April 2, 1179
A rap at the door. His little son couldn't have reached so high or knocked with such force, but anyone was preferable to another clap of thunder. "Come in."
"You couldn't sleep either?"
Nanalie's voice was silk in his ears after the hours-long scratchy burlap of the storm. The next bout of thunder might be bearable if she stayed. "I hate storms."
Garrett stiffened. Was she scared too? Nothing scared Nanalie. He would've sworn it in front of every bishop and cardinal in Rome. "My father took my brother and I out for a ride, back before I came here. We got caught in a storm like this. Had to spend the night in a cave." He shuddered. The thunder of the past sounded clearly as that of the present. "I've hated storms ever since."
"It was a tree for me. It was struck by a lightning bolt and fell over. A couple degrees in the wrong direction and it would've hit the house." She stepped into the firelight, shivering. She was more translucent than he'd ever seen her and it wasn't just the nightgown. "Of course Had and Asalaye slept right through it."
"Felron slept through most of the night too." And that was why snoring had always unnerved him. "He still teases me about it, that prick."
And if she was the one to say it, he believed it. "I wouldn't have thought you did."
Nanalie sniffed. "Don't be absurd. Some things scare me more than storms do. They can't be the only thing that scares you either."
She blinked. The storm raged on but the world stood silent for a minute. If only the thunder had struck as he'd spoken and she hadn't heard him say it. "What do you mean?"
He sighed. She would just keep looking at him with those clever eyes and he couldn't climb out of that gaze until she threw him a rope. He had to tell her. He had to tell her, and in storms like this, did it even matter? The next bolt of lightning might have been his, never mind the stone on all sides. "I want to give you everything, and I'm afraid it will never be enough."
And he'd been shocked to hear she feared storms. "I scare you?"
"You would have it." And why would he have it any other way? She knew what she wanted and she went for it. It was partly why he loved her. "I don't want to be your whole life; a person shouldn't ask that of anyone else. I just want to be a part of it, if you'll have me."
"Would you be a part of it?"
She shook her head. "I don't know. I just know you scare me."
The trailing lace of her nightgown wound around her thumb. He watched it break away from the gossamer fabric as she pulled. "Nanalie..."
"Shh." Her finger hooked beneath her sleeve and yanked it downward, the rest of the gown following. Her shoulders slipped into view, her breasts obscured only by her hair. The white cloth rolled off her slender hips and pooled around her ankles. "Just... don't, all right?"
"Nanalie..."
NEXT CHAPTER:
8 comments:
Going on a day trip tomorrow. Might be quiet.
Oh this is lovely and evocative and so true. I understand her fear and his. They're very close to taking that step which could be such a mistake but the bright possibility is wonderful.
I love the way you play with the light. It feels like a small warm space safe from the storm.
Heartbreakingly beautiful, Van. Just stunning. I never thought that I would sympathize with Nanalie as strongly as I did in this post (though I've always kinda liked Garrett). Yay! I'm pulling for 'em.
Thanks guys :) I was kind of unsure of this post when it went up.
Beth, I am not sure exactly what happened with the lighting (it's pretty much been what it's been since I switched to this computer), but I'm glad it worked.
Pen, I've always liked him too. I'm glad you could sympathize with her as well :)
That was just beautiful. *melts* I'm on the Nanalie/Garrett bandwagon, too!
Thanks :)
Awwwwww :3 this was the sweetest post ever, I hope they're happy together <3
Oh and slight mistake: "the rest of the gown following. It Her shoulders"
But I also love how you described the gown falling away from her body, very surreal.
Ach! That's got to be my most common mistake--starting to say something, then deciding to go with something different and forgetting to backspace o_O
Thanks! :)
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