Conquered by the Knight

[bluntforcemama]

Elizabeth

Elizabeth clung to the Slayer, this lover of hers and tumbled onto the floor in his embrace. She kissed him back, darting her tongue into his mouth and licking his lower lip, suckling it like a babe. Her hands roamed up his shoulders and held the back or his head close as she rubbed her breasts against his chest.

[Edited by Myst on 03-20-2001 at 07:25 PM]

 

[bluntforcemama]

LMAO

OCC: "Fail me and you shall be destroyed." I command of the breast." Breast? BREAST?

LOL.... DarkAngel, you always make me crack up! I'm so glad you're back!

Talon... I think you FEEL a lot more than kissing.... now come on! Show me what you've got! But you're starting our exceptionally well! ~Myst

 

[Talon]

OOC: Well, I just spent the last 3 or 4 hours seriously contemplating joining the Marine Corps, so I think I'll get alittle rest. I will put some thought into another Post Myst, and will submit it in the morning.

 

[doctor_insanus]

Romulus

The night was cool, but not as cold as the shadow that was falling over the land. Romulus had watched the group go their ways, and now stood at the edge of the camp. He leaned against a large oak tree, gazing at the stars.

There was no way around it; this seemed to him the dirtiest in a long career of dirty jobs. While the bards sang of his brilliance in battle, his nobility and courage in the face of death, they never remembered the harsh choices he had to make to defend the kingdom.

He longed for the days of his youth. The holy crusades against evil powers, defending the crown against threats both magical and demonic. The days before the darkness had fallen.

He had heard the battle-songs raging within. After so many months, his head had filled with them. Now, he looked to the day when his steel would be matched against the Dark Knight's. Another body thrown on his mountain.

And then? Would the conquest of one more warlord set the world right again? Romulus could not bring himself to believe it. Betrayal was in the air. The disease had spread throughout the kingdom.

Perhaps, it had spread to himself as well.

He shuddered at the thought. Had he truly imagined the vanquishing of a few gypsies could set things right? For a helpless young girl, he had ordered their deaths. He knew it was just. The sheer joy in her face made him sure of it. Was it a choice he would have made ten years ago? Ten days ago? Perhaps not.

But he had made it this night. Now, he would live with it.

 

[CrystallineTears]

Cassandra

The moonlight that fell through the trees dappled the ground below like a glittering silver-spun web of lace. Lace that fluttered with every tender touch of the wind on the sprawling branches hanging overhead.

She stood a solitary figure among the trees, arms stretched wide as she danced, spinning about and reveling in the freedom of the night. Her ivory cheeks flushed from the exertion and silver eyes sparkling with the excitement of life. The white silk of her skirts twirled about her ankles, reflecting back the moonlight from silver threads woven through. Long, raven tresses flowed freely over her shoulders, dancing on the fingers of the breeze that stirred about her. It was as if apagan goddess had descended to earth to commune with her creations.

Cassandra soon halted her dancing to began her nightly journey through the forest. It didn't take her long to realize that she was not alone this night. There were sounds of people everywhere, in area usually void of human clatter.

Curious as to who might be residing so near her uncle's land, she was not hesitant to go looking, despite the danger of bandits or thieves. The light of several fires glowed warmly from the camp she found in a clearing not far away. Men bearing the King's arms and bearing all the signs of having been in battle.

Oh how she wished sometimes that she too could be a knight. She'd been rather talented at sparring with her cousins as children, but her father had put a stop to that as she grew to be woman. After all, no lady should know how to wield a sword. Come morning she'd be heading home and this freedom would be over once more. The thought brought a soft sigh to her lips before she dimissed it, far too depressing to think of.

The glint of something caught the corner of her eye and she turned to see a solitary man standing beneath the sprawling limbs of an oak gazing up into the night sky. He seemed deep in thought this man. He was neither young nor old, though by his bearing and the look in his eyes, he felt much older than he was.

For some reason the sight wrenched at her heart. This golden haired warrior who looked so alone and somewhat unsure though of what she did not know. She wasn't even aware that she had taken a step towards him until she was practically right in front of him.

The look he gave her was one of surprise, his body tensing like the warrior he was, preparing for the unexpected. Of course he had no clue who she might be so his hand falling to his sword in reflex did not alarm her.

Instead she lifted a slender hand as if to touch his cheek, stopping just before she barely touched it.

"You're pardon, Sir Knight. Forgive my intrusion on your thoughts." She knew she should probably turn and head back to her uncle's home, but she found she couldn't. Instead she just stood there staring dumbly at the man.


OOC: Hope you don't mind if I join in the story. Sorry the post is so long. I got caught up in writing and didn't realize until now that I'd written a small book.

 

[doctor_insanus]

Romulus

OOC: Hope you don't mind if I join in the story. Sorry the post is so long. I got caught up in writing and didn't realize until now that I'd written a small book.

OOC: Welcome aboard!

Romulus was shaken from his thoughts by the presence that seemed to appear from nowhere. A beautiful creature stood before him, staring up at him with silver eyes. Reflexively, he reached for his sword.

The being... could such a vision be human?... raised her hand as if to touch him, then stopped. "Your pardon, Sir Knight. Forgive my intrusion on your thoughts."

How had she taken him by surprise so easily? Despite his thoughts, he had been aware of the sounds of the forest; his life depended on his battle instincts. No mere creature of the woods could have been so stealthy.

He finally found his voice again. "I welcome your intrusion, milady." At the moment, his thoughts were not something he wished to linger upon.

She stood before him, long dark hair flowing softly in the breeze. Her skin was so pale - it seemed to shine white in the dim moonlight. For a moment, Romulus thought she must be some phantom conjured by his troubled mind.

But he could feel her. Her fingers had hovered over his cheek, nearly touching his skin. No phantom or vision could be so real, like a tickling against his flesh.

Romulus dropped his hand from the hilt of his sword. She could move with such stealth, and she no doubt would have attacked him if that had been her goal. He sensed no threat from her.

"Any intrusion, in a night so dark as this one, is most welcome."

 

[CrystallineTears]

OOC: Thanks


Cassandra stood silent a moment longer, watching the thoughts that flashed across the man's face, or more precisely his eyes. She could see so much in their lovely cerulean depths. Or perhaps she only imagined it.

Folding her hands behind her, a light flush to her cheeks in embarassment for her behavior. She who had never blushed in her memory, suddenly momentarily ill-at-ease.

"Any intrusion, in a night so dark as this one, is most welcome." The first words from his lips to touch her ears. His voice not at all gruff as one would expect from a warrior, a knight.

"I was out for a walk and I saw," She managed to speak again at last, her voice soft and yet easily audible. "I saw the fires from your camp and came to investigate. I'm afraid I was spying on you stargazing..."

Cassandra stopped her line of thought before she spoke something upsurd, opting instead to lift her gaze to the sky, her eyes and the starlight seeming to mirror one another in color.

"I suppose I should introduce myself..." She suddenly recalled her manners. "Cassandra... Lady Cassandra Grey... My uncle keeps most of the land round'bout here..." She turned her eyes from the stars to him and was once more struck by what she saw there and held enraptured in the mysteries that lay beyond their blue depths.

 

[doctor_insanus]

Romulus

Cassandra Grey...

Romulus let the words echo through his mind. A beautiful name; it certainly suited the young woman who stood before him now.

Of all the possibilities he had anticipated in this mission, this would have been the most unlikely. How long had it been since he had been alone with a woman? Gods, even he couldn't remember. His life had become a series of increasingly meaningless missions for the King; there had been no time for any sort of relationship.

The silence grew awkward. Romulus fumbled for the words - any words. He felt her eyes on him, seeming to peer deep inside his soul. It was an embarassing sense of intimacy, as if they were sharing something beyond mere physical contact.

"Your family has my thanks, milady. We will not linger overlong. I would see no harm come to you or your uncle."

Her lips curved in a thin smile. Romulus actually felt his knees quiver, and reached for the support of the oak tree.

"Will he not be concerned for your safety? There is danger in the night."

 

[CrystallineTears]

They wouldn't be staying long. The phrase struck her like a lead weight in the pit of her stomach. Not that it truly mattered, for she herself would be gone come the morning. But still, she found it hard to believe that she had met this man and would be denied the chance to become better acquainted with him.

She would freely admit that the man intrigued her. There was something that drew her to him and she found herself desperately wanting the chance to explore it.

"Will he not be concerned for your safety? There is danger in the night."

His question broke her train of thoughts. The smile given his reply moments earlier grew a bit broader and amused.

"He might worry a bit I suppose. But he knows it would do him no good trying to keep me in this night of all nights. It's far to glorious to be spent behind a stone wall, don't you think?" She did not add, that if his health allowed it her uncle would most likely have joined her.

She felt at ease for the moment, she realized as she suddenly leaned against the very same oak he had.

"Besides, I'm quite capable of caring for myself from the dangers in the night." She informed him after a moment, the incredulous look that said he thought that preposterous producing a musical little laugh from her.

[Edited by CrystallineTears on 03-21-2001 at 04:04 PM]

 

[doctor_insanus]

Romulus

He listened as her soft laughter rang through the cool night air. It was pleasant and sweet, songlike in its gentle sound. Despite his embarassment, Romulus couldn't find it in himself to be defensive.

She showed no fear of what might lurk in the woods. On the contrary, she seemed supremely confident. She leaned against the tree with him, so close! Romulus could feel her warmth, which embarassed him in an entirely different way.

What was wrong with him? There was no time for such diversions! The kingdom was in peril; the Dark Knight's forces had to stopped, or else they would continue to plague the countryside. And beyond that, there was the spectre of betrayal that seemed so much more ominous.

And yet...

His throat was dry, and he felt himself trembling. All the wars, all the victories, all the times he had faced death... and he had never been so nervous.

Summoning his courage, Romulus ran his fingers through Cassandra's long, dark hair.

 

[CrystallineTears]

Cassandra

She was surprised and yet not the least bit shocked when Romulus' fingers slipped through her hair. Just this slight contact was enough to make every nerve in her body spring to life. Cassandra could feel each hair on her head that his hand carressed, feel his fingers barely brush against the skin that lay beneath.

She had known this man not even an hour, and yet it seemed so natural, so right, as she pressed her cheek against the palm of his hand. His flesh was so warm, the callouses garnered by years of wielding a sword rough against her smooth skin. Alas the horrors he must have seen over those years. How she wish she could make them disappear and perhaps quell the confusion she still saw in his eyes.

She could not keep her lips from brushing against each callused finger tip, eliciting a tiny tremor in him that even she could feel. A soft kiss for the palm of his hand as her gaze rose to meet his.

"Would that I could erase the pain in your soul..." She hadn't even realized she'd said the words aloud, though they were little more than a whisper. It seemed so natural to lean closer to him, those lips of hers pressed to the spot just above his heart.

 

[doctor_insanus]

Romulus

Was this it, at last? Was this the day that he would finally find what had been missing for so many years? He had thought that he was made whole when the battle-fires raged within him. Now, he realized just how wounded his soul had been all along.

Cassandra gently kissed his fingers, her lips so soft against his skin. She pressed them against his palm, and he felt her breath like a caress. It felt so right to be here with her, on this night.

"Would that I could erase the pain in your soul..." she spoke softly, little more than a whisper. She leaned against him, her face pressed against his chest.

Romulus took her in his arms. He felt the wetness of his tears as they spilled across his cheeks, and closed his eyes tightly. He had never allowed himself to shed tears, not even when he had buried his parents. His station allowed for no such weakness.

Now, however, he was powerless to stop them. He held her tightly against him, his powerful arms a gentle prison she had no urge to escape.

"If only that were possible, milady," he whispered. "If only."

 

[CrystallineTears]

Cassandra

He held her so tightly against him she could hear the soft catch in his breathing and feel his tears as they slipped down his cheeks to land atop her head and against her own cheeks. It was as if she could feel his pain as her own, and soon she found her own tears falling to mingle with his.

"If only that were possible, milady," he whispered. "If only." Such a note of longing in his voice tinged with despair and a loss of hope. This poor, brave man who had sacrificed his own soul to fight the battles of the land.

"All things are possible, Milord." She murmured against his chest, her arms wrapping tightly around him, a hand gently cupping the back of his head and drawing it to her shoulder. "All things..." she whispered again as her lips brushed across his cheeks, soft kisses drying the tears that he shed in such abundance.

She couldn't even begin to explain why she so desired to comfort this man. Was this what it was like to find.. what had all those books of romantic nonsense called it?.. a soulmate?

Cassandra couldn't answer that, it was far too soon to even guess such a thing. All she did know was that never had she felt another's pain so deeply and never had anything felt quite so right as being here this night.. in this man's arms.. soothing his pain

OOC: Doc, you're wonderful.. your post almost had me in tears

 

[doctor_insanus]

Romulus

OOC: Doc, you're wonderful.. your post almost had me in tears

OOC: That makes two of us!

IC: They remained locked in their embrace for a time that seemed to pass much too quickly. Romulus had never known such feelings; he had loved, that was true. He had loved, and had been loved in return. This, however, was beyond anything he had ever known.

It was everything he had ever dreamed it would be. It was perfection.

He took her head in his hands and kissed her with all the passion he could muster. Their lips pressed together, and he felt Cassandra's tongue against his; shy at first, then with increasing desire. Her hands went to his shoulders, and she pulled him closer. She was so warm against him, soft and warm and wonderful.

Without realizing it, Romulus swept her off her feet, never breaking their kiss. Cassandra moaned softly, throwing her arms over his shoulders. Holding her firmly but with a lover's gentleness, he carried her away from the camp.

Here, with her in his arms, the night lost its chill. The stars gleamed in the blackness of the sky, the moon cast its silvery light over the land. This is where it would be; not in some castle chamber, or in the dank tents of the camp.

Here, under the night sky, they would find love.

 

[CrystallineTears]

Cassandra

So this was the passion she had heard so much of.. read so much of.. It was more than she had ever imagined it might be. She could feel every inch of her skin.. feel every each spot where their bodies made contact. And his lips on hers, it near made her head spin as their tongues carressed one another, tangling and dancing in the midst of their kiss.

She knew when he lifted her from her feet and carried her through the night that she should put a stop to this. No lady would do such as she was sure to come. But she found she could not stop him, she had no desire to. Instead her lips found his once more, she becoming the agressor as her tongue explored the moist recesses of his mouth.

The stars overhead spun in the sky so that she closed her eyes, losing herself in the depth of her kiss.. the feeling of his arms around her.. the warmth that was stealing its way through her blood. She could hear the sound of his breathing, the beat of his heart beneath her hand.

Perhaps what she felt at this moment was not moral or proper, but she did not care. Somethings transcended the morals of man and what she felt now, this moment for this man who had gripped her heart with a look was one of those very things and she would not turn from it now.

 

[doctor_insanus]

Romulus

OOC: This will have to be it for now. I've been up for almost 18 hours now, and I have work tonight!

IC: He carried her to a small clearing, a place where thick grass would provide the bed they would need.

The sounds of the forest filled the air; the call of distant birds, the chirping of crickets. Somewhere nearby, something large and agile bounded through the thickets, its footfalls reaching them.

Romulus stopped and gently lowered Cassandra to the ground. She stood before him, her silvery eyes sparkling, and her hands went to his chest. He felt the light caress of her fingertips on his skin, her very touch igniting his passion.

He wanted to speak, to tell her what he was feeling, but the words would not come. He could only gaze at her, his blue eyes taking in every line, every feature. His hands went to her hips, squeezing her gently.

Cassandra moaned softly, her own passions raging beyond control. It was to be this night, then, and this man. She could resist it no longer. Slowly, without a word, she lifted the white silk skirt over her thighs, her breasts, until she finally lifted her arms and let it fall to the ground behind her.

Romulus looked at her, enrapt, as she stood naked before him. Her body seemed to glow in the moonlight, pale and lovely. She stepped closer, and now her hands were working again, loosening the restraints and buckles of his armor.

A piece at a time, it tumbled away from his body. He felt self-conscious at being undressed this way. Yet, there was such a look on her face. She wanted him... she needed him... and he was hers. For the first time in his life, Romulus allowed his heart to be taken by another.

When Cassandra was finished, he was as naked as she.

Despite the breeze that washed through the small clearing, they felt no chill. Their blood seemed to boil, and they had all the warmth they could ever need in each other's arms.

OOC: Sorry to be such a tease, but I'm ready to collapse right here in my chair! Aside from a lack of sleep, this relationship has taken a lot out of me!

Take care. I'll be back!

 

[CrystallineTears]

Cassandra

They stood there for a moment, hungrily drinking in the sight of on another's body. She knew she should feel some sort of ladylike embarassment standing here naked to his gaze. But she couldn't find it in herself to feel shame for this moment. It seemed as if destiny had preordained that they should be here together now, in this manner.

His muscular body bore the scars of many hard fought battles. Again she was struck by the horrid sights he must have seen. The pain he'd had to endure.

She reached a trembling hand out to touch one such scar that ran from his shoulder to his hip. Cassandra could almost feel the pain it had caused him and once more it brought tears to her eyes. She leaned forward to place a trail of soft kisses and tears down the length of it, the skin that covered it soft and slightly puckered. She could not resist the urge to flick her tongue out against it.. to taste him. Romulus shuddered and moaned softly as she did, his fingers once more sliding through her hair to cup the back of her head.

Boldened by his response she continued, her tongue and lips sweeping across the muscular plains of his chest and stomach to kiss and caress each scar no matter it's size. She stepped around him, following the scars across his back, her arms wrapping around him from behind as her fingers followed the trail her tears had left, a light touch that sent shivers coursing through both their bodies. It was as if she felt her kisses, her touch and her tears could heal them and erase the painful memories that each one held for him.

 

[doctor_insanus]

Romulus

Romulus moaned softly as Cassandra kissed him, her lips brushing across the battle-scars he had collected over the years. Each gentle touch of her mouth brought him to new heights of passion, a pleasure so intense he had never imagined its like.

She stood before him again, unashamed of her own passion, her hunger apparent in the beautiful lines of her face. He had been afraid that she would reject him; it wasn't proper for two strangers to behave in such a way! Yet, they weren't strangers, were they? Deep within themselves, they could feel the hands of fate, guiding them. It had been his destiny to meet her, in this time and place.

She was the one who could save him. She would make him the man he had once been, the man who could save this kingdom.

Romulus put his hands on her shoulders and gently pulled her to him again. His mouth went to hers, and he let his hands go where they would. With one hand, he stroked her long hair, the dark strands of it soft and thick in his fingers. The other slid over her throat, toward the swell of her breast.

Cassandra sighed as his fingers grazed the tender flesh, caressing the thickening nipple. She put her own hand on his wrist, inviting him to continue.

Dropping to one knee, he put his lips on her hot flesh. He took her other nipple in his mouth, teasing it with his warm tongue. She pulled him close, her head thrown back in ecstasy.

Romulus tasted the sweetness of her skin, more satisfying than any wine. His mouth left her breast as he slowly worked his way across her flat stomach. Her breath was deep and quick, her body shuddering with the sensation.

His tongue glanced over her navel, gently probing it. It traced along the rim, then continued on its journey. He reached behind her, his hands sliding over her hips to the warm flesh of her ass.

Cassandra gazed down at him. Had she imagined such pleasure? Every touch, every caress, seemed to enflame her desire. His mouth, going to that secret place, was warm and wet on her skin; his hands, strong but oh-so-gentle, held her close to him.

Romulus pressed his face against the soft curls of her pubic hair. His breath was hot on her skin; she shivered with anticipation. For an instant, their eyes met. Cassandra's mouth, open and quivering in her mindless need, couldn't find the words that raced through her mind.

Please... I need you... touch me...

He inhaled the scent of her love. No words were necessary. He knew what she needed, because it was exactly what he himself needed.

Romulus put his mouth on her moist flesh.

 

[CrystallineTears]

Cassandra

Never had Cassandra imagined in her most wildest of dreams that she could feel the way she did at this moment. Yes, she had imagined what it would be like to one day share her body with a man, but she had never realized that it would create the wanton urges that assuaged her body.

Even in her naivete, she knew that it was not soley physical pleasure that caused her body to tremble as his lips closed around the hard peak of her nipple. No, she felt this to the core of her soul and it served only to intensify each touch of his lips and hands on her body.

She could barely breathe, her head was spinning so, and then she felt his tongue gently probing the moist folds of her sex and it seemed the world collapse around her. Her hands dropped to his head, as much to encourage him as to steady herself.

His tongue continued to work its magic on her, circling about the tiny sensitive nub hidden there, ever touch of it eliciting yet another moan from her. She was not sure how much more of this she could stand.

Just when Cassandra thought she could stand no more, she felt the tip of Romulus' finger at entrance to her tight passage. He was so gentle, this man of war, as he carefully caressed her virginal opening, taking his time as he slowly slid it inside. She tossed her head back, so lost in the ecstacy that his tongue and finger was creating she was no longer aware of the world around her.

She did not exaclty understand her body's reaction, but she most certainly did not disapprove, nor did it seem that her sweet lover did. His tongue continued its furious assault as did his finger until at last her body could stand no more. Her cry echoed among the trees around them as the sensations he coaxed built to a climax left her legs to weak to stand.

Romulus' strong arm was their immediately to catch her, holding her up as wave after wave of the most intense pleasure she'd ever known coursed.. nay exploded through her body. His tongue never stopped, drawing out tremor after tremor as he continued.

"Sweet gods..." The whisper was barely croaked from her throat, it's passages to tight to truly speak, as she looked down at him. Her eyes unfocused, she could barely see him as he lifted his head.. his lips gleaming with the moisture of her body.

 

[doctor_insanus]

Romulus

Had any nectar of the Gods ever been so sweet?

Romulus knew it could not be so. The taste of sweet Cassandra on his tongue put anything he could imagine to shame. No wine, no honey could compare with her.

It wasn't just the taste of her that was so intoxicating. Her soft cries of ecstasy, the wet folds of her sex around his fingers, her body shuddering as she surrendered to him... everything about her was so perfect.

Bursts of pleasure, one after another, spread throughout her body as his tongue caressed the tender bud between her legs. She was overcome by pleasure, and stumbled. He held her as he continued to lick her hungrily.

"Sweet gods..." she whispered. Romulus looked up at her, their eyes locked in a lovers' gaze. He could feel her wetness on his lips, his chin.

Standing once more, he held her in his arms. He could feel her trembling, her body unsteady after the unleashing of her passion. Gently, he let her come to rest on the soft grass. Another sigh escaped her lips as she felt its coolness on her skin.

Romulus lay across her, his face only inches from her own. She turned and abruptly kissed him, tasting herself on his lips. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, and she pulled him close to her.

Then, she felt him pressing against the moist lips of her sex. Hard and throbbing, he thrust into her. Gently, an inch at a time, he filled the emptiness she felt between her legs. She groaned softly, her eyes closing as she was once more overcome with bliss.

Romulus had never known such pleasure. She held him tight in her warm, wet depths; the feel of her flesh around his threatened his own self-control. Already, he could feel himself slipping toward the sweet oblivion her body promised.

Cassandra looked up at him, understanding his need. She pulled him deeper inside, her flesh caressing his thick shaft as it pushed between her swollen lips. He groaned with the sensation, his hips working reflexively. She threw her legs around him, holding him within her as he began to thrust mindlessly.

[Edited by doctor_insanus on 03-23-2001 at 12:27 PM]

 

[CrystallineTears]

Cassandra

They lay, their bodies joined together in an act as old as the forest that surrounded them. Primal instinct drove them as he thrust himself deeper into her and she aquiesced, accepting his body into hers. And yet it was so much more than that, somehow they had found something so much more here tonight, these two virtual strangers.

He drove himself into this woman looking for the solace and meaning he had craved for so long. Cassandra's lips, hands, and body strove to give him this gift. And yet, the gift he'd given her was no less special as he loved her here beneath the moonlight.

There was no longer any chance that they might be able to control themselves. Their bodies strained together, becoming one in the rhythm of life. It seemed ever breath, every shudder, every beat of the heart was shared between the two.

The moist flesh that surrounded his throbbing member seemed to draw him deeper with each thrusting motion he made. She needed him, craved him. Her body arched from the soft grass that served as their bed in an attempt to take him deeper still. She was desperate, aye. Desperate to take this man inside her and hold him there.

She did not think as she accepted him, Cassandra was far to lost in her own desire for fulfillment.. fulfillment she found as once more her body rose to that devastating plateau, oh so much more sweet this time as he rode those waves of pleasure with her.

She buried her face against his neck, her fingers curled in his hair as she let out a gasping sob. Her body closing so tightly around him as she found the release she was searching for. It was no more than a heartbeat before he too cried out so loudly that the birds in the trees around them stirred and she felt the warmth of his seed spill into her body.

OOC: Sorry this is so bad.. I'm a little off my "game" today

 

[RoseFiora]

Troia

OOC: Sorry for not posting anything for Troia for awhile, it's a long story I won't bore you with. Anyways...

IC:
Troia was still having a hard time comprehending the fact that she was free at last. No more of Marius, no more of the rabble that called themselves gypsies who travelled with him. She was her own woman at last and the world was open to her.

The one knight who had been so kind to her, Jason she thought she'd heard them call him, and the young idealistic one who'd caught her attention in the beginning were setting out at the request of the lady to rescue some girl being held prisoner.

She didn't know this girl and yet she could feel for her. Troia knew all too well what it was like to be made a prisoner held against her well and unable to escape. It was that fact that made her decide to accompany the two men on their journey. The girl might need someone who'd understand her trials.

 

[Mistress]

Mercy

Mercy's bright eyes watched the Knight Aiden as he spoke to the others. Biting her lip she wondered why he had suddenly caught her eyes. After all the years of working among the King with her Uncle, not a single Knight had ever produced more then one smile from her. Some how this Knight, had managed to pull two from her already without trying. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts she remembered her duties back at the Medical Tent.

Hurrying past them she turned and caught herself looking deeply into his blue eyes. Her cheeks flushed and a tingle flooded through her young body, she smiled and then raced back to her work. Silently cursing herself for letting a man see her blush, a Knight at that! Shaking her head she returned to the inside of the Medical Tent and ignored her Uncle's curious look.

 

[doctor_insanus]

Romulus

They lay there for several long moments, their bodies slowly floating from the heights of ecstasy. Romulus collapsed on top of her, his weight pressing her into the thick grass. He sighed, his body relaxing even as his mind cleared. Cassandra kissed the base of his throat, pressing her soft lips gently against his skin.

He rolled onto his back, pulling her over to rest against his chest. His arms were still around her, holding her tightly, as they gazed at the sky. They were at last feeling the chill of the night air, and she snuggled closer to him.

Romulus tried to find the words to express his feelings, but couldn't. What she had given him, what they had shared, was something they wrote songs of. He wished he were more poetic, so he could tell her exactly what he was feeling.

Instead he simply lay there, Cassandra in his arms. She kissed him again, one hand going to his face to caress his cheek.

"You needn't speak, my love."

She knew. It seemed she knew everything. Romulus felt his heart beating powerfully within his chest. His ears rang with the rush of his blood. He must speak; he must tell her what she meant to him!

"You have saved me, Cassandra. If I had not met you this night, I would have been lost." Perhaps he would have conquered the Dark Knight, but he would have never saved the kingdom. That would require a greater man than he had become. It would have required a true hero.

Tears flowed again, but this time there was no sadness.

 

[CrystallineTears]

Cassandra could hear his heart beating steadily beneath the spot where her cheek was pressed against his chest. She felt his arms tighten around her as she burrowed closer to his body to escape the chill of the night air.

If only they could stay like this forever, here locked in this embrace with no care for the world that raged around them. But she knew that was not possible. Life was just not that simple.

"You have saved me, Cassandra. If I had not met you this night, I would have been lost." His emotions were so genuine. Once again she saw the gleam of the moonlight reflect in tears that flowed down his cheeks.

She reached for his hand, her slender fingers twining between his. Her hand looked so small clasped within his, and yet it seemed to belong their. She had no idea where his duty lay, what dangers might await him after this night. He was a knight of the realm and she was certain that whatever it was would hold risks that she could not begin to imagine.

Cassandra lifted her head from his chest to gaze down into his eyes. Could he see what was in her heart at this moment the same as she could see the thoughts that she saw reflected in his? Could he see how in a matter of such a short space of time he had captured her heart?

Dear gods, how could she bear to part from him? Just a few short hours ago she had not even known he existed and now.. now she could not imagine how she could leave his side.

"My Dearest..." She whispered, burying her face against his chest once more. How could she tell him that come the morning she must head east to her father's home? She too wept, but with the fear that perhaps they would never meet again.