New France

[caspai]

Amalie

Chaos had interrupted the dinner from the night before. A tall native man had come with news of great misfortune for our host. My heart went out to the man who had lost his only son and heir.

My eyes had been drawn to the man in the red jacket. His appearance was fierce and almost alien to me, and yet his spirit was somehow gentle, and his eyes had been kind. I could sense the friendship shared by these two men, and could see that this man mourned the death of Julien as much as our host did.

When Chantral had run after Charles, I felt the eyes of this strange man sweep around the room, looking at each of us in turn. When his eyes fell to me, I felt my pulse quicken, and such thoughts entered my head that I felt a flush rising from my neck. As my hand had begun to shake, I put my wineglass down. As I feel his eyes linger on me, I wonder at that, and look up to meet his eyes. It is almost as if he is seeing into the very depths of my soul. Fearing what he may see, I quickly look down at my plate, picking up my fork to toy with the food on my plate.

At length, the meal ended. This man's eyes eventually left me, but always seemed to return. I was unable, for the remainder of the evening meal, to do anything beyond trying to eat my meal. I had heard of stories of people who could see all about a person by simply looking at them. What would this kind man think of me if he were to ever discover the secret I held so tightly to me? If he were to ever find my reason for being here, alone...

 

[Cathay]

Chantral

"Leave you?" I queried softly through my tears, my lips
still caressing his dear loving face. I knew what he wanted.
Out of some misguided grief stricken sense of honour, he wanted
me safe. But his needy eyes.....told me something else.
Wrapping my arms even tighter around his neck, my fingers
tangled in his hair, my lips a breath away..."Never, my love. I am
not going anywhere. Please...don't ask me again." My lips captured his for another kiss. He fought me for a moment. One
small second in time......and then he crushed me to him. His hands everywhere, his tongue finding a home in me.
Never had I felt such a need, such an intense longing. I wasn't
sure what would happen next but I wanted nothing more than to find out. Another part of me knew deep within, that Charles needed me tonight. Needed to be surrounded by life.....and love.
Desperately.
I reached up and removed the pins from my hair and dropped them onto the wood floor beneath us. My hair tumbled down,
and like silk draped gently around us hiding us from the world.
out of the corner of my eyes, I could see the flames from the
fireplace filter through my hair, a golden web ensaring both
of us. Charles sighed and I could feel the warmth of his breath
carress me as surely as his hands and lips. I pushed myself off
his lap and slowly stood, my fingers reaching for the first
of a thousand buttons. His eyes followed my hands and I could see his pulse beating erratic and errant, racing faster as each button fell open to his eyes. It seemed like forever until
my gown fell at my feet. I stood in my chemise and slowly
pulled the long pink ribbon releasing my newly sensitive breasts from their prison. Charles sat and watched me, his eyes never
straying, his breaths coming short and trembling.
I unbuttoned the top buttons and slowly, pulled the straps down, first one....then the other. It opened, baring my breasts
to his hungry needy eyes. Using my fingertips, I pushed the
offensive material down past my hips and it pooled at my
feet, leaving me naked except for my hose and garters. Stepping
back, I lifted my hair and fanned it out, it felt delicious as it
lay teasing and tickling my puckered and ruched nipples.
I took a step forward and stood between my love's legs, suddenly nervous and anxious yet wanting...aching. I reached
for his hand and placed in on my breast. "Now Charles..."
I pleadingly whispered. "Please....love me. I...I..don't know what to do, you'll have to help me."
I waited...my eyes closed, my heart hammering.

 

[cgraven]

I watch as one of "Le Fouet" guests runs after him. I hope thaat she may bring peace to my friends spirit. I was with hime when his woman died and now I bring the shadow of death to his lodge once more. My poor brother was know only sorrow and many tears these past seansons. My death song for his "Petitie Enfant ends. I will speak his name no more so his spirit my rest in the land of the spirits and not be tied to our realm. I shall visit him and my lost love when I sleep and the Raven takes me to that "Spirit Realem".

I gaze upon the woman my eyes search her spirit and I see she has a troubled spirit. My spirit is drawn to hers, our sorrow mingles.. How can this be? We are from diffrent worlds and ways. Yet I must speak.


"Bonjour. I am "L'Ombre D'Bois" fear not for all of this Lodge are safe."

 

[caspai]

Amalie

The rich timbre of his voice startles me as he approaches and speaks. Fear not, he says, but how can I do anything else? Perhaps he has mistaken my fear. I do not, could not, fear him. For a moment, I have to fight the urge to spill out my story to him. What insanity is this that has gripped me? To even think of my uncle, lying on the floor...no, I can't think of it. What would they think of me? What would happen to me?

I smile weakly at the tall man standing so closely to me.

"Fear? How could I feel fear? You seem a friend to our host, dispite the sad news you bring. He doesn't seem the kind of man who would expose guests to danger, so how could I fear you?"

 

[Swashbuckler]

Charles

My lust burned the tears from my eyes as she revealed herself to me. Fingers dug into the arms of my chair, stunned. I searched for the words...the words to protest, the strength to turn my face away...alas I could not. Nor, for long moment could I find the courage to act. I just sat there like the old tired fool I was, staring as a princess revealed her royalty to me. Blinking, I muttered, "I must be going mad." As I watched the buttons, one by one, pop away. Her hair drape over her breasts. Her bown fall to the floor. All a wash in my head. Then I heard her words, as pure and beautiful as the waters of the lakes on a misty autum morn, "I don't know what to do, you'll have to help me..." her voice going quiet as she closed her eyes.

Her words slapped my mind like mighty timber falling in the forest. I leapt to my feet, suddenly alive. More alive, in fact than I had felt in years. I grabbed her and clutched her to my chest. Her breasts, like two firery orbs of heaven, melting the icy layers of hell from my heart. "Mon cher, mon bon pettite cher," I whispered to her before kissing her like I had never kissed anyone before, in all my many years.

"Chantal, my love," I said lifting her chin to look into her eyes, after I broke our kiss. "My sweet princess, suzerain of my heart, my life... It is the greatest honor of an old fool's life to show you." With that I gently began our kiss again quickly intensifying the act to a cresendoe of lips and tongue. I fought with the heavy sleaves of my jacket, not wantign to break our embrace. Eternally greatful as Chantal pulled urgently at one sleave, allowing it to fall from my shoulders onto the floor.

Breaking our kiss she immiediately tore at my cervat, unfoling it from my neck. As my neck appeared to her, her lips found it, kissing, tasting, sucking. It was I who interupted her by pulling my shirt over my head, popping a button off my cuff in the effort to remove the damned thing. I pulled her to my mouth. My chest enjoying the feel of her twin pink balls, burning my flesh as I crushed her breasts against me.

I wrapped an arm around her naked waist and lowered her to the floor before the fire. The heat of our mounting passions out blazing the flames of the hearth. Breaking our kiss only as I laid her down, my eager mouth found one of those hard forged nipples. I traced it, first with the tip of my tongue; then my barely parted lips. Suddenly, I attacked swallowing the nipple whole. My tongue dancing around it as I sucked. One hand found her other breast and kneaded it hard and fast.

I let her tastey morsel fall from my mouth only to exchange breasts. Kneading the saliva streaked breast with one hand, devouring the other. My free hand glided down her side, electrified fingertips blazing every curve on their journey. As my figners reached her thigh, they turned and slowly climbed over her thigh. Then quickly descending to part her legs and explore unkown caverns. Seeking her burning diamond stud, finding it immiediately, my figners began to worship and pray to it. Chantal's soft moans increased, in harmony with the flames of the hearth.

 

[Cathay]

Chantral

As I stood there trembling, the wanting so intense, I feared for one small moment, that he would turn away from me. Sigh...
he did not. Instead he came to his feet and pulled me to him, almost frantic.......and I responded in kind. Never have I known
such joy, such.....pleasure. His hands rough......ah delicious that!
His mouth finding me.....everywhere. He lathed and suckled my breasts and my body sang in response As his mouth pulled on my breasts, I could feel something deep inside me...respond, almost begging for release. Ah God.....such a wanting I have never known! I could feel myself pooling beneath him....wet and inviting. My hands clasped his head tighter...closer to me. I could hear my voice as if from far away, "Yes....oh yes mon cher." I felt as though I was begging....but I did not know what I so craved.

And then he showed me. His fingers reached in where the
most private parts of me yearned and ached. I could feel myself
tighten around him.....Mon Dieu! My hips rose as if on their
own accord, bucking beneath his fingers... his mouth. I needed
to touch him. I wasn't sure how but I knew I must...or I would die. My left hand covered his on my mons pressing him tighter...
closer....my right reached out and surrounded his manhood.
I stroked and squeezed...not sure what to do but knowing that
my need was great! I felt something inside me climb and all
I knew is I wanted him to climb with me. Join me on this journey
towards this delicious unknown. Against his throat, I pleaded.
"Please Charles.....do not make me beg!" His mouth found mine
and as our tongues duelled for posession, his knee came between my legs. I coud feel my thighs quiver as they opened,
desperate for his entrance. His fingers lathed me again, opening me as he settled himself, and OH God....found his way home.
This is what I had been aching for. He was huge and full and found a home within my damp yearning walls. My legs wrapped
around his buttox, "Ah God, Yes. Don't leave me yet." My hips
quickly learned to buck with the give and take as he slowly
pumped inside me. Tears of joy slid from my eyes as my arms
wrapped round him, my hips urging him...."Yes mon cher. Yes!"
Faster he pumped, his rod moving inside .....driving me insane.
I did not think I could possibly survive such intense pleasure as he drove himself home in me. Each stroke deeper, faster..harder
than the one before. I clasped him tighter to me, until after an eternity, I reached the pinnacle I had not known existed!!

 

[Swashbuckler]

Charles

Chantal gripped me tight to her; her arms and legs both wrapped and bound my body. As her sweet pussy rippled and devoured my phallus, gripping and holding me as if to never let me go. My undulating torso, a second macro manhood; her tensing arms and legs about me, a second rippling barrel.

The fire blazed behind us, pine popping, sparks exploding...unnoticed. Consumed by our own desire. Chantal's eyes flared and she gasped with unknown bliss. Her limbs, lips, and feminity conspiring in totallity. Squeezing, carressing, pulling, clutching; as if to swallow me forever... I erupt with her passion, filling her with hot jets of love. Flooding her womb, like the St Lawerence to the Atlantic. Pouring my love, desire, and dreams into her soul...

Holding myself burried with Chantal I gasped and panted before leaning down to drive my tongue between her lips. My chest crushing her young breasts beneath my own. Our hearts pounding in concert. Our breath; hot, thick, drawn around swirling tongues and seeking lips.

This one moment, as I kissed away her tears of joy. As I held her tight beneathe me. As I loved her. I felt alive, after a long and painful death, alive...again.

 

[cgraven]

Fear? How could I feel fear? You seem a friend to our host, despite the sad news you bring. He doesn't seem the kind of man who would expose guests to danger, so how could I fear you?"

"Le Fouet" is friend to my people and I to his. Many the time we two have taken the warriors way to drive the Yankee from are lands."

I reach out in greeting as I place my hand upon her heart. I see a shock in her eyes as her body stiffens. There is a questioning look in my eyes. Yet the warmth of her moves something in me, an awakening of life in this time of sorrow.

" I am sorry this is not the greeting of your people."

I withdraw my hand and then present it to her in the manner of her kind.

"I am "L'Ombre de Bois “ pleased to meet you."

"And you are?"

 

[Cathay]

Chantral

It seemed to take forever for my pulse, my very being to slow
back down to.......mere mortal. I had visited paradise and I
knew .....I would never be the same. Nor (I thought with a
smile) did I want it too. Finally......here with Charles in this New
World....here.....I found love. And the savauge part of me vowed,
Never would I let it go. Never!
Charles had turned to his side and with arms wrapped around
me, he took me with him. There I lay, in front of a blazing fire,
naked.....and Finally.....I belonged to someone. The tears I shed,
were not just of the joy of passione......it was ......Charles. Mon
Cher. A good, handsome , virile man....loved me. My heart
was full for the very first time in my life.
I could not stop stroking him. For the first time in life, I was
allowed to touch. And my touch brought this delicious noble
man pleasure. Can he possibly know how much I have come
to love him? I think that is why....I touch him so. Mayhaps,
he can believe what my fingers and lips tell him....words seem
so inadequate. So I will tell him the only way I know how.
My head lay on his chest and I could hear his hearbeat. I could
feel his breathing slow......it seemed our hearts beat in concert.
As it should be.
I started to giggle. He looked a little startled but he raised
my chin with his index finger. "What is so amusing, my love?"
Looking into his amused flushed face, I answered him..."I was
just wondering if this would be as much fun in a feather bed?"
He laughed and said, "Even more fun, little one."

"Then what are we waiting for?" I stretched and stood naked
before him. I grabbed his shirt and slid my arms thru the sleeves, it hung down to my knees. I sauntered towards the door and
turned my head back and said.."Oh and Charles....Can we do
it again?"

 

[Swashbuckler]

Just grabbing my jacket I rise tugging it on as I head for the door, Bending down to kiss Chantal's lips, "Of course mon cher, of course." Feeling years younger and emboldened by her smiles and request. I scoopChantal into my arms and kick the study room door wide.

Her arms around my neck I walk out into the hall. With bold strides I take the stairs, climbing up. Her weight is nothign to me, my heart lifted. The stone of pain having been dropped from my neck.

Reachign the landing I boldly turn and return to my room, my room, how odd... I push the door open slightly with my foot, then lock Chantal in a deep, passionate kiss. Holding her tight, exploring her mouth with my tongue; I step through the door of the master chamber. Slamming the door on my past behind me with a kick, I deepen the kiss, to the breathe of my life as I stagger to the bed....

 

[Guest]

I feel him place his hand over my heart. I feel the warmth of his hand through my bodice, but the warmth is more than that of one person touching another. I am startled at the feeling, and pull back slightly, but the retreat was not caused by the contact. It was caused by the whirl of emotions that his touch had set off within me. I look up into his eyes, and feel myself caught up in what I see there.

" I am sorry this is not the greeting of your people."

He believes that I fear him still. How can this be? The only thing I sense from this person is concern, a gentleness of spirit that is masked by the outward appearance. How well I know the deceptive nature of outward appearance. My uncle had had the face of an angel. That face had been used so many times, in so many ways, and none of them even slightly angelic.

"I am "L'Ombre de Bois “ pleased to meet you."

"And you are?"

He is holding his hand out to me in a more conventional, more European fashion, and I put my hand into his, with a small smile.

"My name is Amel...Amalie. Amalie duVal. This world of yours is so new, so different than anything I have seen before. It is so beautiful and peaceful here. Not at all like what I am accustomed to."

 

[caspai]

Sorry...

That previous post was mine...

 

[cgraven]

"My name is Amel...Amalie. Amalie duVal. This world of yours is so new, so different than anything I have seen before. It is so beautiful and peaceful here. Not at all like what I am accustomed to."

Amalie her name sings as the laughing mountain stream. Her form as shy and delicate as the morning dove. My heart goes out to this fair one, Yet how can this be? I who have so recently lost the one that I had loved. Yes loved but now the vision that the "Raven" had brought to me is clear. Glooskap had come to me. He had spoken as man speaks. Your love is lost yet found my child. His words where mystic to me. How could a love lost be found? The love of a sister was lost to me. Could this morning dove be a love found?

"Yes this land has beauty."

Without thought I am moved to let Amalie see it through my eyes. I tell her of Glooskap the divine, of his birth, how he created Elves, Fairies, and then man of an Ash-tree and last of all the animals. Of his great deeds, which Glooskap did for man; how he named the animals, and how they were formed into his family.

I sang to her the stories of the beauties of the world as I saw it, mountains, the forest and all that dwell their, of mighty rivers and finally of shy little streams.

Then without any thought on my part I sang of her comparing her beauty, to that of nature's in spring. I sang her the lover’s "Spring" song.

The language hers, but the vision mine. I stand there now silent. My eyes search her soul. Is there any feeling there for L'Ombre De Bois?

 

[Cathay]

Chantral

Finally, near dawn still flushed with pleasure, we fell
asleep. The first time in my life I had ever slept next to
another human being. The first time I ever fell asleep
wrapped in the arms of someone I love. It warmed my
soul to see the bone numbing grief leave his face. Even if it's for
a short time, I know that his heart has been lightened by my
love for him. I know mine has.
In between our bouts of loving , we whispered our secrets
to each other. Our dreams. I had never imagined that I
could feel like this about anyone. Never knew the joy and yes,
the peace that comes with such a love. I was as contented as
a mortal could be. An unexpected gift. I wanted all to be right
in the world. Wanted all people to know what I knew; Like
a secret that only I possessed.
I vowed to make him....my Charles happy. Could not bear to
think of him hurt...in any way. I went to sleep that night, with a smile on my lip and in my heart. Life would go on. And I wanted
all it had to offer. I dreamt the dreams of lovers and slept with
peace for the first time in my life. And not the last, I was sure.

 

[caspai]

Amalie

I listen to this man speak of the wonders of his land, of the animals, of the trees, of the beauty of nature. I listen as he speaks of the spirits of his land, the ones who touch is soul, the ones who speak to his spirit. He has a passion for the land that he loves, an honesty of committment to something greater and more powerful than he.

As I fall under the spell of his words, I feel as if I am seeing the things he is discribing in my mind. I can see the forests, streams, lakes, mountains. I can feel the breeze, smell the fresh tingle of the cold morning air. I feel the words beginning to touch my heart, wounded as it was. I feel the words beginning to warm my soul, so cold and shattered for so long.

I feel a longing beginning to grow in me, a longing to completely cut the ties to my past, and disappear into a wilderness that will forever protect me from anyone or anything that could come for me.

 

[cgraven]

"Amalie if only I could show you, but the Francée even would wonder if one such as you and I kept company.


There was a longing in his eyes that spoke of more than friendship.

 

[Swashbuckler]

Charles

I watched Chantal as she finally drifted off to sleep. A soft, warm smile on her flushed lips. Her neck molded to the meat of my arm, my figners gently holding her shoulder. The warmth her breasts nuzzled against my chest. There warm glow of life, warming my heart as it beat silently beneathe the dishevled coverlets. At some point I realized I was smiling as well. A smile I had not had in a long, very long time.

I looked around my old bedchamber, seeing things in a new light in the predawn darkness. I quietly saluted the posters and canopies of the bed. How long had it been since their timbers had groaned and creaked in happy protest to the life upon the feathered mat? "Far too long," I whispered in response to my own musings. The old mirror, full of ghosts, gazed silvery at us on the wall. It too, so ornate as to be austere, seemed to smile upon our love.

Not beign able to sleep I noticed that dawn was breaking, through the curtain lace. Golden streams bathing Chantal's shoulder, neck, ear, hair, and finally her face. I lightly pressed my lips to her forehead as the light shone in with fridgid warmth. I Lifted my old and wrinkled hand. I frowned at the two golden bands upon my ring finger. Gently withdrawing my other arm from beneathe Chantal's neck, I fought long and hard. But in the end I pulled the far too tight ring off my finger. Blood flooding my figner tip for the first time in an eternity. I slipped my hadn and the freed ring beneathe the warmth of the blankets and slipped it on to Chantals finger. That ring had been my mother's, and her mother's of old; and had been destinedd for my love. And so it was, once again...

 

[Cathay]

Chantral

When my eyes finally opened the sun was streaming in lighting
prisms of color in the room around us. Charles, dear Heart
was asleep, laying on his stomache. One hand trailing off the
bed and the other entangled in my long blonde hair. He slept
solidly and I was loathe to wake him, so I lay on my side and
watched him. His eyelids twitched a little and I knew he was
dreaming. I wondered what he dreamt of but by the small
smile curling his lips slightly upwards, I knew it was a pleasurable
nocturnal travel. Such a handsome man. With hands strong
and true, his hair thick and burnished by his many hours in the sun. His lashes lay long and curled like tiny shrimp, the tips a
burnished gold. I did not understand his atttitude about his
age. His skin mayhaps not completely unlined...but the lines there
were were almost invisible crinkles from his beautiful mouth were caused from smiling. His hands brought me such incredible
pleasure, how could he not look at those hands and see what I see? His stomache flat and leading to pure heaven? I must
disabuse this man from these silly notions of his. Never could a
younger less manly man attract me. He is what I have waited for.
I had come home. As I lay there watching my love sleep, I could
hear the house stirring below us. I think it was the smell of
coffee brewing that roused Charles. He opened his eyes and
caught me staring. He had kicked the coverlets off and I was
eyeing his fine derrier when I heard him speak. "I fear you have
me at a disadvantage, my lady." he grinned and yanked the
coverlets away from my naked body. I think he thought I'd
screech. Not so....Instead I stretched, sitting up and raising my
arms above my head arching my breasts forward. I giggled.
(I couldn't help myself) His eyes glittered and a look of manly
determination shuttered his face. He reached up and twined my
thick golden hair and brought my mouth down to his. My hair
covered us as I followed his lead and devoured his mouth with
my own. Muttering, I spoke, "Hmmm don't you want coffee
my stallion?" He laughed and said....."Soon enough for coffee."
His lips clampled on my distended nipple and as he cupped and
kneaded my breasts, I could feel me pool again. Deliciously
sore, I arched towards him and said in my most royal voice, "Take
me to heaven again Charles. I command it........"

 

[Swashbuckler]

Charles

I looked deep into Chantal's eyes, absorbing the wonderous youthful desire of her soul. Her command, I rose and slid off of the matress, falling to one knee, "As you wish, your highness," I whispered. I lifted my head level with the matress, my eyes burning with hunger. In one swift movement I pulled upon her slender hips, dragging Chantal's thighs over my shoulders. Instantly I locked my lips, hard and full upon royal gem of delight. Sucking it into my oral vault for safe admiration and fealty.

Flicking its sesitive surface with my flashing tongue, tasting and drinking her desire's rush. Holding her hips firm, I thrust her upon my tongue; drinking her soverign nectar. My tongue flashing and probing her silken treasure. Flitting as the bee to the spring blossum. Gathering and collecting her honey to slack my morning hunger.

My hands worshiping her hips, guiding her lips hard upon mine. Her hot and erect gem, grinding against my upper jaw. My tongue seeking, tasting, exploring. Her royal decrees of passion setting fire to the early morning chill of the brdroom's air. Breathing life and lust back into the chamber that had been my living tomb for so long. My tongue, outstretched seeking the core of her very womb.

My soul was ablaze of desire, asher cresting tide of awoken passion bathed my mouth in royal nectar. Her hips lifting into my oriface. Her fingers wound into my hair clutching me tight. Her thighs, binding my neck in a constricting noose of love. Her moans shrill, but breaking to silent, airless gasps.

 

[caspai]

Amalie

I look up into his eyes, they are so full of warmth, so full of life, and of a love of his land. I see no hidden malice in him, no secret agenda that he would thrust upon me when I least expected it. What I saw in his eyes, indeed, was different than anything I had seen in the eyes of a man before. I made an instant decision, and stood up, holding my hand out to him. I could sense the shocked looks on the faces of the other people around the table, but cared nothing of it. If I were truly brave, I would have blurted out the truth of myself to them, but the risk of imprisonment was too great for that. I had only twice before made rash decisions about anything, the second forced by the first, but I felt compelled upon this third one by some small voice in my heart.

"Please, come with me where we can speak more privately. There are things I wish to say to you, things I need the comfort of darkness to speak of."

I sense a hesitance in him as he looked at the others sitting around the table. His hesitation was for my benefit, to give me a chance to change my mind. I did not want that chance. I had made my decision, and my course was set. Taking his hand in mine, I led him out of the dining room and, looking around, found a parlor that was unoccupied. Walking in, I blew out all but two of the candles, plunging the room into semi-darkness.

"What you need to understand is that Europe is in my past, and I can never go back. If I were to do so, I might very well be hanged."

Looking quickly around to assure myself that no-one was within earshot, I looked into his eyes to guage how my next words would affect him. Taking a deep breath, I plunge ahead.

"You see, I think I killed my uncle."

 

[cgraven]

I listen to here words. I see her fear and desperate need for me to understand. How can I show her that I accept her and care not about her pass? Will she accept me?

I place my palms up on Amalie breasts. I feel their youthful firmness. I know not their way of courting a mate and she does not know ours. So I simply speak my mind.

"Amalie come lie with me this night in my lodge."

"Join my body to yours, my spirit to yours, and let us become one in body and spirit."

I search her eyes to see if I have offended her, and wait for her reply.

 

[caspai]

Amalie

"Amalie come lie with me this night in my lodge."

"Join my body to yours, my spirit to yours, and let us become one in body and spirit."

I feel an initial shock at his words. I feel the warmth of his hand, and look up into his eyes, seeing an acceptance, a warmth and trust in me. Had he heard my words? Did he know that I could very well be a murderess?

Looking more deeply into his eyes, I see that he has heard my words. What I see is acceptance and...could it be? The look in his eyes was the same look that my father would give to my mother when they thought no-one was looking. It was a look of love. How could that be?

Slowly, I lift my hand to touch his face. I think long about his words. He is asking me to go with him, to surrender myself to him, but not just in body. What he is asking is to open my soul to him, and showing that he, in turn, will open his soul to me. He is asking. Asking. I know that if I say a word of dissent, he will leave. There will be no violence, no violation. He is asking me to take this step of my own accord, to go with him willingly, to change my whole life in the space of a heartbeat.

All of this goes through my head in a flash. I take a deep breath, and plunge in. I take the hand he is holding to my chest, and hold it, looking, again, deeply into his eyes.

It almost feels as if his hand is holding my very heart. I feel a warmth beginning to enfold me, and as I continue to look into his eyes, I almost feel as if I am falling into bottomless pools of warmth. I feel myself moving forward into an embrace that was totally unexpected, and totally at my own instigation. He had put the choice into my hands. He had asked me to come. Never before had I been asked. It broke down my last barrier, the resistance I may have initially felt crumbling. As I had said, I could never go back. If, by some miracle, my uncle had not died, to go back would mean putting myself under his control once again.

"This must be madness. How can I feel this way toward someone I have only just met this very day? How can I not go with you? I feel from you a peace that I hunger for, a safety that I do not think I could find in any other place, or with any other person. I will come with you, and hope that you will not end up turning on me as so many others have before."

I walk forward and find myself enfolded in a pair of strong arms. Suddenly, it feels as if the weight of the world has been lifted from my shoulders, and my heart begins to sing. I look up yet again to the strong face above me, and I feel the tenderness swirl around me as he lowers his lips to mine. Feelings I have never felt before begin to overwhelm me, and I feel myself melting into these feelings, trying to get still closer to a man I had never seen before a few hours ago. It was madness and recklessness that had brought me this far, so I may as well see it through. It wasn't a difficult thing, because being here, now, with this man, was the first thing in my life that felt truly right.

As his lips close over mine, the final barrier falling down. With a sigh, I feel him pick me up, and we are leaving the manor. I think fleetingly of the trunk upstairs, but realize that to hold onto those things would only continue to bind me to the past. With only that fleeting though, I am carried into the night by this man, feeling more sure of this decision than any other I have made before...

 

[cgraven]

"Amalie come lie with me this night in my lodge."

"Join my body to yours, my spirit to yours, and let us become one in body and spirit."

I have been bold and spoken my heart to Amalie I know this is not the way of the Francée. It is our way to speak ones heart.
My eyes are steady and clear as I wait her answer.

Amalie gaze meets mine unblinking her hand upon my cheek, the time passes as slowly as the season, then her hand is on mine over her heart. It is holding me there. As I hold love for her in my heart. She steps forward and I enfold her into my arms as our lips meet and I share the breath that is life with Amalie. She is warm and yielding in my arms and I delight in the nearness of her.

Sweeping Amalie into my arms I carry her cradled next to my heart out into the night to my lodge.

It is simple not grand like "le fouet's" stone lodge but a simple shelter of one lone room. A fire burns in the center fire ring and my possessions hang on its' walls.

"This is how we live Amalie"

"It is so different than your ways."

"Can you truly be content in our life?"

Eyes search her soul as many have longed for the image of how we live but have faltered at its' reality.

 

[caspai]

Amalie

He carries me as if I am a precious, fragile package, and in a strange way, it makes me feel as such. I feel precious, I feel treasured, I feel cared for.

As he takes me into his home, he seems to hesitate.

"This is how we live Amalie"

"It is so different than your ways."

"Can you truly be content in our life?"

I look around the room. It is not elegant, as the rooms of the manor on the hill, but it is well built, and there is a certain comfort to it. It is not large, but it is larger than the cabin I had occupied aboard the ship, and that had been the first place in so long I had felt comfort and a measure of peace. I believed that I could find that same peace here.

I walk from him, placing the fire between the two of us. Then I turn to face him.

"The way you live is, indeed, different than anything I have experienced before. I cannot claim to be totally prepared for this way of life. I was not taught the arts of running a household, even one as small as this. I was taught to supervise. There is much I need to learn."

"When I left my home, I did not know what I would find. What I knew was that I could not stay there. I wished to put as much between myself and what I was leaving as I could. I left a luxurious nightmare, a household full of servants too worried about saving themselves to give much thought to me. I was badly used, and abused, and I do not doubt that those scars, though not visible to look at me, are there."

"You ask if I can live this way, if I can be content with your way of life. There is no way that I can answer that without trying to do so. I do know, however, that I can no longer live the way I have been, to this point, and I can not live the lie I had created for myself, to hide myself. My story is a long and complicated one, but to start, there are things you must know about me. My name is Amelia, not Amalie, and I am not a virgin. That was taken from me brutally by a man my uncle had chosen to force me to marry. When I still refused, my uncle became violent, and threatened to kill me. My parents, when they died, had left me in his care. I was to become vastly wealthy upon my next birthday, but he wanted control over the wealth for himself, and the only way to do that was to control me."

"He began hitting me, and I fell across a table, knocking over a heavy statue. I knew that this time, he would not stop, and that I would most likely be beaten to death, or to the point where I would accept the marriage to his man, and thus be doomed through those means. I picked up the statue and swung with all my strength. Looking down at him, I realized that there was no longer anywhere for me to turn, so I took as much money as I could find, and fled. From that day to this I have believed that I was being followed, that I would be found and put on trial for having killed my uncle."

"These things you must know about me. Not only am I totally unprepared for this life, but if I am ever found, I could be taken and hanged for murder. I yearn for a life of peace, a simple life, and I am willing to learn what I need to know, and do what I need to do, but the time for a decision must be yours, as well. I will not live any more lies, if I can help it. If we do this thing, if we come to share our lives, you must do so knowing all you can about what could happen."

"So now I ask you, can you accept me, after all I have said?
Are you willing to be patient as I learn what I must of your ways?
Will you help me to heal the wounds of my heart?
Can you do these things?"

 

[cgraven]

I listen to her words as my eyes read her soul. She has placed the fire between us. Her words tumbled like a fall of water, rushing to Mother River and the sea.

"So now I ask you, can you accept me, after all I have said?
Are you willing to be patient as I learn what I must of your ways?
Will you help me to heal the wounds of my heart?
Can you do these things?"

"Amelia your spirit is strong. You fight as a warrior to protect yourself. How can I find fault with that?"

"You say you are no maiden for a man forced himself on you. Yet to me you are, for you did not come to him willingly."

"Our "Way" is a way of the heart not the mind, and your spirit needs but follow your heart."

"With all that you have said my spirit still calls to yours."

"Come Join me."


I removed my cloths and stood before Amelia only in my breech cloth.