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Post by Shiningami on May 13, 2008 23:21:28 GMT -8
Erick withdrew himself from her captivating eyes enough to speak, "I've been alright, actually. Just dealing with the duties of a Marquess. Would you...would you like to have lunch with me?" At the glare he got from the Duke, he hastily said, "To talk about history and what you have been doing all of these years. Just casual."
"I would enjoy that. How about we meet out on the Terrace? You remember that spot, don't you?" Her emerald eyes dazzled, and she curtsied. Her eyes held a sarcastic spark as she locked eyes with Erick once more, and said, "Since you are a Marquess. See you at noon." Then Elizabeth turned and glided out of the room, anxious to get away from the Duke, but regretful to leave Erick. They had been good friends growing up...in fact, they were betrothed. But obviously that all changed once she ran away...
--
Back in the room, Erick watched her leave, sorrowfully. He heaved a great sigh and then started when the Duke spoke. "She is a fine woman. I'll take her. Know what her dowry is? Ah, of course you wouldn't, you're just a boy. But anyway, don't go to the luncheon. I'll go, just tell me where that Terrace is..."
Erick shrunk. He couldn't tell the Duke. But what was he to do? "It's just teasing. She and I grew up together and that was always a joke we played." Erick lied through his teeth and he knew it. He wasn't good at it either. But he wouldn't let this douche of a Duke move in on Elizabeth...
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Post by Luna on May 14, 2008 18:27:05 GMT -8
As dawn of the following day approached Jayden stumbled home. His limp was a lot more pronounced than when he had left and there was a spreading bruise on his cheek. He was glad it was as late, or rather early to be specific, as it meant he wouldn't run into anyone who would question him.
Being as quiet as he could he snuck into the servant's kitchen and filled a bowl of water up and snagged a cloth before sitting down at the large heavy wooden table and hanging his cloak over the back and pulling his shirt off one-handed. Doing so revealed rough bandages around his torso, stained with blood in the front of his chest near his shoulder, where the brand that had once marked him as one condemed to death had been.
Glad that no one was up to see his scared body he began removing the bandages, wincing as it pulled where the blood had dried on the outside. He had cut the brand out, deciding that it wouldn't be a good idea to have such a hated mark on his body as well as the fact he had been waiting for the oportunity to remove the thing since without alerting or upsetting Elizabeth. This seemed as best an oportunity as any and he wanted nothing that could link him to that past.
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Post by Shiningami on May 14, 2008 19:09:39 GMT -8
Down the stairs and across the hallway, a young chamber maid is sweeping the floors. She is slender, tall, and is clothed in ripped hand-me-downs, which are covered with dust. She sweeps a pile of dust into a block of wood and carries it down towards the kitchen. When she arrives at the doorway, she hears noises. Painful noises. She peeks around the corner, and when she does not see anyone, she moves her head out a little more. Finally she can see a man...a very slight man, and he's shirtless! She blushs and starts to turn away, but then she sees that hes...cutting...He's cutting his own flesh!! Now she can see blood trickle down his back, and she can see bruises forming in various places. She gives a short gasp, sets down her wood quickly and none to carefully. She turned and ran back down the hallway, and when she came to a stop at the stairs, she realized who it must have been. She looked up the steps and took a deep breath. She softly tredded up the stairs towards Her room. She quietly knocked...
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"Where is he?!" Elizabeth fumes to herself. She is pacing back and forth around her quarters. This room has been hers since she started attending Court, and now that she is 'back', it had been all set up for her by the time she came back from lunch with Erick.
Ah, lunch wth Erick. It was nice to seem him again, but she can't help but feel like he is interested in her. Although she knows he must have moved on, she can't shake the feeling...
Elizabeth motions her hand in a manner that resembles brushing away a fly, but her intention was to brush away those thoughts. Of course he moved on. She had too. She has Jayden. Nobody is as important to her as he is...JAYDEN! "Where the bloody hell are you?!?!" She rants. In a huff, she threw herself down onto a loveseat at the end of her queen sized bed. She rested her head on her hand and her elbow on her knee. She had been awake all night waiting for Jayden to return back here to give her information, but so far....nothing.
Then there was a knock on her door. 'That better be him...' She thought. She stood and opened the door. Standing before her was a small girl. "Yes?" She asked.
"Sorry to be disturbin you, Miss, but I thinks I've seen your servant cuttin off his own skin, Miss." Her voice was quiet but gentle like a small bird. But Elizabeth was preoccupied.
"What?" Her tone was mayhap a little harsh, "Where?"
"Down in the servants kitchen, Miss." The young girls voice was much softer and shaky.
Elizabeth heard the fear in the girls tone and soothed her, "Thank you for telling me. Are you a maid to anyone here?"
"No, ma'am."
"What's your name?"
"Angeline."
"Angeline. Well. How would you like to work for me?"
"That would be wonderful Miss!" Th girls tone was excited, and her blue eyes were shining.
"Good. In my closet you will find a blue gown. Put it on and wait here." Elizabeth turned and watched the girl bolt for the closet. She then turned and ran down the hall, down the stairs and to the kitchen. When she got to the door, she looked around the corner to see if it really was jayden, and when she knew it was him, she took 4 steps towards him, so quietly she wouldnt have disturbed a mouse. She crossed her arms, got her glare armed and ready and spoke up. "WHAT IN THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!?!?!"
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Post by Luna on May 14, 2008 19:43:43 GMT -8
Jayden heard the maid retreat and sighed continued cutting, trying to get it over with as soon as possible. He knew Elizabeth would be here soon and she would go crazy. But still if he didn't concentrate he could make a serious error and cut too deep, or cut an important tendon or vein. There was already a lot of blood but that was due to the size of the brand, about the size of a fist.
When Elizabeth suddenly yelled, Jayden jumped and swore, the knife digging deeper than he had expected. "Damn it!" he said.
He sighed and said, "Getting rid of identifying features. How do you think our little queen-replacement would react if this was seen and identified me as someone who is supposed to be dead?"
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Post by Shiningami on May 14, 2008 20:16:21 GMT -8
"Well I'd much rather be around when you want to desecrate yourself. That way when you pass out from bloodloss I can stop the bleeding. You've already lost a lot of blood!" Ellizabeths harsh tone faded and she stepped closer towards Jayden, taking a cloth from inside her dress.
She put a hand on his shoulder and stared down at the scar that was bleeding steadily and was half cut off. Her eyes then traced the rest of his body, and her eyebrows furrowed together as she saw bruises, cuts, and gashs all along his stomach and some reaching down to his legs. "Jayden!" She inhaled a great gasp as she spoke his name. She glanced over and met his eyes. "What happened?"
As she waited for an answer, she started dabbing the wounds with the cloth, carefully removing blood from his body with growing concern etched into her soft features. She was kicking herself for waiting for him and not going out to find him...
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Post by Luna on May 14, 2008 20:21:49 GMT -8
"I'm not about to pass out from bloodloss," he counted but he didn't trust himself to stand up and prove it. He ignored her later exclaimation and question in favour of continuing his work more carefully this time. Only when he paused to give himself a breather did he answer.
"A fight that's all. It's the way things are in the lower city, had you forgotten?" he asked, a little cranky at being found at this. The two of them had lived with a gang of theives before Jayden had been arrested, surely she knew that one had to prove they were strong enough to demand information. "Some cocky kid decided he was too tough to go looking for some information and set about proving it, that's all. He's on our side now. I'll need to check back on the sources I gathered tonigt."
That said he went back to slicing the brand out.
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Post by Shiningami on May 14, 2008 20:31:29 GMT -8
"Don't get cross with me! I remember what's like. I remember full well those three years. I remember the fights I got myself into trying to find you. I remember the pain. But this is not what I wanted for you, and I'm not willing to give you up for juicy information!" Her eyes had started to well up with tears, but she held them back feircly. She was not going to let Jayden risk himself like that for her, again.
She continued to blot at the wounds a little harder, and when she felt the first tear about to breach her eyes, she stood up and turned to mix salve for the wounds. She swallowed hard and then said over her shoulder, "Once you are finished scarring yourself, I'm going to put this on it. It will help the new skin from becoming a fist sized scar." A few tears slid down her cheek, but she continued speaking anyway, "Because a scar that size is so much less suspiscious and conspicuous." Elizabeth threw in mint and other herbs into a morter and began ginding it furiously with the pestal, letting her tears fall into the mixture.
As much as she tried to hold her shoulders steady and keep her breathing as normal as she could, she knew that if Jayden were to look over at her that he would know. She hoped he didn't. Very few times had Jayden seen her cry, and she figured that he should never see her cry. Afterall, she didn't cry when she was the one leaning over the edge of death...so why should she cry seeing Jayden hurt?
"Are you finished?" Mez would never admit it, but she felt sick when seeing Jaydens blood...blood in general didn't bother her, not even other peoples...but when it was Jaydens, well, that was a whole 'nother story.
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Post by Luna on May 14, 2008 20:40:27 GMT -8
"Do you doubt my abilities to defend myself so much?" he said through gritted teeth; it hurt a little how she seemed to think himself unable to defend himself. "It's just a couple of bruises from lucky shots, nothing more. It's not like it would kill me."
He knew she was crying, he knew as soon as she started fighting it back but he didn't say anything; if she wanted him to know she wouldn't be trying so hard to hide them. "One more scar among hundreds is less conspicuous than a well-known brand," he said grimly. It was more than that though, there was a whole psychological side to it as well. It was as though he were forcefully cutting away that part of his life, as though by getting rid of the brand that stood for what little he had become during those imprisoned years he could get rid of them from his life.
Finally the last piece of the brand was cut away and after Jayden tossed the bloodied flesh into the bin he leant back into the chair with a sigh, feeling a strange sense of freedom. "Yes," was all he aid to her question.
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Post by Shiningami on May 14, 2008 21:16:13 GMT -8
Mez gritted her teeth and turned around with the salve. She strode forward and pretending that this wasn't HER Jayden with a huge bleeding whole in his chest, she smeared on the salve thickly, taking great care not to hurt him too badly, although she knew that frankly, that was impossible.
"Jayden...I know you can look out for yourself." She looked up into his eyes, "I just don't want to lose you again. I couldn't deal with that...and I know that it seems selfish, but...I..." At this point, her tears began to fall once more and she set aside the mortal and pestal. She looked back up at Jayden and finished, "I just don't want anything to happen to you." She stared into his eyes for as long as she could, and finally everything burst through and tears ran down her porceline cheeks like waterfalls. "I'm sorry." She said as she tried to stop the flow of tears with her hands.
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Post by Luna on May 14, 2008 21:33:51 GMT -8
Jayden barely flinched when the salve was applied; most people would have been screaming when such a wound was being carved into his chest but he was so used to such a sensation all he did was wince.
The corner of his mouth twitched. "I'm not about to disappear again," he said. "Before was different, I assumed I would be busted out by the thief king. I didn't expect to be betrayed by them and left to rot. Now I wont be so naive."
Seeing the tears fall, he said softly, "Hey, it's alright." He reached out and gently stroked her cheek, wiping the tears away. "I'm fine, really. I've been through much worse, remember? I'm not about to let something like that happen again."
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Post by Shiningami on May 14, 2008 21:41:21 GMT -8
"I know you've been through worse...I just...Wait. You think they betrayed you?" Tears didn't stop falling. In fact they fell faster. Elizabeths face caved in, and her shoulders sank, and her heart broke. Her voice was very small and soft when she spoke again. "I told them that I and I alone would find you and bring you back. They got all the information to start my quest for me...but I told them not to help me...that it was my battle..." Mez crumpled.
"I'm sorry...so sorry..." Mez stood up, looking like she had walked through hell and said as she began to walk slowly away, "You should hate me...not them...not him...he told me he should help...I refused...it's my fault...I'm sorry..."
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Post by Luna on May 14, 2008 21:52:55 GMT -8
Jayden stiffened at first, feeling anger creep up on him; he had been stuck in that hell-hole because she had refused help?! But then he relaxed and smirked a little. Shaking his head, he said, "How can I blame you when it is highly likely you were giving wrong information to begin with? It was them who betrayed me and got me arrested. I found out about it after one of their lower ranking men were caught and then busted out within a couple of days. He told me everything. I was young, but I was also too powerful, too skilled and the leader was uneasy. That's all there was to it," he said bitterly.
He reached out and grasped her hand, pulling her back and directing her to sit on his lap. "Why do you think I've made no attempt to join with them anymore?" he said quietly, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes. He knew that if someone came in and saw them like this their cover would be blown and he would likely be arrested again for sexually harrassing his mistriss but he didn't care at that moment.
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Post by Shiningami on May 14, 2008 22:00:46 GMT -8
She sat there on his lap for a long time before she rested her head on his shoulder and kissed his neck. "I'm sorry...all the same, I'm sorry." Oh how badly she wanted to throw her arms around him, but she didn't want to hurt him more either. So instead, she twisted her fingers in his hair with her left hand. And with her right, she slid it from his neck, down his chest, and coming to rest on his lap. She moved her head back after kissing his neck again and smiled as their eyes met.
"Would it be asking too much of my servant to have him help me undress?" She smiled her old smile and her eyes sparkled, even in the dim lighting. She gave his lap a little massage, then removed both hands and stood up, expecting him to follow, casting a suductive glance over her shoulder at him as she went out the doorway.
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Post by Luna on May 14, 2008 22:56:57 GMT -8
Jayden smiled at her request and stood. "Of course," he replied. "But I would rather not want to have to clean the blood from the ground afterwards," he added with a cheeky grin and he started gathering the bandages he got out and trying to strap them around his wound, keeping things from getting in the selve and the weeping and blood from going everywhere. He left his shirt there but slung his cloak back around his shoulders out of habbit and not liking anyone seeing his scared body apart from Elizabeth.
Her silent and not-so-subtle promise before she stood had him longing for her but he would have to wait, of course.
He followed her out and up the stairs to her room only to freeze in the doorway, staring at the girl in one of Elizabeth's dresses there. Instantly his rather aroused manner turned to a cautious one, balaced perfectly on the toes of his feet and while his leg may not allow him to be as agile as he used to be he coped just fine.
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Post by Shiningami on May 14, 2008 23:04:04 GMT -8
"Oh! You're back, Miss!" Angeline smiled and twirled. She has washed her blonde hair and tied it into a typical Lady-In-Waiting style.
Elizabeth turned to Jayden and smiled sheepishly. "Ah yes. Angeline, this is Jayden, my servant. Jayden, this is Angeline. THe girl who told me about you." She smiled saracstically at him.
"You look very beautiful in that. I'm glad. Tomorrow we shall fit you with the appropriate under-attire. And I will describe to you your duties. Do you have a room here?"
"Yes ma'am. It's a level and three doors down from this room."
"Very good. I want you here no later than three hours past dawn. Understand?"
"Understood, ma'am."
"You are excused then." Elizabeth gave the young girl a motherly tender smile as Angeline skipped out of the room beaming.
She ushered Jayden into the room, shut the doors and her smile went back to suducing him. She began my kissing his neck and taking off his cloak.
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Post by Luna on May 14, 2008 23:29:03 GMT -8
Jayden stayed quiet the whole time his 'mistress' spoke to the new employee. "Do you think we can trust her with our secret?" he asked, refering to their relationship.
He was soon distracted, however, by Elizabeth's kisses and undressing and his arms went around her even as his foot kicked the door closed and began to untie her corset and get her layers of dresses off, finally cursing the many layers aristocrats were expected to wear even if they did make her look beautiful. Well, more beautiful than normal.
*
Jayden woke up several hours later and at first he believed everything was back to normal. He was laying naked and warm in bed and he could feel the naked form of Elizabeth beside him. Everything was as it should be. Then he realized this room wasn't the room in the cabin back in the forest. The roof was too high and it was too spread out. And too luxurious. Then he remembered where he was and he sat up suddenly, wincing and raising a hand to his bandaged wound when it pulled at the sudden movement. If that maid came in and found him in his mistresses bed then... then he didn't know what would happen. Best case scenario she would keep their secret, worst case he would have to kill her to make sure she never told anyone.
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Post by Shiningami on May 14, 2008 23:50:41 GMT -8
Mez woke up at the sudden pull of the blankets. "Jayden? Whats going on?" She sat up and pulled the blankets up to cover her bosom. SHe looked out the window and saw daylight.
:Oh my gosh!" Mez sprang out of bed and started throwing on her sleeping attire. "Jayden, you need to get to your quarters!" She whispered. She ran over to Jayden as he sprang out of bed and kissed his lips so passionatly that it made her want more of him, but she pushed that aside for she knew they didn't have time to be lazy and have a repeat of the night before.
As Jayden crept through a side door connected to her room, she sat down as calmly as she could and waited. She grabbed her brush and began to comb out love-knots in her hair. No sooner had she finished then a slight tap caught her ears. She stood and opened the door to find Angeline beaming in the blue dress.
"I done wore this all night, Miss!"
Elizabeth smiled. "Well, we will have to find you some good pajamas as well. Now then. Your first lesson will be some grammer." She smiled again, and Angeline looked sheepish.
"Instead of, "I done wore", say, 'I wore this'. Try it out."
Angeline said the words in her head and then said them outloud. "I wore this fancy new gown all night, Miss."
Elizabeth beamed. "Perfect. You are already sounding like a young lady. We will continue learning through the day. Can you read or write?"
Angelines smile faded as she shook her head. "No ma'am."
"Hmm. Well, we will have to fix that!"
"Oh really? You want to teach me?"
"Of course." She winked. "Every woman should know how to read and write. But first, I'm going to teach you to dress your Misstress."
Angeline watched with wonder as Elizabeth pulled out one by one the layers of on outfit and explained them. "Understand?"
Angeline nodded.
"Good. Now, lets get started! Sooner we finish, the faster we get to the tailor!"
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Post by Luna on May 14, 2008 23:57:06 GMT -8
Jayden snuck out the side door even though he longed to say to hell with their secret and stay, knowing that would ruin everything, and headed to his room. It was a much smaller room on a lower floor, more bare than Elizabeth's with nothing but a bed, rickety chair and a chest at the end of the bed for his belongings but it was enough and the bed and covers were of good quality showing his status as favoured even if he wasn't nobility himself.
Groaning he threw the cloak he had hastily wrapped around his shoulders off and dropped the pants on top of it and climbed into bed once more. Despite the fact it was only a single it seemed so much larger without Elizabeth beside him and definately colder. He sighed. It woudl warm soon and it wasn't like he hadn't endured much worse. And after being out all night, losing plenty of blood getting rid of that hated brand, and then love making to Elizabeth till after dawn he was well and truely exhausted so it didn't take much for him to fall back to sleep despite his lonliness.
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Post by Shiningami on May 15, 2008 0:19:09 GMT -8
Elizabeth and Angeline made their way out of the castle and down into the dusty streets of the market place. Elizabeth showed Angeline how to hold the dress so it doesn't get too dusty, but also so it doesn't crinkle while its in your fist.
"Lets see...you will need shoes, undergarmets, sleeping attire...Hair pins, a comb..." Elizabeth verbally check marked each item and she could tell Angeline was getting more excited each step closer they got.
When they finally arrived at the Tailors, Elizabeth smiled warmly and greeted the Tailor. "Good morning Geralt! How is my favorite tailor?"
Geralt, being a stout man with bright red hair, freckles, and a strong irish accent, saw Elizabeth, he shreiked with joy. "Miss Elizabeth! How good it is to see you!" He then turned his eyes to Angeline, an pushing up his glasses, he said, "And who is this lovely girl? She can't be your daughter, can she?"
Elizabeth and Angeline both blushed. "No Geralt, this is my Lady in Waiting, Angeline."
Geralt smiled and said, "Does that mean you have yet to find a suitor whom you fancy?" His grass green eyes twinkled as he looked at them both. "What about that Jayden fellow?"
Elizabeths eyes widened. "Angeline, why don't you go into the back and look at the colors of fabric you like. Pick out two colors for sleeping attire and 8 for your gown. 4 for the top layer and 4 for the undergown."
Angeline was oblivious to Elizabeths hurried tone, and she skipped off excitedly towards the brightly dyed fabric.
"Geralt. How?"
The irishmans eyes became dull. "I've got my own informants. I know who he is...Mesmer." Elizabeths mouth fell open. "I know you have a thing for each other, but you know your history. You are a countess!"
Elizabeth sighed and said, "Just don't say anything. Are you in league with the Cat?"
"Missy. If I wern't, would I be telling you this? And besides. I know the Cat..er...Cats." His eyes twinkled again.
Elizabeth laughed. "You never cease to amaze me. Now. I'm here for a dozen or so new dresses...new sleeping attire for Angeline..."
"Yes yes, all the main things." He smiled. "Go choose your colors."
Elizabeth smiled and ran after Angeline in just the same fashion.
Geralt mumbled, "If only I was certain I knew exactly who Jayden was...could turn this whole kingdom upside down..."
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Post by Luna on May 15, 2008 0:36:23 GMT -8
Jayden tossed and turned in his sleep, fighting against nightmares once again. The pain in his chest merely stirred memories of his first few months in prison where his suffering had been the worst, when he had been waiting for rescue where none came and the pain was the worst he could imagine since he had not grown acustomed to it, the burn still red and livid on his chest.
He awoke tangled in blankets, covered in sweat, and instantly missing the warm reassuring touch of Elizabeth. He groaned. Why had he insisted on these roles? Well he knew logically why but that didn't mean he had to like them at all.
Groaning again he climed out of bed, knowing he wouldn't be able to get much more sleep tonight and poured some water from a pitcher into a bowl and began to wash, glad he had kept some appropriate clothes here.
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