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Post by RONJA IRIS AMALIA on Oct 29, 2009 15:37:01 GMT -5
"Mistress? Since when have you called me mistress?" She shouted playfully after him. Her heart still felt like a mangled mess, and it would be a long time until she felt comfortable with touch and exposure and did anything crazy again. She would be subdued in action, but her words were coming back for now. Maybe it was the sureness of Nicholas's presence near her. She only hoped her parents didn't stop by, dealing with them was always difficult.
Ronja tried not to roll her eyes when he came back, redressed and tucking her in like a child. He was old for his species, but so young for hers. "I won't ever be sick of your face, deal with it." She retorted with a little soft smile, her voice lacking its usual punch, but the idea was the same. Not to mention she'd let him sleep on the couch, not the floor. Hell, she would have allowed him to share her bed, it was big enough that they would never meet under the sheets, but now that he had a lover, it didn't seem right to say.
Ronja bit her lip and grinned as he spoke, watching the blush creep onto his face as he thanked her for sleeping with him and said how he had affected their queen and she had to really try to keep herself horizontal as she let out a little squeal of delight. "You're so cute." a smile stretching across her face. "You're welcome."
"Now, enough of this standing, the bed won't bite you." Ronja said patting the bed, motioning for him to sit down, it would be a better angle for her anyway.
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Post by NICHOLAS SANDROSE on Oct 30, 2009 11:33:28 GMT -5
Nicholas grinned when Ronja called him cute. Things were so easy and natural between them now, almost like she’d adopted him as an honorary kid brother. Before, being around Ronja filled him with a strange mixture of longing and despair, pushing him to the very edge of sanity. But now they were friends, just like she’d wanted. And it did feel good. This must be the way they were always meant to interact. “Cute, eh?” Nicholas teased. “Fortunately, that wasn’t Queen Ellylon’s reaction. Although, honestly, I always feared that it would be.”
It still amazed him. How could a mere mortal mean so much to the queen of the fae? Of course, technically, Ellylon was no longer queen. But in Nicholas’s heart, she always would be. She was the ruler of an enchanted race, and yet she'd let him touch her, hold her, please her. Why? Why him, when she could have had bold knights or rich nobles? Why him, when all he could offer her was a mortal’s fragile body and a hundred years of passionate love?
"Now, enough of this standing, the bed won't bite you."
Gingerly, Nicholas sat down on the edge of the bed, careful not to jostle Ronja. And another fond smile crept across his lips. “You saved me,” he confessed. “If it wasn’t for you, I never would have summoned up the courage to tell Ellylon how I feel. I would have spent every day in my room, living vicariously through my songs, too afraid to get out and really risk anything. I would have wasted my life. And a life wasted is bad enough. But a life wasted in the realm of the fae -- that’s a sin.”
Nicholas’s thoughts drifted back to the time he’d first made his deal with Ronja. And an odd bit of information popped into his head. “You know what? I just realized something. When I asked you to help me court Ellylon, I promised you whatever you desired. But you never asked me for anything. Now that I’ve won her, I feel that I should pay my debt. What would you like from me?”
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Post by RONJA IRIS AMALIA on Oct 30, 2009 17:20:10 GMT -5
Ronja smiled as he sat down, even though he was still being so careful of her, but that was just his way after all. Nothing she could do about it, and frankly she wouldn't have changed it about him. It was the way he cared for her and about her that really meant something. Nicholas would always be there for her, of that, she had no doubt. And that meant the world to know that his time was short and he had chosen to spend time with her. As fae, you could afford to waste time on those you disliked, because you had forever to live, somehow it meant more with mortals. They didn't have forever and the fact that he had picked her at all, as a teacher, as a friend meant so much more than she could really express to him.
Oh, right... her favor... when she had asked for that, she had wanted something back from him, but now they were friends, the interaction was different, and she found herself stumped as to what to ask for. Ronja pulled her eyebrows together in thought and finally looked up at him. "I would like you to write a song for me, or about me... doesn't matter, just, I'd like to know that someone else besides your queen can inspire you." She said softly, much more like a request for the moon than a command. "If that's not too much to ask."
This whole ordeal had been good for her, she was much humbler now, softer, and it took a few soft edges to really see the sharp ones. When she got her fire back, she'd be better than new.
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Post by NICHOLAS SANDROSE on Oct 31, 2009 13:19:57 GMT -5
“It would be my great honor to write a song for you.” Nicholas gave Ronja a small bow, deeply touched by her request. She could have asked for anything -- as Ellylon’s lover, he now possessed some influence over the Argentum court. If Ronja wished it, he could have asked Ellylon to increase her rank, or give her a grander living space, or put more servants under her command. But she just wanted a song. Nicholas felt pleased that his music meant so much to her. “I can get started on it right away. Considering how things turned out at the peace ceremony, I don’t think Ellylon wants any ballads commemorating it.”
He understood Ronja so well now. He’d seen so many sides to her. The regal lady, the free spirit, the sensual flirt, the passionate lover, the vulnerable girl. She’d make a wonderful subject for a song. Nicholas knew he could bring all those different aspects together into something truly beautiful.
“I thought you might want my first born child. Like in Rumpelstiltskin.” Nicholas winked, clearly joking. “And I was going to warn you that you might need to wait awhile.”
Nicholas had never really thought about having children. Was it even possible? Could a fae woman and a mortal man reproduce? Nicholas didn’t remember hearing about any half-breeds, but maybe they were just very rare. The question cast a new light on his love-making with Ellylon. Was she using any sort of protection? It hadn’t occurred to him to ask. With a soft flicker of surprise, Nicholas realized that he’d love to have a child with Ellylon. But how would she feel about it? Although Ellylon was no longer queen, she was still part of the royal line. Would she want that line tainted with mortal blood?
Shaking his head, Nicholas tugged his thoughts back to the present moment. “On a more mundane note, is there anything I can get you right now? Something to drink? A smutty novel to pass the time?”
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Post by RONJA IRIS AMALIA on Oct 31, 2009 22:42:24 GMT -5
Ronja laughed. "I don't think you'd want me raising your kids." She would hardly consider herself a good example, she liked a challenge, didn't take no for an answer, was very sexually open and broke rules. At least she was good at keeping appearances. But any child of Nicholas's would be so sweet and probably nothing like her. She didn't want his kids. maybe this was pride driven, but she wanted to know just what he thought of her in context of a song, she loved music, singing and dance. Even if that often took a back seat.
"I don't think I've ever had a pleasure of reading a smutty novel, when I get horny i just go find a man, I don't read." She laughed, her smile lighting up her face. nicholas was just what the doctor ordered. She tried to imagine him finding her such a book, oh the looks he would get. But she realized how tired her body was and her mind, now that she was able to stop and catch her breath.
Ronja closed her eyes and curled her body up, pulling the sheets around her and sighed. "I'm tired." She breathed. "Sing to me?" Ronja had no doubt he would be quiet and serene, a lullaby for his friend. he had to be capable of that, and it wasn't too much to ask really... was it?
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Post by NICHOLAS SANDROSE on Nov 1, 2009 13:40:45 GMT -5
“...when I get horny, I just go find a man.”
Ronja’s candor made Nicholas laugh. “I’m afraid that you’ll have to refrain from seducing knights and nobles for a little. Maybe you can use the time to write your memoirs. I bet they’d be pretty interesting, actually. And smutty.”
When Ronja closed her eyes and curled up under the covers, Nicholas couldn’t help thinking how sweet she looked -- like a little girl awaiting her favorite bedtime story. Bowing his head, he pressed an affectionate kiss to her cheek. It was good to see her getting sleepy. After all that she’d been through, sleep must be what her body needed most right now. “Of course I’ll sing to you. Pleasant dreams, my dear.”
Nicholas knew quite a few lullabies. But instead of reciting something already written, he let his mind drift, composing the words as he went along. He wouldn’t remember the tune when morning came. It belonged to this night, this moment. It would never be heard by anyone other than himself and Ronja. Softly, Nicholas began to sing. And as he did so, his voice took on a rich baritone, which wasn’t usually audible when he spoke.
“Winter hides behind autumn’s glory
It waits to pounce, it waits to leap
Soon it will be upon us all
Sleep my dearest friend, sleep
Chill winds cavort in the orchards now
Across the empty fields they sweep
Their breath coats the world in frost
Sleep my dearest friend, sleep
You and I have danced through summer
But now the snows lie so very deep
We will rest as the flowers rest
Sleep my dearest friend, sleep.
Throughout the long dark night
All our memories we shall keep
Until the sun awakes us once more
Sleep my dearest friend, sleep”
When he finished, Nicholas glanced over to see if Ronja was asleep. If she’d drifted off, he planned to remove a pillow from her bed, put out the lights, and lie down on the floor beside her. Nicholas hoped that nightmares wouldn’t disturb Ronja’s sleep. However, if they did, he wanted to be right there for her.
(OOC Note: Poem was written by me, just for this post.)
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Post by RONJA IRIS AMALIA on Nov 1, 2009 14:49:03 GMT -5
Ronja had wanted to hear all his words, but the soft tones of his now deep voice lulled her into sleep as she let go of her urge to be awake and brave. She didn't have to be anything in front of Nicholas, he could see her soft, he would take advantage of it. And she knew it, and knowing such made it easy to sleep. So Ronja's mind slipped beneath the covers into a warm dark space where nothing could touch her...
But the peace didn't last long.
Ronja felt her body very acutely and she sat up in the darkness, looking around. That's when Rad showed up, her face glowing in the soft moonlight that now filled the room. She was saying something about not having spread the word and now it was time for her to die. Ronja felt a million hands on her body as she fell backwards, writhing under an invisible grip, a knife blade shining it the dim light. Ronja's whole body felt like it had exploded and she screamed, a blood curdling scream.
A scream that woke her up.
Ronja's eyes flew open, and she closed her mouth, breathing hard. She looked around, and saw no one. Oh a dream... What time was it? It could be any time of the night really, but now she was severely jolted and her fear increased when she heard something moving on the floor nearby. She remembered Nicholas, but did he stay? All she could see in her mind was Rad.
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Post by NICHOLAS SANDROSE on Nov 2, 2009 16:24:25 GMT -5
After lying down on the floor beside Ronja’s bed, Nicholas soon drifted off. Between worrying about Ronja, and worrying about Ellylon, he hadn’t been sleeping well. His body craved rest. And now, with Ronja returned home again, he could finally relax enough to get some. But Nicholas’s sleep didn’t come without disturbing visions.
In his dream, Nicholas was slogging through a swamp. Vines tangled around his body, and his boots kept sinking beneath the mud, but he still struggled onward. He could hear Ronja’s voice, crying to him from somewhere just out of sight. She needed him to reach her. She needed him to save her. And yet, no matter how hard Nicholas ran, he never seemed to get any closer. Then, without warning, Nichols tripped over a root. Stagnant water flooded his nose and mouth as he tumbled face down into the swamp. Panicked, Nicholas tried to get up, but something kept pulling him down. He was trapped in the muck. Helpless. Useless. And in the distance, Ronja screamed...
Nicholas’s eyes snapped open. As he lay in the darkness, trying to remember where he was, it took him a moment to realize that the scream had been real. Ronja. He could hear her breath, hard and fast. Had Radella actually dared to invade this place? If so, he didn’t plan on letting her hurt his friend a second time. Springing to his feet, Nicholas stumbled toward one of the lanterns which lit the room. However, when he got it burning, its light showed that he and Ronja were alone.
A nightmare. Ronja must have woken from a nightmare. Feeling foolish for not realizing the truth sooner, Nicholas hurried over to her bed. Without any thought of propriety, he climbed onto the mattress beside her, enfolding her in a snug embrace. It seemed to Nicholas that she might be shivering, although perhaps that was only his own reaction to the chill night air. “Shh,” he whispered, gently bowing her head so that her brow rested against his. “It’s alright. You’re safe here.”
Tenderly, Nicholas stroked Ronja’s dark hair. “Was it a bad dream? I had one too.”
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Post by RONJA IRIS AMALIA on Nov 2, 2009 16:52:03 GMT -5
Ronja almost screamed again when Nicholas came running toward her, after having lit the lamp. Only because it was taking her brain a moment to realize that it was him. But once she did recognize him, she sighed and tears formed in her eyes. She was safe, and she gladly welcomed his arms around her, despite the fact that her body hurt so bad and every touch hurt, every movement hurt. She could just try to be careful as she clung to him. "A dream." She repeated.
Ronja didn't want to let go of him now that she had him. He was shivering lightly or maybe it was her, or both. She sighed again and tucked her head against his neck, kissing it lightly. Not in a romantic way, but she needed a simple touch. Ronja didn't have a lover to lean on and kiss her wounds and scars. She had Nicholas, which should have been more than enough, he was so good to her, but she still missed touch. And hopefully he wouldn't take it the wrong way. "Thank you for staying with me." She whispered. It meant a lot. His devotion.
"Sorry I woke you up." She was too proud to go into detail, she'd been a fool to get herself hurt like this, and since she hadn't been strong then, she needed to be strong now. Even if inside she was crumbling. Ronja let go of him and tried to slowly ease herself back to a horizontal position.
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Post by NICHOLAS SANDROSE on Nov 3, 2009 18:54:06 GMT -5
“It’s alright,” Nicholas repeated, wishing he had the power to make those words come true. But even the strongest fae couldn’t change the past. Things wouldn’t be alright for a long time. “Tomorrow, I’ll arrange to have guards stationed outside your door. You’ll be safer that way.”
The feel of Ronja’s lips against his skin still elicited a little shiver of memory -- Nicholas couldn’t help recalling how she’d taught him to kiss, how she’d awakened his senses for the first time. However, he knew that Ronja wasn’t trying to seduce him. Her body couldn’t withstand even the gentlest sex right now. Ronja might like a little pain, but sheer torture was another matter. Besides, she respected his relationship with Ellylon. She wouldn’t try to come between them.
Affectionately, Nicholas kissed Ronja’s cheek. She’d been through so much. She needed to be touched, and held, and reassured. Nicholas couldn’t be her lover -- that part of him belonged to Ellylon now. But he would give her everything a friend could give.
“Sorry I woke you up."
“Actually, I’m glad that you did. I was having a terrible nightmare.” Nicholas understood if Ronja didn’t want to talk about her own dream. It probably involved her recent ordeal, and who could blame her for refusing to relive that particular slice of hell? But Nicholas also wanted Ronja to know that she didn’t need to hide things from him. She didn’t need to pretend to be strong when she wasn’t -- he wasn’t always strong either. There was no shame in it. “I dreamed that I was in the swamp. I could hear you calling my name, but I couldn’t reach you. I wanted so much to help you. Save you. But I couldn’t.” Nicholas shuddered. “It was horrible.”
As Ronja started to lie back down, Nicholas kept his hands on her, helping her ease into a comfortable position -- supporting some of her weight, so that her weary muscles weren’t overtaxed. Then he tucked the covers back around her. But this time, he didn’t go lie down on the floor. Instead, he stretched out beside her, resting his head on another pillow. “If you don’t mind, I think I’ll stay here for the rest of the night. Maybe we can protect each other from more bad dreams.”
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