( another smexy idea from Empress Jewell! in her Perchance to Dream thread )
The market was full today! It was a buzz with activity from the wakening season. Spring was soon to give way to summer, different crops, flowers, fashions, foods, transients came in and out of the market. And the early afternoon at the end of the week was the worst as far as Jen was concerned. But the best time to find everything that was on the list as far as Henrietta was concerned.
Henrietta was Jenai?s companion for the day. Brian was deep in work, something about the Family. That?s all Jen needed to hard to leave him quietly in the family Library and take the Girl?s out with her. Another reason Henrietta was a god send this afternoon.
The Twins seemed to be growing as fast as their sense of independence and curiosity. The teased it was their father?s blood as they went thru. Jenai carried Aleyah in her arms, the baby?s hands having a death like grip in the mane of red that was Jen?a hair. While the other was in a carrier on her back giggling at something Henrietta was doing.
Jen had just finished using a few haggling lessons Brian had taught her on a very unexpected fruit vendor, Triumph HAHA! She felt like saying out loud, But, well kept it to herself as she let Aleyah play with an apple too big for her to eat. But tried to put in her mouth with much determination
?Okay Kiddo lets switch, Ressa?s turn!? she smiled and turned her back to Henrietta. ?Oh I can carry Aleyah, Jenai, We?ll use the pack on my back to carry our purchases.?
Jenai gave her a huge smile of relief as she nodded, each of them now with one of the girls in their on a hip and enjoying the bustle of the crowd as they made their way towards Yotsuba?s to pick up older cakes and treats that may not have sold, to give to the orphanage.
Something red, caught Jenai?s eyes, lost between the shifting of vendors with wheeled carts and the crowd. Her eyes moved feverishly while her feet came to a complete stop causing Henrietta to bump into Jen?s side.
?What?s wrong??
Jen didn?t answer, until she started to move again. It was like none she ever saw? other then ?there? was,?
And she was moving again string to find what ever she lost. The afternoon sun was starting to peek its way thru a few spring clouds to the street and landed upon the most curious shade of red hair Jen had ever seen. ?Like mine??
Sure Rhydin had a rea head for every rumor. But Jen?s color was unmistakably unique. And what she looked for now was just a touch darker then her own and unmistakably unique.
?Jen??
She couldn?t even feel the curious hands of her own child in her own for a moment as the two women, one following the other watching the crowd?s thinking there was to be a fight a y moment?.
There she was, the woman?s back was to Jenai as a bustle of carts moved freeing her.. and her companion. Simply the most beautiful yet unremarkably dressed man and woman Jenai had ever seen. They spoke quietly, holding hand by the fountain, common lovers, a small basket of market goods he carried for her, and a tenderly selected small modest bouquet of wildflowers in her hand. And obvious gift from him.
She could not tell how tall they were exactly, but he stood just inches over the crowd, his pale blond hair sparkled in the sun, and she was just tall enough to catch the fark flame of her hair? again Jenai just stopped and stared as a crowd moved before her again covering them from view.
?Jenai!? Henrietta was growing less amused.
?I must know where she is from?. She has hair like mine?? she stood on her tip toes as the crowd and another cart left the scene open again to reveal the couple moving off to the end of the market place.
?Please Henrietta?. I cant run with Ressa in my arms. It will be just a second, you know me.? And with that Henrietta nodded and took the twins, one to each hip and the goods in a backpack strapped to her. She knew just how fast Jenai could run and maneuver. After all she and raven had dusted the dunes for how long in foot races and races for their lives?
?Just be careful!? Jenai heard over the crowd as she already was putting the distance between them. She had to know. No one had hair like that, ever that she had seen! Maybe she could give or even be a link to? who or where she came from. Maybe! It never hurt to ask.
She jostled between what seemed a sea of people, her eyes searching for the couple with each hop up to pear over the people or hustle behind each cart? no matter how fast Jen thought she was, it seemed like the couple, walking were so much faster.
Polite hands and pardon me?s were in order. But growing short as the market place seemed to have doubled since she?d last been here?
Her heart felt in her throat, she?d lose them! Why wont these people move out of her way! ?Please!?
She lost them! No! they were just here .. the corner, they must have turned! Where am I? Jen looked for ant street corner she could remember! The people seemed to have doubled? and no names? There could not be this many people in the whole realm! Why would they all be here in this one moment!
The Polite thank you?s and pardon me?s left as she pushed and thrust herself thru the throngs coming in to the small square. Was that the cake shop she just saw?! That was miles ago?
And the sea of people just? stopped. Jen?s momentum carried her forward and harshly to the ground as there was nothing in her way now. The brick and cobble bit into her knees and palms as she braced herself for the fall. But there they were. He was gallantly helping her to the seat at the front of a workman?s wagon far beyond what Jen would think was in earshot but she lifted her voice.
?Wait!? she called out as she was back to her feet as fast as she fell.
They did no such thing. She heard them laugh softly between themselves as he was up and beside her and the reigns in his hands.
?Please, Wait!? Unexplainably Jen?s heart ached, ached like only 3 times before. ?Wait! I need to ask you something! ?
How could they not hear her?! He gave her a heartfelt kiss to her cheek before he urged the unremarkable brown horse forward with the reins.
?I know you!? Jen was hurrying to catch up with them but the horse and wagon already had such an impossible lead. Impossible because Jen was running after them, this most beautiful couple with the most unremarkable wagons lead by the most unremarkable nag, in the most unremarkable clothing. Jen watched the wind and late afternoon sun glisten off the crown of red.
Pain flashed along her leg, up and down like a bolt of fire with each running step. The Wagon seemed to draw further and further way heading towards the limits, Those eyes, that scent, the hair, his hands as they held hers screamed to something deep within her and that ache came back 2 fold.
?Noooo stop! Please!? why had no one heard her! Her hand reached out as she felt the last of her strength leave her legs and buckle under her! How long has she been running? How far had she run? Why had they not heard her! Tears, real tear sprung to life and everything in Jenai?s world blurred.
?Mother! Father! Don?t!? Her blurred world, she saw they had turned to face who called out on the lonely stretch of early evening road.
They heard her! They heard! And when her dust covered hand ran across her eyes to free them, to let her look upon their faces they were no more.
Her bare feet cut and bloody, covered in dust to her knees and elbows.
She didn?t know how long she knelt in the dusk filled air of the road with her head hung when Brian found her. She wasn?t sure when she had actually stopped crying either, but feeling him reach down to her, 20 odd years of tears she held inside broke free, she could nothing more then cling to him and his strength when she had none.
The market was full today! It was a buzz with activity from the wakening season. Spring was soon to give way to summer, different crops, flowers, fashions, foods, transients came in and out of the market. And the early afternoon at the end of the week was the worst as far as Jen was concerned. But the best time to find everything that was on the list as far as Henrietta was concerned.
Henrietta was Jenai?s companion for the day. Brian was deep in work, something about the Family. That?s all Jen needed to hard to leave him quietly in the family Library and take the Girl?s out with her. Another reason Henrietta was a god send this afternoon.
The Twins seemed to be growing as fast as their sense of independence and curiosity. The teased it was their father?s blood as they went thru. Jenai carried Aleyah in her arms, the baby?s hands having a death like grip in the mane of red that was Jen?a hair. While the other was in a carrier on her back giggling at something Henrietta was doing.
Jen had just finished using a few haggling lessons Brian had taught her on a very unexpected fruit vendor, Triumph HAHA! She felt like saying out loud, But, well kept it to herself as she let Aleyah play with an apple too big for her to eat. But tried to put in her mouth with much determination
?Okay Kiddo lets switch, Ressa?s turn!? she smiled and turned her back to Henrietta. ?Oh I can carry Aleyah, Jenai, We?ll use the pack on my back to carry our purchases.?
Jenai gave her a huge smile of relief as she nodded, each of them now with one of the girls in their on a hip and enjoying the bustle of the crowd as they made their way towards Yotsuba?s to pick up older cakes and treats that may not have sold, to give to the orphanage.
Something red, caught Jenai?s eyes, lost between the shifting of vendors with wheeled carts and the crowd. Her eyes moved feverishly while her feet came to a complete stop causing Henrietta to bump into Jen?s side.
?What?s wrong??
Jen didn?t answer, until she started to move again. It was like none she ever saw? other then ?there? was,?
And she was moving again string to find what ever she lost. The afternoon sun was starting to peek its way thru a few spring clouds to the street and landed upon the most curious shade of red hair Jen had ever seen. ?Like mine??
Sure Rhydin had a rea head for every rumor. But Jen?s color was unmistakably unique. And what she looked for now was just a touch darker then her own and unmistakably unique.
?Jen??
She couldn?t even feel the curious hands of her own child in her own for a moment as the two women, one following the other watching the crowd?s thinking there was to be a fight a y moment?.
There she was, the woman?s back was to Jenai as a bustle of carts moved freeing her.. and her companion. Simply the most beautiful yet unremarkably dressed man and woman Jenai had ever seen. They spoke quietly, holding hand by the fountain, common lovers, a small basket of market goods he carried for her, and a tenderly selected small modest bouquet of wildflowers in her hand. And obvious gift from him.
She could not tell how tall they were exactly, but he stood just inches over the crowd, his pale blond hair sparkled in the sun, and she was just tall enough to catch the fark flame of her hair? again Jenai just stopped and stared as a crowd moved before her again covering them from view.
?Jenai!? Henrietta was growing less amused.
?I must know where she is from?. She has hair like mine?? she stood on her tip toes as the crowd and another cart left the scene open again to reveal the couple moving off to the end of the market place.
?Please Henrietta?. I cant run with Ressa in my arms. It will be just a second, you know me.? And with that Henrietta nodded and took the twins, one to each hip and the goods in a backpack strapped to her. She knew just how fast Jenai could run and maneuver. After all she and raven had dusted the dunes for how long in foot races and races for their lives?
?Just be careful!? Jenai heard over the crowd as she already was putting the distance between them. She had to know. No one had hair like that, ever that she had seen! Maybe she could give or even be a link to? who or where she came from. Maybe! It never hurt to ask.
She jostled between what seemed a sea of people, her eyes searching for the couple with each hop up to pear over the people or hustle behind each cart? no matter how fast Jen thought she was, it seemed like the couple, walking were so much faster.
Polite hands and pardon me?s were in order. But growing short as the market place seemed to have doubled since she?d last been here?
Her heart felt in her throat, she?d lose them! Why wont these people move out of her way! ?Please!?
She lost them! No! they were just here .. the corner, they must have turned! Where am I? Jen looked for ant street corner she could remember! The people seemed to have doubled? and no names? There could not be this many people in the whole realm! Why would they all be here in this one moment!
The Polite thank you?s and pardon me?s left as she pushed and thrust herself thru the throngs coming in to the small square. Was that the cake shop she just saw?! That was miles ago?
And the sea of people just? stopped. Jen?s momentum carried her forward and harshly to the ground as there was nothing in her way now. The brick and cobble bit into her knees and palms as she braced herself for the fall. But there they were. He was gallantly helping her to the seat at the front of a workman?s wagon far beyond what Jen would think was in earshot but she lifted her voice.
?Wait!? she called out as she was back to her feet as fast as she fell.
They did no such thing. She heard them laugh softly between themselves as he was up and beside her and the reigns in his hands.
?Please, Wait!? Unexplainably Jen?s heart ached, ached like only 3 times before. ?Wait! I need to ask you something! ?
How could they not hear her?! He gave her a heartfelt kiss to her cheek before he urged the unremarkable brown horse forward with the reins.
?I know you!? Jen was hurrying to catch up with them but the horse and wagon already had such an impossible lead. Impossible because Jen was running after them, this most beautiful couple with the most unremarkable wagons lead by the most unremarkable nag, in the most unremarkable clothing. Jen watched the wind and late afternoon sun glisten off the crown of red.
Pain flashed along her leg, up and down like a bolt of fire with each running step. The Wagon seemed to draw further and further way heading towards the limits, Those eyes, that scent, the hair, his hands as they held hers screamed to something deep within her and that ache came back 2 fold.
?Noooo stop! Please!? why had no one heard her! Her hand reached out as she felt the last of her strength leave her legs and buckle under her! How long has she been running? How far had she run? Why had they not heard her! Tears, real tear sprung to life and everything in Jenai?s world blurred.
?Mother! Father! Don?t!? Her blurred world, she saw they had turned to face who called out on the lonely stretch of early evening road.
They heard her! They heard! And when her dust covered hand ran across her eyes to free them, to let her look upon their faces they were no more.
Her bare feet cut and bloody, covered in dust to her knees and elbows.
She didn?t know how long she knelt in the dusk filled air of the road with her head hung when Brian found her. She wasn?t sure when she had actually stopped crying either, but feeling him reach down to her, 20 odd years of tears she held inside broke free, she could nothing more then cling to him and his strength when she had none.