"Touched so lightly by the silver breeze.
A touch tainted by the dead
And yet loved again"


Perhaps it was the cooling, the beginning of fall leading into what would eventually become winter that had lead her out into the gardens. Perhaps to taste just a for moment the last of the summers warmth. Maybe it was to escape the feel of being inside, or simply to turn her face to the warmth of the sun after stifling rains. Whatever it was, she stepped free of the stone, warm to the touch from the afternoon sun and stood amongst the flowers.

Her home she had fallen in love with, a place she was safe and protected, and yet needed and wanted. It was the embrace she loved, the feeling of him, his touch, firm and yet gentle, and the exquisite pain that he brought to her. Pain that she let him lavish upon her without complaint or remorse. Anyone who claimed you never hurt the one you loved, had never know the sweet anguish of sexual torture. A soft a wicked smile crossed her lovely features as Maria Eriko walked the stone path, letting her fingers trail over the rose petals as she passed the blood red, almost black flowers. She would have to remember to tell the gardener to plant winter roses, it would be lovely to be able to present such a unique gift to her master and lover with his morning meal.

Maria let the warm air stir her hair from her shoulders and paused to look out around her, the beauty and the deadliness that surrounded her. Roses thick with thorns, lush lawns, stone work fountains, tall walls and the ever present shadow of the castle. The castle was her home, he had opened his door to her that night and she had stepped into his waiting arms willingly. She licked her lips and smiled softly, her gaze moving upwards to the window of his study, his library, the heavy leaded glass reflecting the sunlight over head.

She loath to even turn away from it, she never like to turn her back on him, in fear she would turn back and he would be gone. However she was outside to enjoy the warmth of the fading summer, to get some fresh air after weeks of being in the castle, helping where needed and staying out from under foot when not. She shivered lightly as other thoughts of what she had done in the castle walls entered her mind and she bit her lip lightly at the ripple of pleasured thoughts before she turned once more to continue her walk.

It was quiet, as it should be, no one was making a fuss and for once the castle did not have a bunch of uninvited mooching guests taking up room within its walls. Maria knew Talomar frowned every time there was a knock on his door. She had seen it, normally one or two business associates were hanging around, but odd company seemed to put him into a very bad mood, not that she blamed him, she herself was thoroughly annoyed when strangers stomped around the halls making messes, getting into that which they shouldn't and being a general distraction for those who had been hired to look after the needs of one man.

Maria stretched her arms over her head before brushing her hand down her ankle length black leather skirt, the split in the back was almost obscenely high, but it was the way he liked it, and so did she. The blood red silk blouse rippled in the light breeze, one moment hugging her curves the next flowing lightly over her, only to do the dance over again. Her feet were bare as she walked silently onwards, making the slow turn that would lead her back towards the castle entrance and she considered everything she had been through in her life, her losses, her near losses, and the gains.

Counting her blessings she made a silent decision and picked up her pace slightly wondering if she would be able to entice her master from the castle as she smiled softly. She was certainly willing to try.

She stopped, her steps if for a split second in hesitation then smiled softly moving forward a bit more slowly approching him, "My lord," she answered with a softened smile, her voice lowering slightly taking on a more seductive tone, "my love," she almost purred the final words, an almost preditory gleam to her gaze as she took him in. Her gaze raked his form without attempt to hide the fact, she loved him, everything about him as she stopped before him, canting her head to look up into his eyes, meeting his stare with one of pure love and lust, "I was about to go find you," she stated, knowing she didn't need to, knowing he had already known.

If words were substance, then Talomar's were velvet, warm and yet soft a flowing and like silk draped over a persons body, the combination could be freeing and enticing, or binding and threatening. In this case it was enticement as Maria had taken his arm to let him lead her into the castle. As she stepped into the den she glanced back at him.

?So, mon petit oiseau des iles, what is on your mind this afternoon? In what way can I make you happy??

A small thing but something that made her heart sore in either case, for very rarely in her life had what her happiness longed for, been at all important to anyone, including herself. "Make me happy my love? No, but us, perhaps," I was thinking," she stated, pausing for a second, her thoughts for a second lingering on the whole idea of her thinking and a silent joke that that could be a dangerous thing, before she regained herself. "Thinking that perhaps it would be nice to get away from the palace once more, it has been a while since we have gone out, just the two of us, away from servants and the stone walls of the castle around us," she continued as she looked back and up at him. "Perhaps even away from Rhy-Din my love, distance from this place that holds so much memory for us both.

The slightest tip of her head, the softest of nods as her head canted to the side exposing the soft delicate skin of her neck to him. "Mmm, yes my love, I did," she muttered, her eyes hooded as she looked up at him from the corner of her eye. "Some place much less extravagant then the castle, quieter too," she added softly a slight smile crossing her lips, "and colder," she added as images of the two of them keeping each other warm swam through her thoughts and she licked her lips seductively as she looked up at him fully, her gaze seeking his.

Maria smiled softly, for a moment her gaze gracing the valet, washing over him as if in evaluation of him before she licked her lips her head tilting just slightly out of automatic reaction, exposing her neck to Talomar as if offering him his next meal, and had they been alone she would have done just that. "Mmm, yes my lord, my love, I did have a little something in mind," she answered softly, her breath warm against his skin as she watched him from the corner of her eye, "someplace, quiet and very intimate," she all but purred the words a soft smile filtering over her lips, seductive and longing.

She paused to raise her glass slightly, towards her lips, pausing to shift her stance slightly to lean in just a little closer to him, her form brushing ever so slightly against his, enticing and offering openly. "I think you'll like it. Its perfectly secluded and yet not lacking in anyway," she muttered softly, turning slightly to brush blood red lips against his cheek softly, "in anyway," she repeated more seductively.

Allowing herself to be guided by the man at her side, Maria for a moment contemplated the next little while, preparations, and messages to be sent, and the time they would spend alone together. A smile filtered over their lips as they entered the Counts Library and she moved to close and lock the door silently behind them as she turned back to look up at the form above her and her gaze met his.

Only Talomar Longden could send a shiver up her spine in fear, love and anticipation all at once in a single glance and at that moment she couldn't help but think about all the times he had left her crying in pain and need and her body began to react accordingly. Moving to step closer to him she brushed the back of a finger down the front of his shirt, her eyes flickering over his face and smiling sweetly seductively, she stated softly.

"Sit my love, I'll get you one of your cigars," she offered, her voice playfully seductive, her gaze alit with burning desire, "unless of course you crave something a bit sweeter," she added with the slightest of tilts to her head.

I sink into the kiss, the heat of his touch, the moisture of his mouth, the sweet taste that is his very soul. No matter what anyone says about him, he is everything, and he is wonderful. I can't help but lace my fingers over his shoulders, feel that fine silky hair against my finger tips and feel the weight in my hands. If he was anymore perfect he would be a god.

I offer myself to him, in all willingness all that I am, pressing against him, feeling him against me, all firmness and heat like warm stone in summer and yet so soft like fine silk that encompasses his body. The idea of being with just him for any time is perfection and so very pleasing. I would give myself to him time and again if only to feel an ounce of his love. So many times I have felt his pain, felt the bite of his anger and yet always there was his caress, how I loved him for that, and still love him for it as I moan softly into his kiss before very slowly pulling back, taking his lower lip in my teeth for a moment before smiling softly up at him, "Then by all means my love, let me indulge you," I whisper softly.

Maria stretched languidly across the bed and smiled softly up at her lover and master and licked her lips, "I look forward to it," she muttered softly before she moved to catch him another fiery kiss, her fingers curling into the ends of his soft hair as the other hand laced over his back and shoulders. She longed for him like the desert longed for the sea, she needed him, had to have him. She laid out under him, opening herself to him, allowing him in every way to posses her, to have her, and her in turn to have him. How she longed for this moment this one bliss full moment in time when it was just she and him and nothing else in all the worlds mattered.