This is unedited and I'm still fiddling with the archaic wording. I'm sure I have something somewhere wrong. It's inevitable because it's me. This wise chick will be speaking with a editor before this is submitted ANYWHERE. ^_^
Excerpt of Fate & Destinies
Copyright 2014 Lexi Ander
The noise of a hard rain could be heard from whence we sat. I tore my gaze from his tempting form and turned my attention to the labour of detangling my hair, once more. I was sharply ware of him settling in the chair behind me. When his rough hands ghosted across the back of my neck, I stilled. He gently pulled the damp hair and comb from my hands, asking without words for my consent. Giving in because I thirsted for his touch, I tilted my head back for him. He ran his palm over the crown, lightly touching along the edges of my temple afore his fingertips brushed the edge of the scar.
"I wouldst take this pain from you, if I could."
I opened my eyes to behold him leaning over my shoulder, gazing at me with soft amber eyes. "I do no' mind the marks anymore. I wouldst gladly suffer any torment if the path led me to you." The pounding of my own heart sounded loud in my ears, my cheeks growing warm under his steadfast gaze. I knew no' what I expected, the soft smile he bestowed upon me seemed at odds with the sorrow, deep and compelling, within his gaze.
"I wouldst wish no' for you to bare such merely to be with me. You esteem me overmuch, I no' be worthy of such devotion." Kissing the top of my head, Ewen settled back and ran the comb through my hair, working out the tangles. "Wouldst you confide in me, tell me how you came to know me?"
Looking back on the last confession we had afore leaving Renfrewshire, and the resulting cold shoulder, I hesitated to reveal that secret. Feeling guilty for I planned to momentarily evade his question, I pressed my lips against the palm that caressed the damaged cheek. Behind me came the sound of a strangled inhale. Turning on the stool until I could behold Ewen, his visage full of wonder and desire as he gazed at his hand. My mouth was of a sudden dry and I swallowed a few times to clear my throat.
"First tell me of Bear. I heard your kin speak of companions. Be this why you seek to woo me?"
Ewen's hands parted and gently combed, slowing in their care of my hair. "I almost changed once. There be still a chance Bear wilst come forward, yet I did no' believe he wouldst."
Whether Ewen was ware or not, Bear moved within him, at times speaking with me. Their combined aura was a map of pain and silent agony, a constant reminder of what Ewen and Bear endured on a daily basis that left me speechless. For Bear to be caged, able to look out but not able to emerge, and for Ewen to behold his brother's change, yet never be free himself, how tormented would that life be?
Being a seer could be a blessing or a curse. At times, what the visions revealed was obscure and confounding, the meaning only becoming known as the event occurred. Yet not once had the visions revealed the key to Ewen and Bear's conundrum. This did not mean there was no resolution, only that the goddess would not make unraveling their mystery easy.
He bade me to turn on the stool to face him. His dark amber eyes, Bear's eyes, gazed out with such longing. "Our beasts choose companions much like the human wouldst choose a husband or wife. At times both the human and the bear agree upon the same person, at other times no'."
I thought I understood. "You chose Caitriona as your wife, natheless Bear did no'. So he wants me as his companion?" My gaze slid away from him, a bitter laugh escaping afore I could call it back. "When you said that my purpose in your household were to be the beast's companion I thought you wanted me for a herdsman. I no' be good with animals and I… it does not matter what I thought." As I spoke, the meaning of those mumbled word came to light, threatening to crush me.
"Nay, Roi." Ewen's visage crumpled with sorrow, his skin blanched to a startling degree.
I forged on. "I am a seer of the Temple of Cerridwyn. Do you know how oft you stole into my dreams unbidden? Afore, in Renfrewshire, I were enamoured with merely being nigh you, awash in joy to simply stand next to the man I espied in my dreams every retched day of my miserable existence. The night whispered my death wouldst come by your hand, Ewen. That fate wouldst be more desirable than a life devoid of your affections. I wouldst accepted you and Bear, yet you did no' trust me with all that you when, not knowing I would take your secrets unto me and guard them with my very being."
"Roi," Ewen sounded desperate. I needed to say all before I thought better of it.
"Why did my Goddess allow me to be plagued every single night of my life with glimpses of you if there were never a chance you being mine? I do no' understand!" I shouted in consternation. "I have watched you grow from a boy to the man you be. I know your visage so well I could fashion your likeness in clay with my eyes closed. Over the past sennight, I oft wondered why fate spared me, handed over to the only one I had yearned for all my life, only to be dropped into a life of despair. As harsh as it may be, I would have rather spent a short and painful lifetime in the bowels of Somerled's dungeon than live a natural life within arm's reach of my heart's desire, yet not able to touch you. I deserved more than scraps of your affection. I had almost believed that be all I be worthy of, blinded by the stations we be born to, you a noble and me a commoner. Tell me now, Ewen, do you want me for yourself as much as for Bear?" The walls seemed to close in, causing me to labour to breathe yet I refused to move from the stool. Never would I turn away again, from Ewen for the issues that face him and me.
"Aye, Bear chose your for all that, but do you no' see? I wouldst you be mine as well. I have been trying to understand why I feel as if I know you. Since the first time I laid eyes on you, you were familiar to me. I knew no' why then, yet now I do. You have watched over me, evermore beside me, guarding me. I hold to all I have vowed to you these past days. When I look upon you I do no' see a commoner, I see the one I trust to hold my fate in the palms of his hands. Please stand steadfast at my side. I need you. I think I always have."
The noise of a hard rain could be heard from whence we sat. I tore my gaze from his tempting form and turned my attention to the labour of detangling my hair, once more. I was sharply ware of him settling in the chair behind me. When his rough hands ghosted across the back of my neck, I stilled. He gently pulled the damp hair and comb from my hands, asking without words for my consent. Giving in because I thirsted for his touch, I tilted my head back for him. He ran his palm over the crown, lightly touching along the edges of my temple afore his fingertips brushed the edge of the scar.
"I wouldst take this pain from you, if I could."
I opened my eyes to behold him leaning over my shoulder, gazing at me with soft amber eyes. "I do no' mind the marks anymore. I wouldst gladly suffer any torment if the path led me to you." The pounding of my own heart sounded loud in my ears, my cheeks growing warm under his steadfast gaze. I knew no' what I expected, the soft smile he bestowed upon me seemed at odds with the sorrow, deep and compelling, within his gaze.
"I wouldst wish no' for you to bare such merely to be with me. You esteem me overmuch, I no' be worthy of such devotion." Kissing the top of my head, Ewen settled back and ran the comb through my hair, working out the tangles. "Wouldst you confide in me, tell me how you came to know me?"
Looking back on the last confession we had afore leaving Renfrewshire, and the resulting cold shoulder, I hesitated to reveal that secret. Feeling guilty for I planned to momentarily evade his question, I pressed my lips against the palm that caressed the damaged cheek. Behind me came the sound of a strangled inhale. Turning on the stool until I could behold Ewen, his visage full of wonder and desire as he gazed at his hand. My mouth was of a sudden dry and I swallowed a few times to clear my throat.
"First tell me of Bear. I heard your kin speak of companions. Be this why you seek to woo me?"
Ewen's hands parted and gently combed, slowing in their care of my hair. "I almost changed once. There be still a chance Bear wilst come forward, yet I did no' believe he wouldst."
Whether Ewen was ware or not, Bear moved within him, at times speaking with me. Their combined aura was a map of pain and silent agony, a constant reminder of what Ewen and Bear endured on a daily basis that left me speechless. For Bear to be caged, able to look out but not able to emerge, and for Ewen to behold his brother's change, yet never be free himself, how tormented would that life be?
Being a seer could be a blessing or a curse. At times, what the visions revealed was obscure and confounding, the meaning only becoming known as the event occurred. Yet not once had the visions revealed the key to Ewen and Bear's conundrum. This did not mean there was no resolution, only that the goddess would not make unraveling their mystery easy.
He bade me to turn on the stool to face him. His dark amber eyes, Bear's eyes, gazed out with such longing. "Our beasts choose companions much like the human wouldst choose a husband or wife. At times both the human and the bear agree upon the same person, at other times no'."
I thought I understood. "You chose Caitriona as your wife, natheless Bear did no'. So he wants me as his companion?" My gaze slid away from him, a bitter laugh escaping afore I could call it back. "When you said that my purpose in your household were to be the beast's companion I thought you wanted me for a herdsman. I no' be good with animals and I… it does not matter what I thought." As I spoke, the meaning of those mumbled word came to light, threatening to crush me.
"Nay, Roi." Ewen's visage crumpled with sorrow, his skin blanched to a startling degree.
I forged on. "I am a seer of the Temple of Cerridwyn. Do you know how oft you stole into my dreams unbidden? Afore, in Renfrewshire, I were enamoured with merely being nigh you, awash in joy to simply stand next to the man I espied in my dreams every retched day of my miserable existence. The night whispered my death wouldst come by your hand, Ewen. That fate wouldst be more desirable than a life devoid of your affections. I wouldst accepted you and Bear, yet you did no' trust me with all that you when, not knowing I would take your secrets unto me and guard them with my very being."
"Roi," Ewen sounded desperate. I needed to say all before I thought better of it.
"Why did my Goddess allow me to be plagued every single night of my life with glimpses of you if there were never a chance you being mine? I do no' understand!" I shouted in consternation. "I have watched you grow from a boy to the man you be. I know your visage so well I could fashion your likeness in clay with my eyes closed. Over the past sennight, I oft wondered why fate spared me, handed over to the only one I had yearned for all my life, only to be dropped into a life of despair. As harsh as it may be, I would have rather spent a short and painful lifetime in the bowels of Somerled's dungeon than live a natural life within arm's reach of my heart's desire, yet not able to touch you. I deserved more than scraps of your affection. I had almost believed that be all I be worthy of, blinded by the stations we be born to, you a noble and me a commoner. Tell me now, Ewen, do you want me for yourself as much as for Bear?" The walls seemed to close in, causing me to labour to breathe yet I refused to move from the stool. Never would I turn away again, from Ewen for the issues that face him and me.
"Aye, Bear chose your for all that, but do you no' see? I wouldst you be mine as well. I have been trying to understand why I feel as if I know you. Since the first time I laid eyes on you, you were familiar to me. I knew no' why then, yet now I do. You have watched over me, evermore beside me, guarding me. I hold to all I have vowed to you these past days. When I look upon you I do no' see a commoner, I see the one I trust to hold my fate in the palms of his hands. Please stand steadfast at my side. I need you. I think I always have."
Thank You For Reading!!
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