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Welcome to Carista. We are an original fantasy roleplay forum set in the world of Carista -- a place where the eight different systems of control are divided across countries and oceans and blood. The systems of control are Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Ice, Plant, Health and Time -- all given to humanity in ages past.

Now, during a golden age throughout the kingdoms, rumors have come of the Loners discovering an ancient building deep underground that contains a legendary Relic that may hold the key to ultimate power or destruction. And so the race of kingdoms begin with the prize being a Relic of untold power...


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Noemi Ilda

Noemi Ilda


Posts : 38
Total Experience Points : 33
Join date : 2012-12-16

Character Sheet
OOC: Milksteak
Classification: Consular
Experience:
Check Yes or No Left_bar_bleue36/70Check Yes or No Empty_bar_bleue  (36/70)

Check Yes or No Empty
PostSubject: Check Yes or No   Check Yes or No I_icon_minitimeTue Jan 22, 2013 3:53 am

Three nights and three days had passed since she had surrendered herself unto damnation. The nights had been sleepless and the days dreary, seen from behind dry, red eyes. The queen had sent her a note the afternoon after it had happened; she was done with her punishment. Her thoughts had been so preoccupied that Noemi hadn't thought to question it, her only feelings on the matter being relief. Queen Eufenia had an uncanny way of knowing when her eldest daughter was upset beyond the norm. Even her mother's instruction at the tail end of the letter asking that she please refresh her Enish hadn't inspired much curiosity in her.

Noemi had locked herself away as she was prone to do, taking her meals in her room. The maids set trays in front of her door and took them away every night. Cleaning her chambers was not a concern for them, considering she did a much more thorough job on her own. Books and parchment gave her all the company she needed as she brushed the dust off her Enish as instructed. When that grew dull, she cleaned the grout between the floor tiles, tying towels around her knees and elbows to lessen the stress of the hard surface against her joints. She also took long baths where she would stare into space until her fingers grew wrinkly and her water cold.

In between those moments, however, she did...other things. In the little hours of the night, when she felt restless and trapped beneath the covers of her bed, she would let her hands wander. The afternoon spent with Finnagan traversed her mind often and when it did, she found herself frustrated, confused, angry, aroused, and ashamed. Every night since that day, she had explored her body, trying to mimic what he had done to her, feverishly pawing at herself as she relived the awful and wonderful memory. The bite he had given her had turned into a raw bruise. She pressed it when she brought herself, screaming her pleasures into her pillow.

Every time afterward, she felt vaguely nauseous, but not enough to make her stop. As soon as the shivers subsided, Noemi would remember what happened in full. After the climax. After the tender kiss. Guilt would darken her euphoria and she would be left alone in her room, angry with herself and angry with him. As time wore on, however, she began directing less of the fury toward Finnagan and placing more of the onus on herself. He had been right and she had been too drunk on passion to see it. He had been trying to let her go easily, to sever the ties before they grew too tight. And she had stormed off in tears. He probably hated her now.

Honestly, she had no idea whether he was even still her guard. He could very well have found another post and neglected to tell her. But surely her mother would have. It wasn't as if the queen knew they had been rutting in the training grounds, or else her punishment would have been intensified rather than ceased. For all she knew, they were still scheduled to train again next week. If that was to happen, then...oh.... The thought made her toes curl with mortification. She had to apologize. Noemi had decided that for herself the day before, but she hadn't known what to say or do. She couldn't very well invite him into her room for a private chat and even if she could, her mouth had a way of betraying her. In fact, her whole physical being had a way of betraying her, especially when he was near. Distance was key. She had an idea.

Noemi sprung from her bed and went to her desk, grabbing a fresh piece of parchment and a new ink bottle. This would take a few tries.

Dear Finn--

She balled the paper up and tossed it behind her. Her Caristian penmanship was flawless, at least. Her tutors had stressed good handwriting upon her as a child. In the event that she have something unpleasant to say or an apology to offer, one of them had said, then the very least one could do was take time to write beautifully.

Brother Collins,

Please forgive me for how I behaved during our lesson. I acted childishly and
She tapped her pen to her chin. inappropriately. I implore you not to think less of me for what I allowed myself to do and how I reacted afterward. I value your Body. Mouth. Hands. Voice. Touch. company and I am very ashamed that I have wronged you.

How to close this? Yours Truly? Oh, surely not, no matter how accurate it was. She frowned and just scrawled her signature instead.

Princess Noemi Eulalia Ilda, Third of Her Name, Second in Line to the Valetudien Throne

She read over it once, twice, three times before she declared herself satisfied. It was discreet enough so that if anyone else were to find it, they would simply believe she threw a tantrum over not being able to get a technique down or something similar. She folded the parchment neatly and delicately before turning it over and writing Addressed to Brother Collins on the smooth side. Delivering it to him would be simple and completely humiliation free.

Noemi went to her door and knelt, tucking the letter through the crack beneath and scooting it through, leaving only a small portion still in her room. This way, she would know when and if he took it...and could change her mind, if she felt it necessary. She sat back on her heels and stared at the paper, contemplating. It probably needed another rewrite. Or maybe she didn't need to do this at all.
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Finnagan Collins

Finnagan Collins


Posts : 38
Total Experience Points : 38
Join date : 2012-10-25

Character Sheet
OOC: Delilah
Classification: Apprentice
Experience:
Check Yes or No Left_bar_bleue39/45Check Yes or No Empty_bar_bleue  (39/45)

Check Yes or No Empty
PostSubject: Re: Check Yes or No   Check Yes or No I_icon_minitimeTue Jan 22, 2013 4:41 pm

He had wanted to chase after her three days ago, truly he had. The hurt in her voice had stung him, and the coolness of her words alone had taken away all the warmth that he felt existed between them. Moments had been shared, intimate moments that he knew he would never experience with another in Carista for as long as he lived, and they had made him feel like he was in a clouded dream where everything moved excruciatingly slow. He could still feel the warmth of her on his skin, the taste of her on his lips, and yet he knew the dream was over. Noemi had to hate him now, she just had to. The look in her eyes, her body language, it all spoke for words unsaid, and words he deserved. He was cruel to her; he knew that he could never have that was being lead to in that dream, that he could never be to her what she wanted him to be. It was cruel of him even to pretend.

When she left him sitting against the wall, he stayed there for entirely too long, entirely confused and hurt by her sudden formalities, but he stayed there and contemplated the entirety of his existence in the Brotherhood. It was a conversation he hadn’t felt the need to have with himself until she entered his life, until she flipped all of his solid tables in the air just because she seemed to be the one person that could. After spending the better part of the hour sitting there in silence, others began to enter the training area, including other Brothers who were doing daily drills or looking for a sparring partner. Watching them move reminded him of why he was here. He wasn’t a Brother because he wanted to be, he was a Brother because his father had shamed the family and it was up to Finn to restore honor and save his father’s life. He stayed in the Brotherhood because it was the right thing to do, because it became who he was. The child he was born as was long gone, trapped somewhere in his Discipline. He was a Brother. The thoughts were simple, but they made him feel...nothing. They reminded him of who he was and let him fall into the lull of dulled emotions and uncaring.

He spent the rest of the day, until the sun was out of sight and the stars beginning to blink into existence, going through his drills, sparring with other Brothers when they approached him. Included in those Brothers was the woman who had approached him in the rafters outside of his ward’s room, the woman who had a knowingly look in her eye that was mixed with pity and understanding. Brother McCall was her name. They sparred against each other longer than the rest, taking small breaks when they tired and the match had no clear winner. She was a slightly older than himself, he would guess, and she was significantly quicker than Finn, which he had never experienced before. Usually he was the smaller, quick one, even against women. His frame was thin and he knew how to use it to his advantage, but when faced with a woman who was nearly half his size who had more experience than he, it was a new set of movements entirely. In the end, when the sun was low, she bested him for the third time, a very real dagger pressed against his throat and the flat side of the other pressing against his ribcage, the side that had been healed a little over a week prior.

Brother McCall left him following a brief handclasp. He had no doubt that he’d see her in the rafters again. He was alone at that point, and spent the rest of the dying light running through drills with quicker feet than he usually did, pushing himself to be faster. Only when his shadow was not distinguishable from the night around him did Finn sheathe his daggers and return to the palace, his limbs exhausted from the hours of work. He did his own laundry that night, shrugging off the laundry women who tried to take his suit from him. Remembering what Noemi had done to him was punishment enough, he didn’t need the stares of the staff upon him and his ward to make it any worse.

The days that followed were a blur, during which he almost never left the rafters outside the room of Noemi, of the Princess. Into the evening of that first day, Brother McCall brought him dinner and at night when he was sure the Princess was asleep the two Brothers sparred in the garden right outside her room. Even though the hate he was sure she must feel towards him, he couldn’t bear to be away from her. Something had tied him to her, and he was not yet sure how to break that line, or even if he wanted to. Every moment he saw her made him...feel. For three days he watched her take her meals in her room, seeing her only twice when she opened the door to retrieve the food and again when she set the tray out again at night. There were only glimpses, but she did not look well. Her hands appeared to be rough and worn, as if she was doing an excessive amount of physical labor in her room, and she just looked tired. At night it wasn’t any better. When she slept, sometimes he could swear he could hear her having nightmares, screaming in her sleep, or something of the likes. If he had been a clever or a more experienced man, he would have realized what the sounds coming from her room actually were, but Finn was no more experienced than a thirteen year old girl who had been locked in a room for her entire life.

Twice a day, he wished to reach out to her, to hold her, to apologize to her in every way that he possibly could, and beg for her forgiveness. He couldn’t stop thinking about their training session, thinking about what she had done, what he had done. Part of him still held onto shame, but part of him got the warm feeling in his stomach whenever he thought about it. He could still feel her lips on his, the way her body moved against his...Every night it came to him, the memories, and every night he wanted nothing more than to alleviate the pressure that was building up within him, but he didn’t, he couldn’t. The memory of her wasn’t enough for him. He was damned, but he wouldn’t allow his damnation to continue without. She was what made it worth it.

Finn was half sprawled out on the rafters that ran all over the Palace of Valetudo when he felt it with the Wind, the movement at her door. Springing to a crouch, he moved silently along them until he was just over her doorframe. There was a note sticking out from underneath the door, and it was addressed to him. Jumping down from the rafter to land on a Wind Walk outside her door, he reached down and picked up the note gingerly. His blinked at the words as he unfolded it. There was so much he wanted it to say, and so much he was terrified that he would find.

Brother Collins,

Please forgive me for how I behaved during our lesson. I acted childishly and inappropriately. I implore you not to think less of me for what I allowed myself to do and how I reacted afterward. I value your company and I am very ashamed that I have wronged you.

Princess Noemi Eulalia Ilda, Third of Her Name, Second in Line to the Valetudien Throne


Her handwriting was perfect, and the words were those of a carefully tutored Princess, nothing more. But there was meaning in the words of the careful note, words of apology and shame, and so much more hidden below the surface. Or maybe he just wanted there to be more hidden below the surface. Shaking his head, he folded the note and Wind Walked up the wall and back to the rafters, moving to sit beside his pack. He opened the letter again. The names were so cool, the entire note was. Was she trying to entirely forget or repent for what had happened days ago? Did she blame him for her own damnation? Did she feel damned like him? Running a hand through his hair, he read it a third time. Was she expecting a response? Likely not, but he felt the need to give her one anyway. Rifling through his pack, he pulled out the paper and pen he had brought for reports to be sent back to the King.

Your Highness, he scrawled, his handwriting very slanted and quick looking. It was not pretty, but it was not terribly difficult to read past the fact that he had a bad habit of connecting some letters together and not others.

There is nothing to forgive. All fault should be on my shoulders for the goings on of that lesson. I was the teacher, you the student. I should have kept better control of the - He paused, pen poised over the paper, direction. Your Highness, I could not think less of you for something that was very clearly my own fault, in all respects. I cannot even begin to express how deeply sorry I am, for everything. But I would never take it back, not once. If I could, I would do it all over again, damning myself for you. The only thing I truly regret is damning you along with myself. Words he truly wished to write stayed within his pen, as he dared not write such vulgar things to a woman such as the Princess, not even then. I only hope that you can forgive me for my failures as your guard and teacher. I swear I will do better in the future, if you allow it. As much as he wanted to, he could not force himself to tell her just how much he wanted to be near her. She needed the option to ask him to leave, to make him leave her alone. She didn’t deserve to have the man who damned her be the same one who guarded her.

Looking at the note, he wrinkled his nose at his handwriting and stared at the empty place where he was required to sign his name. With any other note, he would have simply signed it as Brother Collins, but this situation seemed to demand something more from him. He could either give a full, formal signature, or just his name. Looking to the message the Princess had wrote in her own hand, he decided on the formal name, as she had. But what about to close the letter before he signed? Sincerely? Yours? Always? His hand hesitated over the paper. Nothing seemed right that would also seem proper.

Faithfully serving,

Brother Finnagan Reid Collins, Brotherhood of Ventus, Discipline of Mallow


He blinked as he stared at what he had written. To any other, it appeared as a Brother might sign a formal document, but to himself, he knew what it meant. He would always be hers, faithfully, no matter which post he was assigned to. He just knew it. As for his name, well, he wanted her to read the full thing, to know his actual name even as it was surrounded by official words and places. Inside it all was him, and he was giving that to her.

Blowing on the ink lightly until it dried, he then folded the paper in half twice, not bothering to address it to the woman he knew would receive it. Jumping down from the rafter again, he slipped the note under her door, letting a small tendril of his Wind Control follow it. He wanted to know when she opened it, when she read it. Hesitantly, he returned to the rafters, his eyes locked on the shut door between him and his ward.
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Noemi Ilda

Noemi Ilda


Posts : 38
Total Experience Points : 33
Join date : 2012-12-16

Character Sheet
OOC: Milksteak
Classification: Consular
Experience:
Check Yes or No Left_bar_bleue36/70Check Yes or No Empty_bar_bleue  (36/70)

Check Yes or No Empty
PostSubject: Re: Check Yes or No   Check Yes or No I_icon_minitimeWed Jan 23, 2013 1:09 am

Noemi jumped when the letter was suddenly taken. So he was still there. A wave of relief washed over her, followed quickly by dread and regret. That had been a foolish idea. It would have been better if she had left it alone. She bolstered her courage by assuring herself that she had done the honorable thing in apologizing, that even if he did not forgive her - he had little reason to - then at least she might be somewhat redeemed in the Creator's eyes. Glad no one was with her to see her fussing, she threw herself into her bed, groaning into her blankets.

Then, moments later, she heard a slight scratch coming from her door. Her head shot up, blonde waves tousled over her face. Through the locks, she saw a square parchment. She shuffled out of bed quickly, nearly tripping over her own feet in her haste. Noemi had not expected a reply at all, especially not one so prompt. For a few seconds, she could only stare at it. Surely, he had nothing good to say to her. Curiosity conquered her hesitation, however, and she snatched it up, impatiently unfolding it and reading it right there.

There is nothing to forgive. All fault should be on my shoulders for the goings on of that lesson. I was the teacher, you the student. I should have kept better control of the direction. Your Highness, I could not think less of you for something that was very clearly my own fault, in all respects. I cannot even begin to express how deeply sorry I am, for everything. I only hope that you can forgive me for my failures as your guard and teacher. I swear I will do better in the future, if you allow it.

Faithfully serving,

Brother Finnagan Reid Collins, Brotherhood of Ventus, Discipline of Mallow


They were tossing blame back and forth, then. They had both lost themselves in one another. It was no one's fault, but both of their faults at once. And if she would allow it? She would allow him most anything, if he asked. If only he would ask. Her fingers trailed over his closing note, remembering the indentions in the parchment. Faithfully serving. Serving Valetudo? Ventus? Her? It brought to mind the memory of him asking her to flee as he turned to face what might have been death. I vow to serve. And his name, in full. It was formal, as she had signed hers, but there was an intimacy to it as well, one she could not completely identify. Brothers, she had learned, did not often give their first names and placed even less weight on their middle names. She was probably attaching too much meaning to nothing. Noemi was not prone to over-analyzing, but it was difficult not to try to read between the lines.

Finnagan was considerably warmer than she had been in her letter; ironic considering that he was the man who had pledged himself to unfeeling. More importantly, he was not angry with her. A weight had been lifted from her. He wasn't angry with her! Apparently, he didn't even hate her. A foolish smile spread across her mouth, wide and ecstatic. She ran to her desk again and sat to craft a reply.

Brother Finnagan Reid Collins, She began, taking extra care in how she wrote his name.

We are both at fault. It would be unfair of me to allow you to take all the blame upon yourself. I will do my best to exercise more restraint. Was this too much disclosure? Did it make her sound like...like a wanton that needed to control herself? She continued anyway. If she took too long, he would know she was second-guessing herself. Please, don't feel as if you need to redeem yourself for any reason. You have not failed me at all as a guard - in fact, I do believe you saved my life quite recently. As for your capabilities as a teacher, you may not have taught me exactly what the curriculum dictated, but I did learn. I thank you for that. I look forward to our future lessons.

She stopped and reread what she had wrote. Was she being flirtatious, perverse, or honest? All three, maybe. It was suddenly important to her that he know she had...appreciated their encounter. She had been a wholly willing participant, with only his proximity and her desire for him having addled her decision making processes. He had made it seem almost as if he had raped her or taken advantage of his momentary command over her and she felt it necessary to fix that notion. Any bolder than this, though, and she would have to place herself in a convent. A hot flush rose in her cheeks. Again, the conflict with closing.

Very Sincerely,
Princess Noemi Ilda


For a moment, she considered crumpling the whole thing and starting anew, but she doubted she could find any other way to say what she intended. Noemi folded the parchment and galloped to the door, shoving it beneath before she could reconsider. His lack of displeasure with her had made her giddy.
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Finnagan Collins

Finnagan Collins


Posts : 38
Total Experience Points : 38
Join date : 2012-10-25

Character Sheet
OOC: Delilah
Classification: Apprentice
Experience:
Check Yes or No Left_bar_bleue39/45Check Yes or No Empty_bar_bleue  (39/45)

Check Yes or No Empty
PostSubject: Re: Check Yes or No   Check Yes or No I_icon_minitimeTue Jan 29, 2013 6:11 am

With each passing heartbeat Finn grew more nervous. He had a careful Wind eye on the note he had slid under her door, looking for movement, and thus far the note lay in the same place it had after he pushed it under the door. Maybe she didn’t want to read it. After all, her letter was formal and neutral, not giving anything away and most certainly not requesting or even needing a response. Perhaps she thought him too foolish to respond to her missive, or perhaps she was scared to read what he had to say. From the sounds of it, she was under the impression that he was angry with her, which was certainly not the truth. If only she would just pick up his own note, she would see that. More heartbeats passed. Maybe she had fallen asleep or had simply become distracted by something or another. Just because he responded right away didn’t mean that she had to. Finn forced himself to relax and lean against a beam, keeping his Wind on the paper and his eye out for other Brothers. He was still not entirely sure if anyone had witnesses his little training session with the Princess, and if they did, he most certainly did not want them witnessing this little note passing that had begun.

Movement across the paper nearly made him jump from the beam, eyes locked once again on the closed door between him and his ward. While it had been only moments while he watched his letter lay unread, the moments had dragged by. Now that he knew she had the letter in her hands, very well while reading it, time seemed to move even slower. Should he have been more formal after all, to match her style? Perhaps he over stepped his bounds and she would stop reading halfway through. Or even worse yet, maybe she would request that he be sent away after everything he had put her through. Now that he knew she thought he was angry with her, perhaps these possibilities weren’t quite as logical as they should have been, but for the past week it had seemed his ability to make logical decisions and put together logical thoughts was not what it use to be.

He was nearly jumping off of the beam by the time a note slipped out from under the door again, and yet, he couldn’t even move when the paper finally came into view. His previous note could have easily been seen as him stepping out of line, acting as if he was too familiar with the Princess, and the note now waiting for him could contain words that he very much did not want to read. Even so, not knowing that words she wrote for him was more cruel than reading her hurtful words, at least at that point. Thus, Finn leapt down from his place in the rafters and retrieved the note, opening it while he still stood at her door.

Brother Finnagan Reid Collins,

We are both at fault. It would be unfair of me to allow you to take all the blame upon yourself. I will do my best to exercise more restraint. Please, don't feel as if you need to redeem yourself for any reason. You have not failed me at all as a guard - in fact, I do believe you saved my life quite recently. As for your capabilities as a teacher, you may not have taught me exactly what the curriculum dictated, but I did learn. I thank you for that. I look forward to our future lessons.

Very Sincerely,
Princess Noemi Ilda


He stared at the flowing handwriting of the Princess for a few moments before he realized that he was just reading his name over and over again. From her hand, it looked so much more elegant and so much more meaningful. It was nothing like when he wrote his own name. There was meaning, and careful consideration, at least he chose to believe so. Certainly there was, after all, his name was written just as that, without titles and all. It was as if she was taking the time to say this was for him as he could be, not to him with his obligations and vows. Was he reading too much into the start to a note he hadn’t even read?

Frustrated with his over attention to detail, his eyes quickly read over the words, pausing again when they reached her closing message. Very sincerely -- he had no idea what that even meant. Was that a real way to close a message? If she was sincerely to others, but very sincerely for him, did that place him closer to her? He blinked. Or was she simply being kind. Reading the message again, he felt the corners of his mouth twitch. This time around, his eyes were not so focused on the beginning or end, but rather on the content in between. So many hidden meanings, hidden ideas within every curve of her words. Was she being flirtatious with him, a Brother? And did she mean what she said, would she really do her best to exercise more restraint? Certainly when they were in public, they both had to. He shook his head. They should always, not just in public, but then again, with no one there to see them, and if he wasn’t technically breaking a vow...

With the newest letter clutched in his hands, he Wind Walked back to the rafters so fast it was as if he was being chased up by a band of Glaciens. Taking his pen, he pulled a fresh sheet of paper from his pack and began scrawling a note, his handwriting suffering from his haste.

Dear Princess Noemi,

For the second time, Finn hesitated after writing her name, second guessing his greeting in the letter. While it was clear who it was meant for and thus the need for an address was rather pointless, he felt the need to write her name as she did his. But the greeting itself was a predicament -- dear. Was that too personal? Was it not personal enough? He considered crumpling the paper and restarting, but who knew where that vicious circle would end. Wasting paper now was ridiculous and unnecessary. Thus, he continued.

If you will take on the task of restraining yourself, it is only fair that I offer to do the same myself. As much as I do not wish you to, or wish to do myself. After all, they are supposed to be educational lessons that benefit your own well being. In regards to saving lives, I believe that you have saved mine as well. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I was assigned to you and your sisters when I arrived, but I feel as if that night shone light as to the difficulties of serving a Princess such as yourself. She was beautiful, and captivating, and stubborn, and Creator, so tempting. Those difficulties were proven again in my failed lesson, but I am glad that you took something away from it anyway. In no way did it go as I planned or expected, but I cannot say that I was disappointed. In fact, I am sure that you were the one teaching.

He blinked. If he was speaking with the Princess face to face, there was no way he would have been able to say those words. Already a bright hue of red was rushing to his face as he closed the message. Something felt wrong about using the title of Brother in such a letter, even though only one would see it. Perhaps he didn’t want to remind her more that he had to of his place and his vows. Then again, perhaps he didn’t want to remind himself.

Faithfully,
Finnagan Collins


Blowing gently on the ink, he then folded the paper in half and used a passing breeze to carry his letter downwards, using his Control to move the Wind to slip the paper under the door that separated them.
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Noemi Ilda

Noemi Ilda


Posts : 38
Total Experience Points : 33
Join date : 2012-12-16

Character Sheet
OOC: Milksteak
Classification: Consular
Experience:
Check Yes or No Left_bar_bleue36/70Check Yes or No Empty_bar_bleue  (36/70)

Check Yes or No Empty
PostSubject: Re: Check Yes or No   Check Yes or No I_icon_minitimeTue Jan 29, 2013 3:24 pm

This time, Noemi did not even move from the door, instead sitting on her heels before it and impatiently drumming her fingers on the floor. She knew she was behaving irrationally, but if no one was around to see, did it matter? Already, she was marveling at her own restraint. Though exchanging letters with him was exciting in its own right, she wanted nothing more than to throw the door open and demand he come in and kiss her that very instant. Of course, she was not so bold, but she liked to pretend that she might have been had she not been concerned about her already dubious virtue.

She was largely expecting a scolding from him. He would tell her that she should not be thanking him, that she was being too brazen and that he should remember her place and he should remember his. That sounded like him, didn't it? Honestly, she could not predict him. One minute, he was cold and the next, he was searing. When a fresh letter appeared beneath her door, she took it - gently, this time - and consciously waited until she reached her desk before opening it, savoring the anticipation that largely overshadowed the dread of being lectured.

Dear Princess Noemi,

If you will take on the task of restraining yourself, it is only fair that I offer to do the same myself. After all, they are supposed to be educational lessons that benefit your own well being. In regards to saving lives, I believe that you have saved mine as well. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I was assigned to you when I arrived, but I feel as if that night shone light as to the difficulties of serving a Princess such as yourself. Those difficulties were proven again in my failed lesson, but I am glad that you took something away from it anyway. In no way did it go as I planned or expected, but I cannot say that I was disappointed. In fact, I am sure that you were the one teaching.

Faithfully,
Finnagan Collins


Not a scolding at all. Once again, Finnagan had betrayed her expectations. She reread the greeting, chewing on her thumb. Dear? Had he said dear the other letter? Noemi scanned over the first note to confirm that he indeed hadn't. He referred to her by name, as well. She was dear to him. That was what that meant, right? It was a difficult game they were playing, leaving so many hidden messages tucked between the lines of their writing. Noemi could not be sure whether what she thought she read was true or whether it was simply her imagination seeing what it wanted. Dear. At this point, she was sure he was physically attracted to her - that afternoon had told her as much - but the body and the mind were two separate entities attached to the same person. She did not think she was dear to him.

Then, he had signed with his name, without the addition of "Brother". That, she knew for a certainty, spoke volumes. He identified with the Brotherhood. To strip that away from himself, voluntarily, if only in writing.... It was as if he was writing to her not as her guard, not as a Brother, but as simply a man. She appreciated it greatly.

She read over the entire thing again, catching the "princess such as yourself" and frowning. What did he mean by that? Noemi was very well aware that she did not behave like most other princesses she had met, but she could not see whether what he said was a compliment or insult. And he was not disappointed. She had done the teaching. Suddenly, she felt rather hot beneath her silken robe. How could she tell him what exactly she had learned?

Pulling a fresh piece of parchment from her stack, she peeked over her shoulder to ensure the curtains were still drawn tightly over her window. Though she was very much alone, she still felt squirmy and embarrassed, as if at any moment, someone might barge in and point a finger at her. Especially considering what she was about to say to him. There was a heady thrill in behaving badly and being audacious, especially when the consequences were limited.

Dear Finnagan,

She considered adding his last name at the very least and then decided against.

What do you mean by 'a princess such as yourself'? I realize that I may be a handful, Oh, you definitely had a handful. but I hope that was not meant as insult. Would you care to be more specific?

I'm glad our lesson was beneficial to you in some way. I still insist that you were the teacher in this instance. Before that day, I was woefully inexperienced with such matters, but now that you have taught me, I've been practicing.


Her own lack of shame took her breath away. Was she really writing this? Would he even understand? She did not need a mirror to know the shade of red her face had turned. More disturbing was the warmth between her legs that she was becoming familiar with. What a hussy she was, to be aroused by admitting something so private and embarrassing.

Yours Truly,
Noemi


Her name looked strange without all the accoutrement. She could not remember the last time she had signed her name so simply - not even to her mother had she left off the "princess" title. However, she wanted it clear in the same way that he had made it that she was being open with him, as a person rather than an icon. The "yours truly" portion was pure bravery on her part. On her way to the door, she fanned the letter back and forth to dry the ink before folding it.

She slipped it beneath, hand hesitating before shoving it through and running away.
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Finnagan Collins

Finnagan Collins


Posts : 38
Total Experience Points : 38
Join date : 2012-10-25

Character Sheet
OOC: Delilah
Classification: Apprentice
Experience:
Check Yes or No Left_bar_bleue39/45Check Yes or No Empty_bar_bleue  (39/45)

Check Yes or No Empty
PostSubject: Re: Check Yes or No   Check Yes or No I_icon_minitimeSun Feb 10, 2013 5:23 pm

He forced himself to stop watching with his Wind as Noemi took his letter, pulling back to the area around him instead. As much as he wanted to stay connected with her, it made everything that much more tempting. There was only a door between them, after all, only a door that kept them apart. Then again, he was not sure he would be able to speak the things he wrote. They were flirtatious, especially for him, and they were much more intimate that he would admit to anyone. He blinked and resisted pushing his Wind under the door. Had she read it yet? What was she thinking? Perhaps he had been too intimate in that one, too assuming, too flirtatious. Surely she did not expect those things in return from him, even after the curls of her own handwriting tempted him so.

Finnagan was sitting on his hands, nearly jumping from the rafter when another letter slid from beneath the door. Part of him was absolutely terrified as to what it might say, but then again, so much of him was riding on her response. He was a Brother before all things, but she made him forget that and almost believe that he was just a man, one that needed her approval and attention. The sarcastic corner of his brain tried to point out that Finn surely only wanted approval and attention, innocently and nothing more, but he ignored it. Taking a breath, he moved silently from the rafter. Almost immediately he on the floor, hands unfolding the paper before he had taken another breath.

Dear Finnagan,

What do you mean by 'a princess such as yourself'? I realize that I may be a handful, but I hope that was not meant as insult. Would you care to be more specific?

I'm glad our lesson was beneficial to you in some way. I still insist that you were the teacher in this instance. Before that day, I was woefully inexperienced with such matters, but now that you have taught me, I've been practicing.

Yours Truly,
Noemi


His jaw dropped and he stood there, the letter gripped loosely in his fingers. Moments passed, and he still stood there, eyes glued to her words and wide mouth hanging open.

It was only when the paper moved in his loose grip, threatening to fall, that Finn blinked and closed his mouth, swallowing heavily. He thought he had been overly flirtatious in his last message, but her message proved him wrong. Her words, those words, were very thinly veiled. Tearing his eyes away from her curling letters, he looked down the hall both ways before letting his eyes return to this new letter. If anyone read this, if anyone saw him reading this...immediately his face flushed the brightest shade of red. He was walking the line so much so that his toe brushed past it every so often. He should immediately pull back and make his response more formal, but then again, if no one was there to read it, and if there was a door between them, where was the harm?

Letter clutched tightly in his hand, he Wind Walked back up to the rafter, thankful that Brother McCall was no where to be seen. Sitting against a pair of perpendicular beams, he read the letter over again, more carefully this time. The first paragraph made him frown slightly, mostly because he wasn’t sure if she was really offended or if she just wanted him to say what he was avoiding and hinted at instead. The second paragraph, however, was much more clearly written. Provocative and forward, he could not ignore the tone in her words, nor the very, very clear implications within them. The whole things was clear and forward, leaving nothing much to his imagination, and yet, if another were to read this, they would see none of this. The second bit would just discuss the self defense lessons to the eyes of another, yet he was reading between the lines because he knew just what she was referring to, right?

Finn ran a hand through his hair and read the message again, nothing changing in his mind about the content, but either end did cause him to take note this time around. She had addressed him merely as Finnagan, no title of Brother and no last name. With every exchange of paper, formalities were being crushed and familiarity with another was becoming more and more obvious, this one being the most obvious. His finger ran over the swirling ink of his name in her hand, making the corners of his lips twitch upwards for a moment. He hoped that she realized the intimacy of his name in her hand, the lack of the titles and just what that meant. Friends, if he could call his Brothers that, called him Brother Collins, even. Not even, the King of Ventus or the Queen of Valetudo called him Finnagan, or even used it in conjunction with his last name. His ward was, truly, the only one he could think of that would address him so informally.

If he did not see her own named signed, he would have surely been lost in how to begin a response in return. Had he not seen her single, unadorned name, Finn would have surely had to take minutes of contemplation on just the way to begin, but she had taken care of that for him. Her first name, her given name, was written elegantly in her own hand, below the closing phrase of the letter that would be the two words to give him the most difficulty. Yours Truly. How much weight were in those words? Did he dare read into those two words when they could easily read nothing just as much as they could mean the whole of Carista over again? Surely she wasn’t trying to test him or the likes on purpose.

Shaking his head, he set the note aside and pulled out another sheet of paper and began writing.

Dear Noemi,

I certainly did not mean to insult you in any way. I merely meant that I have never met a woman like yourself -- stubborn, more than clever, determined, and honest. From my previous experiences with royalty in Ventus, I was not expecting to have my training and vows pushed to the limit like you have done for me with just a look. In addition, none of the nobles in Ventus can even be compared in terms of beauty.
Do you not see what your body does to me? Surely it was clear the night we met, and more than clear during our training sessions.

It seems that we have taught each other, then. I am afraid that while I have a great amount of experience in the original intensions of the lessons, my experience in the topic the lesson shifted to is more than limited. Even books on the subject have been kept from me. Surely now that you have been practicing you have exceeded me in skill. Perhaps would would be able to tell me about your practice techniques in the future. I wouldn’t want to fall behind.


Finn stared at what he had just written, written clearly without thinking. What he was asking, what he had implied, it was more than what he could realistically handle. What if she was outraged by the idea? Or possibly worse yet, what if she agreed and opened that door that separated them. He was not sure what he would do. Though tempted to crumple up the paper, he did not. If he did not give her exactly this, he would surely be wondering for the rest of the night, of not for days come to pass. A blush rose to his face. Perhaps she would ignore those last sentences, and yet, there was the chance that she was feeling just as forward as he. A shiver ran down his flesh and color flooded his face. He wasn’t even sure what he was hoping to get out of this particular letter. Nearly shaking, he signed the paper, mirroring her closing technique in his own way. He still wasn’t sure what she meant, but he know what he did.

Faithfully yours,
Finn


Finn almost added the rest of his first name to his scrawled signature, but decided against it. If they were slowly dropping titles and formalities, he would be curious to see how she responded. If she still address the next letter to Finnagan, it would tell him so much. These letters under the door were making their lives entirely too complicated. After just a few weeks, not many spent together, he was hers, and he knew it. If he was reassigned to another post, he would still never leave this one with her. And if he was sent across the sea to another Kingdom, well, he would deal with that situation when it ever arose. Until then, he would serve her as himself and as a Brother.

Finn leapt gently to the floor and blew on the ink softly before folding the paper and sliding it under the door that kept him and his ward apart.
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Noemi Ilda

Noemi Ilda


Posts : 38
Total Experience Points : 33
Join date : 2012-12-16

Character Sheet
OOC: Milksteak
Classification: Consular
Experience:
Check Yes or No Left_bar_bleue36/70Check Yes or No Empty_bar_bleue  (36/70)

Check Yes or No Empty
PostSubject: Re: Check Yes or No   Check Yes or No I_icon_minitimeThu Feb 14, 2013 5:11 am

Every moment waiting for his reply was pure agony and delicious anticipation in one. It seemed that with every letter exchanged, they were upping the ante, inching the border ever forward, seeing whether or not the other would bow or recant. Was this some sort of game? For the first time, Noemi cursed her lack of experience with romance. For so long, she had ignored the interest of the opposite sex and had even plugged her ears and hummed loudly when her girl friends had shared their dirty little anecdotes. Now, she was facing the consequences. It gave her a bit of solace to know that Finnagan, too, barely knew what he was doing - that she might, in fact, know more than him, but reading of sexuality in medical text books and facing it first hand were two different things entirely.

She had been sitting at the edge of her bed, eyes trained on the door as she rocked side to side, rubbing the fringe of her duvet back and forth between her fingers. Again, she did not know if she had gone too far. As soon as she had pushed the letter beneath her door, she had regretted her decision. There was flirtation and then there was...whatever she was doing. Ladies did not say things like that to men they were barely acquainted with. Princess certainly didn't. But to call Finnagan a stranger - though technically he was - seemed inaccurate. They had faced death together. Naturally, she would feel some sort of bond to a man with whom she had encountered tragedy and violence, but the fact that it had manifested itself into something so uncontrollable and - to not mince words - sexual was beyond her. She was no sociologist. She understood how bones mended, how wounds sealed. The body fit together in a much cleaner way than the mind.

As soon as his reply appeared, she launched herself from her seat and grasped it, reading it on the spot.

Dear Noemi,

I certainly did not mean to insult you in any way. I merely meant that I have never met a woman like yourself -- stubborn, more than clever, determined, and honest. From my previous experiences with royalty in Ventus, I was not expecting to have my training and vows pushed to the limit like you have done for me with just a look. In addition, none of the nobles in Ventus can even be compared in terms of beauty.


Her name, without adornment! The sight of it should have made her uncomfortable. Her family members were the only people - outside of commoners who did not know her identity - that she allowed to call her that. Propriety was a part of her nature, but Brother Collins...Finnagan...was changing her nature entirely. She read on, her stomach flipping with every added word. She was used to being thought stubborn; most people she knew had said that about her at some point. The rest, though. Clever, determined, honest. All of them were high compliments in her book.

At his mention of her beauty, she stopped for a moment. Though Noemi was aware that she was not ugly - at least, not by conventional standards - she had never truly thought of herself as attractive. She easily recognized beauty in others, but never had she stopped in front of a mirror and perceived herself in one way or another. She was herself, nothing more, nothing less, round-featured and small-eyed, but altogether functional. Her few suitors over the years had always made mention of her apparent pulchritude, but she had never taken it seriously. Most of those men would have said anything to marry themselves to a princess. From Finnagan, however, she had no doubt of his sincerity. He had nothing to gain by saying this and everything to lose. It pleased her far more than she was proud to admit to know that the way she was configured appealed to him, that "a look" from her was enough to make him lose his footing. She had never imagined herself as desirable and to hear it from him made her feel more like a woman than she ever had.

It seems that we have taught each other, then. I am afraid that while I have a great amount of experience in the original intentions of the lessons, my experience in the topic the lesson shifted to is more than limited. Even books on the subject have been kept from me. Surely now that you have been practicing you have exceeded me in skill. Perhaps would would be able to tell me about your practice techniques in the future. I wouldn’t want to fall behind.

Faithfully yours,
Finn


The silly smile she hadn't even known had been on her face dropped away, giving way to a gape. And she thought she had been obtuse! Honestly, she had not known what she had expected from his reply or even what she had wanted. She shrugged off her robe and tossed it behind her onto the bed, the heat his words inspired unbearable otherwise. Her mouth was dry. Tell him about her practice techniques? Oh, Creator. If she were to back down now, what would he think of her? Would he be ashamed of himself for asking? How could she not have expected him to ask? Things were quickly getting out of hand.

She took the letter with her to her desk, a fresh piece of parchment at the ready. Her eyes flitted back and forth between his letters and her blank paper, trying to will words to spill from her pen. She should have said something along the lines of "how dare you". Or "never mind, sorry!". Or she could take the most cowardly route and not reply at all. But she didn't want to stop the correspondence, did she? If Noemi were to be true to herself, she liked this very much, despite the uncertainty. She liked raising the stakes, the fluttering in her stomach, the clenching between her legs, the joy of mischief. What is the worst that could happen?

He could not reply. Would that have been so bad? It would have kept her up all night, but she would probably not sleep well tonight anyway. He could be embarrassed and avoid her. That would be unbearable. The door between them was a shield and she could say whatever she wanted, but for all his compliments, she was not so clever as to know the words. For all the door protected her, it barred her as well.

Dear Finn,

She smiled briefly at writing his shortened name and paused. Was she really going to do this?

Thank you for your kind words. Though I feel you may have exaggerated my looks, I must admit I am a bit flustered by your compliments. It is a good thing we are writing, as I am speechless - even if I might have liked to see those words coming from that mouth of yours. Oh, that mouth. She realized her pulse was picking up speed.

It is only fair that I train you, since you have been so kind as to train me. The techniques are difficult to describe, though. Perhaps I should show you instead? Come to my window.

Faithfully yours,
Noemi


She read and reread her letter, debating the wisdom of it. The words slowly dried on the page and still, she could not come to a decision. Her fingers folded the parchment into tight seams, and she did not know what she was doing. She rose and went to the door, slipping the paper beneath, and then, she decided that she had made the wrong move. From there, she walked to her leftmost window, the one overlooking the roof, and opened the heavy drapes, knowing full well she had made a mistake.
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Finnagan Collins

Finnagan Collins


Posts : 38
Total Experience Points : 38
Join date : 2012-10-25

Character Sheet
OOC: Delilah
Classification: Apprentice
Experience:
Check Yes or No Left_bar_bleue39/45Check Yes or No Empty_bar_bleue  (39/45)

Check Yes or No Empty
PostSubject: Re: Check Yes or No   Check Yes or No I_icon_minitimeFri Mar 08, 2013 1:29 pm

Finn didn’t even bother returning to the rafters after he had slipped the missive under the door. At first, he was pacing in front of her door, nervousness clear in his steps, before he settled into standing like a proper guard at her door. His back was straight, eyes forward, and his dominant hand was resting on the hilt of the dagger at his hip. A proper guard he was, though it was this calm and now natural stance that he used to disguise the inner conflict he was experiencing. He shouldn’t have sent that note, he shouldn’t have sent any of them. While standing as he was, it was as if his calm and collected self was resorting back into what had always been his natural mindset. Gone was the distracted mind that focused only on his ward, gone was the grinning fool who was bouncing on his toes while waiting for another message in the hand of a Princess. He was a calm, collected Brother guarding at his post.

In such a stance, time moved by much more quickly, each blink taking a minute or several with it while he was constantly aware of any movement in the adjoining halls, paces away. His posture did not slouch and his hand did not waver from his hip while he stood at his post, a prime example of a Brother. That was, until another slip of paper came under the door. As much as he wished to be a calm and collected Brother, his stiff and proper demeanor vanished as he crouched down and scooped it up in his hands. Whatever this letter said, it couldn’t be good. Unfolding it still crouched down, he licked his dry lips before actually reading the swirling handwriting.

Dear Finn,

Already he could see that this was not going to end well for him from the simple yet elegant way his shortened name was written. He could not lie to himself, he thoroughly enjoyed their conversation up to this point, but his past message opened the door to things that he simply could not go through with. She was, after all, not only his ward but the eldest Princess of a very wealthy Kingdom. Surely her parents were planning on using her as a bargaining tool one day, to marry her off in order to gain favor with another Kingdom. Marry a Prince, that was her fate, and there were no questions about that. Why was he allowing himself to have such delusions about her, to write to her in such a way that could never lead to anything but hurt feelings for her and embarrassment for the both of them? He shouldn’t even continue reading what was held in his hands, yet he did anyway.

Thank you for your kind words. Though I feel you may have exaggerated my looks, I must admit I am a bit flustered by your compliments. It is a good thing we are writing, as I am speechless - even if I might have liked to see those words coming from that mouth of yours.

If the compliments given by a Brother were ones to fluster Noemi, it was a surprise the woman was not blushing constantly. She was well into the age where she could marry and surely there were many suitors in her past and many small crushes and flings. From what he noticed while he was a guard for the King of Ventus, Royalty often had petty flings and it was more than easy for them to do so, for everyone in a Kingdom wanted to have the change of snagging a Royal, even if the chance was slim. It wasn’t as if all the Royals were just cruel fools for leading people along, often they had feelings of their own, but the point of the matter was that they existed, and usually in a much more, improper, way than a Brother could even imagine. Surely she was just acting humble to his compliments, thought he did mean them. She was a beautiful woman, and it was a shame that she did not realize that both her looks and personality made her a very desirable woman, even for a Brother.

And then he read the last sentence. His mouth, or rather that mouth of his. He had lost his sensitivity to that aspect of his body being mocked, but the possibility that she was now mocking it made it slightly irritating. Though, considering the nature of their conversations via the messages prior, he was pretty sure that she meant nothing by in in particular. Thus, he moved past it and continued reading.

It is only fair that I train you, since you have been so kind as to train me. The techniques are difficult to describe, though. Perhaps I should show you instead? Come to my window.

Faithfully yours,
Noemi


His mouth fell open and the paper slid to the floor before his mind fully comprehended what he had just read. There were not words going through his mind, no thoughts, no feelings, nothing of a reaction other than pure shock. The Brother remained at the crouching position he had been in since he began reading the letter, his mouth open and the paper face up on the ground over a foot away where it had slid. He just...wow. There were certainly no words.

It took Finnagan a whole minute to regain his composure, which was a significant period of time when one doesn’t know of anything to do other than breathe. Closing his mouth first, he blinked a few times before leaning forward and taking the letter in his hands, eyes avoiding the words there. Folding it again, he stood with it in his hand and took another breath. His brain was still not in working order to the point where he could formulate a coherent thought, but his body was at least responding to routine. Wind Walking quickly up the wall, he jumped to the rafters when he was high enough. The letter just...she asked...Step by step, Finn walked across the rafters until he was beside his pack. Sitting down beside it, he took the pile of letters, all in the same curling font, and folded them one by one, placing them neatly at the bottom of his pack after he had done so, hiding them beneath every other possession he had to his name. No one could be allowed to read them, that he realized.

Then Finn just sat there, his hands empty and his head still trying to catch up. Noemi was clearly waiting for him at her window, according to her note, yet, he knew he should not go. It would be a mistake, and though he might not immediately regret it, he knew that he would soon after. Being alone with here, with the Princess, his ward, was more than dangerous. She not only threatened one of his vows, but he doubted that she was in any more control over herself than he was when they were together. It was just a large mix of hormones and emotions running wild. Even so, he could not meet her at her window for that would mean he was leaving his post. While he focused almost entirely on her, the eldest of the Princesses of Valetudo, he was still supposed to watch the other two as well, and the path to Noemi’s window would take him farther away from the easiest entrance to the others. He could ask another Brother to take his post while he took a break, but he had not been there long enough and taking such a leave from a post for a “break” would make him look weak and incompetent at this point, especially after he had to take things slow after his first night in the Palace, with Noemi. No, he couldn’t go to her Window. Would he write her another note then, and slip it under her door? That seemed like a cruel thing to do when she was likely waiting for him in the flesh.

In the flesh.

He swallowed heavily. No, he had to see her, at least for a moment. Perhaps he could feign as if he was just checking on each of the Princesses physically. It wouldn’t be looked at twice, considering the Glacien attack a few nights ago. He had the right to be worried. He could just slip in her door for a moment and explain. But explain what? Explain that he couldn’t be in her room? Explain what she did to him? He knew very well how things were likely to progress the moment he entered her room. Especially considering the fact that she was in fact in her own private chambers, and thus not required to wear anything public decency required. Or perhaps that was just something his imagination threw in there for fun. A sigh left his lips. Perhaps he could think of something once he saw her. While he knew that this was unlikely and rather near impossible as he tended to lose the ability to think around her, he was not sure he could take any more time waiting.

After closing his pack, he jumped down from the rafters silently, landing at a crouch and then immediately straightening. Another Brother would likely be coming this way on a round in a few minutes, so the quicker this was, the better. Looking down the hall both ways and seeing no one, Finn raised his hand and gripped the doorknob to Noemi’s room, shaking slightly from the anticipation. Turning it quickly, he opened the door when he felt he was clear of the latch and slipped inside the room of the Princess, shutting the door behind him quietly.
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Noemi Ilda

Noemi Ilda


Posts : 38
Total Experience Points : 33
Join date : 2012-12-16

Character Sheet
OOC: Milksteak
Classification: Consular
Experience:
Check Yes or No Left_bar_bleue36/70Check Yes or No Empty_bar_bleue  (36/70)

Check Yes or No Empty
PostSubject: Re: Check Yes or No   Check Yes or No I_icon_minitimeMon Apr 08, 2013 4:25 am

It occurred to her that he would not show himself. In fact, a large part of her hoped he would not. Now, with the deed done and her impulsive invitation extended, she was experiencing some very serious regret. There was no possibility that she might do what she suggested. Her words had been audacious, born of hormones and the security of walls and writing. She could not even dare to touch herself without burying her head in a pillow or drowning herself in the covers of her bed. The idea of her being bold in the flesh rather than through the pen was absolutely ridiculous.

Noemi resolutely strode forward, grasped the curtains so tightly that they might have been ripped from the rod, and jerked them closed. On the off chance that he did appear at her window, surely he would understand that she had made a mistake and take the drawn curtains as her personal admittance of such. She grit her teeth against the instant disappointment that reared in the wake of her renewed chastity. Won't you always wonder, though?

Yes, but wondering was better than...whatever she had planned on. Wasn't it?

She was a princess, but more than that, a woman of propriety and integrity. To succumb to desire so easily would be to discount who she was entirely. The more she thought of it, the more idiotic she felt and the more idiotic she felt, the angrier she became. That stupid man, with his stupid mouth and his stupid eyes and his stupid hands! She could not blame him, but it was easier to have a scapegoat at this point in time than to admit to herself how very unstupid she thought his mouth, eyes and hands.

She would write him another letter. One that reestablished their boundaries and apologized deeply for playing games that neither of them could win. Just as she turned to march back to her desk full of vigor and purpose, her doorknob turned. She scowled, fully prepared to chastise any servant who would be so impolite as to enter without knocking. Her scowl slackened into a full gape when she realized who was now standing in her room. Dimly, she was glad she had closed her curtains.

The aching hunger that had dulled in her anger and embarrassment woke again, deep in the pit of her stomach. Her memories still held his face fresh in her mind, but it was vastly better to see in person, as most things were. She had forgotten the smattering of freckles across his features and the slope of his shoulders. Her room was very, very hot. Had it been so hot before? She glanced toward her robe, still discarded on the bed where she had left it. Yes, it had been hot before.

Now, she wished he had just come to the window. Then, they might have pressed their hands to the glass and sighed with yearning, or conducted some other equally silly but ultimately harmless show of affection. There would have been a barrier - a transparent one, but a barrier all the less. Her momentary clarity was already falling to a million well-intentioned pieces. With deep, shaking breaths, she stepped forward and retrieved her robe. It took her three tries before she could get her arms through the sleeves, with her eyes still trained on him. She tried to tie it, but that simply wasn't happening, so she clutched it shut instead, her grip so tight that she could feel her nails through the silk.

Slowly and finally, she approached him.

"Would...you...like...some tea, Finn?" She asked deliberately, stopping before him entirely too close to be formal, but too far to touch; an awkward distance, indeed. Noemi did not even think about what name to call him - "Finn" simply fell from her lips. Though she had never been in the situation before, she imagined this was much like being in a room with a half-tamed beast. Unfortunately, she was completely unsure as to which one of them was the animal.
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Finnagan Collins

Finnagan Collins


Posts : 38
Total Experience Points : 38
Join date : 2012-10-25

Character Sheet
OOC: Delilah
Classification: Apprentice
Experience:
Check Yes or No Left_bar_bleue39/45Check Yes or No Empty_bar_bleue  (39/45)

Check Yes or No Empty
PostSubject: Re: Check Yes or No   Check Yes or No I_icon_minitimeWed Apr 17, 2013 9:55 pm

From her expression, his ward did not appear to be pleased with him when he entered the room. By the time the door had shut behind him, however, her facial expression changed completely from annoyed to one he did not recognize very well on her. Was it surprise? Perhaps she really didn’t expect him to come to her after all, perhaps she just didn’t want him here and was just flirting in her letters, nothing serious. He was far to inexperienced for this and was in far over his head. How was he supposed to know what women meant, well, non-Brothers? He was not even sure how normal people survived with all the hidden meanings and emotional waves. It was ridiculous, and it was making him feel rather sick. Letting his eyes fall to the floor, he clasped his hands behind his back and did his best to stand as he would for any other Royal: at attention and ready for instructions. He kew how to do that, and when in an unfamiliar situation, it was best to do something to make it familiar. Even so, he had no idea what was going on, let alone what to say or do.

There was a silence as they both stood in the room, silence hanging around them. After a moment, he let himself glance up from the floor, his eyes immediately falling upon the soft facial features of Noemi, the Princess of Valetudo. Even in the dim light, he could make out every curve of her lips, the shape of her jaw, and the arches of her eyebrows. He desperately wanted to tear his eyes from her face, but found himself unable to do so. He was caught and it was as if the wind around him had suddenly frozen, leaving him motionless in front of the door to his ward’s private quarters, a place where he really shouldn’t be.

At the sound of shaking breaths, the binding spell on Finnagan seemed to lift, giving him control once again over his body, for the moment at least. Naturally, his eyes began to fall again to the floor, but as they drifted over her body, he felt them slow, catching him in the deadly trap nature had set for him. In all his years as a Brother, he had never met a woman who could give him cause to pause to, who could turn his life upside-down with just a look as this one could. Many had tried in his history, and many would kill to be so close to the downfall of a Brother, and yet Noemi just just as nervous and confused and overtaken by raw emotion as he was. There was no hint at an ulterior motive, no hint that this was just some game she played. She just happened to be a woman who could tempt him so, just happened to have the face that drew him in, the body that sent fire through his blood, and the mind that kept him from staying strong. She was the perfect woman to tempt Brother Collins, one in a million.

His eyes moved back to the floor as his ward retrieved her robe, glancing up again ash she struggled to get her arms through the garment. Was it nerves, or embarrassment that made her go for the robe? A blush rose to his cheeks. He was in her private room after all, a place where she surely did not intend to be seen by the public. She was covering up out of proper modesty. Oh how he wished she wouldn’t have. The blush deepened. Though he was very glad that she had. It was a thin barrier, but at least it was another between her flesh and his, which was much needed as she approached him.

Tea? The hesitant question threw him off-guard, and his shortened name on her lips that closed it brought legitimate confusion. No one had said that name aloud in, well, years. Perhaps it was his father that had last said it, or his mother. No Brother would ever dare call him that, and even the Brother-hunting women knew better. Did that single syllable from her lips anger him? Should it have? She said it so naturally, without thinking, that he wasn’t sure if he should take offense to it or not. Eyes falling to her mouth and then immediately to the floor, he blushed again. Of course he shouldn’t and wouldn’t be angry with her. The corner of his mouth twitched once before he clasped his hands tightly behind his back and did his best to stand tall, like a proper Brother, even if he wasn’t.

“Thank you, but I will decline, No-” he stopped himself from saying her name, stopped himself from breaking the line of formality. It was all he had at this point when she clearly didn’t want him there. “Princess.” He stopped, nothing else coming to mind that would be fit to say, but he had to say something. He was the one that entered her room, after all. His eyes shifted down to the floor for a long moment before they returned to her face. Keeping himself as formal as possible, he took a breath to speak, but hesitated before just exhaling. Trying again, he cleared his throat. “Please excuse my intrusion; I was just checking that you were alright, your highness.” In a way, that was very true.

Even though distance separated them, Finnagan could almost feel the heat of her body filling the space between them. He longed to reach out to her, to feel her skin beneath his fingertips, and the longer he stood there, the more difficult it became. She was within easy reach for him. All he would have to do would be to raise and arm and move forward just a little. Unconsciously, he leaned towards her, hands clasped tightly behind his back in protest. He wanted to touch her ever so much. A cloudy haze began to fill his mind as the imagined feel of her drifted to it. Taking a small step towards her, his hands unclasped and moved towards her. They stopped in the space between them, his mind seeing through the haze. Instead of just dropping his hands to his side, he let them continue, altering their course. He took another step towards her as his hands clasped the ends of the sash that remained untied. Taking one more small step towards her, putting himself directly in front of her, so close that he could feel her breathe, he tied the sash around her waist to close her robe, his eyes on the fabric.
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