Light the Dark

Countryside Adventure (GranoxFirewind & Light The Dark)

"Well... you stormed out of your room - the whole house could hear your door slamming, I swear." She started, looking everywhere but him. He had not seen her cry before, and the fact that he was seeing the evidence now of her earlier tears was embarrassing. She had not wanted him to see her cry. "After earlier, I could only think that you had simply gotten sick of the job and decided to leave." His hand on her shoulder was both comforting and flustering at the same time. Calliope didn't know if she wanted to step away from it or move closer. "I had given you my word I wouldn't, as you put it, run off. But if you were no longer in service to the house, I didn't see why it would matter if I left of not. Without you to watch my every move, I could sneak off...be free..." Her cheeks became redder, and her voice quieter with every word. She took a step away from him, away from his touch. "But I suppose you are going to force me to go back there."

Countryside Adventure (GranoxFirewind & Light The Dark)

Calliope had nothing to compare Alexander's performance to - she had never watched the guards train before, or anything of the sort. So she had no idea if he was any good or not - but she couldn't help but be a little impressed. Or, rather, she would have been impressed had there not been other things on her mind. Namely the fact that she had run into perhaps the last person she would want to run into at the moment. Calliope shifted nervously, not saying anything for a long moment. She expected him to yell at her, or to perhaps use her for practice as he had the wooden dummies.

She pulled her cloak around her more, trying to hide her basket of things. She had been so sure he had left. Now she did feel like she had broken her word. The moon came out from behind a cloud, shining brightly on her face - revealing her tear-stained face and cheeks pink from the embarrassment of being caught. Calliope shifted again, pulling her cloak tighter around her. "I...I thought you had left..." She found herself repeating quietly.

Countryside Adventure (GranoxFirewind & Light The Dark)

Calliope had almost cried herself to sleep when she heard - and felt - Alexander's door slamming. Slowly, Calliope sat up in her bed, the fact that she had been crying - was still crying - plainly visible on her face in the pale light of the moon. She let out a breath. What was that about? What did Alexander have to be slamming doors about? His life was not chained wholly to this home. She let out a breath. Perhaps that was it. He was sick of being here at all. Well, that was that then. If he was no longer here, she did not need to hold on to her word that she would not 'run off'.

Calliope stood. She would do it - she'd run off and be her own person. She went to her study and emptied out her sewing basket. She would need jewels...and dresses...and underthings...she threw a fistful of jeweler into the bottom of her basket, tucked some underclothing on top of that, and a dress on top of it all. Calliope put on a cloak, and her only pair of sturdy boots - a bit too snug, but she figured it would be better than her normal slippers. She didn't have any food, but she wasn't hungry anyway, and most certainly her jewels were worth something. Surely she would find a shop that she could get food at when she became hungry.

Feeling quite well prepared - and really, being not prepared at all - Calliope left her rooms. Luck seemed to be in her favor. She met no one as she hurried along to the gardens. It was only when she reached them that she paused. If anyone looked out and saw someone walking through the gardens, she would surely be caught. So Calliope instead skirted around them, walking along their outer edge, near the training yards. She figured she was safe - after all, it was late, there would be no one training at such a time - until she saw a very familiar figure standing there in the worn grass and dirt. "I thought you had left." Her voice was soft, surprise and shame and, oddly, joy filling her all at once.

An Unsettled Debt (LighttheDark and Pascal)

She came to on a dirty floor, her head pounding, her soaked clothing (and her fear) causing her to shiver. There was a voice talking... Elionwy mind was all fuzzy, and she only heard the last part of what he said. "...redress you myself." She hugged herself, as if to hold her clothing onto her. "You...you will do no such thing." Elionwy tried to sound indignant, but all her voice sounded was weak. "I am not some common whore you can dress-up as you would a doll!" There, that was a little better. She glared up at the man the best she could. "I don't know who you are, but you will release me at once." She demanded. Once she was free, she would seek justice for the maid he had killed. Slowly, she forced herself to stand. Her head was swimming, and she felt like she might faint. Still, she forced herself to stand tall. "Had you wanted me dead, you would have killed me already. What is your purpose? Who sent you?"

It was taking all her effort to stand tall, though the way she shivered and the way her legs were wobbling showed more about her state then she would have liked. Her face, at least, was emotionless. Or so she hoped. She took a small step towards the man, her hand going to her side, where she carried a small dagger in her purse. It was not much more than a pocket knife, but it was all she had. Elionwy licked her lips. "Again. I command you to release me."

Countryside Adventure (GranoxFirewind & Light The Dark)

Calliope noticed very little - not the tone of his voice when he told her to call him Alexander, nor the fact that he slipped her now bloodied handkerchief into his pocket. For the first, she would not, could not call him by his name. After all, if her family heard her calling him by his name, they would think her far too familiar with him. That wouldn't do at all. 'Sir Guard' it was, or no name at all. It was better that way.

As they reached the crossway, she felt his hand on her shoulder. She let out a sigh at his question. The way he said the first part was still as if she were a child. Calliope couldn't help but bristle a bit at that fact. "Yes, I am perfectly capable of walking to my room alone, Sir Guard." She said, her tone icy. "And I never run off. Running off implies leaving the estate. I never go father than the gardens, and even that is only the semblance of freedom. You are not trapped here, you go where you please; you do not find this place a prison." She did not raise her voice, but it was a good thing this part of the halls was empty. Imagine what her father might think if only he knew her thoughts. "Unless I am married, I will never leave here. And when I am married, it will be to trade a prison for a tomb. But no, Sir Guard, I will not 'run off' again. I shall stay inside and rot." Calliope turned on her heel, and swept off to her room.

Thankfully, she found her rooms empty. She threw herself on her bed, and let out a sob. So much for Alexander seeing her any differently. So much for hoping that he would let her sneak out to the gardens again. She was going to be stuck inside for forever, it seemed. The walls seemed to close in upon her, making her large room seem very, very small. Calliope felt trapped, with no where to go, and no way to break free. A bird in a cage. She drew herself into a ball and cried, tears of anger, and frustration, and hopelessness, her cheeks and pillows soon quite wet.

Tea

Oooh, tea.

Big fan of Assam, with cream and sugar. Irish Breakfast is pretty awesome, too. I enjoy Lady Grey every now and then. In the winter, I really like Tea Source Spice which is 'A black tea blend with orange, spice, and cinnamon that is sweet and very spicy.' Reminds me of Christmas.

I like herbals in the summer - the Zingers by celestial seasonings are really good. Haven't found a loose-leaf herbal that I like yet, though.

An Unsettled Debt (LighttheDark and Pascal)

Elionwy's scream died on her lips. She stepped back away from him one step, her foot splashing into a puddle. She barely noticed the cold water seeping into her shoe and stocking. The princess felt cold all over. Her eyes flickered from the man, to his knife, to her maid, and then back again. Elionwy swallowed, her hands tightening around her book. She didn't dare move, for she could not put her maid at risk.

It was her maid that broke the spell, the woman struggling a bit to free her mouth and yell, "Don't stand there! Run, princess! Guards! Guards!" Her maid was all but dead now, as far as Elionwy could guess. The second the maid had struggled, let alone yelled, it had been over for the woman. So Elionwy moving would not kill her maid.

Elionwy dropped her book, hiked up her skirts and ran. She ran blindly, not knowing which direction she was going but simply away - away from the man and his knife. Her feet led her away from the palace, Elionwy not noticing she was going farther and father away from anything close to safety. The rain picked up its pace as she ran, no longer a drizzle but a downpour. Her breath came in fast pants, her sight blinded by the rain. She had lost one shoe in her run, and not thinking enough to remove the other, ran on with one stockinged foot and one shod. It slowed her down, and as she dashed down a side ally, Elionwy tripped, sprawling on the uneven cobblestones, her hands and arms getting scraped in the fall. Her blonde hair had fallen out of its style, and she was soaked to the bone.

Countryside Adventure (GranoxFirewind & Light The Dark)

Calliope waited until nearly the last possible moment, the last sliver of sun staining the far side of the sky orange. She turned and slipped on her shoes, not bothering to do so quietly. "You missed the sunset." She said, rather loudly, as an attempt to wake him up. She stood, shaking out her skirts to make them smooth and lay properly, then began to brush off any speck of dirt that she could see. "If you don't wake up soon, sir guard, I will go inside by myself." It was already growing chill, and the wind had begun to pick up, bringing with it yet more cool air. She might have to have the maids light the braziers in her room tonight to take off the chill - Calliope detested being cold.

Her dress now in proper order, she turned to look at her guard. When she saw he was awake, she looked a bit surprised - she had thought men were hard to wake up. Shaking her head a little, she repeated, "You missed the sunset." Why he would stay out here and take a nap instead of enjoying the sunset, Calliope didn't know. A faint tint of red came to her cheeks as the thought of sleeping Alexander, and how close she had gotten to him, came unbidden into her mind. She let out a breath. "It's cold. I'm going inside now." She turned, and started back to the house, her footsteps light on the pathway.

Lamplight shown from the windows of the house, making the building seem warm and inviting. Warm it may have been, but Calliope found it less inviting by the day. She hugged herself as she walked, her steps slowing just a little as she got closer. She paused a moment before going inside, seeming to have to brace herself for the action. Then she went in, walking quickly to retreat to the relative comfort of her rooms. As her guard, Alexander had his own room near her chambers - so Calliope could expect him to be closely following her, both to make sure she went where she was 'supposed' to go, and to return to his own room.

Countryside Adventure (GranoxFirewind & Light The Dark)

Calliope didn't bother to reply to him, nor did she look at him until she was sure he was fully asleep. She then turned around, examining him as he slept. The sun's dying light flickered across his face, half of his face deep in shadow. On some people, Calliope was sure it would look rather creepy, but she found that not to be the case with Alexander. She bit her lip, leaning in closer to get a good look at him. She could hear him breathing as she leaned closer, soft, even breaths that certainly made it sound like he was asleep. His hair was messy, she noticed, falling across his forehead every-which-way. She let out a soft breath. She had never been close to a man before, not like this. And anytime she was close to Alexander, her was hauling her off away from the garden, or some similar thing. Calliope leaned in a bit closer, a lock of her hair tumbling down to touch his cheek. She quickly tucked her hair up away from his face.

Shaking her head, Calliope made herself pull away before she woke him up. Her back to him once more, she looked up at the sky to watch the sunset. Honestly, she wasn't even sure why she had such a...fascination...with her guard of late. It wasn't as if he treated her any differently. Well, except for tonight. That was different. But she had no reason of knowing why. Perhaps he just didn't have the energy to fight with her. It did seem like that was the majority of their conversations. She let out a sigh. She was sure she always made just the worst impression on him... The thought flickered into her head, and she sighed again. Calliope didn't know when she had began to worry about what impression she made on him. He was her guard, after all. What did it matter what her thought of her?

It did matter, though. Calliope wasn't sure that she liked the fact that it mattered.

The sun sank lower in the sky as it set.

An Unsettled Debt (LighttheDark and Pascal)

The princess Elionwy turned to the maidservant that was currently twitching with boredom beside her. "You can go back to the palace, you know." Elionwy commented, as she picked up another book to flip through. The advantage of having a younger brother now - the only advantage - was that her parents no longer restricted her to the palace. She couldn't come and go as she pleased, but she could go out now, provided she was only out for a few hours. Today, she had decided to spend them in the bookshop. Which this particular maidservant apparently found boring.

"Oh, no, I couldn't Milady." The girl said with a curtsy. Elionwy resisted the urge to shake her head. "You must have an escort."

"What sort of escort is one lone maid?" The princess asked. "Really, if I was in danger, do you not think I would have more guards?" The maid shook her head, indicating her refusal to do as the princess wanted. The blonde-haired woman held back a sigh, and returned to the books, trying to ignore her maid's fidgeting. Sadly she couldn't do so for long, and she snapped the book she was flipping through shut. "This one as well." She told the shop keeper. "I'll take this one with me, and the rest you may deliver to the palace." She nodded to the maid, who hastily dug out a small purse of gold coins, and handed it over to the shop keeper. "You will receive payment for delivery once you get to the palace." Elionwy turned on her heel as the man bowed, and left the shop, the maid following behind her.

She barely even got looks anymore, walking through the streets of the city. The people seemed used to her now - though they still bowed and curtsied, it was almost automatic as they went about their day. It had started to rain as they were in the shop, so even fewer people were out on the streets, which suited the princess just fine. Her shoes were not made for this type of weather at all - delicate heeled slippers, made of satin and lace. Elionwy lifted her blue silk skirt up a bit as she stepped carefully over a puddle, making sure to tread lightly. Her eyes flickered to a less populated side street. It would cut their time to the palace in half... which meant less time in the rain. "Let's go this way." She told her maid, and quickly started off on the different path.