I know it's really clear right now... thats because its a middle chunk. But agian... another dream I had that I couldn't make go away and have been trying to form into a story. Doing research on Dragons for this one. :) Here is what you need to know.
Riley- Main character. female. dragon. leader of her clan. engaged to Arron.
Arron- Human. male. engaged to Riley.
Storm- Human. female. Riley's best friend. healer.
Everett- Dragon. male. second in comand of the dragon clan. good friend of Riley.
Altair- Riley's teacher.
Dentriael- group of rebel dragons. veiwed as evil.
If you guys like it and I continue to write it then it will all become more clear. thanks for taking the time to read this far. ♥ Me
--------------------
Roaring I swung my head around and sunk my teeth into his flesh.
His lips pressed softly to mine as he said his goodnight. Ever so softly he placed a hand on my side but I cringed away. The open wound there throbbed from the touch.
“Riley?” Arron questioned, his eyes shinning with concern.
“I’m fine Arron. Really. Just tiered.” My lie was relatively believable. But Arron saw through it.
“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” he reached over and grabbed my wrist.
“Arron it’s nothing.” I couldn’t show him how badly I was hurt. I turned from him, effortlessly freeing my arm, but twisted my side to much. I could feel the skin and new scabs tearing and the blood start to run down my side. “AHHH!” I feel to the ground clutching my side.
Arron swooped down, taking advantage of my pain to over power me. He pulled up the side of my tunic to reveal the three long parallel gashes. “Is this… is this from the fight today?” His hand hovered over my raw side.
“Yes.” I gasped.
“You told me dragons heal quickly.” He was in shock. He had never seen me this bad.
“We do…” I took a sharp breath through the pain. “But this wound was… deep.”
Arron gently lifted me and carried me to my bed. He lay me down there and gently placed a blanket over me.
“I’ll go get Storm.” He said, leaving the room.
A few moments later Storm came to my side with a bowl of steaming water and clean rags. “You took a hard beating today.” She said as she pulled back the blanket.
“I gave more than I took.” I smiled.
“Yes.” Storm smiled back at me. “But that doesn’t diminish your wounds.”
“It isn’t often I battle males that much bigger than me with out the aid of my clan.”
“True.” Strom laid a soaked cloth on my side. It was only then that I recalled the sharp smell of the linell root. “But I have seen you take on a male twice his size. Alone.”
Storm was the only one to have seen me fight before. It was on the night of her parent’s death, the night she learned to hate, the night she learned not all dragons where evil, the night she learned my secret. “I think there were… other things on your mind.”
I cringed as the root laced water seeped into my side. “Your right. My mind wasn’t on the battle and it threw me off.” I cringed again as she placed a new cloth. “But more than that. I’m out of shape. It has been to long since I fought alone.”
“The Dentriael are growing stronger.”
“And the battles are growing more frequent. It won’t be long before we will all face single combat. I don’t know if any of the clan is ready for that.”
Storm tapped her fingers on the bed. “Do you think Everett and James could put together some kind of trial or training?”
“With my help yes.”
“You are in no condition to be battle training.” Storm was using her stern healer’s voice with me.
I smiled. “Dragon. Not human. I heal fast.” I reminded her.
“I know how fast a dragon heals and you shouldn’t even be out of bed until tomorrow evening.”
Arron poked his head in the door. “Riley? Altair is here and he wishes to speak with you.
Time's Begining
This was a piece I orginally planed to turn into a short novel (about 72 pages) for a scholorship but I never actually finished it. I have most of it all planned out just haven't written it. Tell me what you think and if you like it I may have to fix it up and continue!
------------------
Nathaniel Dillanger stood looking out a large window with his hands clasped behind his back and his brow furrowed in thought. Orange light from the setting sun made strange shadows dance across his handsome face revealing the depth of his anger. Things were not as the young prince thought they should be.
Across the huge hall a pair of large mahogany doors swung open as two older men entered. The king of _ proceeded into the room followed by Isaac, his aging father.
“Nathaniel,” Isaac nodded at his grandson in greeting.
The prince nodded his greeting then turned on his father with fire in his dark eyes. “How could you let it come to this!” he yelled advancing a few steps towards his father.
“Son,” the king said calmly, “Things you do not understand are at work here.”
“I understand just fine! You are too greedy to stick to your treaties!” Nathaniel’s anger crackled in his voice, “You build up your army then deny them the land you promised! By any standards that clearly starts a war!”
“That is not what happened boy! Hold your tongue!”
“You are starting a WAR!”
“War is just a game boy.”
The prince pushed past his father and rushed for the exit. He paused with one hand up on the door. “War is not a game. It is the life of your people and when your kingdom is millions of acres of land, three hundred acres is not worth the death and destruction caused by war.” With this last testament Nathaniel left the room.
Miles away a young woman sat staring out the window of her room as the last rays of light reflected off her blue eyes. Darkness spread across the land she had been desperately searching, dashing any hope of peace during the coming years. Sorrow filled her whole being and threatened to spill from her eyes. Footsteps echoed from the hall and she composed herself as a woman entered the room.
“Darling?”
“Yes Mama?” the young girl sighed.
The woman sat beside her daughter and brushed the girl’s long dark hair from her face. “How are you feeling?”
It took a moment for the girl to answer. “Sad. War is a… horrific endeavor. I do not understand why King Dillanger would let it come to this.” Her words came faster, “Father would never…”
“Yes, well,” the woman interrupted, “King Dillanger is not your father. We can never understand the inner workings of another kingdom. Others may think that the way your father rules here is not the best but they could not truly know.”
“Yes Mama,” said the princess with a smile.
“Now get some rest. Our day will start early. I’ll be along in the morning to help you get ready,” Said the queen as she started to leave the room. As she shut the door behind her she whispered, “Sleep well, my sweet Elizabeth.”
Sleep came slowly to Elizabeth, but it seemed as if she had just drifted off when she was being shaken awake. When she opened her eyes the moon was starting to fade with the rays of morning light.
“Lizzy!”
“What Gregory?”
Her little brother smiled at her, “Lizzy! Someone’s here!”
“Gregory, it is probably just some one concerning the war…”
“No! He is young! I think he is here for you…”
“What!” Elizabeth sat strait up in bed. “Who is it?”
“Come look out your window! You can see him arriving from here…” Gregory was already at the window staring down at the courtyard before the grand entrance.
Elizabeth joined him at the window and saw many of the castle’s staff running about the yard. As two men opened the outer walls a single black horse and rider galloped through and came abruptly to a stop. Using the momentum the rider dismounted in one shift movement. He stood tall and proud with an air of royalty and even from that distance Elizabeth noticed how handsome he was.
“Gregory, go find out what you can please.”
The prince smiled and hugged his sister, “I will not be long.”
“Thank you…” she smiled back.
Once she was alone she changed out of her sleeping clothing into a simple dress and waited for Gregory to return. It seemed like an eternity before she heard someone running up the hall.
Breathlessly, Gregory entered the room. “He… is not here… for you,” he said through gasps.
Elizabeth fell to her bed in relief. Her eyes closed as she took deep breaths to sooth her nerves.
She was not to be courted today.
But then, who was this strange young man?
------------------
Nathaniel Dillanger stood looking out a large window with his hands clasped behind his back and his brow furrowed in thought. Orange light from the setting sun made strange shadows dance across his handsome face revealing the depth of his anger. Things were not as the young prince thought they should be.
Across the huge hall a pair of large mahogany doors swung open as two older men entered. The king of _ proceeded into the room followed by Isaac, his aging father.
“Nathaniel,” Isaac nodded at his grandson in greeting.
The prince nodded his greeting then turned on his father with fire in his dark eyes. “How could you let it come to this!” he yelled advancing a few steps towards his father.
“Son,” the king said calmly, “Things you do not understand are at work here.”
“I understand just fine! You are too greedy to stick to your treaties!” Nathaniel’s anger crackled in his voice, “You build up your army then deny them the land you promised! By any standards that clearly starts a war!”
“That is not what happened boy! Hold your tongue!”
“You are starting a WAR!”
“War is just a game boy.”
The prince pushed past his father and rushed for the exit. He paused with one hand up on the door. “War is not a game. It is the life of your people and when your kingdom is millions of acres of land, three hundred acres is not worth the death and destruction caused by war.” With this last testament Nathaniel left the room.
Miles away a young woman sat staring out the window of her room as the last rays of light reflected off her blue eyes. Darkness spread across the land she had been desperately searching, dashing any hope of peace during the coming years. Sorrow filled her whole being and threatened to spill from her eyes. Footsteps echoed from the hall and she composed herself as a woman entered the room.
“Darling?”
“Yes Mama?” the young girl sighed.
The woman sat beside her daughter and brushed the girl’s long dark hair from her face. “How are you feeling?”
It took a moment for the girl to answer. “Sad. War is a… horrific endeavor. I do not understand why King Dillanger would let it come to this.” Her words came faster, “Father would never…”
“Yes, well,” the woman interrupted, “King Dillanger is not your father. We can never understand the inner workings of another kingdom. Others may think that the way your father rules here is not the best but they could not truly know.”
“Yes Mama,” said the princess with a smile.
“Now get some rest. Our day will start early. I’ll be along in the morning to help you get ready,” Said the queen as she started to leave the room. As she shut the door behind her she whispered, “Sleep well, my sweet Elizabeth.”
Sleep came slowly to Elizabeth, but it seemed as if she had just drifted off when she was being shaken awake. When she opened her eyes the moon was starting to fade with the rays of morning light.
“Lizzy!”
“What Gregory?”
Her little brother smiled at her, “Lizzy! Someone’s here!”
“Gregory, it is probably just some one concerning the war…”
“No! He is young! I think he is here for you…”
“What!” Elizabeth sat strait up in bed. “Who is it?”
“Come look out your window! You can see him arriving from here…” Gregory was already at the window staring down at the courtyard before the grand entrance.
Elizabeth joined him at the window and saw many of the castle’s staff running about the yard. As two men opened the outer walls a single black horse and rider galloped through and came abruptly to a stop. Using the momentum the rider dismounted in one shift movement. He stood tall and proud with an air of royalty and even from that distance Elizabeth noticed how handsome he was.
“Gregory, go find out what you can please.”
The prince smiled and hugged his sister, “I will not be long.”
“Thank you…” she smiled back.
Once she was alone she changed out of her sleeping clothing into a simple dress and waited for Gregory to return. It seemed like an eternity before she heard someone running up the hall.
Breathlessly, Gregory entered the room. “He… is not here… for you,” he said through gasps.
Elizabeth fell to her bed in relief. Her eyes closed as she took deep breaths to sooth her nerves.
She was not to be courted today.
But then, who was this strange young man?
Moonlight
So, if any of you have seen the TV Moonlight, you know the insperation for this piece. I was soooo in love with that show and was devistated when it was cancelled! Anyway... For my art class my Senior year of Highschool we had to create our own comic book charater. A little before I had to come up with my idea I had a dream with some of the charaters in it... as well as my PERFECT comic book hero :) so I had to addapt it to fit. this was the one based on Moonlight and if I can find the one I changed the most to make it my own I will put it up too. (All charaters from Moonlight belong to CBS, I make no claim!)
-----------------
Name: Renee McHale
Date of Birth: June 26, 1982
Current Age: 25
Height: 5’ 10”
Weight: 150
Hair: Dark brown with red tint
Eyes: A mixture of gray green and blue
Species: Human
Occupation: Full time collage student, part time vamp slayer
Renee McHale was born into a normal family. When she was four her parents had two more children, twins Nathan Lucas and Nicole Lee. She lived a seemingly normal and boring life in a small suburb of L.A. Being smart, she retained a 4.0 GPA all through school. She was extremely close to her to siblings and always looking out for them.
During her senior year of high school she started dating Connor O’Haley, a new student. He was a nice boy and fit in well with her tight-nit family. She and Connor both were accepted to L.A. State University. Her family was excited to get the news and her sister was envious. As a freshman, Nicole was already planning out the collage career and modifying her high school courses. Nathan, however, was her polar opposite. While Nicole was studying and doing extra curricular activities, Nathan was sailing through his basic courses and playing sports. Renee loved them both and brought up the good points of both paths.
Soon graduation came and Renee graduated as salutatorian of her class. And so plans were made for the following school year. It seemed life would go on in this normal pattern. Little did they know that in just two weeks into the summer, their lives would be drastically changed.
One summer night Connor’s car pulled up in the drive. Renee’s mother told her to go out and invite Conner to have dinner with them. When Renee reached his car Connor got out. He seemed to be acting strange to her, as if he was not sure of himself. Suspiciously he kept glancing at Renee and the quickly looking away. She thought little of this and invited him in for dinner. As they sat down at the table Connor said little. When a plate was placed in front of him he took one bite and stared at the rest.
During the course of the meal Nathan preceded to tell Connor about how he had to get stitches in his arm the day before. Nathan looked up to Connor like a big brother and expected him to be impressed like he normally would have been. However Connor seemed to be somewhere else and said simply “cool”. It was then the rest of the family noticed Connors odd behavior. Nicole was watching him intently watching him when she accidentally cut her finger. The fresh blood drew Connors attention and his normally brown eyes turned misty blue. He lunged across the table at Nicole causing most of the table to scream. Renee placed her self between her sister and her deranged boyfriend. During all of this Nathan fell back in his chair. He stood up and wiped some blood from his arm. He had broken a stitch. Connor flew at the boy who was standing alone. Renee tried her hardest to pull Connor from Nathan but she could do noting. Connor bit Nathan’s neck drained his blood. When Connor was done he left the body looking as if a dog and attacked it and turned on the rest of the family. Renee held Nicole firmly behind her as Connor took a step towards them. But just then the door flew open and a shoot rang out.
Standing in the doorway was a man of about thirty with wavy dark hair. A sharp hiss rang out and Connor blew out the door past the man. The man turned and was gone.
Renee followed the men as quickly as she could but was soon lost on an unfamiliarly street. She stopped for breath and a hand flew over her mouth from behind her. Everything went dark. She woke in a strange place with a bright light shinning on her. A man spoke to her in a reassuring voice. He told her about what happened and about vampires. He explained that Connor was a newly turned vamp who had gone rough. She was returned home.
The next day she wrote the collage explaining that a family tragedy would force her out of town and to take all of her freshman courses over the internet. She said she would return to attend her classes her sophomore year. She told her parents none of this but left for what they thought was collage at the end of the summer. In reality she had started to spin the lies that would become her life. She disappeared that year and no one heard a word from her, but her class work was always on time.
When school started the next year her friends who attended L.A. State were surprised to find the new sophomore lean and muscular. She had dropped a lot of wait and gained huge amounts of muscle. The once shy and academic girl now put some of the schools most devoted athletes to shame. However, she still remained extremely smart.
She majored in psychiatry and biophysics and graduated with honors. No one knew who she really was.
The year she had spent away was spent training her-self. She was now a powerful and skilled vamp slayer. And she was for hire. She put herself through collage on the wages she earned but she did not always enjoy her work. Thought she hated vamps, those were all she could work with because no one else knew they existed. She held no loyalties and often gave her services to the highest bidder.
Her most frequent employer was a vamp by the name of Lance. Apparently he was from a very wealthy and prominent family in France. She worked for him about a hundred times before she met him. When she finally did meet him he left a lasting impression. He had one jet black eye. She wondered why he had chose now to finally meet her and she found that it was because this was some what of a ‘family’ matter for him. He wanted her to kill a vamp who had been turned by his sister. This vamps name was Mick St. John.
She set out to find this vamp and learned he lived near her home in the busy city of L.A. She was hot on his trail and let no sing of hers. She was ready for him. She decided to take him on a brisk night in June. He was walking home to his apartment on a deserted street when she found him. He smelt the air and she knew he had sensed her. She stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight and stopped in her tracks. Standing in front of her was the man that had stood in the doorway of her home nearly four years ago. The man who had saved the rest of her family after Nathan’s murder. She could tell he recognized her too.
His voice was kind and familiar when he asked who she was. Her response was that of the story of her brother’s death. It ended with the statement of her being the human he saved. They formally introduced them selves and entered his apartment. There he told her the story of tracking Connor down and killing him. This brought her closer and that night she went home and called Lance, telling him that for reasons unrelated to his assignment she could no long be of service and was retiring from the slaying business.
Lance left the agreement with no hard feelings.
Over the next few years Mick told her a lot of things about him self and she in turn shared with him. She never told him she had been sent as his executioner.
One day Mic called her in need of her help. He asked her about a former employer by the name Lance. She was sure he had found out about her job to kill him and refused to answer his questions. She showed up at Mick’s house the next day, to find him human. She learned about the temporary cure and a royal family in France. Lance’s family. Mick also told her about it being Lance’s fault Connor was turned and had gone rough.
This new information made her mad. She now blamed Lance for Nathan’s death. She owed him a visit. She promised Mick she would help find Lance and help Mick in research for a permanent cure.
With this promise she made another one. To kill the man responsible for her brother’s death.
-----------------
Name: Renee McHale
Date of Birth: June 26, 1982
Current Age: 25
Height: 5’ 10”
Weight: 150
Hair: Dark brown with red tint
Eyes: A mixture of gray green and blue
Species: Human
Occupation: Full time collage student, part time vamp slayer
Renee McHale was born into a normal family. When she was four her parents had two more children, twins Nathan Lucas and Nicole Lee. She lived a seemingly normal and boring life in a small suburb of L.A. Being smart, she retained a 4.0 GPA all through school. She was extremely close to her to siblings and always looking out for them.
During her senior year of high school she started dating Connor O’Haley, a new student. He was a nice boy and fit in well with her tight-nit family. She and Connor both were accepted to L.A. State University. Her family was excited to get the news and her sister was envious. As a freshman, Nicole was already planning out the collage career and modifying her high school courses. Nathan, however, was her polar opposite. While Nicole was studying and doing extra curricular activities, Nathan was sailing through his basic courses and playing sports. Renee loved them both and brought up the good points of both paths.
Soon graduation came and Renee graduated as salutatorian of her class. And so plans were made for the following school year. It seemed life would go on in this normal pattern. Little did they know that in just two weeks into the summer, their lives would be drastically changed.
One summer night Connor’s car pulled up in the drive. Renee’s mother told her to go out and invite Conner to have dinner with them. When Renee reached his car Connor got out. He seemed to be acting strange to her, as if he was not sure of himself. Suspiciously he kept glancing at Renee and the quickly looking away. She thought little of this and invited him in for dinner. As they sat down at the table Connor said little. When a plate was placed in front of him he took one bite and stared at the rest.
During the course of the meal Nathan preceded to tell Connor about how he had to get stitches in his arm the day before. Nathan looked up to Connor like a big brother and expected him to be impressed like he normally would have been. However Connor seemed to be somewhere else and said simply “cool”. It was then the rest of the family noticed Connors odd behavior. Nicole was watching him intently watching him when she accidentally cut her finger. The fresh blood drew Connors attention and his normally brown eyes turned misty blue. He lunged across the table at Nicole causing most of the table to scream. Renee placed her self between her sister and her deranged boyfriend. During all of this Nathan fell back in his chair. He stood up and wiped some blood from his arm. He had broken a stitch. Connor flew at the boy who was standing alone. Renee tried her hardest to pull Connor from Nathan but she could do noting. Connor bit Nathan’s neck drained his blood. When Connor was done he left the body looking as if a dog and attacked it and turned on the rest of the family. Renee held Nicole firmly behind her as Connor took a step towards them. But just then the door flew open and a shoot rang out.
Standing in the doorway was a man of about thirty with wavy dark hair. A sharp hiss rang out and Connor blew out the door past the man. The man turned and was gone.
Renee followed the men as quickly as she could but was soon lost on an unfamiliarly street. She stopped for breath and a hand flew over her mouth from behind her. Everything went dark. She woke in a strange place with a bright light shinning on her. A man spoke to her in a reassuring voice. He told her about what happened and about vampires. He explained that Connor was a newly turned vamp who had gone rough. She was returned home.
The next day she wrote the collage explaining that a family tragedy would force her out of town and to take all of her freshman courses over the internet. She said she would return to attend her classes her sophomore year. She told her parents none of this but left for what they thought was collage at the end of the summer. In reality she had started to spin the lies that would become her life. She disappeared that year and no one heard a word from her, but her class work was always on time.
When school started the next year her friends who attended L.A. State were surprised to find the new sophomore lean and muscular. She had dropped a lot of wait and gained huge amounts of muscle. The once shy and academic girl now put some of the schools most devoted athletes to shame. However, she still remained extremely smart.
She majored in psychiatry and biophysics and graduated with honors. No one knew who she really was.
The year she had spent away was spent training her-self. She was now a powerful and skilled vamp slayer. And she was for hire. She put herself through collage on the wages she earned but she did not always enjoy her work. Thought she hated vamps, those were all she could work with because no one else knew they existed. She held no loyalties and often gave her services to the highest bidder.
Her most frequent employer was a vamp by the name of Lance. Apparently he was from a very wealthy and prominent family in France. She worked for him about a hundred times before she met him. When she finally did meet him he left a lasting impression. He had one jet black eye. She wondered why he had chose now to finally meet her and she found that it was because this was some what of a ‘family’ matter for him. He wanted her to kill a vamp who had been turned by his sister. This vamps name was Mick St. John.
She set out to find this vamp and learned he lived near her home in the busy city of L.A. She was hot on his trail and let no sing of hers. She was ready for him. She decided to take him on a brisk night in June. He was walking home to his apartment on a deserted street when she found him. He smelt the air and she knew he had sensed her. She stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight and stopped in her tracks. Standing in front of her was the man that had stood in the doorway of her home nearly four years ago. The man who had saved the rest of her family after Nathan’s murder. She could tell he recognized her too.
His voice was kind and familiar when he asked who she was. Her response was that of the story of her brother’s death. It ended with the statement of her being the human he saved. They formally introduced them selves and entered his apartment. There he told her the story of tracking Connor down and killing him. This brought her closer and that night she went home and called Lance, telling him that for reasons unrelated to his assignment she could no long be of service and was retiring from the slaying business.
Lance left the agreement with no hard feelings.
Over the next few years Mick told her a lot of things about him self and she in turn shared with him. She never told him she had been sent as his executioner.
One day Mic called her in need of her help. He asked her about a former employer by the name Lance. She was sure he had found out about her job to kill him and refused to answer his questions. She showed up at Mick’s house the next day, to find him human. She learned about the temporary cure and a royal family in France. Lance’s family. Mick also told her about it being Lance’s fault Connor was turned and had gone rough.
This new information made her mad. She now blamed Lance for Nathan’s death. She owed him a visit. She promised Mick she would help find Lance and help Mick in research for a permanent cure.
With this promise she made another one. To kill the man responsible for her brother’s death.
Gabriel
This is part of Shadow Keeper. My original intention for Gabriel was as follows... but now I think it needs more of a twist. I'm still working on it but either way he is kinda awsome :) (note: I wrote this BEFORE the whole Twilight crazy. The movies weren't out at the time, so i know some of it kinda sounds like that but it is NOT copied)
----------------
I was now sitting up. Gabriel’s eyes were like ice, piercing deep into me. I had never felt like I did as he looked at me like that. I couldn’t place the felling. My mouth somehow formed the words “Just say it.”
In two seconds he was way to close for comfort. I had never seen him move that fast. His lips brushed my ear and his arms folded around me, immobilizing me.
“What do you want me to say?”
“I need you to tell me what you are.”
“No. What do you want me to say?” His icy blue eyes were fixed on mine.
“That…this changes nothing.”
“But it changes everything.” As he said this one of his hands found the small of my back and the other the back of my head. His lips pushed against mine so hard I thought my teeth would cut through my lower lip.
He pushed me down onto my back and climbed on top of me. His legs were raped around mine, making it nearly imposable for me to fight him.
Quickly he pulled his lips from mine. Now his lips were at my throat and his breath warmed my neck. I could hardly think and there was no chance of me reacting.
“Freshman year you told me to bite you.” A dark laugh rumbled through him. “I took you seriously.”
Kissing my neck he held my body tightly against his. There was no room between us and I felt as if every part of me was touching him. I couldn’t move, couldn’t breath, and I still couldn’t think.
His lips slowly parted and he seductively ran his teeth against my skin, pushing not quite hard enough to break skin. His breath was sticky and warm.
I instantly felt it when fangs started to form. My brain started again, but before I could do anything the newly formed fangs sunk into my neck.
My eyes widened and I gasped. I could feel the blood leaving me. I had to remember to breath and I quickly took in a sharp breath.
I started to become light headed and I felt my body go limp. I thought Gabriel was on my side. How could he do this? How could he kill me? I slowly slipped into dark void unconsciousness.
He felt her go limp in his arms and within seconds she was unconscious. Something in him subsided and Gabriel slowly removed his teeth from her neck. He looked down on her and, to his horror, he noticed her neck was bleeding. Two puncture wounds were leaking her dark red blood onto her extremely pale skin.
Gently he placed his hand on her chest. There was a shallow heart beat, but that could be deceiving. Truthfully, there was no way for Gabriel to tell if he had killed her. It was often said that a person could live for several hours before they died from the blood lose of the bite.
Panic rose in his chest and tears started to roll down his cheeks. He stayed like this for a few minutes before he realized he was still sitting on top of her.
He quickly moved to her side and gathered her in his arms. He would have to make a better bed for her if he hoped to be of any help. Standing, he moved her numerous feet away before regretfully returning to the blankets.
Gabriel gathered some of the nearby tumbling bushes and moved into the shelter of the close rock formations. Once there he crunched the bushes down into a soft cushion, only wide enough for one. Then he placed almost all of their blankets on top to create another layer of the bed.
Returning to her side he crouched down and again cheeked her heart beat. It had slowed so much that it took him a few minutes to locate it. Tears had never stopped slowly falling from his eyes, but now they came in steady streams. He was sure he had killed her and his thoughts provided no relief. I can’t fight this fight without her. Have I condemned both worlds?
He slowly lifted her and walked back to where he had made the bed. Compassionately, he laid her on top of the bed and took the one of last two blankets and covered her with it. She looked as if she was peacefully sleeping, except for the still bleeding marks on her neck.
Gabriel quickly gathered the rest of there things and returned to the rock shelter. He placed their only pillow under her head and tenderly brushed her hair from her face. Her face was the most relaxed he had ever seen it and he couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she looked. I remember prom night; she was so beautiful then too. That seems like forever ago. I can’t believe I did this to her.
Her normally creamy colored skin was almost paper white. Remembering her bleeding neck, Gabriel quickly moved a large rock in front of the only entrance. Now he only had to worry about an attack from above.
Then he started a fire close to the make-sift bed and warmed some water over the flames. Tearing a piece off the last blanket, Gabriel soaked one end of the strip in the warm water. He moved back to her side and used the damp end of the cloth to clean the wound. He then raped the rest of the piece of blanket around her neck, tying it into a lose bandage.
Now that he had secured her to the best of his ability, he had to get a better view of the skies and surrounding areas. Blood had been shed and there was no doubt that the sent had carried through the air.
With one last glance at her, Gabriel quickly grabbed the blanket with the strip missing and his weapon. Using the blanket he tied the weapon to his back, allowing for a nimble climb up the sounding enclosure.
Once at the top he stood facing east, watching the moon rise higher into the sky. The slivery light fell on his face eliminating the tear streaks.
He could only hope that soon she would be ok. If she died because of him, he knew it was only a matter of time until he tore himself apart. Mentally and physically.
----------------
I was now sitting up. Gabriel’s eyes were like ice, piercing deep into me. I had never felt like I did as he looked at me like that. I couldn’t place the felling. My mouth somehow formed the words “Just say it.”
In two seconds he was way to close for comfort. I had never seen him move that fast. His lips brushed my ear and his arms folded around me, immobilizing me.
“What do you want me to say?”
“I need you to tell me what you are.”
“No. What do you want me to say?” His icy blue eyes were fixed on mine.
“That…this changes nothing.”
“But it changes everything.” As he said this one of his hands found the small of my back and the other the back of my head. His lips pushed against mine so hard I thought my teeth would cut through my lower lip.
He pushed me down onto my back and climbed on top of me. His legs were raped around mine, making it nearly imposable for me to fight him.
Quickly he pulled his lips from mine. Now his lips were at my throat and his breath warmed my neck. I could hardly think and there was no chance of me reacting.
“Freshman year you told me to bite you.” A dark laugh rumbled through him. “I took you seriously.”
Kissing my neck he held my body tightly against his. There was no room between us and I felt as if every part of me was touching him. I couldn’t move, couldn’t breath, and I still couldn’t think.
His lips slowly parted and he seductively ran his teeth against my skin, pushing not quite hard enough to break skin. His breath was sticky and warm.
I instantly felt it when fangs started to form. My brain started again, but before I could do anything the newly formed fangs sunk into my neck.
My eyes widened and I gasped. I could feel the blood leaving me. I had to remember to breath and I quickly took in a sharp breath.
I started to become light headed and I felt my body go limp. I thought Gabriel was on my side. How could he do this? How could he kill me? I slowly slipped into dark void unconsciousness.
He felt her go limp in his arms and within seconds she was unconscious. Something in him subsided and Gabriel slowly removed his teeth from her neck. He looked down on her and, to his horror, he noticed her neck was bleeding. Two puncture wounds were leaking her dark red blood onto her extremely pale skin.
Gently he placed his hand on her chest. There was a shallow heart beat, but that could be deceiving. Truthfully, there was no way for Gabriel to tell if he had killed her. It was often said that a person could live for several hours before they died from the blood lose of the bite.
Panic rose in his chest and tears started to roll down his cheeks. He stayed like this for a few minutes before he realized he was still sitting on top of her.
He quickly moved to her side and gathered her in his arms. He would have to make a better bed for her if he hoped to be of any help. Standing, he moved her numerous feet away before regretfully returning to the blankets.
Gabriel gathered some of the nearby tumbling bushes and moved into the shelter of the close rock formations. Once there he crunched the bushes down into a soft cushion, only wide enough for one. Then he placed almost all of their blankets on top to create another layer of the bed.
Returning to her side he crouched down and again cheeked her heart beat. It had slowed so much that it took him a few minutes to locate it. Tears had never stopped slowly falling from his eyes, but now they came in steady streams. He was sure he had killed her and his thoughts provided no relief. I can’t fight this fight without her. Have I condemned both worlds?
He slowly lifted her and walked back to where he had made the bed. Compassionately, he laid her on top of the bed and took the one of last two blankets and covered her with it. She looked as if she was peacefully sleeping, except for the still bleeding marks on her neck.
Gabriel quickly gathered the rest of there things and returned to the rock shelter. He placed their only pillow under her head and tenderly brushed her hair from her face. Her face was the most relaxed he had ever seen it and he couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she looked. I remember prom night; she was so beautiful then too. That seems like forever ago. I can’t believe I did this to her.
Her normally creamy colored skin was almost paper white. Remembering her bleeding neck, Gabriel quickly moved a large rock in front of the only entrance. Now he only had to worry about an attack from above.
Then he started a fire close to the make-sift bed and warmed some water over the flames. Tearing a piece off the last blanket, Gabriel soaked one end of the strip in the warm water. He moved back to her side and used the damp end of the cloth to clean the wound. He then raped the rest of the piece of blanket around her neck, tying it into a lose bandage.
Now that he had secured her to the best of his ability, he had to get a better view of the skies and surrounding areas. Blood had been shed and there was no doubt that the sent had carried through the air.
With one last glance at her, Gabriel quickly grabbed the blanket with the strip missing and his weapon. Using the blanket he tied the weapon to his back, allowing for a nimble climb up the sounding enclosure.
Once at the top he stood facing east, watching the moon rise higher into the sky. The slivery light fell on his face eliminating the tear streaks.
He could only hope that soon she would be ok. If she died because of him, he knew it was only a matter of time until he tore himself apart. Mentally and physically.
Revenge and Prom
This is another piece from Shadow Keeper. It was writtin around the same time as the first but is a later plot piece. I'm including it here to give you some detail about how I plan to make my main charater... but recently she has gooten some much needed attention and revisoin. (Thank you College Creative Writing class). Anyway... here it is.
---------------------
Today had been better than my week had been. I was being avoided by pretty much everyone. I was pleased with how news of my outing the night before had spread. Everyone had heard that ___ claimed I was in her room with a pack of ferocious wolves that tried to eat her… (HA! As if they would eat her!) Though no one really believed I was in her room. I mean she sleeps on the second story of her house, so me going in the window would be impossible, right?
Well anyway everyone was sure I hadn’t really been in her room but almost everyone believed I had some how caused her to hallucinate because she had insulted me. Then there were the select few who did believe that I had been in her room and that making eye contact with me would bring my deadly wrath upon them. I applaud their imagination.
So as I proceeded to my locker I was unusually happy. I had a half smile on my face because every time I got near somebody they would quickly put their head down and turn and walk as fast as they could in the opposite direction. I reached my locker and pulled my books from my bag as I spun the combo on my lock. As I pushed my books into place and took the things I would need in my next classes I noticed a piece of paper flutter to the ground. The paper was folded neatly into fourths and was strangely yellow and stiff. I picked it up and unfolded it with an anxious feeling turning in my stomach. The paper reminded me of the kind used by things or people involved in the shadow world.
The paper contained thirteen type-like words.
‘Cira, go to prom with me? Place your answer in locker number 735.’
No signature, no date, nothing to tell me who had placed it in my locker. Using my wolf senses I placed the paper close to my nose and immediately started to cough. Either a really preppy girl was playing a trick on me, which I doubted given how people felt about ___, or someone was hiding their sent on the paper. It smelled so strongly of flowered body spray that it clogged my nose, throat, and made my eyes water.
Regaining composure I looked back to the note, studying it from a safe distance. There was no way I would be able to tell who it was from unless I played along. I quickly dug for a pen and scribbled my answer.
‘Why would you want me? If you can give a good answer to that, then my answer will be yes.’
I passed locker 735 on my way to my next class and I forced the note through the small slits in the center of the door. The spring had left my step and a smile no longer pulled at my lips. I needed to know who was toying with me and what they knew about me.
My next two classes seemed to drag on forever and there was no hope of reaching my locker on the other side of campus to see if the note had returned. The bell to lunch rang and I was first out the door and sprinting down the halls and around corners. I reached the door to the old section of school and forced them open as fast as they would go and came face to chest with Mr.___. I looked up at him, frozen dead in my tracks like a deer in headlights.
His voice was deep and strong when he spoke. “Slow down young lady. I don’t want to see you in my office again for injuring someone. You need some good behavior points if I’m going to revoke part of your detention.” He winked at me and my muscles loosened. This guy genially seemed to like me. I nodded and tried to look as apologetic as I could, then hurried around him.
I wrenched my locker open to find the note laying on top of my books. I unfolded it as quickly as I could with out ripping it and let out a shocked breath.
******rest of day******
All of us had cleared our plates so I stood up from the dinner tabled and started to take plates into the kitchen. Mom followed and started to wash the dishes. I took the job of drying.
“Anything interesting happen at school today?”
“Well if you think getting asked to prom is interesting then…”
She cut me off. “Someone asked you to prom? Did you say yes?”
“Ya.”
She threw her arms around my neck, sending soapy water all over the kitchen. Drawing back and returning to the dishes she asked, “Who asked you?”
“Well, that’s the interesting part. I don’t really know who.”
Looking sideways at me, warning crept into Mom’s voice. “I’m happy for you, just be careful.”
I had to smile at her. “I will. Promise.”
******days*****
My locker swung open and I saw it. Another note. Not able to keep my hands from trembling I took the note and read the strange writing.
‘Have you picked out a dress yet? If so what color is it?’
Again thirteen words. As it so happened I had picked out a dress. ***dress description***
***days***
Prom night came. I was nervous, but not because of how my work may be involved, but about who was taking me. I guess I was feeling like a normal teenager would feel and that made me feel even more nervous. My hair was pulled up into a lose bun and random pieces were left out and curled in long ringlet chunks.
My dress was hanging against my closet door and I was rapped up in my robe. As I glanced over at the dress my vision tunnel and I felt as though I was being pulled away or as if I was suddenly looking through the wrong side of a telescope. But as quickly as my vision had changed it returned to normal and I was left feeling confused.
I quickly walked over to my dress and slipped it off the hanger. My robe fell to the floor and I quickly slipped the dress up. Zipping up the back, I quickly walked away from the closet door. My shoes were on the floor on the other side of my room so I walked over there and slid them over my feet. They had ribbon straps that tied tightly around my ankles.
I was done dressing so I walked out into the hall and looked down over the railing into the second floor. Dad was sitting on a barstool. He was leaning back with his elbows on the counter watching mom. Forehead creasing, he looked as though he was deep in thought about a column in the morning newspaper.
Mom was another story. Dad was sitting, calm and silent while mom was walking from one end of the kitchen to the other.
---------------------
Today had been better than my week had been. I was being avoided by pretty much everyone. I was pleased with how news of my outing the night before had spread. Everyone had heard that ___ claimed I was in her room with a pack of ferocious wolves that tried to eat her… (HA! As if they would eat her!) Though no one really believed I was in her room. I mean she sleeps on the second story of her house, so me going in the window would be impossible, right?
Well anyway everyone was sure I hadn’t really been in her room but almost everyone believed I had some how caused her to hallucinate because she had insulted me. Then there were the select few who did believe that I had been in her room and that making eye contact with me would bring my deadly wrath upon them. I applaud their imagination.
So as I proceeded to my locker I was unusually happy. I had a half smile on my face because every time I got near somebody they would quickly put their head down and turn and walk as fast as they could in the opposite direction. I reached my locker and pulled my books from my bag as I spun the combo on my lock. As I pushed my books into place and took the things I would need in my next classes I noticed a piece of paper flutter to the ground. The paper was folded neatly into fourths and was strangely yellow and stiff. I picked it up and unfolded it with an anxious feeling turning in my stomach. The paper reminded me of the kind used by things or people involved in the shadow world.
The paper contained thirteen type-like words.
‘Cira, go to prom with me? Place your answer in locker number 735.’
No signature, no date, nothing to tell me who had placed it in my locker. Using my wolf senses I placed the paper close to my nose and immediately started to cough. Either a really preppy girl was playing a trick on me, which I doubted given how people felt about ___, or someone was hiding their sent on the paper. It smelled so strongly of flowered body spray that it clogged my nose, throat, and made my eyes water.
Regaining composure I looked back to the note, studying it from a safe distance. There was no way I would be able to tell who it was from unless I played along. I quickly dug for a pen and scribbled my answer.
‘Why would you want me? If you can give a good answer to that, then my answer will be yes.’
I passed locker 735 on my way to my next class and I forced the note through the small slits in the center of the door. The spring had left my step and a smile no longer pulled at my lips. I needed to know who was toying with me and what they knew about me.
My next two classes seemed to drag on forever and there was no hope of reaching my locker on the other side of campus to see if the note had returned. The bell to lunch rang and I was first out the door and sprinting down the halls and around corners. I reached the door to the old section of school and forced them open as fast as they would go and came face to chest with Mr.___. I looked up at him, frozen dead in my tracks like a deer in headlights.
His voice was deep and strong when he spoke. “Slow down young lady. I don’t want to see you in my office again for injuring someone. You need some good behavior points if I’m going to revoke part of your detention.” He winked at me and my muscles loosened. This guy genially seemed to like me. I nodded and tried to look as apologetic as I could, then hurried around him.
I wrenched my locker open to find the note laying on top of my books. I unfolded it as quickly as I could with out ripping it and let out a shocked breath.
******rest of day******
All of us had cleared our plates so I stood up from the dinner tabled and started to take plates into the kitchen. Mom followed and started to wash the dishes. I took the job of drying.
“Anything interesting happen at school today?”
“Well if you think getting asked to prom is interesting then…”
She cut me off. “Someone asked you to prom? Did you say yes?”
“Ya.”
She threw her arms around my neck, sending soapy water all over the kitchen. Drawing back and returning to the dishes she asked, “Who asked you?”
“Well, that’s the interesting part. I don’t really know who.”
Looking sideways at me, warning crept into Mom’s voice. “I’m happy for you, just be careful.”
I had to smile at her. “I will. Promise.”
******days*****
My locker swung open and I saw it. Another note. Not able to keep my hands from trembling I took the note and read the strange writing.
‘Have you picked out a dress yet? If so what color is it?’
Again thirteen words. As it so happened I had picked out a dress. ***dress description***
***days***
Prom night came. I was nervous, but not because of how my work may be involved, but about who was taking me. I guess I was feeling like a normal teenager would feel and that made me feel even more nervous. My hair was pulled up into a lose bun and random pieces were left out and curled in long ringlet chunks.
My dress was hanging against my closet door and I was rapped up in my robe. As I glanced over at the dress my vision tunnel and I felt as though I was being pulled away or as if I was suddenly looking through the wrong side of a telescope. But as quickly as my vision had changed it returned to normal and I was left feeling confused.
I quickly walked over to my dress and slipped it off the hanger. My robe fell to the floor and I quickly slipped the dress up. Zipping up the back, I quickly walked away from the closet door. My shoes were on the floor on the other side of my room so I walked over there and slid them over my feet. They had ribbon straps that tied tightly around my ankles.
I was done dressing so I walked out into the hall and looked down over the railing into the second floor. Dad was sitting on a barstool. He was leaning back with his elbows on the counter watching mom. Forehead creasing, he looked as though he was deep in thought about a column in the morning newspaper.
Mom was another story. Dad was sitting, calm and silent while mom was walking from one end of the kitchen to the other.
Shadowed One
This is a piece that was intended to be the beginging of a book, or series actually. It is going to be called. However, since I wrote this I have revised how to begin the piece. But I figured I should share with you the original plan.
----------------
If you have picked up this book and decided to read it, I think there are a few things you should know before reading any farther. Most important is that this is a story about me. And, of course, Gabriel. Another thing before you read, I have to ask you something. Do you like your world the way it is?
Now before you answer think about the question. I don’t mean your home life or anything like that. I don’t even mean the ‘bigger picture’ of the world. What I’m asking about is the good that exists. Do you like the good in your world?
If you answered no to that last question, you’re the reason my life is the way it is and the reason that all this has happened. If you answered yes, well, your also the reason my life is the way it is and the reason that all this has happened. I guess you probably don’t understand that now, but you’ll understand soon enough. Maybe I should start at the begging. The begging of my part in all of this anyway.
I go to school like most all other kids, but I’ve never had any real friends. My family moves a lot, about once every year. I live with two great people I call my parents. They actually aren’t my parent, though, they just took me in. The funny thing is I kinda look like them.
Anyway, the guy I call my dad has this job that keep us on the move, so I don’t really stay in one place long enough to know anyone very well. That’s most likely for the best. There have been a few kids who have been nice to me and considered themselves my friends.
I don’t like to use that word lightly. Friend. It implies you trust and care about someone, neither of which I could ever let myself do. So there have been kids who feel they are my friend and I let them believe it. I don’t feel bad that none of them have ever kept-in-touch and I don’t feel bad that most places I go I’m treated like a social outcast. It’s not that hard to see why.
My eyes. Ya, you read that right, my eyes. See most people can say that there eyes are blue, brown, green, hazel, or maybe even grey, but how many can say gold? And not just light brown that sorta glows, really gold. If you’re trying to imagine what that looks like just picture a wolf’s eyes. You know, the eyes staring out of the darkness in some of the scary movies. Those are what my eyes look like exactly, right down to the slits for pupils.
That always made science class horrible, especially biology. While trying to study how the eye works or genetics, guess what always got brought up? That’s right, the freaky wolf eyes on the new girl. Everyone’s stairs would burn and my palms would get clammy. After the third school this happened at, I just learned to put up this wall. Nothing like that bothers me anymore. But that brings us back to the friend thing. Who wants to hang around someone that, every time you look at her, makes you think of something evil staring out of the darkness?
There is one guy I’ve known for a long time. Gabriel. His dad worked with mine, and they always got moved together. Now, you maybe thinking that we must have been good friends because were in the same situation, with schools, and we always seem to be at the same school. You’d be wrong.
We avoided each other as much as we could. That again would be my fault. Remember, I try to keep people distant. Gabriel tried being my friend one time, our freshman year. He was persistent enough to make me have to work to get him to leave me alone. One day, his efforts were enough to provoke me to say some mean things to him. That finally hit home. After that he stopped coming around and we started avoiding each other.
So I live the life of a lone wolf, so to speak. Sometimes I let my mind wander to what it would be like if everyone knew what my eyes really mean. You see, my eyes are the only thing that you can see that would even hint at what I really am. What am I?
I am the last Shadow Keeper.
Everything, everyone has a shadow. Have you ever wondered if every shadow in the world lives? Or if every shadow has some place it escapes to? Yes they do live, and, well that place they escape would be the shadow world.
Basically, the shadow world is what you probably would call a ‘parallel universe’. I call the shadow world a world that was created to contain what this world cannot. I call it the place bound by the ancient laws of shadows and ruled by the contract of ___.
You must be thinking that what the shadow world contains what this one can not is evil. Part of that would be right, but part of it completely wrong. Not all shadows are evil as most people would think.
Actually, most shadows want to preserve the way your of life.
----------------
If you have picked up this book and decided to read it, I think there are a few things you should know before reading any farther. Most important is that this is a story about me. And, of course, Gabriel. Another thing before you read, I have to ask you something. Do you like your world the way it is?
Now before you answer think about the question. I don’t mean your home life or anything like that. I don’t even mean the ‘bigger picture’ of the world. What I’m asking about is the good that exists. Do you like the good in your world?
If you answered no to that last question, you’re the reason my life is the way it is and the reason that all this has happened. If you answered yes, well, your also the reason my life is the way it is and the reason that all this has happened. I guess you probably don’t understand that now, but you’ll understand soon enough. Maybe I should start at the begging. The begging of my part in all of this anyway.
I go to school like most all other kids, but I’ve never had any real friends. My family moves a lot, about once every year. I live with two great people I call my parents. They actually aren’t my parent, though, they just took me in. The funny thing is I kinda look like them.
Anyway, the guy I call my dad has this job that keep us on the move, so I don’t really stay in one place long enough to know anyone very well. That’s most likely for the best. There have been a few kids who have been nice to me and considered themselves my friends.
I don’t like to use that word lightly. Friend. It implies you trust and care about someone, neither of which I could ever let myself do. So there have been kids who feel they are my friend and I let them believe it. I don’t feel bad that none of them have ever kept-in-touch and I don’t feel bad that most places I go I’m treated like a social outcast. It’s not that hard to see why.
My eyes. Ya, you read that right, my eyes. See most people can say that there eyes are blue, brown, green, hazel, or maybe even grey, but how many can say gold? And not just light brown that sorta glows, really gold. If you’re trying to imagine what that looks like just picture a wolf’s eyes. You know, the eyes staring out of the darkness in some of the scary movies. Those are what my eyes look like exactly, right down to the slits for pupils.
That always made science class horrible, especially biology. While trying to study how the eye works or genetics, guess what always got brought up? That’s right, the freaky wolf eyes on the new girl. Everyone’s stairs would burn and my palms would get clammy. After the third school this happened at, I just learned to put up this wall. Nothing like that bothers me anymore. But that brings us back to the friend thing. Who wants to hang around someone that, every time you look at her, makes you think of something evil staring out of the darkness?
There is one guy I’ve known for a long time. Gabriel. His dad worked with mine, and they always got moved together. Now, you maybe thinking that we must have been good friends because were in the same situation, with schools, and we always seem to be at the same school. You’d be wrong.
We avoided each other as much as we could. That again would be my fault. Remember, I try to keep people distant. Gabriel tried being my friend one time, our freshman year. He was persistent enough to make me have to work to get him to leave me alone. One day, his efforts were enough to provoke me to say some mean things to him. That finally hit home. After that he stopped coming around and we started avoiding each other.
So I live the life of a lone wolf, so to speak. Sometimes I let my mind wander to what it would be like if everyone knew what my eyes really mean. You see, my eyes are the only thing that you can see that would even hint at what I really am. What am I?
I am the last Shadow Keeper.
Everything, everyone has a shadow. Have you ever wondered if every shadow in the world lives? Or if every shadow has some place it escapes to? Yes they do live, and, well that place they escape would be the shadow world.
Basically, the shadow world is what you probably would call a ‘parallel universe’. I call the shadow world a world that was created to contain what this world cannot. I call it the place bound by the ancient laws of shadows and ruled by the contract of ___.
You must be thinking that what the shadow world contains what this one can not is evil. Part of that would be right, but part of it completely wrong. Not all shadows are evil as most people would think.
Actually, most shadows want to preserve the way your of life.
"The Wedding Guest"
This was an assignment from my Senior year of High School British Literature class. We had to write the beginning or end to a story we read in class. I chose to write the ending (my friend wrote the beginning) so I'm sorry if it doesn't make the most sense... but I think its a nice peace.
Thunder clapped through the air waking me from a restless slumber. I sat up in bed, sweat cold on my brow. Another nightmare, although this one had taken a different course then the ones that had troubled my mind for over a fortnight.
I had returned home to Monte Burlingame after the wedding of my best friend and cousin. But this thunder storm, which oddly came in the middle of June, seemed to reflect my current inner turmoil. The steps I took resonated off the surrounding walls, the hallow echo burning into my soul, each one reflecting one of my million mistakes.
Darkness filled every hall, and the washroom was no different. I slowly poured water into the basin to wash the filth from my face. As I splashed the chilled water onto my skin lightning flashed across the sky and I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. The old loon’s words rang in my mind. “That moment that his face I see, I know the man that must hear me…” My face. I marveled of the truths shown on such a masked surface and refused to be the man that had formally known so little of misery.
As I walked through the manor, memories of the past flashed through my mind. The many nights I had spent stripped of virtue plagued me. The lives I had left in ruin tore at my conscience. Before the wedding, I had been a different man. No, not a man, a selfish boy. Though I was of a much sadder disposition, I was now wiser and no more would I aim to be the spoiled, arrogant Count.
I knew that I had made too many mistakes, too many to calculate, too many to remember. But there was a few I could recall and I was determined to make them right. Of all the places to start on the long road to my redemption, here was not one of them.
Herefordshire estate was not that far on by carriage. However I was sure Count Alexander and the newly titled Countess would not be too pleased to see the man who had failed to fulfill his obligations at their wedding. But they were not the only ones to whom I wished to speak on the duration of my trip.
I met the newlywed couple in the parlor of their estate. As I entered the room I bowed my head, for I was feeling a new emotion. An unfamiliar word crossed my mind. Was this remorse?
Alexander stood close to Catherine, who sat with pride and dignity. For the first time in my life, I saw what true love was. Though Catherine sat with an aloof air she looked at Alexander with respect, admiration, desire, and what I could only describe as happiness. I could not help a small smile as I saw the same affection returned from Alexander. Today I would discover the word for the feeling that had plagued me since the wedding. Guilt. How had I been able to hurt them as I did? And, maybe, love was not the puddle I had once viewed it as. My apology to my friends was quick, for I knew that words would not be enough to ease the hurt I had caused them. It would take action. And that would take time.
After I excused myself I started my trip back towards Monte Burlingame. My carriage sped through town, past old houses and an old church. I had my driver stop. It is hard to illustrate the disgrace and embarrassment I felt walking into that hollowed building, with my multitude of sins weighing on my soul. I prayed genuinely for the first time in my life.
I felt lighter as I left and again started for the estate. There was one last thing I wished to amend today. We reached Lark Hill not long after midday. I spoke to Barron Cambridge and tried to set strait my intentions. Catherine had a younger sister by the name of Nicole and I wished to speak with her.
She sat contently in the small estate library, a book in her lap. It was rather odd to find a woman who often spent her time reading books and studying art as Nicole did. Her long hair fell gracefully down over her shoulders and I took my cap in my hands as I stood in the doorway for a moment, noticing her beauty as a human, not just another woman. I had always found her the more attractive of the sisters and on the notion of her beauty, I had pursued her. She was the only woman who had completely refused me. I had, however, never read further into my emotions than that futile attraction.
As I stood watching her I felt a movement inside, as if something was changing. The hard stone that held my parched, emotionless heart groaned and fell away, leaving my breast bear to the world. I felt the same affection in me that I had seen in Alexander and Catherine. I loved this woman and, if she would have me, I intended to marry her. Her name ran over my lips fluidly and rang through the room.
We were to be married two fortnights from now for, even in my prior arrogance, Nicole had seen what good had existed deep within me and had loved me in secret. If only I had known what life could be, what true joy could be.
Not only did I pledge myself to the happiness of my soon to be bride, I found refuge in the church. I gave a great deal of my earnings to the church and spent much of my time there washing away the scarlet in my soul and caring for others. I had found the two things in my life that made me feel worth while, religion and love. My soul was still scared and damaged, but it was well on its way to recovery. I had turned my life around. And this all started with the simple words of an old man’s tale. “There was a ship…”
~Tristan
Thunder clapped through the air waking me from a restless slumber. I sat up in bed, sweat cold on my brow. Another nightmare, although this one had taken a different course then the ones that had troubled my mind for over a fortnight.
I had returned home to Monte Burlingame after the wedding of my best friend and cousin. But this thunder storm, which oddly came in the middle of June, seemed to reflect my current inner turmoil. The steps I took resonated off the surrounding walls, the hallow echo burning into my soul, each one reflecting one of my million mistakes.
Darkness filled every hall, and the washroom was no different. I slowly poured water into the basin to wash the filth from my face. As I splashed the chilled water onto my skin lightning flashed across the sky and I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. The old loon’s words rang in my mind. “That moment that his face I see, I know the man that must hear me…” My face. I marveled of the truths shown on such a masked surface and refused to be the man that had formally known so little of misery.
As I walked through the manor, memories of the past flashed through my mind. The many nights I had spent stripped of virtue plagued me. The lives I had left in ruin tore at my conscience. Before the wedding, I had been a different man. No, not a man, a selfish boy. Though I was of a much sadder disposition, I was now wiser and no more would I aim to be the spoiled, arrogant Count.
I knew that I had made too many mistakes, too many to calculate, too many to remember. But there was a few I could recall and I was determined to make them right. Of all the places to start on the long road to my redemption, here was not one of them.
Herefordshire estate was not that far on by carriage. However I was sure Count Alexander and the newly titled Countess would not be too pleased to see the man who had failed to fulfill his obligations at their wedding. But they were not the only ones to whom I wished to speak on the duration of my trip.
I met the newlywed couple in the parlor of their estate. As I entered the room I bowed my head, for I was feeling a new emotion. An unfamiliar word crossed my mind. Was this remorse?
Alexander stood close to Catherine, who sat with pride and dignity. For the first time in my life, I saw what true love was. Though Catherine sat with an aloof air she looked at Alexander with respect, admiration, desire, and what I could only describe as happiness. I could not help a small smile as I saw the same affection returned from Alexander. Today I would discover the word for the feeling that had plagued me since the wedding. Guilt. How had I been able to hurt them as I did? And, maybe, love was not the puddle I had once viewed it as. My apology to my friends was quick, for I knew that words would not be enough to ease the hurt I had caused them. It would take action. And that would take time.
After I excused myself I started my trip back towards Monte Burlingame. My carriage sped through town, past old houses and an old church. I had my driver stop. It is hard to illustrate the disgrace and embarrassment I felt walking into that hollowed building, with my multitude of sins weighing on my soul. I prayed genuinely for the first time in my life.
I felt lighter as I left and again started for the estate. There was one last thing I wished to amend today. We reached Lark Hill not long after midday. I spoke to Barron Cambridge and tried to set strait my intentions. Catherine had a younger sister by the name of Nicole and I wished to speak with her.
She sat contently in the small estate library, a book in her lap. It was rather odd to find a woman who often spent her time reading books and studying art as Nicole did. Her long hair fell gracefully down over her shoulders and I took my cap in my hands as I stood in the doorway for a moment, noticing her beauty as a human, not just another woman. I had always found her the more attractive of the sisters and on the notion of her beauty, I had pursued her. She was the only woman who had completely refused me. I had, however, never read further into my emotions than that futile attraction.
As I stood watching her I felt a movement inside, as if something was changing. The hard stone that held my parched, emotionless heart groaned and fell away, leaving my breast bear to the world. I felt the same affection in me that I had seen in Alexander and Catherine. I loved this woman and, if she would have me, I intended to marry her. Her name ran over my lips fluidly and rang through the room.
We were to be married two fortnights from now for, even in my prior arrogance, Nicole had seen what good had existed deep within me and had loved me in secret. If only I had known what life could be, what true joy could be.
Not only did I pledge myself to the happiness of my soon to be bride, I found refuge in the church. I gave a great deal of my earnings to the church and spent much of my time there washing away the scarlet in my soul and caring for others. I had found the two things in my life that made me feel worth while, religion and love. My soul was still scared and damaged, but it was well on its way to recovery. I had turned my life around. And this all started with the simple words of an old man’s tale. “There was a ship…”
~Tristan
Posts
