A Quick Trick
Pairing: Finley x Mollena
Words: appx 800
Warnings: N/A
Summary: The two share a moment in the water’s reflection that results in a surprising encounter.
Long fingers danced against the surface of the pond as Finley lounged in the long grass, plagued by his thoughts.
The cool water eventually made his fingertips grow numb and he retracted his hand and ran his fingers through his hair. The desaturated brown locks were partially slicked back by the droplets of pond water that had yet to roll off his skin.
No matter the time that passed, he found that thoughts of her were simply inescapable. He envied her freedom and power to roam whichever plane she wished. The unending loyalty she inspired in a wretched thing such as Lorcan when they were not even kin.
His title suffocated him. He felt it like an iron chain around his neck, sizzling into his skin. His sole joys were thoughts of his little bird, and thoughts of the vexing Mollena.
Finley sat up and felt a pleasant dizziness. How long had he been laying there lamenting? When had he last eaten or truly slept? No matter, not really.
He leaned over the water’s edge and conjured up the image of her.
To his surprise, he found Mollena alone, similarly leaning over somewhere.
From the droplets of water caught in her lashes and the pinkness in her cheeks, he gathered she’d been washing her face. It looked to be waning dusk behind her, going by the bruise colored sky.
She looked at him. She looked at him. Was it too far a reach to imagine her thoughts may have slipped to him as well in her moment of solace?
Finley’s hand reached out towards the water and he laid his palm against the reflection of her cheek. After a moment, Mollena’s hand also reached out and tentatively pressed to his palm.
He could feel her. Her cool hand in his. Her gaze unwavering. It was more than he could bear. His fingers interlocked with hers and he pulled.
Suddenly, Mollena fell into the water, and surfaced in his pond. Her dark wet hair slicked to her body and curtained her furied face.
“Trickster! Send me back whence I was!” Mollena cried.
Finley helped her out of the pond, his black eyes roved her in amazement.
“Do you think of me?” He asked.
“Hearken unto my words, Prince. You have stolen me away. Right your wrong or bleed from your wandering eyes.” Mollena warned.
Her watered white gown was translucent and gave the appearance of her spectral form that Finley had not seen in many cycles of their dance.
He held his hands up to her and bowed his head, though his eyes did indeed continue their wandering of the woman he’d conjured from the water.
“Kiss me and you may return.” He replied.
Mollena’s eyes widened and her lip curled.
“Unless you’ve no desire within you to do so. If it is truth, you wish only to return, then fall backwards to the water and find yourself knelt as you were on the other side.” He ventured.
Her water bejeweled lashes batted as she chewed on his words and Finley could not refrain his smirk over her need for contemplation.
Her eyes darted to his hand and the Prince tutted.
“Thine lips to mine.” He added.
Mollena bit the inside of her cheek and narrowed her crystalline eyes at the dark willowy man.
Her bare feet shuffled forth in the long soft grass and her heavy wet nightgown squelched in protest.
She initiated, her head tilted up and leaned slightly to him, and Finley met her halfway.
Their lips met more gently than expected, and to his surprise she did not pull away.
His arms wrapped around her in a soft embrace. He cradled the small of her waist and the back of her head as he pushed her backward into the water, falling with her.
They surfaced outside of some forested camp. He could smell woodsmoke and tea. Finley’s eyes scanned around them quickly, but there was blessedly no sign of her feral companion.
“Mollena,” he whispered, “be safe, be well.”
She looked at him, brows furrowed and bottom lip pouted ever slightly.
Her lips met his unprompted in a quicker, more aggressive kiss.
“We cannot all be ruled by our desires, Prince. Remember this. Do not trick me again.” She said.
“And you cannot cry trick if we find ourselves like this again. It will be as knowing as that second kiss, and I will remember it well.” Finley smiled.
Mollena flustered and pulled herself out of the water. Finley watched briefly before he sank below the surface and returned to his own domain.
The feel of her still lingered and Finley sighed at the thought that now any time a clammy merhand raised in his pond, he would briefly hope it was her instead.
