Ripe Fruit {| De'Ryanna and Benjamin |}

[De'Ryanna Aybara]

The busy Marketplace. Whenever De'Ryanna went to far from the Inn it had become habit to either have someone with her or to be in the presence of others. Never alone for too long while outside of that particular sanctuary, this staved off much chance for a physical meeting with a man she did not wish to see.

And if per chance he was here she could only hope that he would keep his distance. So it was that in the early morning, when the farmers open their doors and pull back the covers of their carts, the time when all the restaurants and other marketers pull in to vie for the freshest produce, that De'Ryanna did her shopping for the Inn. All of their food came from fresh ingredients.

Many of the shopkeepers knew who she was and those she deemed the best were even given an extra incentive to be sure that they saved the best of what they had for her. Like Taylor and his fruit carts. The elderly man had been farming sine he could use a hoe and his produce was always bright and firm and one of the best this Market had. She liked his cherries especially.

While picking through the fruits to collect what she needed something on the opposite side of the stand caught her eye and caused a cease in her movement. He was here. In the Market place and standing on the other side of the cart.

"It's not a hallucination.,” he said. Cold eyes looked directly across the rainbow collection in the cart and locked on to De'Ryanna’s. The other patrons of the cart carried on in usual fashion, seeing him as someone who would get the fruit they wanted of they dallied, and for now ignored him. "I'm real."

His arms had been crossed over his waist of the burnt orange shirt he wore but now one hand stretched out and he closed his hand around a ripe plumb. "Don't worry, the old mans of no consequence to me. He's not why I'm here." A smile appeared at the end of his words.

De'Ryanna had no reason not to believe what he said and it only proved more the logic that some things were fated to happen and there was nothing a person could do about it. She met his smile with her own sarcastic curl. "We don't always get what we want. " came smooth words from one who was doing her best to keep herself calm and under control.

She was not going to let his presence put and end to wait she wad her for. With hope that the crowd would get to him soon enough she slightly turned her eyes from him to pick strawberries for her basket. Even as she did his eyes were cutting right through her.

It was heated and made her feel exposed down to her bare skin. Unafraid, without bashfulness, his eyes picked at her and she felt weak. Or was it shyness she felt at having him look at her with lustful eyes. De'Ryanna could feel it and as he left his spot and began towards her she her heart begin to quicken and her composure begin to break. Quickly she reached out and grabbed hold of the Source, drawing from it deeply and filling herself up with power... And then it was gone and in her head she could hear him laughing.

Not to give him any satisfaction in her fear De'Ryanna went to farmer Taylor and paid for what she had gathered. She did not have everything but it would have to do. As she stood in line to pay, the man who had been watching her came up from behind and drew in a long breath of her scent as his next words came as a whisper. "Finish your shopping."

"I am finished."

"You forgot something." His words brushed directly into her ear and he lifted his hand that contained the plum. This hand moved over her shoulder, never touching her, and displayed the object for her to see. He was very close to her. One half a step back would brush her long skirt against him. A step forward would bring contact to his hand.

"Say my name."

"Benjamin." Though she was against it his name passed through her lips in a whispered sigh. It was literally pulled from her and the effort put in to not saying it threatened to leave her exhausted. She had no desire to speak his name and he knew it. But everything that she tried to do was met with a block and there was a feeling strings. The most important thing was to not panic.

When she said his name the world around them began to move at a slower pace till the others barely moved at all. Benjamin waived the plum under her nose before that arm and the other started to close around her. It was the form of a lovers embrace and the closer he got to make contact the more De'Ryanna felt her blood boil and sear through her body. It brought along with it pain that ended nearly as soon as it was given.

He moved his hands just over her waist, reveling in the moment that he had her as his puppet for he wanted her to be still. Benjamin could feel the scars around her that were caused by the chain she wore and while he was pleased, he was also disappointed. “You disappoint me De’Ryanna. Your control is slipping.”

“I’m not afraid of you.” De’Ryanna said through silted teeth. Her body was able to move, but with him as close as he was she didn’t want to move, at all, or even breath. But she did move. Despite his control she was not going to let herself be bullied. Very slowly she turned around to face and in doing so caused his hands to fully press against her waist. She thought she was prepared for the touch, but his hand was against the chain and a high voltage shock sparked along that chain.

It was similar to being struck by lightening and render her unconscious but even as the contact was made Benjamin drew her fully against him, his arms crossing in an ‘X’ formation on her back. The plum he had been holding was crushed as his hands had balled into fist and pressed against each of her shoulders. He knew that she was not ready to take the fire that burned her on the inside and the spark of his touch. Combined they could have killed her. So Benjamin drew the pain from her body and into his own and let go of the strings that were tied around her arms and legs for in pulling the pain from her body he infused himself more into her being – feeding her his strength and with it she would be able to survive this pain and so much more. He needed her to be stronger than what she was.

Still, it was a shock to her system and without Benjamin’s ties keeping her upright De’Ryanna went limp in his arms, head rolled to the side and the basket dropped from her hands, its content of fruit spilled on the ground. Benjamin loosened his hold and removed one hand from around her and held it flat against her waist. His hand then moved the layer of clothing and his fingers closed in around that silver chain and pulled, bringing it, and his hand, out. The chain dangled in his hand and sparkled in the light of the sun. It was a lovely piece of art, but its time was done and the scars it had made upon her body would now be allowed to heal. As he held the chain it began to disintegrate into dust and he let the particles blow off into the wind.

Then that very hand caressed her cheek and back to her hair. This was a soothing touch to calm down her system and to remove the fire that was coursing through her veins. “You’re a horrible liar.” He said to her as she began to stir in his arms.

He slowly lowered her down to the ground with one hand, right there besides the fruit cart and the buyers waiting in line. She looked to be at a state of rest but it was a deceiving state for her felt the turbulence of her mind. Kneeling over her Benjamin traced the strings that held her bodice together then pressed his hand over the flesh of her chest that was exposed by the shirts squared collar and over her heart. It was weak from the earlier shock and the tightened strings. It had to be prepared.

Benjamin closed his eyes and the palm of his hand grew cold. There was somewhere else he had to be and he removed his hand. Without moving Benjamin would vanish. The world that he had been in with De’Ryanna sprang back to life with the hustle of daily life and her heart beat at a normal rate once again, even if she did not wake right away.

She wouldn’t be alone for long as Farmer Taylor was at her side almost immediately.