Hey, so this chapter is really short, but that's because it sort of came out of nowhere. I hadn't meant for most of this part to really be there but it seemed to practically write itself and then I had to keep it. Sooo... I hope you like it, because I know I do =) Just think of it as a little bonus, and the next chapter will be back to the usual flow of things.
P. S. I love this song, and I hope it fits with the chapter... BUT wait till you finish the chapter before listening to it!!! and more importantly check out the lyrics... you'll understand why AFTER you red the chapter =) -------------------->
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Cheers,
xo.
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Recap:
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He laughed "Maybe for you it is, I still happen to find it amusing. Why? Aren't you comfortable?"
Of course I was who wouldn't be? But that didn't mean I could stay here. I froze mid struggle when I felt his breath on my neck "Now, what story do you want to hear?"
I could hear the smile in his voice and cursed myself for letting him have this affect on me. Not that he knew it, but still, there had to be a way of getting out of this position without compromising my integrity like I seemed to be doing so often.
That was when I heard the approaching footsteps.
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Chapter 20 - Storytelling
"John they're coming!" I hissed quietly.
"So?" He inquired.
"So, let go!" I said panicked.
"No thanks, I'm fine like this."
Now I could hear voices down the hall. They would be here any minute!
Thinking fast I tried elbowing John in the stomach, but missed since I was in such an awkward position. I only succeeded in loosening his grip a little, but it was enough.
I scrambled up and knelt down in front of the kids sleeping forms on the couch. I made sure to keep my face carefully turned away from the door so no one could see how red I was and start asking questions. I fought to stay calm and not listen to John's quiet chuckling from where I'd left him on the floor.
By the time the Knight and his lady entered the room I felt more composed and even managed to pull off looking surprised at their entrance.
John hadn't moved from where he was sitting, the only difference being that he was leaning back on his arms casually. Ugh, how was he so calm all the time? He didn't even look slightly embarrassed.
Sir Corry took one look at the sleeping children and exchanged a smile with his wife. He swooped down, taking Abby from in front of me while John got up to pick up Jenny, purposely nudging me as he passed.
"I hope you two aren't too tired to stay up for a bit, tell us about this adventure of yours?" Sir Corry asked with a twinkle in his eyes.
I nodded happily as the men left the room to deposit the children to bed. Maria motioned for me to follow her and we ended up back in the living room I'd first explored.
She bustled around preparing four cups of tea and handed one to me with a smile. She took one for herself and settled down into the couch.
I decided to sit on the floor closer to the warmth of the fire and leaned back against the couch. I closed my eyes, blissfully savouring this rare moment of perfect quiet, and held the cup close to my face so that the steam washed over me.
When I opened my eyes again I noticed Maria regarding me curiously. Her eyes skimmed over my clothes and when she met my eyes gave me a bemused smile.
"What?" I asked curiously.
I felt embarrassed under her calculating gaze and afraid that she disapproved of the way I dressed like so many court ladies. It surprised me that her opinion mattered when I'd only just met the woman.
"You know dearie, most girls spend their whole lives grooming and learning ta please men so's to attract a good husband. And here ye are, dressed for practicality instead of beauty and manage to snag a Prince"
I felt my face instantly go red. "Oh he's not, that is we're not... umm... I... we're friends... I think... just friends... if that." I added as an afterthought.
I looked up to her eyes again and saw the laughter shining through them.
"Well, if that be the way he looks at all his 'friends'..."
She trailed off mid sentence at the sound of footsteps coming back down the stairs.
I frowned, wishing I could ask what she meant but the men had just entered the room and I couldn't bring it up.
I raised my knees to my chest and brought the cup closer to my face, peering at them over the rim of the cup.
Sir Corry took a mug and settled next to his wife on the couch. They exchanged only a look, but I recognized it as the same one captured so beautifully in the drawing above the fireplace. It was full of an unspoken mutual love and adoration.
Again I felt like I was somehow intruding and looked to my right where John was settling down beside me on the floor. He gave me a cheerful smile and turned back to face our hosts.
The crackling fire beside me caused shadows to dance across his face and I felt myself lost in their movement.
They made his hair glitter like gold and caressed every curve of his face. I had a strange urge to trace those lines with my hand but instead clutched my cup more tightly. Those were not thoughts I should be having.
His laughter woke me from my daze and I reluctantly tore my gaze away and focused on the tea before me. I took a hastily sip and burned my tongue slightly from the searing liquid. Still, I was grateful for the burning sensation that gave me something other than him to focus on.
Belatedly I realized I was being addressed and looked up feeling embarrassed.
"Sorry, I'm afraid I drifted off for a bit there, what did you say?"
Sir Corry chuckled and repeated himself. "I was wondering how you managed to trace John when the trail was already so old."
I started earlier, talking about how I'd first convinced the King to let me go after him alone before he sent an army out to drag him back. I remembered those tense first days well, how I was driven by sheer determination and would have ripped apart the whole forest looking for him.
I felt myself quickly shift into the easy rhythm of talking, letting myself get into the story, reliving each event as it happened.
I gave the full account of what I'd done while everyone listened silently. I modified the bit about finding John, leaving out the fight we'd had and skipped to when he'd been captured. I talked about my rush through the forest and leaving the horses in Sir Corry's care and then the return trip to find John again.
I left out all of the personal interactions between John and myself, though they played themselves vividly in my mind.
While telling my part of the story I saw in my mind how we'd gradually moved past our hated from one another.
As the memories unfolded around me I noticed that it was the worst situations that had brought us together. I finished my telling when we left from the new settlement and arrived at Newberry, trailing off into the silence.
Sir Corry and Maria looked towards us with awe while John had a faint smile on his face.
He wasn't looking at me, but I knew he was remembering the tenuous start to our friendship as well. I had felt his eyes on me, gauging my reaction whenever I skipped over the times we'd formed our bond.
John was first to break the silence when Sir Corry switched his attention to him. He began the story all over again, starting from when he'd escaped them and brushed over the parts that I'd already talked about, focusing instead on his own experiences.
I felt my eyes wonder over to him and watched his lips form each word of the story. He talked about his first nights in the forest and his trouble making a fire.
I looked away to hide a smile, remembering my scepticism when I saw him make one so easily. It must have taken a lot of practice.
He took my lead and mentioned briefly that he hadn't wanted to come back with me and had walked off instead, only to be caught by the trap.
I knew our argument was fresh in his mind, as it was in mine, by the grimace on his face when he talked about it.
I almost winced, remembering the harsh judgements I'd made, driven by anger and confusion at his cold behaviour.
While we'd talked a lot since becoming closer, that was a conversation we always skirted around, avoiding it like it had never happened. It was still a mystery to me why he'd been so mad.
He then told them about how he was led blindly through the forest and how he'd had to come up with different ways of dropping buttons. This got a laugh out of Sir Corry, and again I marvelled that he'd come up with such a good idea in the heat of the moment.
I was grateful when he followed my example and left out the parts where we were alone, but I saw the subtle changes in his expression as they came to mind, just as they had for me.
His eyes took on a faraway look and a faint smile brushed across his face, which could only be noticed from my close proximity.
I knew whatever thoughts were in his mind must be the cause of the smile since it certainly contradicted the details he was saying out loud.
I felt myself tuning out while he talked about my duel with Brice as I remembered what had happened after...
How he'd been on the verge of tears for fear of what might happen to me. That look of horror in his eyes when he saw the cut on my arm, reminding him of what had been at stake...
And, of course, the feel of his lips brushing over mine, so soft I wasn't sure even now that I hadn't imagined it.
My eyes were drawn there now, back to the movement, though the sound escaping them eluded me.
They were full for a man; surprisingly delicate without looking feminine. Most often these days they were pulled up into a lazy grin that he seemed to make unconsciously.
Other times, like when he wanted to annoy me, they formed that familiar smirk I'd grown so used to, and yet it no longer had the ability to infuriate me.
And sometimes, I'd get the rare smile I'd never known he had, the one that showed up when I least expected it and made me catch my breath every time.
Rory's words came unbidden to my mind; that we would make a great match, and for this one moment, in the glowing light of the fireplace, it didn't seem so ridiculous.