The morning and the evening star

We woke and watched the stars all jewel-bright. Sudden I heard, as I lay lover-warm In the encircling hollow of your arm, The old sad wind of Egypt in the night

[i-happened]

Daughter

[i-happened]

"My lady.  It may not be my place but I know…I know he loves you.  We all do.  It is famed among the villagers."

[nolongerachild]

Claire sank down onto the bed. "I know that, Adiana. And please believe that I love him dearly as well. But...these past months... It is so toxic, living here. Leto wants to kill this girl Catherine and replace her with our baby and it breaks my heart. All of it." She covered her face and in a tiny, frightened voice said, "I have always dreamed of finding my daughter, but now that I have...I am not her mother. She has another father. She wants him. And I want to give her what she wants."

Finally, after a long silence, she looked up at her maid. "My husband disagrees. I am sure he thinks me wretched for even considering..."

[i-happened]

Daughter

[i-happened]

He lay there with her, starring at the ceiling.  ”She’d dead…isn’t she?”

[nolongerachild]

She tossed the blankets off and rose. suddenly upset.

[i-happened]

Lady Wife

[i-happened]

He placed her I to an over stuffed chair. “Rest now.”

Banard handed the pink cheeked girl to the duke. Yes a baby girl. “Sabriel,” he murmured. “She looks like a Sabriel.”

[nolongerachild]

The tiny child opened her eyes and squirmed, reaching one impossibly small hand up to touch her father's face. Her eyes were clear and blue like Claire's.

[i-happened]

Lady Wife

[i-happened]

Barnard stopped what looked like the early morning meeting of the servants. They all stood and bowed, a little surprised to see the lady in her night gown and nothing more. Many averted their eyes.

[nolongerachild]

"Forgive me, I...I did not mean to intrude..."

[i-happened]

Lady Wife

[i-happened]

He placed his hand over hers and slid her fingers to his back so that she was embracing him. She could feel his want of her already. After stealing another kiss he murmured, “Tell me,” down along her throat.

[nolongerachild]

"I..." She took a deep breath and looked into his strange red eyes. "I am with child."

[stablest-elements]

Noble Maiden Fair

[i-happened]

Barnard led her through the halls, silent and solemn as ever.  He room was massive, with a ceiling that reached into gloom unable to be seen.  Her four poster bed was massive, the mattress goose feather, and she sunk into it deliciously atop the velvet brocade coverings.  The vanity glass was smokey, and Barnard assured her that it would be replaced.

The silk nightgown she was presented felt like fabric water, so smooth and light was it in her hands. The maid she was given was not of this land, a product of the far east who looked a lady herself.  It seemed she was stepping down playing handmaiden to an orphan.

[nolongerachild]

Claire was silent and pensive. She said practically nothing to the maid, and she could not seem to fall asleep. The whispering continued throughout the night

[stablest-elements]

Noble Maiden Fair

[i-happened]

The manservant opened two large double doors of mahogany letting her enter into a dimly lit library.  The shelves lifted high above her, winding up and up into blackness.

Before the window, illuminated by the dying light, a slender man stood.  He was small, lithe and elegantly dressed.  His jet black hair was combed back and unfashionably short, and was unfashionably shaven.

When he walked, he was graceful, like a cat combing towards her, his fingers running over the table and chairs he passed.  His eyes were blank, and white, and shinned in the darkness.  ”Good evening.”

[nolongerachild]

Claire wondered vaguely if the Duke was in mourning for someone. He certainly decorated and dressed like he was. But she didn't see what all the fuss was about him as he approached her. He was ordinary, if elegant.

"Good evening, Your Grace."

[nolongerachild]

Desire

[iamreaching]

She took tugging in his hand. “Come with me,” She murmured. “Outside. The room is suddenly too crowded.”

[nolongerachild]

"We aren't going to dance?" he asked with a small smile as he followed her out into the chilly December air. Overhead, the stars sparkled like tiny diamonds.

[nolongerachild]

AUs for Days

I was thinking of a medieval/fantasy-ish AU like we did with the other babies, only for Hannibal and Clarice, but then it turned into a King Arthur AU where Johnny Brigham is the Lancelot-ish character and...???

It's nothing like, specific, just kind of a vague idea floating around my head.

also I was thinking some kind of AU set in India (not necessarily H/C) might be fun although y'know I know very little about India as a whole...?

:3

[nolongerachild]

Desire

[iamreaching]

Helene ’ s blush deepened. “I…I will miss you. I do not like to think I do not know when I will see you again.”

[nolongerachild]

"Then I'll write to you," he offered with a smile. "I'll send you drawings of the places we see...and tell you of the women whose beauty pales in comparison to yours."

[nolongerachild]

Desire

[iamreaching]

"But you will be…seeing beautiful people.”

[nolongerachild]

No one was looking. He lifted her hand to his lips and bushed the back of it as he had earlier with his thumb. "I already am. She's sitting beside me."

[nolongerachild]

Desire

[iamreaching]

"No I mean you’ll be out there seeing beautiful things. Beautiful people…"

[nolongerachild]

"I don't need to be out there to see beautiful people," he murmured. His fingers squeezed hers.

[nolongerachild]

Desire

[iamreaching]

"Far away from here…to beautiful places?"

[nolongerachild]

"Do you not find your little village beautiful?" Suddenly, he sounded rather far away.

[nolongerachild]

Desire

[iamreaching]

"Where will you go?"

[nolongerachild]

"Wherever my brother's ship takes me. The ship our home now."

[nolongerachild]

Desire

[iamreaching]

She squeezed his hand.  ”You’ll leave after Christmas…”

[nolongerachild]

"But not forever," he murmured, "since my brother and your cousin are to be business partners."

[nolongerachild]

Desire

[iamreaching]

Helene looked away, hr cheeks burning.  But in her skirts her fingers moved, their fingers interlacing.

[nolongerachild]

His thumb massaged the back of her hand in silence, but he was smiling.

[nolongerachild]

Desire

[iamreaching]

She swallowed.  ”I…I did.  Please, take a seat by me.  The current reel won’t be over for a while.”

[nolongerachild]

He chuckled and sank down into the chair beside her. "Reel, indeed," he murmured teasingly. As he watched Breandon twirl his sweet flower across the floor, he reached over and took Helene's hand silently.