Post by elainsie on Jan 16, 2009 3:25:53 GMT -5
I can't remeber if I ever gave this a name or what not, but I wrote it four years ago....
Finian had never thought this day would come. It was the resolution to the dreams and plans Duvessa and he had made since they were little more than children. At the age of fourteen, when he had hardly reached manhood but believed himself old enough to fight across the waters, he had met her.
The day had been so bright and Finian, his auburn head high above even those youth older than him, had been enjoying himself , flirting shamelessly with a group of pretty girls. Duvessa had been a shy, slight child, a shadow in the fringes of the Beltaine festivities the other children were involved in. Her elder sisters had left her for the attention of some young soldiers that were off duty for the time being. One of the youngsters noted for teasing the girls was there pulling at her long hair, scorned, as she had rejected his offer to kiss behind the trees. It became a scene quite quickly with some of the boy’s friends jeering.
All of a sudden Duvessa was lying on the ground, obviously hurt but not carrying on the way some other girls did if they got just a scratch. Finian suddenly got curious as to the tight circle of people and, always center of attention, disengaged from his friends and approach her. The youths parted quickly when they realised who it was and left Duvessa alone on the ground. Finian picked her up, her weight light in his arms and carried her somewhere out of the curious eyes.
He tended her knee carefully and taking his water bottle from his belt cleaned the blood away from her pale skin. He ripped a piece off his good shirt and bound it around despite her gasp of protest. Then he noticed the tears falling from her eyes and he went to brush them away as he had to his younger sisters whenever they had been upset. She looked up at him slightly startled at such an affectionate gesture. It was then, with one look into her large clear eyes, he knew he would never look at another girl the same way. He had made small talk and the way she seemed so surprised someone was talking to her, caused a stirring inside Finian. Duvessa quickly became animated but when he had made some small joke her smile went as quickly as it came.
Soon her sisters found out what had happened and managed to find the pair, giving Finian suspicious looks as they moved their sister away. Finian did not care. He was determined to keep that smile intact for a longer period and after the festivities they became inseparable as close as two souls could be. He would show the quiet dark haired girl around the forest that was his home and she would in return reward him with the occasional fleeting smile that caused Finian to believe every moment he spent with Duvessa worth more than all the sword practice and war talks he now participated in.
Both their families smiled upon the pair and had made arrangements that when Duvessa was older, around fifteen, they would be hand fastened. When Finian had been seventeen and Duvessa a couple of months off fifteen, Finian finally got his childhood wish to fight over the sea.
It had been hard, the enemy far outnumbering his father’s small troop of men. But they were better skilled. Finian would have given up hope many a time but for the small image he had of a dark haired, clear-eyed woman. She was waiting at home for him and if he did not come back surely her heart would break. Just to envisage tears that were his cause in her pretty eyes hurt him. So for her, Finian fought beyond his years and with remarkable skill. They finally broke through the enemy and the rest of the men ran away. With the land won and prizes of war Finian went back across the water. The spring about to arrive would be when Duvessa finally became his wife.
As they arrived on shore they had hardly tied the boat before he had ran up to where their families and friends waited to welcome their warriors with smiles and congratulations on their victory. Finian scoured the crowd and found Duvessa near the back of it. His heart full he ran to her and enveloped her in his arms so tightly. The pain of months apart, departing as he held her in his arms. Her slight body warm against him, the scent of her so tantalizing he would have kissed her whole face but for the bemused looks they were already getting.
And today was now here. It was Beltaine again, four years since he had met her. It seemed almost as if fate had ordained this to be the day when he would start the rest of his life anew. The sun shone brightly, dancing across the sea and the scent of the flowers in bloom was intoxicating. The noise of children playing and the adults talking was only punctuated by the trilling of a pair of birds high up, above him.
The sight of his bride dressed in the light, white flowing gown, her wedding dress, was heartbreaking. She was so achingly perfect. Her black hair so smooth around her porcelain features. The flowers that she had wanted in her hair for her hand fastening artfully interwoven, pure white but for the dark crimson middle. Her dark lashes hiding her most beautiful feature. She looked so small and innocent. The way she had looked when he had first met her. His eyes strayed longingly to her lips and it was then the tears fell. He could still feel her against him that day she had welcomed him home. How could he cope? He knew she would not want tears, not on such a beautiful day but his heart was broken. The words he wanted, to say <i> needed</i> to say, stuck in his throat, behind the hard lump that had been there since the night before. He felt as if the very contents of his stomach threatened to spill, the ache inside him was so great. His sword calloused hands trembled, folded as they were, as his eyes would not leave the sight of his perfect Duvessa. He wanted to cry out to her in his pain, but it was no use. She could not hear. Would never hear him again. He could not bear the torment of seeing her so peaceful when he was so overwrought, yet his eyes would not leave her. It was as if they were thirstily drinking up the image that he would have to carry with him for the rest of his life now. Their dreams and future like ash flung away into the wind. With his heart fit to burst, throbbing against his ribcage, he bent down and gave her the kiss he had promised her for this day. The first, and last kiss, he would ever give her.
Finian had never thought this day would come. It was the resolution to the dreams and plans Duvessa and he had made since they were little more than children. At the age of fourteen, when he had hardly reached manhood but believed himself old enough to fight across the waters, he had met her.
The day had been so bright and Finian, his auburn head high above even those youth older than him, had been enjoying himself , flirting shamelessly with a group of pretty girls. Duvessa had been a shy, slight child, a shadow in the fringes of the Beltaine festivities the other children were involved in. Her elder sisters had left her for the attention of some young soldiers that were off duty for the time being. One of the youngsters noted for teasing the girls was there pulling at her long hair, scorned, as she had rejected his offer to kiss behind the trees. It became a scene quite quickly with some of the boy’s friends jeering.
All of a sudden Duvessa was lying on the ground, obviously hurt but not carrying on the way some other girls did if they got just a scratch. Finian suddenly got curious as to the tight circle of people and, always center of attention, disengaged from his friends and approach her. The youths parted quickly when they realised who it was and left Duvessa alone on the ground. Finian picked her up, her weight light in his arms and carried her somewhere out of the curious eyes.
He tended her knee carefully and taking his water bottle from his belt cleaned the blood away from her pale skin. He ripped a piece off his good shirt and bound it around despite her gasp of protest. Then he noticed the tears falling from her eyes and he went to brush them away as he had to his younger sisters whenever they had been upset. She looked up at him slightly startled at such an affectionate gesture. It was then, with one look into her large clear eyes, he knew he would never look at another girl the same way. He had made small talk and the way she seemed so surprised someone was talking to her, caused a stirring inside Finian. Duvessa quickly became animated but when he had made some small joke her smile went as quickly as it came.
Soon her sisters found out what had happened and managed to find the pair, giving Finian suspicious looks as they moved their sister away. Finian did not care. He was determined to keep that smile intact for a longer period and after the festivities they became inseparable as close as two souls could be. He would show the quiet dark haired girl around the forest that was his home and she would in return reward him with the occasional fleeting smile that caused Finian to believe every moment he spent with Duvessa worth more than all the sword practice and war talks he now participated in.
Both their families smiled upon the pair and had made arrangements that when Duvessa was older, around fifteen, they would be hand fastened. When Finian had been seventeen and Duvessa a couple of months off fifteen, Finian finally got his childhood wish to fight over the sea.
It had been hard, the enemy far outnumbering his father’s small troop of men. But they were better skilled. Finian would have given up hope many a time but for the small image he had of a dark haired, clear-eyed woman. She was waiting at home for him and if he did not come back surely her heart would break. Just to envisage tears that were his cause in her pretty eyes hurt him. So for her, Finian fought beyond his years and with remarkable skill. They finally broke through the enemy and the rest of the men ran away. With the land won and prizes of war Finian went back across the water. The spring about to arrive would be when Duvessa finally became his wife.
As they arrived on shore they had hardly tied the boat before he had ran up to where their families and friends waited to welcome their warriors with smiles and congratulations on their victory. Finian scoured the crowd and found Duvessa near the back of it. His heart full he ran to her and enveloped her in his arms so tightly. The pain of months apart, departing as he held her in his arms. Her slight body warm against him, the scent of her so tantalizing he would have kissed her whole face but for the bemused looks they were already getting.
And today was now here. It was Beltaine again, four years since he had met her. It seemed almost as if fate had ordained this to be the day when he would start the rest of his life anew. The sun shone brightly, dancing across the sea and the scent of the flowers in bloom was intoxicating. The noise of children playing and the adults talking was only punctuated by the trilling of a pair of birds high up, above him.
The sight of his bride dressed in the light, white flowing gown, her wedding dress, was heartbreaking. She was so achingly perfect. Her black hair so smooth around her porcelain features. The flowers that she had wanted in her hair for her hand fastening artfully interwoven, pure white but for the dark crimson middle. Her dark lashes hiding her most beautiful feature. She looked so small and innocent. The way she had looked when he had first met her. His eyes strayed longingly to her lips and it was then the tears fell. He could still feel her against him that day she had welcomed him home. How could he cope? He knew she would not want tears, not on such a beautiful day but his heart was broken. The words he wanted, to say <i> needed</i> to say, stuck in his throat, behind the hard lump that had been there since the night before. He felt as if the very contents of his stomach threatened to spill, the ache inside him was so great. His sword calloused hands trembled, folded as they were, as his eyes would not leave the sight of his perfect Duvessa. He wanted to cry out to her in his pain, but it was no use. She could not hear. Would never hear him again. He could not bear the torment of seeing her so peaceful when he was so overwrought, yet his eyes would not leave her. It was as if they were thirstily drinking up the image that he would have to carry with him for the rest of his life now. Their dreams and future like ash flung away into the wind. With his heart fit to burst, throbbing against his ribcage, he bent down and gave her the kiss he had promised her for this day. The first, and last kiss, he would ever give her.
