Post by Lisa on Apr 4, 2010 14:00:15 GMT 10
Title: Social Obligations (V)
Subtitle: The Poetry Reading
Rating: PG
Length: 695 words
Character: Wyldon
Summary: Kel and Wyldon finally get a chance to make this a genuine romantic relationship.
Raoul had been wrong, a week before when he addressed Kel at the wine-tasting event. She hadn’t wanted to completely correct him, tell him nothing physical had ever happened between her and Wyldon, because she wasn’t sure how long that would be true.
That evening, when they had slipped out of the party, he had taken her arm and walked through the gardens with her. They’d talked about everything imaginable, just as they had the night of the art show and the music recital. Their conversation was innocent, but the way he took her arm as they walked was not. At one point he had placed his large hand over hers, caressing her fingers with his thumb. He had looked at her warmly.
But there had not been one gods-cursed kiss.
“You hate poetry,” Neal said suspiciously when she asked if he was planning to attend the Royal University’s poetry presentation that evening.
“I don’t hate it,” she replied. “I don’t understand it, and it’s hardly productive to hate things you don’t understand.”
“I have several books you could read of analysis,” he said. “It’s better than jumping straight in, because then you can trace the historical evolution of poetry in the Eastern lands, and have a better grasp of why modern poetry is what it is. In fact, the great poet Fabren of Legann once suggested….” She let her mind wander as he droned on.
When she got to the reading she sat near the back and scanned the room for Lord Wyldon. He wasn’t anywhere to be seen. She groaned inwardly at the realization that she would have to endure several hours of poetry because she had foolishly expected him to make an appearance.
It was clear that he shared the same reluctance for these social events as she did. She had wondered if he, like her, had routinely emerged at such gatherings for the chance to meet one another.
The presentation began with a narrative piece about the decision to sequester Immortals in the Divine Realms. Kel fought the urge to yawn. Several minutes into the poem, however, a palace servant came to her side.
“Lady Knight, there seems to be a problem with your dog. I was asked to fetch you immediately.”
Kel rose as quietly as she could and followed him out of the room. As they quickly walked back toward her rooms, he told her that Jump had been coughing and acting strangely. They parted ways before she rounded the corner, and she was surprised and delighted to see Wyldon leaning on her door, Jump sitting beside him with this tail thumping against the floor.
“He’s alright, then?” she asked hesitantly.
Wyldon nodded. “He’s an accomplished player.”
“You just rescued a damsel in distress,” she said to Jump, kneeling down to scratch his ears affectionately.
“I assumed you would be at the poetry reading, but I couldn’t muster the strength to attend. Balls and art shows are one thing – they offer the mobility to escape, if necessary.”
She laughed. “Yet you found the perfect way to get me out.”
“Desperate times call for desperate measures.”
“I don’t think you’ve ever been desperate in your life, my lord.” She rose to her feet and he moved away from the wall.
“I assure you, I have.”
“Would you like to take a walk, sir?”
He shook his head. “I’d like you to stop calling me ‘sir’ and ‘my lord’, if you don’t mind.”
“I’m afraid it’s going to be a hard habit to break.”
He smiled at her wryly, a strange glint in his eyes. “I understand completely.” He reached up to her, placing one hand gently on the side of her face. “Maybe this will help us see each other in a different light.” He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her gingerly. She was startled to feel such heat against her, because Wyldon had always been, in her mind, the essence of frost.
A large weight – Jump, she realized – leaned against the back of her legs, pushing her forward. This appeared to be the invitation Wyldon needed to pull her completely in his arms and deepen the kiss.
Subtitle: The Poetry Reading
Rating: PG
Length: 695 words
Character: Wyldon
Summary: Kel and Wyldon finally get a chance to make this a genuine romantic relationship.
Raoul had been wrong, a week before when he addressed Kel at the wine-tasting event. She hadn’t wanted to completely correct him, tell him nothing physical had ever happened between her and Wyldon, because she wasn’t sure how long that would be true.
That evening, when they had slipped out of the party, he had taken her arm and walked through the gardens with her. They’d talked about everything imaginable, just as they had the night of the art show and the music recital. Their conversation was innocent, but the way he took her arm as they walked was not. At one point he had placed his large hand over hers, caressing her fingers with his thumb. He had looked at her warmly.
But there had not been one gods-cursed kiss.
“You hate poetry,” Neal said suspiciously when she asked if he was planning to attend the Royal University’s poetry presentation that evening.
“I don’t hate it,” she replied. “I don’t understand it, and it’s hardly productive to hate things you don’t understand.”
“I have several books you could read of analysis,” he said. “It’s better than jumping straight in, because then you can trace the historical evolution of poetry in the Eastern lands, and have a better grasp of why modern poetry is what it is. In fact, the great poet Fabren of Legann once suggested….” She let her mind wander as he droned on.
When she got to the reading she sat near the back and scanned the room for Lord Wyldon. He wasn’t anywhere to be seen. She groaned inwardly at the realization that she would have to endure several hours of poetry because she had foolishly expected him to make an appearance.
It was clear that he shared the same reluctance for these social events as she did. She had wondered if he, like her, had routinely emerged at such gatherings for the chance to meet one another.
The presentation began with a narrative piece about the decision to sequester Immortals in the Divine Realms. Kel fought the urge to yawn. Several minutes into the poem, however, a palace servant came to her side.
“Lady Knight, there seems to be a problem with your dog. I was asked to fetch you immediately.”
Kel rose as quietly as she could and followed him out of the room. As they quickly walked back toward her rooms, he told her that Jump had been coughing and acting strangely. They parted ways before she rounded the corner, and she was surprised and delighted to see Wyldon leaning on her door, Jump sitting beside him with this tail thumping against the floor.
“He’s alright, then?” she asked hesitantly.
Wyldon nodded. “He’s an accomplished player.”
“You just rescued a damsel in distress,” she said to Jump, kneeling down to scratch his ears affectionately.
“I assumed you would be at the poetry reading, but I couldn’t muster the strength to attend. Balls and art shows are one thing – they offer the mobility to escape, if necessary.”
She laughed. “Yet you found the perfect way to get me out.”
“Desperate times call for desperate measures.”
“I don’t think you’ve ever been desperate in your life, my lord.” She rose to her feet and he moved away from the wall.
“I assure you, I have.”
“Would you like to take a walk, sir?”
He shook his head. “I’d like you to stop calling me ‘sir’ and ‘my lord’, if you don’t mind.”
“I’m afraid it’s going to be a hard habit to break.”
He smiled at her wryly, a strange glint in his eyes. “I understand completely.” He reached up to her, placing one hand gently on the side of her face. “Maybe this will help us see each other in a different light.” He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her gingerly. She was startled to feel such heat against her, because Wyldon had always been, in her mind, the essence of frost.
A large weight – Jump, she realized – leaned against the back of her legs, pushing her forward. This appeared to be the invitation Wyldon needed to pull her completely in his arms and deepen the kiss.