Contracting Geraldine: Part 2

[Decimus mab Halcyone]

Gods above and below, if she hadn't taken her deep eyes away from mine I'd have let myself be unwittingly drawn in for another kiss. As it was I pulled her to me more firmly, the press of her body against mine something I welcomed and enjoyed.

"You are unique, Geraldine no Heliotrope, and there isn't another of your House or any other that I would rather have at my side for the wedding." I longed for the touch of her lips, for the press of her bare skin, and with as much effort as I could manage I tried to turn my thoughts away for fear of my phallus stirring again. Slender hairs lifted upon her head with the gentle breeze, tickling my face, and I let myself enjoy it.

[Géraldine Grangier]

The feather in my free hand was still there, and I blew it free from my palm, taking in the gentle words, the high praise he gave me. Thou, and no other.

The cannon of the house sounded in my ears, and I thought, that indeed, there would be very little men that would make Decimus Mab Halcyone pale in virtue and charm, if there were any. Darien was heavy in my heart, but he was else, entirely, and I put away all thoughts of him for the moment, until the assignation was over, until I could go to get my marque worked on, and feel his hands on my skin again.

Decimus, if any one did, made me think of him, his passion, his gentleness, his delicate attentions. Yes, I could not dream of any better patron. "I could not dream of more charming, enthralling company without to attend such festivities," I truthfully told him in turn, "for if you daresay I am unique, know that you are as well. Unique, and wonderful," I concluded, my voice trailing softly at the end of it.

In that instant, the adept had taken over, and I was his, and his alone.

[Decimus mab Halcyone]

I may consider myself full Alban, born and raised, though half of me belonged on this soil and to the gods that had trod here. I prayed to Elua in the instant to give me aid against Naamahs servant, for my body was achingly close, so achingly close to betraying my will and...

I blocked the thoughts from my head, trying to keep my distractions plentiful and my desires diminished. My hand trailed along her side again before I cleared my throat, straightening my posture unthinkingly. "Thank you," I said softly in response to her compliment, not taking it for granted. Pulling in a soft breath, I smelled the scent that was uniquely Geraldine and savored it, my fingers finding her side and stroking it once more before I spoke again.

"Ah Geraldine," I said softly, smiling down at the top of her head. "I should take my leave, I think, for I don't think I'll be able to resist your charms much longer."

[Géraldine Grangier]

I was sad, but I understood. He was the patron, I was the adept - to charm him, to please him, was my work. "But of course, My Lord, you have so much to do, you cannot spend the day lazing away with me, no matter how much I enjoy your company," I replied, gently letting the words leave my lips, with calculated precision, thought-out inflexions that would only let out my understanding, and keep my regret to myself.

Standing, I help a hand out to him, "I will see you out, in the meantime." Oh, I would miss him, and await the day of the assignation with much anticipation. How I desired him, how I cared for the soft-spoken woad. He was fetching, dashing, and enthralling. But to love is also to let go, in time.

[Decimus mab Halcyone]

I took her outstretched hand and stood as she did, though I let myself stray close, a small smile on my lips. "I could spend the day lazing, actually - I just would not want to do it in the garden and clothed." Tucking her hand over my arm, I let a tease come into my voice, distracting myself as much as actually jesting.

"Then again, unclothed in the garden does have merit..." I grinned at her as we began to walk, letting her lead me through her House, my humor rising again now that thoughts weren't centered on one thing alone.

[Géraldine Grangier]

Laughing slightly, I let a bit of my weight rest on his arm, for the sheer pleasure of his touch. "Now, if that doesn't qualify as begging...." I let it trail, opening the door to the corridor.

"You are the patron, I am the adept, it is entirely up to you," I told him, my eyes glazing over a group of adepts. Madeline passed by, blushing, and I smiled at her, not really taking my attention off of Decimus though. "I've never been unclothed in a garden," I added in a whisper, my eyes twinkling with mirth.

There was younglings, going from their classes to their quarters, and I didn't want them to hear what was intended solely for Decimus.

[Decimus mab Halcyone]

Her weight was pleasurable, and I found myself letting us walk closer for the gentle swish of her skirts against my ankle. Her words brought a chuckle from me, and I leaned away some as we walked, looking over her from head to foot in the front, and foot to head in the back. My eyes hitched slightly over the sweet spot of her rear, though I came back to her side, closer than before.

"Well," I said, drawing the word out through my accented d'Angeline, "if I'm any judge, you would be the loveliest flower in the garden clothed; naked, though, you'd make the others wilt with envy."

My smile was teasing, though I meant what I said, and I knew I'd very much be looking forward to our assignation.

[Géraldine Grangier]

I'd felt myself turn beet red as he inspected me, and an old reflex came to me, and I caught my lower lip with my front teeth, as I did as a child when I was being checked for lice or other unpleasant conditions.

His compliment, though, reassured me, and my free hand traveled to my lip, my words a bit at a loss. "Now, you are playing with me," I told him, my eyes almost showing hurt. I knew I was pretty - but not that pretty. Daniel always told me, and I always denied - it was as simple as that - I was but one of the many flowers of the Night Court. Maeve and Corbeau were very beautiful, and more delicate than I was, or ever would be.

[Decimus mab Halcyone]

Confusion swept over me as I caught sight of her red face, the reflection of an inner emotion coming through the words that left her mouth... I nearly sighed for it. "Do you think I lie?" I asked, my walk slowing to a stop as I looked at her in all good seriousness. I was not out to cow her by any means, but if she would think that I would flatter to bring her shame, or that I would say something I did not mean... I wouldn't have it.

My eyes watched hers quietly as I awaited her response, patient and relaxed, not showing irritation. Her self confidence was apparently low; I wouldn't make it worse by acting like a cad.

[Géraldine Grangier]

His gaze grew serious, and he stopped. Oh gods, oh gods, what had I done?

No, no, I knew he was not one to lie, I knew it in my heart, as surely as the sun shone on the white walls of the City. My hand went on his arm, and I looked up at him, my eyes locking on his blue gaze. "No, of course not, you are good, and pure, I know it," I told him, almost imploringly.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, it's just that..." my voice broke, and I swallowed, "Your words are so beautiful, so..." gods, all my wit had left me. The little crowd of fosterlings was gone, and the corridor was deserted, save for the two of us. There was silence, an instant, and I found myself back.

I tiptoed, closing the distance, and I kissed his lips softly. Drawing back, my eyes in his, I whispered, "You have my trust, all my trust, unconditionally. Forgive me, please."

[Decimus mab Halcyone]

There was a story I'd read once back in the days of my youth that had remained with me, of a small boy who befriended a winged horse. Flightful, free-spirited and unsure as the animal was, the only way the boy could near it was by being direct and cornering it, and the creature had reacted with deferring and shrinking back on itself.

Geraldine reminded me of the slender pegseaus, of which it were called, her intoxicatingly beautiful form nearly tripping over itself to reassure me. Without thought I gathered her in my arms and kissed her, cutting off for the second time whatever else she might have said, my lips and body both gentle and tender, and fierce with a resolve to bring back the confident woman I'd seen in the Dowaynes chambers.

"Geraldine," I said softly after the kiss broke, my arms holding her to me, careless and heedless of those who may see. "I forgive nothing -there is no reason for you to apologize. I just want you to know I mean what I say, even if I put it in the form of a joke."

I kissed her again, my lips nothing but tender this time, reassuring, devoted. My fingers brushed through her hair as our mouths remained mingled, and when the kiss broke again, I smiled down, kindness in my eyes and upon my lips. "No matter how you see yourself, for good or bad, you are beautiful to me."

Pegseaus.

[Géraldine Grangier]

Gods. If anyone wanted to know how if felt to be swept off their feet, they could ask me. Now, I knew.

His kiss swirled my world around, rolled my mind. I closed my eyes, and there was only him, his scent, his touch. Heavens above knew, his charm was powerful as ever, swaying until there was nothing else but complete surrender. A gentle moan left my lips, I didn't even realize it until the vibration added to the kiss. Gods, I felt that he could take me, and put me in his pocket if he wished.

When he spoke, I nodded, almost dumbly, dumbfounded and dazzled that I was. No-one, no-one, had ever said anything such, or been this way. Was I being unfair? Maybe. That gave me poise, for some reason.

He kissed me again, and there was affection in it, something gentle and soothing, and when he spoke, there was a smile on my lips, and my eyes were a little watery for the emotion he was conjuring in me.

"You are beautiful, so beautiful, Decimus Mab Halcyone," I said in his tongue, my adept training coming together, the little tears contained and kept fiercely in my eyes. "And I will never doubt your words, it's a promise," I added in struggling Cruithne. To say it in his tongue - it added something to the vow I'd just taken. It made it more official, almost arcane.

I smiled brightly, aching to kiss him again. Gods, I was blessed.

[Decimus mab Halcyone]

The sound of my native tongue came from her lips surprised me, and as I took in her words I smiled, my face brushing down along her cheek, lips kissing the top of her jaw next to her ear. "I hope you don't," I whispered softly before pulling back enough to look at her. Her slender form was wrapped up in my arms still, held and protected, her face looking much more soothed than it had a moment ago, unshed tears glistening in her lower eyelids.

I drew a breath in, prepared to say somewhat else, but the pouty hold of her lips drew me in; she looked as if she wanted to be kissed and I'd be damned if I'd deny her that. My lips met hers once more, parting slightly to draw in her upper lip between mine, my hands tightening slightly around her waist.

[Géraldine Grangier]

The circle of his arms around me was so warm, so strong, so reassuring, I wanted to nestle there and stay there, and then his lips found mine again, as though it were the most natural place for them to be. Instinctively, I kissed him back, pouring in that kiss emotions untold, a little piece of me that I gave him to take with him. The little tear that was glistening in my eyes left it, but it was not a tear of pain, more that of an overwhelming emotion that left me.

The assignation felt like centuries away, but the knowledge that I would be in his arms again gave me strength. When the kiss broke, I smiled brightly, widely, and asked him, quietly, soberly, "Were you going to say something?" My arms had locked around his neck, I left them them, finding my self rather content with the embrace.

[Decimus mab Halcyone]

She held nothing back already, her emotions and interests pouring from her in a very readable fashion. I drank it in as she returned my kiss, and when it finally broke I took her smile to heart, feeling gladded for seeing it.

"I don't know what I was going to say," I said, truthfully, my own lips holding an immediate grin. "You managed to steal away the entirety of my thoughts in one fell swoop."

[Géraldine Grangier]

"Now isn't that convenient?" I replied in tease, my smile amuse and sincere. "Have no doubt that they will be returned to you," I added sweetly. I had this growing urge to just put my head on his chest, and it was almost embarrassing, because part of me had this intuition that he would know.

I took his eyes in one last time, but the corridor would soon be bustling with life again, and I wasn't all into the idea of having a dozen children surround us. Most of them knew me - and they would want to be taken in my arms, and oh.... it would just be too complicated to manage.

I looked up, and told him, "Classes are coming to an end, we should go elsewhere, unless you want to be swarmed in younglings?" There was tease in my voice - I had no idea how a warrior such as him would react to such an invasion. But he was also a good man - he might yet surprise me.

[Decimus mab Halcyone]

Her tease made my grin broaden, and with one of my own I tucked her closer into me, my arms tightening about her slender waist. "You stole them and promise to return them - how do I know you're not going to keep plucking things out of me?"

Her body became a touch more tense, if still relaxed and languid, and as she spoke of children I gave an understanding smile. "I like children well enough, though I've only had two or three at a time." The idea of an entire classroom full, no matter how large they were in Heliotrope, sent a look of bewilderment through me. "I'm half tempted to hold you hostage here though and see what it's like to see an onslaught of little faces."

[Géraldine Grangier]

"Very well," I replied, locking my arms around him with a grin. "They will be tyrannical, and demanding in ways may not know are possible," I teased. "But they will also be wonderful, and delicious," I added, more tenderly.

Giving in to my desire to lay my head on his shoulder, I put it there, gently kissing his neck. In a whisper, I added, "And I stole nothing that you did not give willingly, though I have no way of protecting you from your own goodness."

In all truth, I was teasing him, and I felt he would understand that - it was up to him, always. I could tease, but in the end, it was all in his hands - and both of us knew it.

[Decimus mab Halcyone]

"Oh no," I said teasingly, letting one arm let go of her as I pretended to look around for something to hide behind. "We need good cover then... I hear the pleasure chambers are comfortable as well as quiet."

My arm went around her again as I grinned, though it melted away as her lips met my neck, her head on my shoulder. "It's not stealing if I gave it," I whispered, all trace of my jesting gone as I held her. Why one as beautiful as Geraldine would have low self confidence I didn't know, though I couldn't help but enjoy every aspect of her. Giving her forehead a lingering kiss, I smiled. "Perhaps you should show me out further; I don't think I could see small kids with all the desire that I've been having since meeting you."

[Géraldine Grangier]

At his words, the thought of Sacha seeing me with a patron sent me askew, though I managed to keep such a thought off my face. She was almost like a daughter to me, almost like my own child, and I wasn't sure how she would react to witnessing such displays of affection.

In the end, I replied, "Yes, of course," turning to fall in step, though his arm was still around me. "And it is entirely mutual, you can be assured," I told him, giving him a look that was rather unequivocal.

I was ready to move when he was. All he needed to do, was give me the go ahead.

[Decimus mab Halcyone]

I smiled as I watched a myriad of emotions go across her face, and, attempting to swallow my rising humor with it, I took her hand in mine and wrapped it around my arm, taking the first steps in the direction that we'd previously been heading in, though letting her lead in the mean time.

"It's reassuring to know I'm not the only one who feels that way," I said, teasing her lightly in effort to keep the mood up.

[Géraldine Grangier]

I laughed lightly as we started walking the corridor. "But who else could it be?" I asked innocently. "You are irresistible," I told him.

Feeling I owed him a small explanation, I added, "I hope you will forgive me, I have... a special relationship with one of the children here, and well, the thought of her seeing me with a patron, entwined as we were... I will admit it was a little concerning. But I don't want you worried," I added quickly, "I am very happy, very, very happy."

[Decimus mab Halcyone]

I laughed aloud as she stumbled across her wording, ending in reassurances meant for soothing me, and with an absent hand I stroked the top of her fingers as we walked. "Geraldine," I said, my Alban tongue finding her name mildly difficult to say while chuckling. "I don't doubt you; I never did."

I'd known where we were in the House from the time we'd walked back inside; call it a soldiers intuition, a head for directions. Still, I gave the windows a curious look as we stepped in and out of their streaming light, admiring the ornate glasswork that topped them. "They're very beautiful," I commented, my voice more a mumble than anything else.

[Géraldine Grangier]

The walk was leisurely, very much so, I found, and it wasn't disagreeable.

I liked the way he said my name. It sounded different and magical, on his lips. Smiling at his small declaration, I drew my attention to the intricate glass mosaics. They were indeed beautiful, ornate, artful. "On behalf of the House, thank you," I told him. "I believe they were made to facilitate maximal exposure the rays of the Sun," I explained. "Though who the artist is, I do not know."

As we walked, my hand had been resting lazyly on his forearm, but no longer idle, it gave the smoothest touch. I took the time to feel his arm, the muscles under the cloth, and gods, it was so very promising.

[Decimus mab Halcyone]

I was aware of the shifting touch of her fingers on my arm, and idly I wondered what it would be like to have no clothing between us, to feel her soft, silken flesh bared against my own.

Swallowing a grunt at the new wave of desire, I focused instead on the words coming from her pretty mouth, my eyes going back to view the glasswork. "They do a good job if their function is to distribute light," I commented. The hallway was filled with sunlight, after all, and even the high ceiling hand no shadow. As she commented about the artist I looked back down to her, a grin on my face. "That's alright," I said, "because the likelihood that I would know the person is very small."

[Géraldine Grangier]

“Heliotrope is a flower which figuratively speaking worships the sun,” I reminded him. “We bask in love, as though it were in the sun. The design of the house is conceived to remind us of that,” I explained matter-of-factly.

My grin expanded at his jest, but before I had a chance to reply in tease, a crumpled parchment hit my shoulder. As I turned, Daniel’s voice rung out. “Benito, enough, that’s no dessert for you tonight,” and suddenly, he must have realize I was there, and noticing Decimus, only passed by to catch the insurgent child. “Dine, M’Lord,” he said, walking the child out of sight. At the whole scene, I could not repress an amused chuckle.

I sighed, “I’m sorry, it seems one of our fosterling was a bit overly eager to leave his class,” I commented with a grin.

[Decimus mab Halcyone]

Whatever I might have said in responce to the comment of Heliotrope, sun and flowers was lost with the sudden noise; the corner of my eye caught movement and I automatically looked, my training and years of service as a soldier kicking in by instinct alone. A piece of parchment, wadded and crumpled, bounced on the floor behind Geraldine before settling, and I glanced up to the man who began chiding a child.

The mans brief acknowledgement was left hanging; no point in returning it on someone who was no longer paying attention but chased down a youngling instead. Geraldines soft laugh brought my attention back to her, and I gave her a smile as she spoke, my hand patting over her fingers as we continued walking.

"There's nothing to be sorry for. The world would be nothing without children, after all, and one who tests the limits can go quite far indeed if he can learn how to control his impulses."

[Géraldine Grangier]

I grinned, pleased of his patient response. “That one will go very far, for he is rather unruly,” I commented quietly. “But his laughter is a gem, and he has a heart of gold,” I added gently. “Benito is one of our more... special fosterlings,” I noted abstently.

I wondered sometimes if he wasn’t better suited for Orchis or Jasmine, although his gentle love, when he was calm… when the time came, it would be interesting to follow. A more quiet duet crossed us again, this time going in the opposite direction, and I noted Daniel’s hug of the child, who was apparently somewhat less joyful. He sent me a look of askance, and I sent him a small smile – there was nothing to be worried about, it said, and we’ll talk later, if you are curious about my tattooed companion.

My eyes returned to Decimus' own gaze, calm and peaceful. When there was disturbances with the children, I felt serene.

[Decimus mab Halcyone]

I listened and nodded, and when she turned her attention back around to focus on the child and her apparent friend I slowed my step. "Geraldine," I said, giving her a supportive smile. "Go, it's alright. I know the way," I paused, gesturing, before looking back to her. "I will send a carriage for you when the day of the wedding comes."

Leaning, I kissed her cheek and then her lips, letting my mouth linger upon hers before drawing back. "Take care of the children."

[Géraldine Grangier]

I writhed under his kiss, my eyes closing instinctively under the soft touch of his lips on mine. Gods, he made my mind reel, and I smiled softly at the foreign inflections he was giving my name.

I shook my head. "I'm sorry, but my Dowayne would never let me hear the end of it if I didn't see you out," I replied, a wry smile on my lips. I didn't want to, and it wasn't proper.

"Daniel is with the children, it is his thing. I am only their... supplemental caregiver," I explained. "They do not need me, not right away, and etiquette commends I see you out. A few minutes will hurt no-one," I added, eyes deeply rooted in his.