Topic: Reading Tara's Letter.

Tera Destre · Date: 2006-04-03 20:42 EST

On their way out of town Tera Destre and Jean de La Fontaine stopped by the Red Dragon Inn so that the petite cowgirl could make one last check of her room upstairs. She didn?t want to leave anything important behind and loving her as much as he did Jean happily escorted her into the Inn and up the stairs.

Several of the sweetest hours she had ever spent later, thank goodness she had actually packed her things the night before, they came back down with only a gunny sack which held the hated black leather bound volume.

Out of habit she went behind the bar to check the row of cubbyholes where each bartender had a place where patrons and friends could leave them messages or gifts. Her eyes lit up when she spotted something in the one belonging to her. Impulsively she gave her love a big hug and kiss in her excitement at actually having something waiting for her then rounded the end of the bar and snatched up what appeared to be a letter.

The signature was the most important thing to her so she skipped right to it her eyes shining as they popped back up her handsome fianc? as fast as could be. The fact that it was from Countess Tara Longden got him another round of hugs and kisses along with a little feminine squeal of delight before he was able to usher her out of the Inn.

There wasn?t actually any ?ushering? going on. He had taken the liberty of doing one of their mutually favorite things in the world and swept her off her feet and into his arms to carry her out of the Inn.

There was not a single thing she did these days that she didn?t share with the love of her life. From what happened when she was in the bar to rumors she heard in the Inn or on the street corner it didn?t matter the why or wherefore Des trusted him implicitly and knew that he would never say a word to anyone about anything that she told him.

Her secrets and any other secrets were completely safe with the charming swashbuckler. His lips were sealed, usually with her own, which was a very unique and quite thrilling way of keeping secrets and one that she adored employing.

Tera Destre · Date: 2006-04-03 20:58 EST

Jean de La Fontaine had the gunny sack over his shoulder and Des in his arms and he couldn't be more happy. At last they were going to visit her ranch. Jean hadn't always been a sailor. His father was the Duc de Fontaine and a wealthy land owner in France, and Jean grew up with a knowledge of the land, but a love for the sea and adventure. He walked Des to the stables and set her down on her feet and as the stable boy was tacking their horses he looked to Des and asked, "So, my love. Are you going to keep your pirate in suspense forever, or are you going to read that letter out loud to me." He winked and gave her a nudge. He so enjoyed teasing her.

Tera Destre laughed merrily to her French Pirate love as she glanced around the stables for a good place snuggle up nice and cozy. The packet was a thick one and might take a bit of time not to mention she'd take every chance she could get to snuggle up somewhere with the handsome man she called her very own. "There's an empty stall over there it looks like. Let's take that lantern there and make ourselves comfortable Love." She grabbed a blanket off one of the stall doors that looked clean and brought it up to her nose for a quick sniff of approval.

He laughed at her actions with the blanket. Oh how he adored her in every way. He dropped her gunny sack next to where he had laid his earlier, retrieved the lantern and hung it on the hay feeder that was currently void of all hay, and sat down on the blanket next to her. "This blanket, it passed the smell test, yes? I would not wish our butts to smell like a horse before it's time!" He laughed and leaned over, gave her a kiss and pulled her close against him so that he could wrap both arms around her while she read.

"Ayup. It does smell like horse but nothing more so we're just fine Love." She kissed him lovingly then eased into his embrace. She loved it when they cuddled like this with her back against his muscular chest and his strong arms around her slender waist. The cowboy hat was tossed beside them so she could rest her head easily on his shoulder while holding the letter to best catch the light from the lantern as she began to read quietly out loud.

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?She always calls me that. I never have figured out why....?

]]

"Ummm Love do you know the sound that a neck makes when it breaks?" She turned to glance back and upwards to her fiance's face inquisitively.

He was trying not to laugh when she glanced back at him. "Well, mon cheri, I unfortunately do. You see, where I come from the law has a certain overwhelming desire to hang pirates by the neck and watch them do the 'sheriff's dance'. It's probably similar to the sound that Tara is describing." He scrunched his lips as he thought. "That woman is certainly a strange one."

The letter was forgotten as she half-turned in his arms. "Juleta said something about someone was going to shoot you right in the head some day for being a Pirate and I informed her that I would shoot them first!" Her voice and eyes were fierce as she spoke up in his defense.

He blinked, hardly able to believe Juleta had said that. His legs were on each side of Des as they cuddled together, and therefore when Des turned to him, their faces were very close together and he couldn't miss the fierce look in her eyes. "She should not have said such a thing, but even so, this head of mine is not so easy to hit!" He smiled at her, "I'm sure you are the better shot and that my life is safe in your hands, my love." He placed a kiss on her lips.

The petite female sank into the kiss letting her senses glory in the feel of his lips against hers, ruffled feathers soothed by the warmth of his arms around her and the very real fact that he was alive and well. "Not to worry Love. I would never let anyone get close enough to threaten ya. Oh and the present I sent Tara was a month's worth of withdrawals from the Rhydin blood bank of her favorite O+ and lemons to use as garnish for it."

She grinned to him before resettling to get back to the letter. They had a ways to ride but they would still be able to make it to the posting Inn she had made reservations at if she could keep her mind on the letter and not how wonderful his kisses were for just a while longer.

He winced at the nature of the present, but if Tara liked it, then all was good. The 17th century Frenchman was still trying to understand Rhydin, and there was much going on here that a year ago had him thinking all the world was demons and magic! "Okay. So what does she say next?"

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"Well, now we know why the scum sucking toad is a Slaver, Babe." Slants a grin to her charming lover.

Jean was laughing so hard he was literally bouncing Des' body.

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"And now we know why she married Talomar. I would have married him too if no one else could.. you know." Grinning like crazy and chuckling merrily she leaned back and gave him a kiss to the corner of his lips before looking back to the letter again.

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He couldn't stop grinning. Tara's letters were as humorous as the little vampire was when she would enter the Inn dressed in some outlandish costume.

Tera Destre · Date: 2006-04-03 21:34 EST

]]

"Oh my goodness! You don't think she.... " Des darted a quick glance to her love before quickly reading on to see what Tara had to say about the Bordellos.

[[[That is so smart of them girlies to find a niche by not only providin themselves as companions for them lonely souls but to also get em drunk in the process! Very nice of them, she thinks. Tara doesn't know much about those sorts of places so today, after she grafted some scabs, she went down and asked the local baker what he thought of this "Bore-dough" place and he said "No, little Tara, you mean Bore-dello."

"Whassat?" she asked.

"A house of ill-repute," the baker replied

"Oh, so why do it have ill repute if it be providin a nice service to all the menfolk, huh?" she asked but the baker did not answer her.

He got hisself a broomstick and he swatted Tara on her bottom a few times. She did not like that too much so she waited until he closed up for the night and then when he started to walk home, Tara went running into him and said "TAKE THA!" and she whacked him over the head with a shovel

By the way, Miss Des, the sound that a head makes when hit with a shovel is not nearly as charming as the sound a neck makes when it breaks.

She thought you should know that]]]

By this time Jean had tears in his eyes from laughing so hard.

Des groans softly as she glances back to the love of her life. "She killed someone again Babe but at least she didn't go to the Bordello. That would have been a total disaster."

When he could collect himself he said, "Oui, my love, far better to hit a head with a shovel than to be seen in a Bordello." He rubbed the tears from his eyes.

Biting her lips to keep from laughing herself she wipes at the tears coursing down her beloved's face. "Love you have to understand. This is Tara we are talking about here. Now wait there is more..."

Blinks and blinks again before looking between Jean and the letter. "Maybe I don't want to read this part out loud." Shakes her head slowly. "Oh lordy be she has totally misunderstood this entire thing Love. Listen to this part...?

[[[ Now she dun rightly know how to say this and she hopes she dun embarrass you or nuthin but why you be so interested in slaver's balls? Isn't tha a very private thing to be wondering about? She guesses if you really pressed the issue you could try an' make some of em show you but that's so boooooooring as isn't they the same as other men's balls? Say! She knows!

You could go down to the Bore-Dough an' maybe the girlies there will show you what slavers balls look like an' then you dun gotta worry about them at the Red Dragon Inn cuz you could see em any time you liked! Yes, she likes this idea. Maybe Tara will come with you when you go if she's not too busy.]]]

Jean was holding his chest and dying of laughter, his cheeks actually hurting from smiling too much. "This is a classic! I shall have to frame this letter and mount it in the stateroom!"

"Love I think she is serious here. I can't believe you are just laughing." The cowgirl was chuckling herself over the letter but she did like Tara and was about to elbow Jean in the ribs. It was a wonder he could hear her reading at all with the way he was laughing so hard.

[[[Oh guess what! Today, after she hit the baker in the head with the shovel, grafted some scabs, and drew Talomar and her in the sketchpad on their wedding night, she read yer letter again and you know that wax you sealed it with? Yeah! That is very tasty! She tried to eat the Blood Bank gift card you gave her but the nasty head servant confiscated it. I bet she was just jealous. She's going to have to tell Talomar about that, she is.

Bad, evil, trifling servant!

No icecream for her, nuh uh, no sirreee!

So dun worry about Tara, Miss Des. Ain't nuthin bad gonna happen to her cuz Talomar he takes care of her now and she loves him a lot, she do. He says that she is his angel and he protects her real good. She is sad she can't protect him in return but that's because she is little and he understands.]]]

"Now isn't that sweet of her? See she would protect her man too. We have something in common right there!" Des lifted the letter to show him right where Tara had written that line as though that would help.

"Talomar and I very lucky men. But I know that I, Pirate La Fontaine, am the luckiest of all men, for I have the love of the most wonderful woman in all the universe!" Jean gave her another kiss on the lips. "Is there any more to the letter?"

Tera Destre · Date: 2006-04-03 21:44 EST

Kisses worked every time to get the charming rogue out of trouble and this one worked just as effectively. Des smiled softly to him before glancing back to the sheet of paper. "Yup just a little bit more... " Then she caught sight of the last paragraph and paused. "Umm... Hmm.. Yeah... Well...." She was torn.

She had made a promise to herself and even given Charna advice on what to do now all she had to do was to follow it herself. This was the first test and she was nervous but she was going to do it because she loved him and she would always share everything with him no matter what. "She had some not nice things to say about you Love but I'm going read them anyway because I love you and I will never keep anything from you good or bad. And I will never lie to you good or bad."

Suddenly Jean was no longer laughing. "Not nice things? How could she say anything bad?" He was now listening very carefully.

"Let me just read the rest of the letter then we can talk about it Love." She kissed him tenderly then finished reading the letter quickly but clearly.

[[[She will come back to the Dragon Red real soon, she promises. And when she do, we can play together just as you asked. Maybe you can come over to the clubhouse and Tara an' the girls can show you all the great stuff we have! You'd like it there, she thinks. It's a nice place for nice girlies and you is a vera nice girlie, this she know.

You just dont bring that nasty French boyfriend of yours cuz Tara don't like him too much! He try to poke out her eyeses with his little boomstick but it broke and Tara laughed at him. If you wasn't so much in love with him, Tara would probably want to hit him with a shovel too.

She wonders though...

What sound would a Jean make if he got dead?

Oh well, maybe when you break up with him, Tara can find out. I bet he'd cry like a little girl too. He's such a stupid boy, he be.

Bye now!

Da Cockroach Killa]]]

Jean sat there speechless, then got the words out, "A stupid boy? She called me a stupid boy?!?" His brow furrowed and he became rather indignant. "If my gunpowder didn't get wet, she would have heard the sound that a bullet makes when it contacts a little girlie vampire's skull! Now, I would bet that's a sound to behold!" His face softened a bit, "Actually, I wasn't even aiming it at her. Just wanted to scare her before she hit us with a poison marble."

She folded the letter back up and slipped it into her pocket then snuggled up against him much as their little kitten did. "You know how Tara is Love. I would never let her actually hurt you. Remember I was standing in between the two of you right up until you went over... Nevermind Love. That is all ancient history and I won't let her bother you. Just like I don't bother her man she isn't going to bother mine."

His arms wrapped around Des in an embrace of pure love. "Actually, I'm starting to like that little vampire. She is quite amusing. But if she tries to hit me with a shovel...well, I would have to protect myself." He smiled, and moved on to another subject. "I'm so looking forward to this visit to your ranch. I want to know all about you." His fingers moved across her jaw, lightly touching her face. "I love you, Des."

That inner glow appeared in the navy eyes that sought chestnut as she tipped her head to the opposite side with the touch. She loved him so deeply that never could she ever get enough of these private moments with him. They each were so busy with their work she had finally taken a night off from the Inn this week so that they could spend a week at the Circle D.

She was looking forward to it so much she had actually started packing a week ago but had only finished last night. "I hadn't told you yet but I do have a portal there so we could visit back and forth anytime we want Love."

"A portal? It is one of those things I shall never get used to. Yet, this one I am certain that I shall wear out with the frequency of my trips!" He smiled and moved his hands up and down her arms. His love for her was truly overwhelming. If falling off a cliff would have him by her side a moment quicker, he'd gladly welcome the precipice.

The cowgirl crinkled her nose charmingly to him as a grin tipped the corners of her lush lips upwards. "I'm afraid so Love. I had it put in years ago when I first bought the ranch. There are actually two of them there. One for the ranchhands out at the barn and then one inside the main bedroom." A low, husky chuckle caressed the side of his neck as she placed a light kiss just beneath his jaw.

He was confused by the portals. Being on the sea so often, portals were something you tried to avoid. "Does this mean we can travel to your ranch without horses?"

Her lips cease their explorations as she lifts her head to smile sheepishly to him. A hint of pink creeping across her cheekbones as she nodded slowly. "Yup!"

He grinned, "Well, what are we waiting for? I want to see your main bedroom portal first!" He looked about the stable. "I guess I should have our horses returned to their stalls!"

"Umm.. well I kind of, might have, sort of, took some liberties, Babe." The blush continues to turn a brighter color as she rushes on and blurts out. "I made reservations for us at this fancy place I had heard some of the ladies gossiping about."

She was full of surprises, and that was just another of the millions of things that he loved about his Des. He couldn't stop grinning. "We have a fancy place waiting for us and we're sitting in a horse stall? It is crazy! C'mon! Let's go! How do we get there?" His excitement was uncontainable.

A radiant smile broke free as she leapt to her feet and extended a hand toward him. She was full of excited anticipation too. From what she had heard of 'Duet' it was a haven for lovers and she was looking forward to enjoying every amenity they had to offer with her very own heart and soul at her side. "It is just a short ride outside of town! I can't believe I actually had the nerve to do it. I never did anything like this before!! And if anyone ever asks YOU made the reservations!!" She was grinning now.

He stood with her and took her into his arms. "Oui...I made the reservations! I am most certain of that! " He laughed, and not wanting to miss the romance of a horse stall, he brought his mouth to hers and kissed her deep and slowly, savoring her mouth, her taste, her breath.