Misunderstanding?

[Casandra Lightheart]

Cassie was confused, she was happy to have her children back. She hoped she might be able to sleep without being haunted by thier father. She had spent the whole day with them playing in the snow, talking to them and getting them settled in. She had just put them both to bed. Was she tierd, yes, but her heart was heavy, she would not sleep till she talked to someone special to her.

She left her room and went to the room net to her and knocked softly on the door. She had to talk to Amadeo, she could not help but feel like she had done something terribly wrong, she was also hurt. Eye of the Storm was one of her horses, she had been there the day he was born, she had cared for him, trained him.

Storm represented the bigger part of two years of her life; her blood, sweat, and tears had gone into this horse. She just did not understand why he would not accept him, but that was what she was here to find out.

[Marqués del Stry]

Christmas here had not gone in the way that he thought. While the celebration for the kids had been a wonderful thing he felt that things had gone a bit sour towards the end. A saving grace was the fact that Casandra's kids had arrived. The saddness that he saw on her face after his actions with the gifts was gone, replaced by that lovely smile he had seen on her face in times before.

During the reunion the Marqués had said his good-byes and parted to leave them to get acquainted. It was important that she spend the time with her kids as they had been apart from each other for so long, that he did not bother with trying to see her that evening. It could wait.

It was to his surprise when he heard the knock upon his door later that evening. He knew it was not Leo for the man was off to take care a few things. Having been ready to settle down for the night, Amadeo's shirt was untucked and he was in his socks. A relaxed mode. Imagine his surprise when he opened the door to see, "Casandra?" He was not expecting to see her at the door for he had thought she would be with her kids. He also saw that she was sad.

The door was opened wider and he ushered her in. "Come in, please, and tell me what is wrong."

[Casandra Lightheart]

Cassie entered his room and looked up at him. She bit her lip to keep herself from showing her pain.

"Let me finish before you say anything or I will never be able to get this all out."

She looked up at him.

"I am not sure what I did to make you upset, I don't even know why you would not go outside to look at your gift from me. My gift was one of my horses, a gray stalion. I call him Eye of the Storm."

She paused a moment then went on.

"I was there the day he was born, I cared for him I trained him. Storm represents the grater part of two years of my life. Storm is not just some gift. I put my blood sweat and tears into him."

She was done now.

[Marqués del Stry]

Listening to Casandra he noticed how sad she looked, if he had to guess he would say that she was trying not to cry. When she was near the end of talking his arms went around her shoulders and he drew her into him, holding her tightly. His head tipped down and he kissed the top of her forehead.

"Casandra, if it means that much to you, I will accept the horse that you have worked so hard no for all those years." It was a simple statement, but it was true. "Is that what is bothering you? That I did not want to take the gifts?" He pulled back to look at her, the level of concern showed on his face. "The gifts that were given, while very nice, many of them I cannot accept. But the horse that is from you, I will accept." He said softly as he caressed her cheek.

"Do not let that sadden you."

[Casandra Lightheart]

She let herself be drawn into his arms as she finished talking to him.

"It was not the only reason I am upset. I was worried that I had in some way offended you. The other gifts that you cannot accept are not my concern, the other two horses will remain with the carriage, and I had not intended to give them to you until Venis told me what she intended for your gift."

She leaned into his hand as he caressed her cheek.

"I have only given one other horse as a gift. It is not something I am accustomed to doing, the horses I breed are the only income Claremount has."

She smiled at him and moved her hand up to brush a piece of his hair away from his face.

"I guess that there are some cultural differences that I was not aware of. I am almost afraid to give you your other present. I asked around a bit and was told that you may celebrate Epiphany, the celebration of the coming of the wise men to see the Christ.

The gift I chose for that day is something even more personal than Storm."

[Marqués del Stry]

"Yes, I do celebrate the Epiphany, the time when the Wise Men made their journey." As far as cultural differences, there were a few, but there is no saying that things can't work out. There only had to be a different type of understanding. Each of them were accustomed to dealing with others in particular ways. His time away from this particular realm did not help.

"You don't have to wait until that particular day to give me the gift, and you shouldn't worry yourself over things like this." Giving he a soft smile and brushing his hand on her back. "Your children are here. Do not let them see you worried, or find you missing as they have been missing you for many years."

[Casandra Lightheart]

She looked at him and smiled softly.

"I know I don't, how about I bring it to you tomorrow night."

As his hand brushed her back she moved closer and wrapped her arms around him.

"I will return to them in a moment, they are sleeping."

She laid her head against his chest a moment, then she tilted her head up and kissed him. It was a soft but lingering kiss.

[Marqués del Stry]

While the kids were sleeping is when she stole time to be with him. It was appreciated and, though he did not want to keep her too long, he couldn't help but to feel slightly selfish in wanting to do just that. She might have intended the kiss to be a simple one, but he wanted to capture her attention for a bit longer and therefore it was lengthened.

One thing this kiss did afford him was the chance to be sneaky. The Marqués only put one hand around her while the kiss continued, the other went into the pocket of his pants and opened a small box and took out the contents. This hand then moved up her back and under her hair where it met with his other hand. A touch of something cool Casandra would feel, brushing her neck and now she may know that he was up to something.

Now he slowly broke kiss and ran his fingers along her neck, a caring gesture, though he was using it to set the red and gold swirl heart-shaped Venetian glass pendant to it's rightful place, hanging from the center of her neck. He smiled, finger tips then resting under her chin to lift her head. "There now, that looks better. "

He was aware that Casandra had no mirror to look into at the moment and therefore it may have been hard for her to see what he had just placed around her neck.

[Casandra Lightheart]

She would gladly give him her evening hours while the kids were in bed. She cherished each moment that she got to spend with him. When he lengthened the kiss she closed her eyes and wraped her arms tighter around him.

She felt his hand move up her back under her hair. The touch of his hands on the sensative skin on her neck sent tingles throughout her body. She felt something on the back of her neck. As he broke the kiss, she felt his fingers moving down the front of her neck.

She looked down and saw the glass heart, then his hands were on her chin lifting her head.

"Yes it does look better."

She reached her hand up to enclose the heart in a tight fist, she then drew him closer to him and kissed him passionatly.

[Marqués del Stry]

He took the kiss to mean that she liked the gift. Even if she could not see what it was, holding it would give enough definition for now. It did not take much motion for his fingers to leave the area of under her chin and glide over her jaw and behind the ear, cupping the back of her head.

Passionate kisses in the late hours of night, delivered after he had been away for so long, had ways of being more than just a kiss. This, however, did not mean that he was quick to bring it to a close. Amandeo held Casandra and made a slight turn, his left hand crossing down her back and capturing her side. Holding the kiss he did eventually let her go.

"I wouldn't keep you here all night," he said softly to her. "It their first night in a strange place. They may wake."

[Casandra Lightheart]

She was enjoying this kiss very much. She released the heart and wrapped both arms around him. She sighed into his kiss when his hands went down her side. When he let her go she smiled up at him.

"I know you wouldn’t keep me here all night as much as we both might like it."

She kissed him one last time.

"I'll be back tomorrow night with your other gift."

She turned and let herself out.


"I'll be back tomorrow night with your other gift."

She turned and let herself out.

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