Topic: A Kiss and A Plot: Part VIII

Aubrianna Lynn Kensington

Date: 2006-09-13 08:56 EST
Iolani stood there, hand bracing herself up on the table, she certainly hadn't had too much to drink. She was the kind of person that could absorb alcohol like a fish, drinking most of the other soldiers under the table. But it felt as if a lead weight had been placed on her chest as the Colonel had given his heart to Aubrianna. The Colonel deserved the better life of retirement. Her eyes refocused and looked about the castle, the huge ballroom had been decorated to the letter. He deserved to have all of it, the castle, the horses, the time, and Aubrianna. She turned then letting go of the table's edge; placing the half empty glass on the table she joined in the clapping of the other guests to celebrate the announcement.

Shafer downed an entire glass of wine in on gulp as he watched Aubrianna run out of the room. He stared hard after her for a while after she'd disappeared from sight. His face turned beat red and his chest began to rise and fall quicker as he angered.

The violins started at a queue given from Howard, with a grin he looked back to his new weapon, Shafer was going to play right into his court and he didn't even realize it. Shafer's lieutenant on the other hand...she was going to be a problem. This dance was supposed to have been shared by the new couple, but given the circumstances. Howard doubted Shafer could pull his new bride to be out of her room.

Iolani didn't even see the anger in his face, she simply thought the joy of the announcement had turned him into an embarrassed gentleman. She turned away as the music started she didn't want to see the happy couples spinning around the floor as they waltzed.

Shafer approached Iolani from behind; he studied her for a moment before he brought his fist to his mouth. He gently cleared his throat, wanting to get her attention, not startle her out of her wits. "Excuse me my lady," he said ever so soothingly.

The muscles in her shoulders tightened slightly upon hearing the voice. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes tight for a second before turning and looking up at the Colonel. She was expecting orders and came to attention, lifting her chin and clasping her hands behind her back. She had smoothed her expression to a mere unreadable one. "Aye m'lord Colonel?" The light hit her just right, lighting up the gems at her neck, creating an almost halo effect

As she turned he was speechless. Looking down upon her he forgot his anger entirely over Aubrianna, almost as if he were in another time. He inhaled deeply, taking in her full beauty. Then a smile came, and it turned into a huge beaming grin. He placed one arm around his back and the other around his waist and gave her a deep bow. Still bowed he raised his eyes to hers, "Would you honor me with a dance?"

Iolani started...those weren't orders coming from him...and that smile. One hand had come up to her chest in surprise gulping in a breath of air. "Chadwick..I," good knight how long had it been since she had called him by name? Ten years? She didn't have time to reflect and certainly didn't have time to retreat. "I," her expressionless face warmed into a smile, bringing a sparkle to her eyes as she lowered her chin to meet his gaze. "I would love to dance with ye."

Aubrianna Lynn Kensington

Date: 2006-09-13 08:57 EST
He chuckled and straightened dramatically sighing a relief. "I was afraid you'd decline," he winked. "My back was starting to catch." A lie, she'd seen him hunch over in an attack position for hours. He took her hand and led her out into the middle of the dance floor, twirling her once before they reached the middle. When they did he pulled her swiftly around to him, placing a hand around to her back, and the other holding her hand firmly in it. "How long has it been?" He asked staring down at her as they waited for the next song to begin. His eyes seemed like they were looking straight through her clothing, but they never left her beautiful violets.

She spun about him easily, coming to rest against him as they stopped in the middle of the floor. He would pick the middle where they would be watched. But who was she kidding...the man before her was always being watched, either by gorgeous women or enemies. But then again who could tell the difference. "How long? What do you mean?" She had blinked coming out of her thoughts. Her eyes took in his blues and she lost herself in his gaze, her head was slightly tilted as she took in his question.

"Since your last run about the dance floor?" He smiled as if she thought he'd been asking about something else.

She hesitated slightly then blushed as she revealed, ?I was ten so forgive me if I am a little rusty aye?? It had been a soldier that her mother had taken in and had stayed with them through the fall festival. She smiled at the memory then she squinted slightly, her expression apologetic, maybe this was a bad idea. She didn't want to embarrass him and almost turned to leave.

Shafer felt her grip loosen and he tightened his arm around her waist pulling him against her. "Ah ah ah," he whispered as he began to move about the floor with the music. "I may be a Colonel," he said as he side stepped and swirled her under his arm. "But you've guided me along where ever we've went, so now it's time for me to guide you."

Iolani smiled at that remembering all of the meetings they had had over the years. She closed her eyes for a few seconds as he guided her around the floor, feeling the differing pressures of his hand, arms and hips allowing her feet to go in the right places with proper angles. Her eyes opened and gazed quietly up at him. She always felt so safe with him near, despite her being the guiding influence in his life. She had despised having to leave for the past few months to check the outlying army and it felt good to be near him again despite having come back to find him in love with a castle flower. She wasn't jealous exactly, just accepting of what was to come. Besides she was going away from here for good, tonight in fact all of their lives would change. She just hoped she would leave here, not knowing where or whom the attack would come.

They floated beautifully across the dance floor. So much so that other couples stopped and moved to the side to watch the two. He kept his eyes glued to hers, everything spinning to a blur around them. "You're as beautiful as the first blossoms of spring," he whispered, his gaze never wavering.

She blinked back from the recesses of her thoughts, had she really heard him? Surely not. "Pardon?" She didn't even step on his foot once as she had followed his lead. Imitating his rise and falls through the waltz, turning her head at the right moment as he moved her across the floor.

Aubrianna Lynn Kensington

Date: 2006-09-13 08:57 EST
He chuckled and straightened dramatically sighing a relief. "I was afraid you'd decline," he winked. "My back was starting to catch." A lie, she'd seen him hunch over in an attack position for hours. He took her hand and led her out into the middle of the dance floor, twirling her once before they reached the middle. When they did he pulled her swiftly around to him, placing a hand around to her back, and the other holding her hand firmly in it. "How long has it been?" He asked staring down at her as they waited for the next song to begin. His eyes seemed like they were looking straight through her clothing, but they never left her beautiful violets.

She spun about him easily, coming to rest against him as they stopped in the middle of the floor. He would pick the middle where they would be watched. But who was she kidding...the man before her was always being watched, either by gorgeous women or enemies. But then again who could tell the difference. "How long? What do you mean?" She had blinked coming out of her thoughts. Her eyes took in his blues and she lost herself in his gaze, her head was slightly tilted as she took in his question.

"Since your last run about the dance floor?" He smiled as if she thought he'd been asking about something else.

She hesitated slightly then blushed as she revealed, ?I was ten so forgive me if I am a little rusty aye?? It had been a soldier that her mother had taken in and had stayed with them through the fall festival. She smiled at the memory then she squinted slightly, her expression apologetic, maybe this was a bad idea. She didn't want to embarrass him and almost turned to leave.

Shafer felt her grip loosen and he tightened his arm around her waist pulling him against her. "Ah ah ah," he whispered as he began to move about the floor with the music. "I may be a Colonel," he said as he side stepped and swirled her under his arm. "But you've guided me along where ever we've went, so now it's time for me to guide you."

Iolani smiled at that remembering all of the meetings they had had over the years. She closed her eyes for a few seconds as he guided her around the floor, feeling the differing pressures of his hand, arms and hips allowing her feet to go in the right places with proper angles. Her eyes opened and gazed quietly up at him. She always felt so safe with him near, despite her being the guiding influence in his life. She had despised having to leave for the past few months to check the outlying army and it felt good to be near him again despite having come back to find him in love with a castle flower. She wasn't jealous exactly, just accepting of what was to come. Besides she was going away from here for good, tonight in fact all of their lives would change. She just hoped she would leave here, not knowing where or whom the attack would come.

They floated beautifully across the dance floor. So much so that other couples stopped and moved to the side to watch the two. He kept his eyes glued to hers, everything spinning to a blur around them. "You're as beautiful as the first blossoms of spring," he whispered, his gaze never wavering.

She blinked back from the recesses of her thoughts, had she really heard him? Surely not. "Pardon?" She didn't even step on his foot once as she had followed his lead. Imitating his rise and falls through the waltz, turning her head at the right moment as he moved her across the floor.

Aubrianna Lynn Kensington

Date: 2006-09-13 08:58 EST
He chuckled but didn't repeat himself. As the music came to the dance slowed to a stop. He released her except for a hand, taking a step back he bowed and placed a kissed on the back of her hand. The crowd cheered clapping. When he straightened he placed her hand in the bend of his arm and led her out onto one of the balconies.

Blinking with a sigh, she realized the dance was over, placing a foot behind the other she went to a knee in curtsy. Though the crowd cheered she heard nothing as she stared at the man before her, forgetting that she was pathetically nervous when she had the attention of a crowd. She numbly moved away and onto the balcony

Stray hairs had escaped the intricate weave of stones in her hair and annoyingly brushed her cheeks as she walked. She brushed them aside to behind an ear, eyes moving up to the full moon and thousands of stars. She smiled happily as he led her through the throngs of people who crowed back onto the dance floor to try and capture what seemed to be magic that had embraced the two. Conversations sprang from every direction of how beautifully paired they were, and how scandalous the Colonel must be for asking his lieutenant to dance.

He purposefully guided them into one of the darker parts of the balcony. Her hand still in his arm, and his other handing covering the back of it. The anger returned for Aubrianna as Shafer thought about how happy he was with Iolani at the moment. He stared up at the sky, but still hadn't said a word.

"They are beautiful are they nae?" Her voice was soft, edged and breathy with a slight sadness. She couldn't help but feel like this was going to be the last moment that they had together.

He slipped her hand from his arm turning her to face him Shafer wrapped an arm around her waist pulling her tightly against him. He didn't care if anyone saw, in fact let them watch, he'd soon expose to facade of Aubrianna's feelings for him. Maybe he'd even take a mistress, but...no...he couldn't do that to Iolani. She was faithful to him, loyal, trusting, and he could trust her. He wanted to trust her with more than just his life...it was his heart he wanted her hold in her hands. He looked into her eyes for a moment, holding her there. Then he lowered his mouth to her in a passionate kiss. Sliding his free hand along her cheek to the back of her neck he held her there.

Iolani?s hand tightened his as he drew her closer to him. For once she was letting her guard down; she was going to be a woman, no longer the soldier....just this once. She had nothing to loose and nothing to gain but a few moments with him. She would loose him completely soon enough. Her breath caught as her hands found the front of his jacket surrendering to the kiss as her body melted against him. Her lips had never touched anyone but her mother and the cheek of one young man in all her years. As the passion was let loose upon her she parted her lips and returned the kiss with as much passion as she had ever fought anyone in battle.

Aubrianna Lynn Kensington

Date: 2006-09-13 08:58 EST
He pushed her further back into the shadows and against the wall, never once pulling his lips from hers. His tongue danced around hers; savoring the taste he'd never known until now.

A soft needing moan escaped her lips as he pushed her farther into the shadows, her head tilting as their tongues danced as one. She shut her eyes tight as they met the wall.

He broke the kiss and laid his head on her shoulder, his hands on the wall so he wouldn't crush her with his weight. He panted breathlessly as his lips moved against her neck. "Forgive me," he whispered. "I just...I couldn't help but," he raised his head and looked into her eyes as he caressed her cheek with one of his hands. "You just look so...incredible."

As he broke the kiss, she felt ready to choke on a sob, teeth clenching as his words leave his lips. Reality hit her like a war hammer, eyes flying open to meet his. Her eyes flickered to one of the guests that were outright gawking at them, then back to him. Her voice the barest whisper, "What have I done?"

"Nothing love," he whispered staring at her lips. He continued to caress her cheek and he moved in for another kiss. He needed his affection returned by someone, someone who truly wanted to be with him.

She back peddled rotating toward the doors to the ballroom, still in his arms, eyes filling with tears, never had she cried in front of anyone even when she had been near death had she cried. But now, the rivers burst their dams and spilled down her cheeks. Her chest heaved as she took in one shattering breath after the other. ?I...I have to go...check on Aubrianna.? She placed a hand on her stomach she felt nearly ready to be sick. Her emotions were beyond raw and confused. She so wanted to be with him, to hold him, to comfort him, and yet his heart belonged to another. He had merely kissed her because she looked 'incredible'.

"Wait Iolani please," he said softly and held her there. "Forget about Aubrianna." He scowled, and then it softened as he laid his hands on her shoulders.

"I...I can nae" through the retching sobs. "Ye belong to Aubrianna...and I will nae come between that. She should be here nae I," she tore from his grasp backing a few steps toward the doors and turned bolting for the apartments.

"But I don't," he started to explain. "Wait." He saw her start to turn and he reach to grab her but he was too late. "Iolani!" She heard him shout. He spun around and kicked over a potted plant. Aubrianna didn't love him, and the more he thought about it, the more he was realizing she wasn't the type of woman he was looking for. Damn her! He clenched his fist and growled softly, "She will pay. I will have Iolani."

Sobbing she made her way to the apartments in a dead run. She had to get out of here. Not because she was afraid of an attack, that was the least on her mind. She could not bear meeting him eye to eye again. Not tonight...maybe not ever. Her feet pounded the stairs as she made her way up, the teeth shattering steps allowing her to check herself just enough to stop her rivers of tears.