Re: The inevitable week

[Marqués del Stry]

As she started to talk she had begun to cry and the reason was understood. She was grieving over not being able to be with her children. If he had children he would not wish to be away from them in the same way she was from her own.

The Marqués got up and moved to the side of her chair. A napkin in hand he bent down besides the chair, putting one arm around it. His actions were slow, not due to anything aside from being careful of the mark on his back. "Do not cry Casandra." He could only think that their father had to die because he knew where the children were and was watching that location. Being afraid to enter it the only reason why the children were not captured again. Or he had people watching Casandra and where she was. He could not think of any other way he would know she was with her kids.

Perhaps he had misunderstood. He had understood enough to know that she had not seen her kids in many years and missed them. That was enough to know.

That she had kids did not surprise him - she had told him she was married a few times in the past so he had assumed she may have had one. The reason that the child was not with her because they were off at a school, something that was typical of upper classes to do to their children. What did surprise him was the ages

"When it is coming to the business of our family we must do the things that we must do. If this person has to die for your children to be safe, then he has to die. If you are not one to get blood directly on your hands there are always people who can do the job for you." The arm around her chair was placed around her shoulders.

"Do not cry."

[Casandra Lightheart]

She looked at him as he put his arm around her and smiled through her tears.

"You understand, and I have growen a lot during my time of isolation, people have been looking for Deacon but no one has seen him yet, I think, it is time that I more activley look for him. I need them back."

He was not compleatly understanding but he got the grasp of it, she did not know who was watching her but she knew that they were not watching the children because they had been taken in secret and besides her and Venis he was now the only person who was not activly careing for her twins that knew where they were.

"Amadeo, I know I probably do not need to say this but I will anyway. No one but You, Venis, and I know where my twins are please do not tell anyone even Leo."

She took the napkin from his hand and wiped her eyes.

"Let this go for now we can talk of it at another time."

She kissed his cheek then his lips.

"I made something for your back it, will take away all pain for several hours, the down side is that you could inflict serious ingery to yourself and never know it, you will feel nothing in your back at all."

[Marqués del Stry]

The Marqués carassed the side of Casandra's face, looking at her quietly from where he sat crouched on the floor by the chair. He hadn't seen her for the entirety of the day, and the previous night he had spent in a half sleep state do to the ordeal of the day . This was the first time he really had a chance to look at her.

He didn't relay what was in his thoughts at that moment, or what he thought after all the day. Then he leaned in and kissed her, holding it for a moment and then giving her another small kiss. "It is a good thing, then, that I am going to bed." He would not have to worry about hurting himself if he was in the bed. "And your company can be more enjoyed. And I can relax."

Letting his hand drop from her face he moved to his chair. "Speed in getting your children back again. Children need their parents in their lives. "

[Casandra Lightheart]

She kissed him back and leaned into his hand as he caressed her face, then smiled.

"As soon as we finish dinner I will see to your back, and then we can both enjoy each others company."

She smiled at him a he sat back down.

"I need them as well."

They would eat thier dinner and continue with small talk she told him about her ride to the beach and her reaction to the garden.

When they were done eating she stood from the chair and retrived her bag from the bathroom, she took out the jar of Garden Flax, a large bandage and tape, and a pair of surgical gloves.

"Take off your shirt please."

[Marqués del Stry]

Rising from the chair, the servants clearing the table from dinner, the Marqués undid the buttons of his jacket while he watched her prepare. It made his mind think back on things that happened two years before. "I know the herb you are wanting to use." Shrugging off the jacket he then draped it over the arm of the chair.

Done, he moved over to the fireplace, arms crossing he grabbed the bottom of his shirt and pulled upwards, taking it off and balling it under his right arm. The Marqués had his back to her as he was facing the fireplace, the tattoo plain visible for her to see. It did not look like it had healed at all and the skin around it was red and looked angry, though the lines were black.

"I hope that the things you find in the garden room will aide you in studies."

[Casandra Lightheart]

"The garden has everything I could ever need and some things I have never seen."

She moved over to the fireplace and looked at his back she let out a sigh. It looked bad and it needed to be washed first before she could apply the paste from the garden flax.

"I have to wash your back first."

Her voice was quiet and very soft as she went to the bathroom and got fresh warm water and two washcloths. She carried the bowl and the cloths back out to the fireplace and set them on the table. She was quiet as she washed his back, her touch gentle as she made sure that any traces of the lotion from that morning along with the little bit of dried blood and loose bits of fiber from the shirt.

She was not going to use anything but the garden flax she had promised and once she made a promise she would not break it.

She dried his back with the second washcloth and pulled on the surgical gloves. Opening the jar with the garden flax in it she applied it to his back, she made sure to apply a thin layer evenly over the whole tattoo.

"I hope this helps, I did not have the two weeks to dry it properly so I used a method I learned to force it to dry quickly so I could grind it up into a powder."

She spoke as she secured the bandage to his back with the surgical tape. She had to make sure it was not going to come lose it would not be fun if either of them got this stuff on other parts of their body. When she was done she removed the gloves leaving them inside out and threw them in a small waste basket. That done she moved in front if him and looked up with a smile.

"How does that feel?"

[Marqués del Stry]

To be fair he might have done well to tell her of what happens when a mans pain is taking away, but that was not on the forefront of his thinking. The Marqués stood calmly, and patiently, as Casandra applied the medication. Though the initial touch brought on sparks of pain it was nothing that he could not handle and they were met with slow and steady releases of breath.

Soon the pain started to ease even if it did not go away completely due to the improper drying time, but it was enough. When she was done and asking how he felt the Marqués gave a slow role of his shoulders and stretched out his back, feeling the pull of the taping against the skin. Standing straight his head was slightly lowered while looking at Casandra, hair was loose and hung forward slightly.

"Casandra," he started speaking slowly, a hushed tone to his words. He was not worried about being heard by any of the lingering servants - they would soon be gone - but there was no need to be loud when the person was standing directly in front. "I will answer your question in a way that might be shocking. You have five seconds to prepare yourself."

All the while he spoke he kept his dark gaze trained on her, even as he counted to five in his head. Almost, before the five count was over his arms were around her, holding her against him in a jealous embrace and capturing her mouth in a kiss. During the whole ordeal he had not been able to kiss her as he had been focusing his energies on blocking pain. Now that most of it was masked it did not need that much attention.

Not only did he have her locked in a passionate embrace, but now would come the part she may protest over. His grip tightened and he lifted her, breaking the kiss as he jostled her in his arms so he could better carry her. "Do not protest or I could drop you." It was simple truth. Where was he carrying her but to the bed.

Even steps and the destination was made and the Marqués eased her down with a smile. "Now, where were we..."

[Casandra Lightheart]

Cas looked up at him and was about to move the hair from his face she loved the way it looked when he wore it natural. Then he was speaking to her.

"Five seconds to pre.."

Her words were cut off as he pulled her into tight embrace and kissed her passionately. She closed her eyes as he pulled her closer returning his kiss. Then he broke it and she felt her feet leave the floor.

"Amadeo you shoul.."

Again she stopped her words he was just as stubborn as she was and if she protested it was just going to take him longer to get where he was taking her. She moved her arms up around his neck and kept still. It was not long at all just a few steps before he was placing her in his bed.

"I believe you were kissing me, but I can see it in your eyes you want more."

She smiled up at him and reached for him.

"But I thought that you said you couldn't make love to me until you loved me?"

[Marqués del Stry]

"I was kissing you, and shall be doing so again and throughout the night." He did not think that she would. He had thought that she was going to tell him on how he should not be lifting her during a time like this, and he was not going to hear any of that.

Her other statement was brushed aside with a kiss to her lips and then to her neck. "I did say that, and it still holds true. Can I not kiss you and bask in the feel of you for a few hours?" He moved to the side to lay besides her. "Unless I get too tempted. There is the rest of the week."

[Casandra Lightheart]

"I think I like the sounds kisses throughout the night ."

No she would not mind at all. She barely heard his words when he kissed her neck, she nodded and wrapped herarms around his neck as he slid into the bed beside her.

"Yes, the rest of the week, for kissing and feeling."

She kissed him again.

[Marqués del Stry]

He heard no protesting at the idea that he suggested, glad that she was in favor of the idea as well. The Marqués brushed his nose against her cheek before he gave her another kiss, his hand tracing down her arm. Perhaps it shall be a pleasant week.

"Do not worry so much on me this week." He smiled as he spoke to her. "You have a rare opportunity to be able to make use of this home of mine and the grounds." Not many people were given reign of the area, even parts were restricted to the servants.

"Sleep well, Casandra." After a bit he settled down to sleep. It had been a long day, made more so by earlier events and the pain he had had.

[Casandra Lightheart]

She closed her eyes as she kissed him back.

When he began to talk she opened he eyes and looked at him.

"You can't stop me from worrying about you but I will not let it rob me of the opprotunity I have been given to explore the Manor and the grounds."

She kissed him again and curled up in his arms as she laued her head on his chest. It had been more then four years since she had slept like this in a mans arms. The night before had been different. Tonight he knew exactly what he was doing and he wanted her here.

"Good night Amadeo."

She felt safe in his arms and soon fell asleep.

Several hours later in the middle of the night Cas began having another nightmare. She was tossing and turning and mumbling in her sleep.

"I won't tell you."

[Marqués del Stry]

The night had a peaceful start, being easier for him than the first night. The herbal mixture he could have had made for that night, but he had chosen to deal with the pain instead. In what he thought was a dream he felt movement, but it wasn't coming from him. Then, there were words.

His eyes opened - he was not a heavy sleeper - and he turned his head to see Casandra having a night terror. The Marqués pushed up on his elbow and turned in her direction. Carefully he reached for her, laying now upon his side and sliding his hand within hers. "Cierras ya tus ojitos. Duermete sin temor." His voice had a low tenor tone, soothing and whispered because he did not want to wake her. It was an old lullabye. "Sueña con angelitos parecidos a ti. Y te agarrare tu mano."


_{It loses something in the translating. In general it says. "Close your eyes and sleep while angels watch over you. I will hold your hand"}

[Casandra Lightheart]

Kjay heard Cas tossing and turning and mumbling and moved to the bed. He had his paw up on the bed about to jump up and try to calm her when he saw the Marques move to face Cas and take her hand. He heard singing and cocked his head to one side as he saw Cas relax and moved to lay back down in front of the fire.

Casandra began to relax as Amadeo sang to her, it was not enough to wake her up but was enough to calm her down. Her hand griped his hard for a few moments before it relaxed and she brgan to dream evenly again, she moved closer into him burrying her face against his chest. There was a soft smile on her face.

"Amadeo."

Her voice was a soft whisper and then she was silent as she fell back to sleep.

[Marqués del Stry]

While he was singing he saw Kjay moving towards the bed but he had not stopped signing until Casandra was sleeping once again. She seemed much more at peace. He looked again at the animal by the fireplace and kissed Casandra on the forehead before he moved back.

Moving back a bit of the cover, the Marqués slipped from the bed and walked towards the fireplace, watching Kjay. He stopped. The animal was laying down, but he might not be sleeping yet. The Marqués crouched down low, crossing his arms over his knees. "Hello Kjay. You be sure to watch out for her while she is here and I am gone during the day."

[Casandra Lightheart]

Kjay looked up at him and cocked his head to the side and wagged his tail before licking his hand it was the only way he could comunicate that he knew and understood.

[Marqués del Stry]

Kjay had understood, as he knew he would. In some ways the companion of Casandra acted as a normal animal, but there were subtleties on him that did not belong to a normal animal. "Gracias."

As that was done he went back to bed and laid down besides Casandra, taking a hold of her hand once more as he fell back to sleep.

[Casandra Lightheart]

Cas woke curled up in bed next to Amadeo. She remembered having a bad dream but couldn't remember what it was. She also swore she heard someone singing to her, maybe that had been a dream too. She moved carefully from the bed and went to the bathroom to shower and dress for the day.

She took care of Amadeo's back when he woke and kissed him passionately before she left the room Kjay on her heals. She went to the east wing of the house and began to look in bedrooms the manor was beautiful all the rooms had their own theme.

Cas spent the whole day looking at the art and the furniture. When it got close to dinner she went back to the Marques room and waited for him she smiled and kissed him when he came in. They had dinner before she redid the bandages on his back, and went to bed.

They shared a lot more kisses and holding before she fell asleep, the dream came at about the same time as the night before same thing she began tossing and turning and mumbling. Kjay came to check on her.

The next morning she woke and he was already gone. She got up and went into the bathroom and showered and dressed for the day. She left and Kjay followed her.

She found herself in the main hall and eventually to the library and his offices. Even though he wasn't there she spent time looking around, he had told her to enjoy herself. She sat in his chair and picked up the book that was on his desk. She discovered quickly it was a ledger and had his personal notes in the margins. She closed it and put it down, something didn't look right there were enteries that just had numbers but not entries explaining them.

She went back out to the library and looked through the books on the shelves. There were so many. She picked one out with short storys and began to read. She lost all track of time and relized it was time for dinner she went back to the room and saw that Amadeo was already there.

She talked to him about the ledger while they were having dinner. The night and next morning were spent the same as the past few. She spent the next couple days in the house coming back to the room at night and slipping into bed with Amandeo after dinner. Every night the kissing was getting more and more intense.

Her last day there she explored the area where the wine was made and stored there was a rather large collection and a couple things that looked out of place most of the racks of bottles were covered in dust but there was a rack that was compleatly clean. She knew it had to be a door there was one like it in Claremount only hers was open. The fact that there was no dust meant this one was being used.

She made her way back to the house and up to the room. What was he hiding. She was going to ask him later this was her last night here for the week and she was not going to ruin it. She showered and went to the wardrobe, she went through it but her dressing gown seemed to be missing probably taken to be washed. She grabbed one of Amadeo's white dress shirts and went to the bathroom to shower. She was using a mix of lavender and vanilla scented soaps. When she got out she sat down and used lotions and oils on the same lavender and vanilla as the soap. She brushed her hair out till it shown and felt like silk. She put on his shirt and went out into the room and sat down to read.

[Marqués del Stry]

The rest of the week went off how he thought it might. Nothing got too out of hand and he was able to handle his business fairly well.

The following morning, after Casandra had left the room, he met up with Leo and the pair of them headed into town for business. Not to the main market place, but there was a small, tourist type city on the water side and this is where their business for the day would take place, at the harbor. There were a few shipments coming in and they had to make sure that all the necessary items were transported. And that they received the things that had been put up for trade. These dealings were something they had been use to from their last run of business here in Rhy'din.

When the ships came in, from various destinations across the waters, Leo was the one who always did most of the speaking as he had a gift in many languages. For all the records, everything was legal and the transfers were made.

The night Casandra asked him about the ledger he had smiled. Explaining that she must have found one of the old books, age wearing away type on some of the pages. He made a note to have the servants take better care of his and where they were put.

When it came to the last day the Marqués received notice of something that he could not ignore. A very important matter and he needed to see to it. Talking it over with Leo he knew what had to be done. That night, neither of the men headed back to the manor, but they sent along a note for Casandra. He hated to be rude but, if he delayed then he would miss the small window of opportunity that was avaible to him.

The note was given to Ama and she had to placed on the dinner tray when it was delivered to the room for the evening. The note was simple and said: "My deepest and sincere apologies Casandra, but I will not be able to join you for our last night at the Manor. I have told you I will be there for you for Christmas, and I shall. Be sure to look for me."

[Casandra Lightheart]

She looked at the note it saddened her but she understood. She was going to ask him what kept him away so much when he got back She went to sleep the nightmare that night was so bad that Kjay could not calm her. He the floor by the bed all night.

The next morning Cas woke up dressed and left a note for Amadeo.

Christmas seems so far I hope you will be able to return before then. The nightmare lastnight was really bad and I bareley slept. While you are gone I will try to find out why I am having them.

I awaite your return.

Casandra

She gathered up what few things she was taking and her and Kjay went to the stables to get Rider and left it was before dawn but Cas needed to get to V something was not right.

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