idea a secret with a low velvet laugh. “Nothing in public.”
“You know, I'll be wondering about for quite some time.” Topaz tried to make light of his reply that wonder had its appeal. “It might even keep you from growling like rolling thunder.” Lucien glanced up at the dark cloud that hovered over the rings. “Of course, now reminded you that you may have wanted to do that. But the temptation to tease you was just too - well, too tempting.” She chuckled softly.
“I can pinpoint hit most anything with lightening, would you like a demonstration?” That truly was not necessary, she had seen the earlier demonstration for Brigath’s benefit and she well remembered the lightning strike a few days ago when he had tried to keep her from wandering off too far along with his use of them when they had battled the liches. She let him know that much with a smile as sweet as sugar.
He accused her of not liking lightening, and though that was certainly true of lightning close by, that wasn’t the entire truth. “It is not that I do not like it at all. I very much dislike anyone or thing getting hurt by it by accident though. I have a very high respect for it. And it does come in handy in your line of work. I also do enjoy watching a good lightening show, so long as it is off in the distance.”
“We should take you flying into such a storm.” Lucien suggested.
“Into?” Topaz considered that a very bad idea. “I have no death wish stashed away anywhere.”
“As mist, you will revel in the power of the storm.” He persisted.
“Unlike what some may believe, I can't be mist.” And she very much doubted that she would revel in any kind of power.
“Yes you can, with me to guide you.” Lucien was not going to give up on the idea.
“Really?” Perhaps the experience wouldn’t be all bad. Swirling like the mist over the lake certainly was appealing to her. “I might like swirling through a tree like mist, then.”
“Think of the power of the storm, the raw energy and what it would be like to become a part of it.” That, however, had no appeal at all to her. But Lucien appeared as excited about it as she had ever seen him be about anything.
“I've been in the presence of raw power before. It wasn't all good and rather overwhelming. But I can see what of it appeals to you.” He handled a lot of power every day, and practiced restraint in its use. Yes, he certainly would love to move around in unbridled raw power.
“I wasn't all good and I was rather overwhelming? I don't know how I should feel about that, Topaz.” Will’s comment offered way too many suggestions, and all of them wrong.
“Not you, Will.” She chuckled. “And you ought to feel neutral about that.” Will might wield a lot of power, but he was no god that could create or destroy worlds with a single thought.
“He needs to be very neutral about it.” Lucien’s quiet words sounded almost like a hiss.
“He is just teasing. We're on the same dueling team. Is there dueling in your world, Lucien?”
“No.”
“But you do know how to wield a blade.” It wasn’t a question. She had seen him in action with a blade. “It might be fun to have you as a sparing partner for practice. I might be able to learn a new trick or two from you.” They talked about dueling and weapons for a while, a fairly save topic, Topaz found.
Azjah informed Lucien that she was going home. Lucien promptly rose to leave, but took the time to bow over Topaz’s hand. “I must say good night.”
She would have to ask him why he so doggedly pursued this notion that he was Azjah’s body guard. She suspected there was more to it than Azjah having helped his prince with some research in the past. “Have a good night, Lucien.” Topaz doubted that he noticed the missing smile, he was gone so fast.
“What do you intend to do with that glass?” He was still holding it when she asked but quickly set it down onto the table now.
He kept his idea a secret with a low velvet laugh. “Nothing in public.”
“You know, I'll be wondering about for quite some time.” Topaz tried to make light of his reply that wonder had its appeal. “It might even keep you from growling like rolling thunder.” Lucien glanced up at the dark cloud that hovered over the rings. “Of course, now reminded you that you may have wanted to do that. But the temptation to tease you was just too - well, too tempting.” She chuckled softly.
“I can pinpoint hit most anything with lightening, would you like a demonstration?” That truly was not necessary, she had seen the earlier demonstration for Brigath’s benefit and she well remembered the lightning strike a few days ago when he had tried to keep her from wandering off too far along with his use of them when they had battled the liches. She let him know that much with a smile as sweet as sugar.
He accused her of not liking lightening, and though that was certainly true of lightning close by, that wasn’t the entire truth. “It is not that I do not like it at all. I very much dislike anyone or thing getting hurt by it by accident though. I have a very high respect for it. And it does come in handy in your line of work. I also do enjoy watching a good lightening show, so long as it is off in the distance.”
“We should take you flying into such a storm.” Lucien suggested.
“Into?” Topaz considered that a very bad idea. “I have no death wish stashed away anywhere.”
“As mist, you will revel in the power of the storm.” He persisted.
“Unlike what some may believe, I can't be mist.” And she very much doubted that she would revel in any kind of power.
“Yes you can, with me to guide you.” Lucien was not going to give up on the idea.
“Really?” Perhaps the experience wouldn’t be all bad. Swirling like the mist over the lake certainly was appealing to her. “I might like swirling through a tree like mist, then.”
“Think of the power of the storm, the raw energy and what it would be like to become a part of it.” That, however, had no appeal at all to her. But Lucien appeared as excited about it as she had ever seen him be about anything.
“I've been in the presence of raw power before. It wasn't all good and rather overwhelming. But I can see what of it appeals to you.” He handled a lot of power every day, and practiced restraint in its use. Yes, he certainly would love to move around in unbridled raw power.
“I wasn't all good and I was rather overwhelming? I don't know how I should feel about that, Topaz.” Will’s comment offered way too many suggestions, and all of them wrong.
“Not you, Will.” She chuckled. “And you ought to feel neutral about that.” Will might wield a lot of power, but he was no god that could create or destroy worlds with a single thought.
“He needs to be very neutral about it.” Lucien’s quiet words sounded almost like a hiss.
“He is just teasing. We're on the same dueling team. Is there dueling in your world, Lucien?”
“No.”
“But you do know how to wield a blade.” It wasn’t a question. She had seen him in action with a blade. “It might be fun to have you as a sparing partner for practice. I might be able to learn a new trick or two from you.” They talked about dueling and weapons for a while, a fairly save topic, Topaz found.
Azjah informed Lucien that she was going home. Lucien promptly rose to leave, but took the time to bow over Topaz’s hand. “I must say good night.”
She would have to ask him why he so doggedly pursued this notion that he was Azjah’s body guard. She suspected there was more to it than Azjah having helped his prince with some research in the past. “Have a good night, Lucien.” Topaz doubted that he noticed the missing smile, he was gone so fast.
He had faded into substance at the softly whispered wish of his Faerie. She had looked practically right at him, even though he knew she could not possibly have seen him. But, her smile was welcoming as she spotted him, and she rose to move toward him.
He greeted her semi-formally. Using her first name, but not reaching out to touch her in public. Not yet. He had no outward claim on her, and it would be inappropriate to make such a move at this time.
She excused herself from Rena, whom she had been conversing with for the last few minutes, and he had noticed that he had intruded on her conversation. He then apologized for the intrusion, but she assured him that he was not intruding. He looked between Topaz and Rena, “You left Rena.” It was a simply put observation of fact.
She smiled up at him from close proximity, but she had not reached out and touched him either. “Yes, would you like an introduction?” Where upon she took his arm and led him back to where she had left Rena. En route she told him that she would like him to meet her friends, but conversely, she wanted him all to herself. It was a conundrum.
‘Rena, I would like for you to meet a very special man. This is Lucien.” She smiled and then turned to him, “Lucien, meet my friend and very good student, former Overlord and Baroness to be, Rena.”
He bowed formally to her, “Good evening Rena. That is quite an introduction.” His manner was formal and courteous, but his eyes slid back to Topaz as soon as propriety was met.
Rena chuckled softly, “A pleasure to meet you Lucien.” She extended her hand, and as Topaz released his arm, he took Rena’s offered hand, bowing once more over her hand and brushed a quick, light kiss across her knuckles. “You are a student of Topaz’s?”
She nodded, and looked at Topaz, “And Topaz likes to overdo things… at times.” She then took the opportunity to introduce the tall Scot known as Moyrloch Silverwing. They sat companionably for a while, the talk covering Rena’s accomplishments in the rings, and her pending challenge. He learned that Topaz had battled something she’d called a picnic basket monster with the Scot, and he made a note to inquire about that later.
As the atmosphere relaxed somewhat, he sat beside Topaz, slipping an arm around her waist, and brushing the lower edge of her wings on purpose. He enjoyed the slight tremble his touch elicited on the sensitive wings. She in turn seemed to enjoy his proximity and leaned against him.
A goblin caught sight of Lucien’s summons, and came running. The Carpathian then asked Rena if she enjoyed scotch, or another beverage. When he learned she preferred beer or water, he spoke softly to the goblin, sending him scurrying off for the order.
He greeted her semi-formally. Using her first name, but not reaching out to touch her in public. Not yet. He had no outward claim on her, and it would be inappropriate to make such a move at this time.
She excused herself from Rena, whom she had been conversing with for the last few minutes, and he had noticed that he had intruded on her conversation. He then apologized for the intrusion, but she assured him that he was not intruding. He looked between Topaz and Rena, “You left Rena.” It was a simply put observation of fact.
She smiled up at him from close proximity, but she had not reached out and touched him either. “Yes, would you like an introduction?” Where upon she took his arm and led him back to where she had left Rena. En route she told him that she would like him to meet her friends, but conversely, she wanted him all to herself. It was a conundrum.
‘Rena, I would like for you to meet a very special man. This is Lucien.” She smiled and then turned to him, “Lucien, meet my friend and very good student, former Overlord and Baroness to be, Rena.”
He bowed formally to her, “Good evening Rena. That is quite an introduction.” His manner was formal and courteous, but his eyes slid back to Topaz as soon as propriety was met.
Rena chuckled softly, “A pleasure to meet you Lucien.” She extended her hand, and as Topaz released his arm, he took Rena’s offered hand, bowing once more over her hand and brushed a quick, light kiss across her knuckles. “You are a student of Topaz’s?”
She nodded, and looked at Topaz, “And Topaz likes to overdo things… at times.” She then took the opportunity to introduce the tall Scot known as Moyrloch Silverwing. They sat companionably for a while, the talk covering Rena’s accomplishments in the rings, and her pending challenge. He learned that Topaz had battled something she’d called a picnic basket monster with the Scot, and he made a note to inquire about that later.
As the atmosphere relaxed somewhat, he sat beside Topaz, slipping an arm around her waist, and brushing the lower edge of her wings on purpose. He enjoyed the slight tremble his touch elicited on the sensitive wings. She in turn seemed to enjoy his proximity and leaned against him.
A goblin caught sight of Lucien’s summons, and came running. The Carpathian then asked Rena if she enjoyed scotch, or another beverage. When he learned she preferred beer or water, he spoke softly to the goblin, sending him scurrying off for the order.
They talked about Topaz’s poem regarding the lake, and how it impacted both of them. The goblin returned with a fresh glass of beer for Rena, and a glass of trocken beerenauslese for Topaz. The sweet white wine was the perfect dessert, and she seemed delighted with his selection. She lifted the glass and breathed in its aroma, “mmm, good.” She then offered him the glass, “would you like to test the bouquet?”
He took the stemmed glass from her, swirled the wine a moment before savoring the aroma, “It should be a good year.” And then he handed it back to her without taking a sip of the wine.
She gave him a smile, “I will let you know in a moment.” She smiled at him over the glass, and then took a slow sip. She took her time savoring the ambiance of the wine, and took a second sip. “Perhaps another sip just to be sure.’ She waited for him to finish conversing with Rena before announcing “it is indeed a very good year, and getting better. The wine’s very good too.”
He smiled, “And I thought we were talking about the wine.”
She laughed merrily, “I thought we were talking about layers.”
Moyrloch then invited Rena for a dinner that he claimed he owed her, and she accepted. The pair left the Isle on their way to a hide away Moyr claimed to know so that he could make good on his promise of dinner. As Rena rose, Topaz made reference to perhaps a rumor having substance after all, and Rena gave her a quick look, “what rumor?”
Lucien rose as the woman did, bowing formally once more. “It was a pleasure to meet you Rena, enjoy your dinner madam.”
Lucien smiled slowly after Rena and Moyr had departed, “ah yes, the complex ambiance.”
After they had been left alone at the table, Topaz turned her attention back to Lucien, her voice was a soft melody to him, “the magic must have been staying then. I’m glad they did.” She was referring to the bits of magic that had gone wandering and found their way to the Carpathian. She settled in beside him, leaning companionably against him once more.
He gave her an indulgent look, “they seem not to mind going to ground.”
She smiled up at him, “that is a good sign.”
He gave her a slightly skeptical look, “is it?’ He wanted to hear why she thought so, but she moved on, asking how he had been since they had been to the desert. He reached out and slid his fingers through one of her long blond curls. The texture of her hair was nearly silk, and he liked the way it slipped through his fingers.
He took the stemmed glass from her, swirled the wine a moment before savoring the aroma, “It should be a good year.” And then he handed it back to her without taking a sip of the wine.
She gave him a smile, “I will let you know in a moment.” She smiled at him over the glass, and then took a slow sip. She took her time savoring the ambiance of the wine, and took a second sip. “Perhaps another sip just to be sure.’ She waited for him to finish conversing with Rena before announcing “it is indeed a very good year, and getting better. The wine’s very good too.”
He smiled, “And I thought we were talking about the wine.”
She laughed merrily, “I thought we were talking about layers.”
Moyrloch then invited Rena for a dinner that he claimed he owed her, and she accepted. The pair left the Isle on their way to a hide away Moyr claimed to know so that he could make good on his promise of dinner. As Rena rose, Topaz made reference to perhaps a rumor having substance after all, and Rena gave her a quick look, “what rumor?”
Lucien rose as the woman did, bowing formally once more. “It was a pleasure to meet you Rena, enjoy your dinner madam.”
Lucien smiled slowly after Rena and Moyr had departed, “ah yes, the complex ambiance.”
After they had been left alone at the table, Topaz turned her attention back to Lucien, her voice was a soft melody to him, “the magic must have been staying then. I’m glad they did.” She was referring to the bits of magic that had gone wandering and found their way to the Carpathian. She settled in beside him, leaning companionably against him once more.
He gave her an indulgent look, “they seem not to mind going to ground.”
She smiled up at him, “that is a good sign.”
He gave her a slightly skeptical look, “is it?’ He wanted to hear why she thought so, but she moved on, asking how he had been since they had been to the desert. He reached out and slid his fingers through one of her long blond curls. The texture of her hair was nearly silk, and he liked the way it slipped through his fingers.
He took the glass from her hand, “tell me about where we are going tomorrow then.” He gave her an out that would not embarrass either of them.
She warmed to that subject, telling him that they would be going deep into Darkenwood Forest where there was a lake with a mossy beach, an old willow, and a little waterfall. She was clearly happy talking about her home, and he listened to not only her words, but her thoughts as well.
There would be no one about, not fae, nor human, nor even larger fauna. It was a place where they would be alone with just the forest, and the fae magic she was made of. She told him it would be beautiful, even in black and white, and he shrugged, it was something he was used to.
She spoke of the old willow there, and how she sings even when there is no breeze to ruffle her leaves, and Lucien knew the magic of willows. They sing with the ability to lull the unwary to sleep. And she enjoyed listening to the willow and the waterfall talk, despite not being able to understand their unique language.
The dark clouds still hung over the rings, and Topaz smirked at him, “It might even keep you from growling like rolling thunder.”
He glanced up at the cloud as she then said, “Of course, now reminded, you may have wanted to do that. But, the temptation to tease you was just too, well, too tempting.”
He gave her a dignified look, “I can pinpoint hit most anything with lightning, would you like a demonstration?”
She smiled sweetly at him, “no, thank you. That is quite alright. I do remember the last couple of demonstrations well enough.”
He lifted a black brow at her, “You do not like the lightning, but it is my finest tool.”
She shook her head, “It is not that I do not like it. I very much dislike anyone or thing getting hurt by it by accident though. I have a very high degree of respect for it. And it does come in handy in your line of work. I also do enjoy watching a good lightning show, so long as it is off in the distance.”
He smiled then, “we should take you flying into such a storm.”
Her expression said it first, “Into? I have no death wish stashed away anywhere.”
His laughter was low and velvet soft, “as mist, you will revel in the power of the storm.” But she advised him that she had no such ability to transform into such a thing, and he smiled, “Yes you can, with me to guide you.”
Topaz thought she might enjoy swirling around and through a tree, but the storm still was not something she thought she would enjoy. He smiled then, and in his eyes she could see the exhilaration of flying with the storm, “Think of the power of the storm, the raw energy, and what it would be like to become a part of it.”
She warmed to that subject, telling him that they would be going deep into Darkenwood Forest where there was a lake with a mossy beach, an old willow, and a little waterfall. She was clearly happy talking about her home, and he listened to not only her words, but her thoughts as well.
There would be no one about, not fae, nor human, nor even larger fauna. It was a place where they would be alone with just the forest, and the fae magic she was made of. She told him it would be beautiful, even in black and white, and he shrugged, it was something he was used to.
She spoke of the old willow there, and how she sings even when there is no breeze to ruffle her leaves, and Lucien knew the magic of willows. They sing with the ability to lull the unwary to sleep. And she enjoyed listening to the willow and the waterfall talk, despite not being able to understand their unique language.
The dark clouds still hung over the rings, and Topaz smirked at him, “It might even keep you from growling like rolling thunder.”
He glanced up at the cloud as she then said, “Of course, now reminded, you may have wanted to do that. But, the temptation to tease you was just too, well, too tempting.”
He gave her a dignified look, “I can pinpoint hit most anything with lightning, would you like a demonstration?”
She smiled sweetly at him, “no, thank you. That is quite alright. I do remember the last couple of demonstrations well enough.”
He lifted a black brow at her, “You do not like the lightning, but it is my finest tool.”
She shook her head, “It is not that I do not like it. I very much dislike anyone or thing getting hurt by it by accident though. I have a very high degree of respect for it. And it does come in handy in your line of work. I also do enjoy watching a good lightning show, so long as it is off in the distance.”
He smiled then, “we should take you flying into such a storm.”
Her expression said it first, “Into? I have no death wish stashed away anywhere.”
His laughter was low and velvet soft, “as mist, you will revel in the power of the storm.” But she advised him that she had no such ability to transform into such a thing, and he smiled, “Yes you can, with me to guide you.”
Topaz thought she might enjoy swirling around and through a tree, but the storm still was not something she thought she would enjoy. He smiled then, and in his eyes she could see the exhilaration of flying with the storm, “Think of the power of the storm, the raw energy, and what it would be like to become a part of it.”
She demurred, “I’ve been in the presence of raw power before. It wasn’t all good and rather overwhelming. But, I can see what of it appeals to you.”
The Archmage spoke up then, “I wasn’t all good, and I was rather overwhelming? I don’t know how I should feel about that Topaz.”
Lucien’s obsidian eyes slid over the Archmage, a low rumble emanating from the clouds over the ring as Topaz told Will that she wasn’t referring to him and he should feel neutrally about it. Lucien added that he needed to feel VERY neutral about it. A possessiveness was beginning to show through.
Topaz chuckled, “He is just teasing. We’re on the same dueling team. Is there dueling in your world Lucien?”
His answer was a simple “no.” But there was so much more behind that reply. Dueling. In his world, dueling was deadly. There were no wards to heal injury, and the goal was to slay your opponent. Yes, he knew how to duel. Yes, he knew the formalities associated with such a thing, but what she was speaking about was something foreign to him in all respects.
She continued, “but you do know how to wield a blade. It might be fun to have you as a sparing partner for practice.”
He lifted a brow slightly, “Yes, I can. I learned in the Crusades.” He had used other methods before that, to accomplish his missions for the Prince, but during the Crusades, he had taken a liking to the use of a fine bladed weapon. But spar with her? Out of the question.
Topaz glanced at the Marchioness’ ring, and she was defeating the creature who was too much like a vampire to be trusted. “The Marchioness can be surprising.”
Topaz agreed, “She has always been good with a blade. She beats me more often than not. But don’t tell her, or she might take into her head that she should have the museum for awhile.”
Lucien informed Topaz that while the Marchioness was practicing all of the sports, she truly excelled with firearms. It took a bit of explaining to her because firearms are not a regular part of Topaz’s world.
The Marchioness completed her match with the Keeper, and announced she was departing. Thus, Lucien’s evening with Topaz came to an end. With a promise to arrive as early as sunset permitted him to rise.
The Archmage spoke up then, “I wasn’t all good, and I was rather overwhelming? I don’t know how I should feel about that Topaz.”
Lucien’s obsidian eyes slid over the Archmage, a low rumble emanating from the clouds over the ring as Topaz told Will that she wasn’t referring to him and he should feel neutrally about it. Lucien added that he needed to feel VERY neutral about it. A possessiveness was beginning to show through.
Topaz chuckled, “He is just teasing. We’re on the same dueling team. Is there dueling in your world Lucien?”
His answer was a simple “no.” But there was so much more behind that reply. Dueling. In his world, dueling was deadly. There were no wards to heal injury, and the goal was to slay your opponent. Yes, he knew how to duel. Yes, he knew the formalities associated with such a thing, but what she was speaking about was something foreign to him in all respects.
She continued, “but you do know how to wield a blade. It might be fun to have you as a sparing partner for practice.”
He lifted a brow slightly, “Yes, I can. I learned in the Crusades.” He had used other methods before that, to accomplish his missions for the Prince, but during the Crusades, he had taken a liking to the use of a fine bladed weapon. But spar with her? Out of the question.
Topaz glanced at the Marchioness’ ring, and she was defeating the creature who was too much like a vampire to be trusted. “The Marchioness can be surprising.”
Topaz agreed, “She has always been good with a blade. She beats me more often than not. But don’t tell her, or she might take into her head that she should have the museum for awhile.”
Lucien informed Topaz that while the Marchioness was practicing all of the sports, she truly excelled with firearms. It took a bit of explaining to her because firearms are not a regular part of Topaz’s world.
The Marchioness completed her match with the Keeper, and announced she was departing. Thus, Lucien’s evening with Topaz came to an end. With a promise to arrive as early as sunset permitted him to rise.
He woke long before the sun was due to set on this longest day of the year. He felt each slow second as the sun traversed the blue sky overhead. He laid in the welcoming earth and felt restless. That was not something he was used to feeling.
At length, he rose a bit earlier than usual, and felt immediately the stabbing needles in his eyes as he left the sanctuary deep beneath the Palazzo. Gabriel remained asleep as he prowled the darkened rooms. He could not go into the light, but he could plan his greeting to the tempting faerie.
As soon as his ancient body could bear the sun, he left the Palazzo. He traveled as the mist, blending into the clouds where he could, suffering the sun where he could not find a cloud to fly through. He followed her trail using the bits of magic that had been with him for several days now. This would be so much easier with the blood exchange accomplished, but he had so far found her unerringly using less direct means.
As they entered the forest, he felt the magic of the place, and knew it could fight him, but was not. Keeping the form of mist, he flowed through the trees with ease, snaking around the tree trunks just above ground level. The sun was quickly lowering, and the stabbing needles sensation slowly abated.
Swirling bits of magic had followed, and even congregated in his vicinity, but otherwise provided no resistance to him. The bits that had been with him seemed to communicate with the other bits that felt like Topaz, and yet did not. He slowly solidified as he reached the place he had assumed was a clearing, but closer inspection revealed it to be a canopied void in the dense forest. The great willow whispered, and the playful murmur of a small waterfall could be heard beyond the green wall of willow leaves.
His approach was silent over the mossy ground, but he left not so much as a footprint in the soft mosses. The only sounds were those of the waterfall and the whisper of the willow beneath which he now stood. His faerie lay in repose, asleep and relaxed. Her face at peace, and he listened then to her heartbeat. It sang to him. The steady beat of her heart, the flow of her blood through her veins brought a tightening to his body.
He knelt beside her, his hands hovering above her delicate collar bones, but not touching, and as he did so, he brushed past the outer edges of her aura. She woke then, slowly, taking a deep breath before opening her eyes and smiling up at him. He then took the opportunity to actually stroke her warm skin with his cool touch. His own voice sounded strangely different in his own ears until he realized he had lapsed into an earlier time, when his accent in Common was stronger, more pronounced. The ancient Romanian wanted to rule his pronunciation, and he did not fight that.
What followed was an evening of constant restraint for him. She fit in his arms as though she had been made for him alone. She tasted of spices and wildness softened by sweet herbs and flowers. And he'd made a fateful mistake. He had given in to tasting her blood. That had nearly been his undoing. He wanted more. He needed more. Every cell in his body screamed at him to say the ritual words and bind her to him…. But he could not. Not yet.
At length, he rose a bit earlier than usual, and felt immediately the stabbing needles in his eyes as he left the sanctuary deep beneath the Palazzo. Gabriel remained asleep as he prowled the darkened rooms. He could not go into the light, but he could plan his greeting to the tempting faerie.
As soon as his ancient body could bear the sun, he left the Palazzo. He traveled as the mist, blending into the clouds where he could, suffering the sun where he could not find a cloud to fly through. He followed her trail using the bits of magic that had been with him for several days now. This would be so much easier with the blood exchange accomplished, but he had so far found her unerringly using less direct means.
As they entered the forest, he felt the magic of the place, and knew it could fight him, but was not. Keeping the form of mist, he flowed through the trees with ease, snaking around the tree trunks just above ground level. The sun was quickly lowering, and the stabbing needles sensation slowly abated.
Swirling bits of magic had followed, and even congregated in his vicinity, but otherwise provided no resistance to him. The bits that had been with him seemed to communicate with the other bits that felt like Topaz, and yet did not. He slowly solidified as he reached the place he had assumed was a clearing, but closer inspection revealed it to be a canopied void in the dense forest. The great willow whispered, and the playful murmur of a small waterfall could be heard beyond the green wall of willow leaves.
His approach was silent over the mossy ground, but he left not so much as a footprint in the soft mosses. The only sounds were those of the waterfall and the whisper of the willow beneath which he now stood. His faerie lay in repose, asleep and relaxed. Her face at peace, and he listened then to her heartbeat. It sang to him. The steady beat of her heart, the flow of her blood through her veins brought a tightening to his body.
He knelt beside her, his hands hovering above her delicate collar bones, but not touching, and as he did so, he brushed past the outer edges of her aura. She woke then, slowly, taking a deep breath before opening her eyes and smiling up at him. He then took the opportunity to actually stroke her warm skin with his cool touch. His own voice sounded strangely different in his own ears until he realized he had lapsed into an earlier time, when his accent in Common was stronger, more pronounced. The ancient Romanian wanted to rule his pronunciation, and he did not fight that.
What followed was an evening of constant restraint for him. She fit in his arms as though she had been made for him alone. She tasted of spices and wildness softened by sweet herbs and flowers. And he'd made a fateful mistake. He had given in to tasting her blood. That had nearly been his undoing. He wanted more. He needed more. Every cell in his body screamed at him to say the ritual words and bind her to him…. But he could not. Not yet.
His withdrawal and apology had upset her much more than she had let on. Nothing he had done to bring back her beautiful languor had worked. As he returned to the Palazzo, his mind went over and over that evenings events, but he could not see where he had given her cause for such distress. Well, other than having taken her blood. Had that been what had caused her chill shift?
She was his mate. There was no doubt about that. He saw color for the first time in over 1700 years. Only the one true mate could bring about that change for him. His body demanded that he make her his, to say the ritual words to bind them together, and yet he could not. If he did that, she would be tied to him for eternity. And that might mean making her a creature of the night, which is something she might not survive.
He could not take her blood again. He could not.
Colors flashed beneath him so brightly it hurt his eyes. She admitted she was worried about a lot of things, and then had the temerity to yell at him for taking the first risk by savoring her blood in a one way exchange. She had said, " So, let me get this straight, it's okay for you to risk going up in flames, but whatever you think might happen to me is not okay to risk? What benefit do you think one has without the other?" He smiled then.
He had tried to diffuse the situation by getting her to swim with him in the lake, but even that had not restored her easy humor. Even in his arms she had now grown more distant. He wanted to make her his and lock her away, but that would not work, and neither would making her a creature of the night. Which was a potential outcome. No one had tried this with a magical creature before. Who knew whether she would survive the conversion process; and if she did survive it, how far into his world would she be pulled?
She had asked him how he felt, whether her blood had any ill effects upon him. It was with a wry smile he realized that her blood had only hooked him into wanting more. That the ill effect was realization that he now saw color, and felt things he had not felt in 1700 years. He only had three options now. Which one was the right one?
In one sense, she seemed to want the binding ritual. She accepted him as a creature of darkness, but on the other, she had told him there were things in the daylight world that she could not give up. He could do his best to live in her world and lose his powers with time. It would render him useless to the Prince, and to the Marchioness. He could do the honorable thing and walk into the sun before he did any more damage. He was old. Older than most of his kind.
He needed to talk to Gabriel. As he entered the Palazzo, he reached out for his brother.
She was his mate. There was no doubt about that. He saw color for the first time in over 1700 years. Only the one true mate could bring about that change for him. His body demanded that he make her his, to say the ritual words to bind them together, and yet he could not. If he did that, she would be tied to him for eternity. And that might mean making her a creature of the night, which is something she might not survive.
He could not take her blood again. He could not.
Colors flashed beneath him so brightly it hurt his eyes. She admitted she was worried about a lot of things, and then had the temerity to yell at him for taking the first risk by savoring her blood in a one way exchange. She had said, " So, let me get this straight, it's okay for you to risk going up in flames, but whatever you think might happen to me is not okay to risk? What benefit do you think one has without the other?" He smiled then.
He had tried to diffuse the situation by getting her to swim with him in the lake, but even that had not restored her easy humor. Even in his arms she had now grown more distant. He wanted to make her his and lock her away, but that would not work, and neither would making her a creature of the night. Which was a potential outcome. No one had tried this with a magical creature before. Who knew whether she would survive the conversion process; and if she did survive it, how far into his world would she be pulled?
She had asked him how he felt, whether her blood had any ill effects upon him. It was with a wry smile he realized that her blood had only hooked him into wanting more. That the ill effect was realization that he now saw color, and felt things he had not felt in 1700 years. He only had three options now. Which one was the right one?
In one sense, she seemed to want the binding ritual. She accepted him as a creature of darkness, but on the other, she had told him there were things in the daylight world that she could not give up. He could do his best to live in her world and lose his powers with time. It would render him useless to the Prince, and to the Marchioness. He could do the honorable thing and walk into the sun before he did any more damage. He was old. Older than most of his kind.
He needed to talk to Gabriel. As he entered the Palazzo, he reached out for his brother.
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Topaz
- Legendary Adventurer
- Posts: 1283
- Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2004 5:31 pm
- Location: The Beacon
- Contact:
Topaz had spent the night after their meeting on the isle with thinking and day-dreaming rather than sleeping, and her morning was a busy one. As soon as she had been able, and that was right around lunchtime, she had left the Beacon and went to Darkenwood Forest, dropping her in- town defenses on the way. In the woods she was better protected without them, and once she was inside the part of the forest that she considered hers, she didn't need any defenses at all.
Under the willow the air was surprisingly cool, comfortably so. She made herself comfortable against its trunk and listen to the song of the leaves, her mind on what this solstice evening may bring. When she felt sleepy, she asked her magic to wake her before Lucien arrived. Before long she was asleep.
The sentient magic decided that the fairy needed every minute of sleep she could get, she would not get any more in quite a while. And it certainly wasn’t going to hurt to have Lucien wake her up instead.
When the sun lowered toward the Western horizon the mist that was Lucien swirled through the air, gliding through the trees just above ground level. The magic that guarded the fae place would have re-directed any non-fairy’s senses to simply not notice it being there, but not so with Lucien. To him the magic guard – akin to Topaz’s magic but not of her - was a barely felt, but welcoming touch.
The mist slowed in its streaming flight and Lucien solidified at the edge of the mossy ground. He had expected to find a clearing, but it wasn’t. He had approached the place from the forest side and had found well hidden from view by trees and thick underbrush. What he had first mistaken for a clearing was canopied by the leaf-laden branches of an old, but brimming with the sap of life, willow. Though he sensed the sky overhead, he was sure he would not see it were he to look up.
But he wasn’t looking up. His black eyes found and settled on the fairy the instant he had arrived. He had paused to watch her a moment. She was wearing the same dress he’d become used to seeing her in, and her delicate wings were not hindering her in the least while she was sleeping. Now, his approach was silent. The luscious moss did not even bear his footprints as he neared her, studying everything about her in repose, the way her hair curled around her face, the gentle arch of her brows, the straight line of her nose, the gentle hint of a smile on her rosy lips, the pulse in her throat, the rise and fall of her chest with the even breaths of sleep. He paused beside her, the playful splash of a waterfall murmuring from somewhere beyond the curtain of green added music to his study.
Lucien knelt, his fingertips reached into the aura surrounding Topaz and hovered over her collar bones. The rise and fall of her breath fascinated him. Her heard her blink her eyes open and watched the change in the rhythm of movement that came with deeper breaths. When he lifted his eyes back to her face, he was greeted by a warm and welcoming smile and a soft look that was like a gentle caress.
"Good evening vision of mine" The lilt of his accent more pronounced tonight. He then lightly traced her collar bone with his fingertip. A breath caught in her throat and for a moment the movement under his finger stopped.
"Good evening, Lucien." Her voice is still held some of the heaviness of sleep and something else. His touch had gone under her skin before she had felt his fingertip trace her skin. Her senses were awake even while she was sleeping. She reached up as he slowly wrapped his arms around her and lifted her to him.
“I apologize for waking you.” His breath was warm against her throat. “You appeared to be so peaceful.”
"The magic was supposed to wake me before you arrived." More awake now, she was surprised that the magic had not acted as desired.
Lucien slid one hand through her hair, letting it slide like fine silk through is fingers. “They understand that you required the rest.”
It certainly had not taken him long to put a flutter in her belly. "You seem to know them well already."
“We are growing accustomed to one the other.” He swept her into his arms and settled more comfortably against the willow with her on his lap.
"Enough so to risk a kiss?" Her fingers found the tie in back that restrained his hair and gave it a tug.
Lucien quirked a brow at her, certain she would not have said anything like that had she been more awake. “There is danger in that.”
His black eyes held her gaze while he let her untie his hair, then comb her fingers through it.
“Yes.” Far more than he guessed, too. “But there's more to it than just risks.” She drew a strand of ebony black over his shoulder and took a deep breath. She might as well tell him what she knew. But then his lips brushed against hers, cool and soft, and the words that had just formed in her mind dissipated.
Under the willow the air was surprisingly cool, comfortably so. She made herself comfortable against its trunk and listen to the song of the leaves, her mind on what this solstice evening may bring. When she felt sleepy, she asked her magic to wake her before Lucien arrived. Before long she was asleep.
The sentient magic decided that the fairy needed every minute of sleep she could get, she would not get any more in quite a while. And it certainly wasn’t going to hurt to have Lucien wake her up instead.
When the sun lowered toward the Western horizon the mist that was Lucien swirled through the air, gliding through the trees just above ground level. The magic that guarded the fae place would have re-directed any non-fairy’s senses to simply not notice it being there, but not so with Lucien. To him the magic guard – akin to Topaz’s magic but not of her - was a barely felt, but welcoming touch.
The mist slowed in its streaming flight and Lucien solidified at the edge of the mossy ground. He had expected to find a clearing, but it wasn’t. He had approached the place from the forest side and had found well hidden from view by trees and thick underbrush. What he had first mistaken for a clearing was canopied by the leaf-laden branches of an old, but brimming with the sap of life, willow. Though he sensed the sky overhead, he was sure he would not see it were he to look up.
But he wasn’t looking up. His black eyes found and settled on the fairy the instant he had arrived. He had paused to watch her a moment. She was wearing the same dress he’d become used to seeing her in, and her delicate wings were not hindering her in the least while she was sleeping. Now, his approach was silent. The luscious moss did not even bear his footprints as he neared her, studying everything about her in repose, the way her hair curled around her face, the gentle arch of her brows, the straight line of her nose, the gentle hint of a smile on her rosy lips, the pulse in her throat, the rise and fall of her chest with the even breaths of sleep. He paused beside her, the playful splash of a waterfall murmuring from somewhere beyond the curtain of green added music to his study.
Lucien knelt, his fingertips reached into the aura surrounding Topaz and hovered over her collar bones. The rise and fall of her breath fascinated him. Her heard her blink her eyes open and watched the change in the rhythm of movement that came with deeper breaths. When he lifted his eyes back to her face, he was greeted by a warm and welcoming smile and a soft look that was like a gentle caress.
"Good evening vision of mine" The lilt of his accent more pronounced tonight. He then lightly traced her collar bone with his fingertip. A breath caught in her throat and for a moment the movement under his finger stopped.
"Good evening, Lucien." Her voice is still held some of the heaviness of sleep and something else. His touch had gone under her skin before she had felt his fingertip trace her skin. Her senses were awake even while she was sleeping. She reached up as he slowly wrapped his arms around her and lifted her to him.
“I apologize for waking you.” His breath was warm against her throat. “You appeared to be so peaceful.”
"The magic was supposed to wake me before you arrived." More awake now, she was surprised that the magic had not acted as desired.
Lucien slid one hand through her hair, letting it slide like fine silk through is fingers. “They understand that you required the rest.”
It certainly had not taken him long to put a flutter in her belly. "You seem to know them well already."
“We are growing accustomed to one the other.” He swept her into his arms and settled more comfortably against the willow with her on his lap.
"Enough so to risk a kiss?" Her fingers found the tie in back that restrained his hair and gave it a tug.
Lucien quirked a brow at her, certain she would not have said anything like that had she been more awake. “There is danger in that.”
His black eyes held her gaze while he let her untie his hair, then comb her fingers through it.
“Yes.” Far more than he guessed, too. “But there's more to it than just risks.” She drew a strand of ebony black over his shoulder and took a deep breath. She might as well tell him what she knew. But then his lips brushed against hers, cool and soft, and the words that had just formed in her mind dissipated.
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Topaz
- Legendary Adventurer
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“What more is there? You worry about compatibility, and how your magic will blend or harmonize or fight with my own.” His words were soft, too, part of his kiss. His lips had not left hers.
“A bond.” His lips were still nibbling at the corner of her mouth. “A link.” She found it difficult to put her voice to the answer. “It doesn't work when I want it to and it works when I don't want it to. Or so it appeared so far.”
His fingers gently stroked along her shoulder and back along the collar bone, his path paused over her pulse. He enjoyed how easily he could distract her and the changes his touches worked in her breathing and the delicate tremble of her wings against his arm. With velvet laughter he replied, “I believe you said you do not command or control it, but that you must ask.”
“Aye, and as you just witnessed they still have their own little minds. They are what keeps me alive. They will not listen to anything I say when they think I need protecting.” She had to stop to hide the really important pieces of information, as she was so used to doing, in-between lesser ones, she admonished herself.
“And so they believed you safe enough to permit my entry.” Entry to her sanctuary, but she had explained to them why it was a good idea to let him come here. It was not necessarily an agreement for more. He slid a nibbling kiss along her jaw line and, restraining himself, paused over her pulse. He listened to her heartbeat beneath his mouth with closed eyes.
“During kissing, and even more so lovemaking, they move from one body or soul to the other – an exchange of magic energy, even if it is not their kind, forming a connection. They'll only return when they think they need to in order to keep me alive." She hurried through the words and paused briefly when she had managed to repeat the important information previously hidden in what he already knew. “Then we'd both know what the other's feeling, all of it, little and big, surface and deep.” His kiss was too distracting. She knew she had forgotten to mention something else rather important.
The tip of his tongue swept once over her pulse before he opened his eyes and nuzzled her earlobe. “So they enhance what both partners feel?”
She had left out that part, too. “And though it probably eventually won’t matter, souls can actually touch, even sink into each other, rather than just being linked, at certain times.”
Topaz felt his slow smile rather than saw it. “Carpathians are in one another's mind, we can feel everything the other feels...” His hair slid over her shoulder and throat.
“It's magic of light.” She sighed softly, relieved that she had touched on every detail. Though she wondered if ‘certain times’ had been understood in the way she had meant the words.
His fingers slowly threaded through her hair then slid down along her spine as he nipped her ear lobe lightly. “Tell me what you want Topaz. The risk is something that preys upon you.”
She snuggled closer to him and guessed that she was asking for something impossible. “Insurances, I guess.”
His black velvet laugh surprised her. He did not sound concerned in the least. “Are there ever any?” He brushed his lips at her temple.
“No. But I never before cared this much.” That was more true than she had suspected, she knew as soon as she had said the words. She did care more than ever before. The realization took the blush from her face his caresses had put there.
His arms tightened slightly around her. “I brought the wine.... but I find my arms too busy to pour you a glass. So you propose to test out this insurance by testing my blood.”
“Wine - I do believe I'd like some. Perhaps I can hold the glass? Yes. Though now I'm not so sure any more that I want the answers.” She strung the words together all in one breath.
Lucien smiled a slow smile that exposed the long canines. “But you are assuming I desire to let you go in order to pour the wine.”
“T'would only be for a moment.” She gave him a flirtatious smile. It wasn’t so much the wine she wanted but a break from his dizzying attentions. “And would so like to find out what you had wanted to with the glass when no one was looking.”
“Ah yes.” He gave a low chuckle and reached for the bottle that had not been there but a moment ago, and a stemmed glass. “If you would hold this?”
“My pleasure.” He handed her the glass once she had removed an arm from around his neck. Topaz watched with curious admiration as he looked at the cork in the bottle – it actually vanished – and then filled the glass half way with the pale amber liquid.
“Trockenbeerenauslese,” he announced, “I brought the same year as what you had last evening.”
“That was the very best wine I had in a very long time, perhaps ever.” He returned her smile.
“A bond.” His lips were still nibbling at the corner of her mouth. “A link.” She found it difficult to put her voice to the answer. “It doesn't work when I want it to and it works when I don't want it to. Or so it appeared so far.”
His fingers gently stroked along her shoulder and back along the collar bone, his path paused over her pulse. He enjoyed how easily he could distract her and the changes his touches worked in her breathing and the delicate tremble of her wings against his arm. With velvet laughter he replied, “I believe you said you do not command or control it, but that you must ask.”
“Aye, and as you just witnessed they still have their own little minds. They are what keeps me alive. They will not listen to anything I say when they think I need protecting.” She had to stop to hide the really important pieces of information, as she was so used to doing, in-between lesser ones, she admonished herself.
“And so they believed you safe enough to permit my entry.” Entry to her sanctuary, but she had explained to them why it was a good idea to let him come here. It was not necessarily an agreement for more. He slid a nibbling kiss along her jaw line and, restraining himself, paused over her pulse. He listened to her heartbeat beneath his mouth with closed eyes.
“During kissing, and even more so lovemaking, they move from one body or soul to the other – an exchange of magic energy, even if it is not their kind, forming a connection. They'll only return when they think they need to in order to keep me alive." She hurried through the words and paused briefly when she had managed to repeat the important information previously hidden in what he already knew. “Then we'd both know what the other's feeling, all of it, little and big, surface and deep.” His kiss was too distracting. She knew she had forgotten to mention something else rather important.
The tip of his tongue swept once over her pulse before he opened his eyes and nuzzled her earlobe. “So they enhance what both partners feel?”
She had left out that part, too. “And though it probably eventually won’t matter, souls can actually touch, even sink into each other, rather than just being linked, at certain times.”
Topaz felt his slow smile rather than saw it. “Carpathians are in one another's mind, we can feel everything the other feels...” His hair slid over her shoulder and throat.
“It's magic of light.” She sighed softly, relieved that she had touched on every detail. Though she wondered if ‘certain times’ had been understood in the way she had meant the words.
His fingers slowly threaded through her hair then slid down along her spine as he nipped her ear lobe lightly. “Tell me what you want Topaz. The risk is something that preys upon you.”
She snuggled closer to him and guessed that she was asking for something impossible. “Insurances, I guess.”
His black velvet laugh surprised her. He did not sound concerned in the least. “Are there ever any?” He brushed his lips at her temple.
“No. But I never before cared this much.” That was more true than she had suspected, she knew as soon as she had said the words. She did care more than ever before. The realization took the blush from her face his caresses had put there.
His arms tightened slightly around her. “I brought the wine.... but I find my arms too busy to pour you a glass. So you propose to test out this insurance by testing my blood.”
“Wine - I do believe I'd like some. Perhaps I can hold the glass? Yes. Though now I'm not so sure any more that I want the answers.” She strung the words together all in one breath.
Lucien smiled a slow smile that exposed the long canines. “But you are assuming I desire to let you go in order to pour the wine.”
“T'would only be for a moment.” She gave him a flirtatious smile. It wasn’t so much the wine she wanted but a break from his dizzying attentions. “And would so like to find out what you had wanted to with the glass when no one was looking.”
“Ah yes.” He gave a low chuckle and reached for the bottle that had not been there but a moment ago, and a stemmed glass. “If you would hold this?”
“My pleasure.” He handed her the glass once she had removed an arm from around his neck. Topaz watched with curious admiration as he looked at the cork in the bottle – it actually vanished – and then filled the glass half way with the pale amber liquid.
“Trockenbeerenauslese,” he announced, “I brought the same year as what you had last evening.”
“That was the very best wine I had in a very long time, perhaps ever.” He returned her smile.
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Topaz
- Legendary Adventurer
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“It was sweet enough to fill the desire to serve you a dessert, but last evening, I forgot that such a wine needs a bit of cheese and fresh fruit.” The infliction he put on ‘desire’ never failed to elicit a flutter in her belly.
“It doesn't really. Only if one missed out on dinner.” She answered with a soft chuckle and then tenderly brushed her warm lips over his cheek. That much she knew to be absolutely safe. She did want a lot more, though.
Lucien set the bottle down, took the glass from her fingers and dipped his finger tip into the wine, a drop clinging to him as he trailed it over her lower lip. He set the glass next to the bottle and leaned over her then, the tip of his tongue traced where he'd left the hint of the wine. His voice was soft. “This is what I wanted to do.”
“More.” The word was a breathless sigh.
He smiled and retrieved another drop of the pale amber liquid, sliding it over her top lip this time, followed by the velvet brush of his tongue. His was even softer now. “Be careful my irresistible fae one.” His warning kept her lips from parting. He trailed the golden droplet along her throat, tracing the artery there. He paused for long look into her eyes, and then slowly slid his tongue over the artery, and a tremor rippled through him as he felt her pulse quicken.
“Lucien?” She asked softly, holding absolutely still.
If he breathed, he'd take a very deep breath before lifting his head and looking at her. She slid her fingers into his hair and brought his lips to hers, kissing him fully. His lips melted against hers, slightly cool but mobile. When her lips parted he deepened the kiss, tasting her and the wine. The fluttering of wings in her belly turned into something else and much warmer altogether. He snaked a hand into her hair and pulled her closer with the other, delving into the hot velvet of her kiss. Topaz settled against his chest as if she had always belonged there. He broke the kiss then and nibbled at her jaw once more.
“Your heartbeat sings to me.”
The longer their kiss had lasted the more she had enjoyed it, for certainly it must mean that the magic agreed that they should be doing just that. “I like that.”
“It can be so much more.” He gave a soft rumbling chuckle.
“More? Can you control your magic once it left your body?”
With the blood bond, you would feel what I feel, and I would feel what you feel, and that bring about a whip of lightening racing through your body.” A slight tremble rippled through him when Topaz untangled a hand from his hair and placed her palm against his chest.
“Perhaps getting struck by that sort of lightning isn't so bad. I'm sure there are worse alternatives.” The humor was a dark, but it was humor nonetheless.
Lucien closed his eyes and crushed her to him. Rather than feeling crushed she found that was just way she had been wanting him to hold her and she hugged him back just as fiercely. He delved into a keep kiss, never letting her go for a moment or an eternity, before he slid his lips down along the column of her throat. He nibbled a moment and hovered over her artery before he sank his teeth into the precious fluid. White hot lightening arced between them, and then was followed by sheer ecstasy.
The sound she made was even softer than a sigh, and in no relationship to what was happening. His body screamed at him, demanding he claim her, speaking the ritual words - but he pulled away, closing the wounds his teeth had made in her throat. He dropped his head against her shoulder struggling for a semblance of control before speaking. “Forgive me.”
Though Lucien had spoken softly the words stunned her. She wanted to make him take them back. But he didn’t. She wondered had happened that worked such a sudden change in him. “Whatever for, Lucien?”
“For taking that liberty with you.” He raised his head. “Your blood tempted me, and I could not resist.”
She had practically invited him to, and now he was sorry – that did not sit well with her. “Would you like for me to apologize for kissing you?”
He quirked a brow at her. “NO!”
“Oh good.” She chuckled softly, but the mood had changed irrevocably. “I doubt I could make that sound sincere, even if I were to try really hard.”
“I knew you worried about being bitten, and I did it anyway.”
“I was worried about a lot of things, still am.”
“You tasted a little too good by the way.” His smile regained some of the warmth. “It was very, very hard to stop. I will not do so again until you are prepared and willing.” Lucien scooped her up in his arms and stood. “Show me the waterfall please.” Then he froze.
“I believe we'd both know by now if I had been unwilling.” She wanted to be angry at him, as angry as his reaction had hurt, but she couldn’t. Something in it all struck her as amusing, though she could not explain to herself what should be so funny.
“It doesn't really. Only if one missed out on dinner.” She answered with a soft chuckle and then tenderly brushed her warm lips over his cheek. That much she knew to be absolutely safe. She did want a lot more, though.
Lucien set the bottle down, took the glass from her fingers and dipped his finger tip into the wine, a drop clinging to him as he trailed it over her lower lip. He set the glass next to the bottle and leaned over her then, the tip of his tongue traced where he'd left the hint of the wine. His voice was soft. “This is what I wanted to do.”
“More.” The word was a breathless sigh.
He smiled and retrieved another drop of the pale amber liquid, sliding it over her top lip this time, followed by the velvet brush of his tongue. His was even softer now. “Be careful my irresistible fae one.” His warning kept her lips from parting. He trailed the golden droplet along her throat, tracing the artery there. He paused for long look into her eyes, and then slowly slid his tongue over the artery, and a tremor rippled through him as he felt her pulse quicken.
“Lucien?” She asked softly, holding absolutely still.
If he breathed, he'd take a very deep breath before lifting his head and looking at her. She slid her fingers into his hair and brought his lips to hers, kissing him fully. His lips melted against hers, slightly cool but mobile. When her lips parted he deepened the kiss, tasting her and the wine. The fluttering of wings in her belly turned into something else and much warmer altogether. He snaked a hand into her hair and pulled her closer with the other, delving into the hot velvet of her kiss. Topaz settled against his chest as if she had always belonged there. He broke the kiss then and nibbled at her jaw once more.
“Your heartbeat sings to me.”
The longer their kiss had lasted the more she had enjoyed it, for certainly it must mean that the magic agreed that they should be doing just that. “I like that.”
“It can be so much more.” He gave a soft rumbling chuckle.
“More? Can you control your magic once it left your body?”
With the blood bond, you would feel what I feel, and I would feel what you feel, and that bring about a whip of lightening racing through your body.” A slight tremble rippled through him when Topaz untangled a hand from his hair and placed her palm against his chest.
“Perhaps getting struck by that sort of lightning isn't so bad. I'm sure there are worse alternatives.” The humor was a dark, but it was humor nonetheless.
Lucien closed his eyes and crushed her to him. Rather than feeling crushed she found that was just way she had been wanting him to hold her and she hugged him back just as fiercely. He delved into a keep kiss, never letting her go for a moment or an eternity, before he slid his lips down along the column of her throat. He nibbled a moment and hovered over her artery before he sank his teeth into the precious fluid. White hot lightening arced between them, and then was followed by sheer ecstasy.
The sound she made was even softer than a sigh, and in no relationship to what was happening. His body screamed at him, demanding he claim her, speaking the ritual words - but he pulled away, closing the wounds his teeth had made in her throat. He dropped his head against her shoulder struggling for a semblance of control before speaking. “Forgive me.”
Though Lucien had spoken softly the words stunned her. She wanted to make him take them back. But he didn’t. She wondered had happened that worked such a sudden change in him. “Whatever for, Lucien?”
“For taking that liberty with you.” He raised his head. “Your blood tempted me, and I could not resist.”
She had practically invited him to, and now he was sorry – that did not sit well with her. “Would you like for me to apologize for kissing you?”
He quirked a brow at her. “NO!”
“Oh good.” She chuckled softly, but the mood had changed irrevocably. “I doubt I could make that sound sincere, even if I were to try really hard.”
“I knew you worried about being bitten, and I did it anyway.”
“I was worried about a lot of things, still am.”
“You tasted a little too good by the way.” His smile regained some of the warmth. “It was very, very hard to stop. I will not do so again until you are prepared and willing.” Lucien scooped her up in his arms and stood. “Show me the waterfall please.” Then he froze.
“I believe we'd both know by now if I had been unwilling.” She wanted to be angry at him, as angry as his reaction had hurt, but she couldn’t. Something in it all struck her as amusing, though she could not explain to herself what should be so funny.
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Topaz
- Legendary Adventurer
- Posts: 1283
- Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2004 5:31 pm
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“Topaz?”
“Yes, Lucien?”
“Your eyes are blue.”
“Of course they are.” She had told him what color her eyes were.
“No, I am seeing them as blue.” He touched her lips, “pink.”
“Really? That is wonderful!” But he didn’t appear appropriately excited about being able to see colors. “It is wonderful, isn't it?”
His black eyes locked with hers. “I never thought to find my other half, the missing half to my soul.”
So that was it. He really had not guessed. Stubborn man, blind to so much more than just colors until a moment ago. Topaz chuckled quietly, “I hope you are thinking of me when you say that.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “This explains a lot.” Then hugged her tightly to him. “But, now what do I do with you? I cannot take you to ground with me.”
He looked to expect an answer, but Topaz could not think of one. “What would you like to do with me?”
“Bind you to me here and now, and lock you away somewhere safe!”
Why did he have to mix a marriage proposal with something so horrifying? “I'd not be happy locked away. And I'm sure someone would send a search party after me if I'd just disappear.”
Lucien gave a black velvet laugh. “But, they would never find you, and I knew you would not like that idea. But these do not solve this. He walked toward the sound of the waterfall.
“What isn't solving what?” Topaz was confused by more than just what he said.
“My people would simply bind their mate to them using words that are instinctual rather than learned, and yet, I cannot do that to you.” He kept walking, right into the lake, then simply pushed the willow’s branches aside and stepped through the curtain of leaves.
“I was rather looking forward to vows that cannot be undone.” Topaz still was trying to comprehend what he was trying to say.
He lifted a black brow at her. “I cannot foretell how the blood exchange will work between us.”
“I cannot foretell that.” She repeated his words. Of course neither of them could. He knew that before this evening.
He stopped walking. “Come swim with me.” Topaz slipped out of his arms and into the water. “That is why I cannot bind you to me.” He reached for her before she could swim off. “I meant as a fish.”
Topaz turned her bright blue eyes on him with an old fashioned look. “You didn't perchance loose your mind along with gaining the sight of colors?”
He gave her a slow smile. The man was really trying her patience. How could he be smiling when he was telling her reasons for why they could not be together like they should be? “Take my hand.” Topaz automatically placed her hand into his. “Keep the image of a fish in your mind, picture the scales, the gills, picture the tail and fins pulling you through the water. See every detail in your mind's eye.”
He really was trying her patience. This was definitely not the time for a magic lesson. On top of that she hadn’t yet made up her mind yet if to be hurt or angry at all these ups and down of the last half hour. “So, let me get this straight, it's okay for you to risk going up in flames, but whatever you think might happen to me is not okay to risk? What benefit do you think one has without the other?”
Lucien paused and studied her for long moments. “Topaz, I am a creature of the night. What if by binding you to me I take that away from you? Are you willing to bind yourself to me and risk everything?”
“Take you away from me? Wasn't that exactly what you just risked?” Of course she had no particular wish to die, not any more than she wanted to see him go up in flames.
Lucien pulled her into his arms again. “You fit here like you were made only for me. You taste like nothing I have ever had before, and cannot get enough of, you brought color into my world after 1700 years, but Topaz, what if I take the light away from you by making you mine?”
She took a couple of deep breaths before answering. Perhaps all that was enough for him now, but it wouldn’t be for long. And she’d much rather that he think things through, preferably with her, as opposed to just acting the next time he found restraint more elusive. “I’ve never done this before,” obviously, “so I can't know an answer for that. But it strikes me as awfully stupid and highly unlikely for the powers that be, and considering what the word Carpathian means, that may well be Mother Earth, to go through all the trouble to send half a soul this way however many hundred years ago, then allow you to find it, to then only laugh at you and tell you that you can’t have it.” That sounded very logical, she thought with a satisfied smile. “Fairy's are about fulfilling wishes, not about denying them.”
“Yes, Lucien?”
“Your eyes are blue.”
“Of course they are.” She had told him what color her eyes were.
“No, I am seeing them as blue.” He touched her lips, “pink.”
“Really? That is wonderful!” But he didn’t appear appropriately excited about being able to see colors. “It is wonderful, isn't it?”
His black eyes locked with hers. “I never thought to find my other half, the missing half to my soul.”
So that was it. He really had not guessed. Stubborn man, blind to so much more than just colors until a moment ago. Topaz chuckled quietly, “I hope you are thinking of me when you say that.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “This explains a lot.” Then hugged her tightly to him. “But, now what do I do with you? I cannot take you to ground with me.”
He looked to expect an answer, but Topaz could not think of one. “What would you like to do with me?”
“Bind you to me here and now, and lock you away somewhere safe!”
Why did he have to mix a marriage proposal with something so horrifying? “I'd not be happy locked away. And I'm sure someone would send a search party after me if I'd just disappear.”
Lucien gave a black velvet laugh. “But, they would never find you, and I knew you would not like that idea. But these do not solve this. He walked toward the sound of the waterfall.
“What isn't solving what?” Topaz was confused by more than just what he said.
“My people would simply bind their mate to them using words that are instinctual rather than learned, and yet, I cannot do that to you.” He kept walking, right into the lake, then simply pushed the willow’s branches aside and stepped through the curtain of leaves.
“I was rather looking forward to vows that cannot be undone.” Topaz still was trying to comprehend what he was trying to say.
He lifted a black brow at her. “I cannot foretell how the blood exchange will work between us.”
“I cannot foretell that.” She repeated his words. Of course neither of them could. He knew that before this evening.
He stopped walking. “Come swim with me.” Topaz slipped out of his arms and into the water. “That is why I cannot bind you to me.” He reached for her before she could swim off. “I meant as a fish.”
Topaz turned her bright blue eyes on him with an old fashioned look. “You didn't perchance loose your mind along with gaining the sight of colors?”
He gave her a slow smile. The man was really trying her patience. How could he be smiling when he was telling her reasons for why they could not be together like they should be? “Take my hand.” Topaz automatically placed her hand into his. “Keep the image of a fish in your mind, picture the scales, the gills, picture the tail and fins pulling you through the water. See every detail in your mind's eye.”
He really was trying her patience. This was definitely not the time for a magic lesson. On top of that she hadn’t yet made up her mind yet if to be hurt or angry at all these ups and down of the last half hour. “So, let me get this straight, it's okay for you to risk going up in flames, but whatever you think might happen to me is not okay to risk? What benefit do you think one has without the other?”
Lucien paused and studied her for long moments. “Topaz, I am a creature of the night. What if by binding you to me I take that away from you? Are you willing to bind yourself to me and risk everything?”
“Take you away from me? Wasn't that exactly what you just risked?” Of course she had no particular wish to die, not any more than she wanted to see him go up in flames.
Lucien pulled her into his arms again. “You fit here like you were made only for me. You taste like nothing I have ever had before, and cannot get enough of, you brought color into my world after 1700 years, but Topaz, what if I take the light away from you by making you mine?”
She took a couple of deep breaths before answering. Perhaps all that was enough for him now, but it wouldn’t be for long. And she’d much rather that he think things through, preferably with her, as opposed to just acting the next time he found restraint more elusive. “I’ve never done this before,” obviously, “so I can't know an answer for that. But it strikes me as awfully stupid and highly unlikely for the powers that be, and considering what the word Carpathian means, that may well be Mother Earth, to go through all the trouble to send half a soul this way however many hundred years ago, then allow you to find it, to then only laugh at you and tell you that you can’t have it.” That sounded very logical, she thought with a satisfied smile. “Fairy's are about fulfilling wishes, not about denying them.”
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Topaz
- Legendary Adventurer
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Lucien buried his face against her neck and shoulder with a groan. “You tempt me Topaz, to make this the time and place to bring you into my world.”
Tempting him had not been her intention. “I do agree with you that right this moment may not be the wisest choice,” It would have been, in fact, a rather stupid moment, “but I can't let you get away with making it sound like it'll never happen.”
Lucien crushed her to him and his lips met hers. “How can I stay away knowing this?”
“Silly, you're not supposed to stay away. Obviously there's something more to this that you've not told me yet. I'll race you to the waterfall, as soon as you let me go, of course. You have that long to think of how to tell me.” She finished with an impish wink.
Lucien accepted the challenge with a slow smile. “You cannot win. “ He dropped her abruptly, shape shifted into a barracuda and made for the waterfall.
Topaz dove beneath the surface with a chuckle. It didn’t matter that she could not win this race. Even if he didn’t need the time to think, she certainly did need the time to sort through her mixed feelings. But though she took her time swimming across the lake, the lake just wasn’t big enough to sort through everything on the way.
When she got close, she saw the Lucien-fish swimming circles around the foaming base of the waterfall. The water was crystal clear, and the star light reflected in the silvery scales. It looked a lot like impatient pacing to her.
When she finally stood up on the ledge under the waterfall, the Lucien-fish darted out from behind the foaming base of the fall and nipped her, behind the knees first and when she was reacting at her toes. Now Topaz went after the tryst fish. As soon as she got eye to eye with the fish – it had black eyes just like Lucien – it kissed her, shifting back into Lucien before she could pull away.
They surfaced next to each other in the spray of the fall. “What? No kiss for the fish?”
Topaz laughed. “It's frogs that turn into princes, not fish.”
“Ah, you have been robbed my lady.”
“I never kissed a frog either. Only narrow minded princesses do that.” With a wink she added, “If one is to believe a story, that is.”
“You have been kissed by a fish, and not even gotten a prince.” Lucien laughed.
“Of course I have. If I understand correctly what you have told me so far, you've turned into my fairy prince one thousand and seven hundred years ago. And yes, that would explain a lot.”
Lucien looked surprised. “My Lady, there is no prince here, but now and then I might be convinced to sprout wings.”
“And fulfill wishes, and understand sentient magic.” She finished his list with a giggle.
“Well, they stick around even when I go to ground. They can't be all bad.”
“No, they can't be. How are you feeling?”
“Not as fine as you feel. “He pulled her into his arms, and for a moment she leaned against him. But it was a short moment.
“No signs of going up in flames anytime soon? Not the least bit sick?”
“I do not feel impending immolation.”
“So you can handle running around with sentient magic inside you, and you obviously restrained yourself from bossing them around.”
He gave her an indignant snort. “I never boss.”
Topaz chuckled. “Of course not.”
He chose to ignore the hint of sarcasm. “Better,” and kissed her lightly.
“So, why is it you think the magics can get along in here,” she tapped her finger to his chest, “but would not in me?”
Lucien linked his arms around her waist, this time she did not resist his embrace but leaned against him. “I did not know when I bit you what to expect, but I could not restrain myself. It was a risk I could take due to my age, and the fact that we are not yet bound. Topaz, for those who are the life mates for others of my kind, their lives are changed forever. If I bind you to me, our souls are made whole. We cannot be apart, we cannot survive without one another. We survive on blood, and cannot be about in the daylight. If those changes work on you, despite your magic, how will you react?”
“I'd be as likely die as you were likely to do for taking the magic into you. Only, you do not appear very dead to me just now. Are any of those life mates magical beings?” Obviously she had given this some consideration.
“No, they are not. We move into unknowns here Topaz.”
“Did you not also tell me, that once such a soul mate is found and then lost, you'd die just the same?”
“Yes. Are you prepared to exchange blood with me? Are you prepared to share my world as one possibility?”
Tempting him had not been her intention. “I do agree with you that right this moment may not be the wisest choice,” It would have been, in fact, a rather stupid moment, “but I can't let you get away with making it sound like it'll never happen.”
Lucien crushed her to him and his lips met hers. “How can I stay away knowing this?”
“Silly, you're not supposed to stay away. Obviously there's something more to this that you've not told me yet. I'll race you to the waterfall, as soon as you let me go, of course. You have that long to think of how to tell me.” She finished with an impish wink.
Lucien accepted the challenge with a slow smile. “You cannot win. “ He dropped her abruptly, shape shifted into a barracuda and made for the waterfall.
Topaz dove beneath the surface with a chuckle. It didn’t matter that she could not win this race. Even if he didn’t need the time to think, she certainly did need the time to sort through her mixed feelings. But though she took her time swimming across the lake, the lake just wasn’t big enough to sort through everything on the way.
When she got close, she saw the Lucien-fish swimming circles around the foaming base of the waterfall. The water was crystal clear, and the star light reflected in the silvery scales. It looked a lot like impatient pacing to her.
When she finally stood up on the ledge under the waterfall, the Lucien-fish darted out from behind the foaming base of the fall and nipped her, behind the knees first and when she was reacting at her toes. Now Topaz went after the tryst fish. As soon as she got eye to eye with the fish – it had black eyes just like Lucien – it kissed her, shifting back into Lucien before she could pull away.
They surfaced next to each other in the spray of the fall. “What? No kiss for the fish?”
Topaz laughed. “It's frogs that turn into princes, not fish.”
“Ah, you have been robbed my lady.”
“I never kissed a frog either. Only narrow minded princesses do that.” With a wink she added, “If one is to believe a story, that is.”
“You have been kissed by a fish, and not even gotten a prince.” Lucien laughed.
“Of course I have. If I understand correctly what you have told me so far, you've turned into my fairy prince one thousand and seven hundred years ago. And yes, that would explain a lot.”
Lucien looked surprised. “My Lady, there is no prince here, but now and then I might be convinced to sprout wings.”
“And fulfill wishes, and understand sentient magic.” She finished his list with a giggle.
“Well, they stick around even when I go to ground. They can't be all bad.”
“No, they can't be. How are you feeling?”
“Not as fine as you feel. “He pulled her into his arms, and for a moment she leaned against him. But it was a short moment.
“No signs of going up in flames anytime soon? Not the least bit sick?”
“I do not feel impending immolation.”
“So you can handle running around with sentient magic inside you, and you obviously restrained yourself from bossing them around.”
He gave her an indignant snort. “I never boss.”
Topaz chuckled. “Of course not.”
He chose to ignore the hint of sarcasm. “Better,” and kissed her lightly.
“So, why is it you think the magics can get along in here,” she tapped her finger to his chest, “but would not in me?”
Lucien linked his arms around her waist, this time she did not resist his embrace but leaned against him. “I did not know when I bit you what to expect, but I could not restrain myself. It was a risk I could take due to my age, and the fact that we are not yet bound. Topaz, for those who are the life mates for others of my kind, their lives are changed forever. If I bind you to me, our souls are made whole. We cannot be apart, we cannot survive without one another. We survive on blood, and cannot be about in the daylight. If those changes work on you, despite your magic, how will you react?”
“I'd be as likely die as you were likely to do for taking the magic into you. Only, you do not appear very dead to me just now. Are any of those life mates magical beings?” Obviously she had given this some consideration.
“No, they are not. We move into unknowns here Topaz.”
“Did you not also tell me, that once such a soul mate is found and then lost, you'd die just the same?”
“Yes. Are you prepared to exchange blood with me? Are you prepared to share my world as one possibility?”
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