shelley_winters | (no subject)

(no subject)

Shelley had been tired when they got back, so tired she had gone to bed immediately rather than reading as she normally did.

But sleep, when it came, was disturbed and confusing. It is warm in her room, but she shivers in her sleep, dancing alone in a room that is empty but she's being watched...

The girl sits up slowly, rubbing her eyes. The tension isn't going away even in the peace of the night, that prickling of undefinable vulnerable terror that the dreams she has been having leave her with.

After splashing her face with water, she quietly steps out of her room to wander down the corridor outside. It's dark and silent, which is oddly comforting as she walks up and down through the silent house, avoiding the area where Elan's study is. He sleeps little, and is often awake working at this time of night.

Her bare feet make no sound on the smooth floor, only the faint brush of her nightdress as she walks telling of her presence. She stops only to look out of the window for a time, trying to calm herself to sleep again. A soft mist has replaced the former clear sky, and she can only just make out the garden past it.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

As the chill of the night had seeped into the corridor, as the darkness had encroached on the hall, so had, on silent feet, Elan Morin. Head lowered in thought, barefeet on the cool floor. Black pants shifted silently as he stopped, his white robe hung open over his bare chest, the sash undone, shifting like a dead leaf in autumn.

Glancing up, his blue eyes glinted. A look of surprise as Shelley's presence snapped him out of reverie. Silent surprise as he glanced at her through the moonlit hall.

Leaning her head against the windowsill, watching the shining beads of dew creep silently down the glass, Shelley does not see him. However many times she can't sleep because of nightmares, it never gets easier to relax afterwards.

More nearly silent motion towards her. Calmly walking, no dark intent while Elan Morin's beautiful blue eyes watch his lady carefully. Pale skin, and white robe almost shine in the moonlight as he passes in front of the window.

(Darkest before dawn)

A flicker of bright reflection and Shelley blinks, pulling away from the window and turning her head to look around sharply. The memory of the dream returns, the feeling of tension, and her reaction is more frightened than otherwise it might have been.

Next to her, he moves very quickly. Fingertips lightly touching her arm. A touch of concern in his mellifluous voice. His face cast in shadow as the light fails to reach his chin.

"Lady Shelley, are you all right? Did I startle you, perhaps?"

Shelley moves reflexively away slightly, still nervous as she glances up.

"N- Just a bit. I didn't hear you."

Pulling away from her slightly, Elan touched a few delicate fingers to his mouth. How does one apologize for stalking the corridors of one's own home? A calm nod.

"My apologies. I was deep in thought."

"...Yes. Me too."

She makes herself speak louder carefully, trying to cover any shakiness. At the very least, talking to Elan is a distraction from the nightmare.

His blue eyes glint as he stares out the window. The cool mist in the evening. The dew on the window seemed to cling to the rose blossoms. He leaned forward to get a clearer view.

"No sleep for you either, Lady Shelley?"

Shelley shrugs uncomfortably.

"No."

The girl inches back a little when he steps up to the window.

A tilt of his head while he studies the rising mist of the late evening. Like a smoke, or a fire in slow motion, a cool thing, but nonetheless the shade of a burning passion. Even as the mist dances over the garden, like the flames dance on the Pit of Doom, fire mimicked in mist.

(From what I've tasted of desire)

"I should have said this earlier, and for that I apologize, but you looked very beautiful this evening."

Shelley glances away quickly - what do you say to that? Her pale feet shift slightly under the hem of her nightdress.

"...Oh."

He turned his face to her, and gave her a soft smile. A slight shrug. Blue eyes studying her slightly.

"I am entitled to my opinion."

"Of course you are," she says guardedly.

She has her arms folded rather defensively over her stomach, but Shelley glances up again, as calm as she can seem.

Delicate fingers brush her cheek and fondle a few strands of red hair. Wintergreen as crisp as the evening air.

"Lady Shelley, did you enjoy the evening out?"

A pause, and a touch of concern in his voice as he pointed to the dark outside the window.

"No need for fear. Our peace still holds. I will not harm you in any way."

Shelley draws back a little in any case, green eyes flicking worriedly to his hand. Never safe around him.

"It... was nice to be out."

Allowing that feels oddly like giving in.

A sad smile as his blue eyes study her. His voice still soft. White robe billowed slightly, shifting on pale skin, as he stood near her. Proximity was powerful.

"No need for you to spend your birthday in the same way as you do every day... No one should have to be so lonely all of the time."

Normally she would at least have glared. Normally she would have said something like and why am I lonely at all? Who took me away from all my friends, Elan?

One night's peace.

Shelley shrugs uncomfortably and looks away again, out of the window into the mist.

The touch of a finger on her hand. A gentle, gentle touch. Blue eyes, and the whisper of wintergreen.

(Pain is not your lot anymore...)

"Are you lonely, Lady Shelley, miserable?"

Yes, and who is to blame for that?

Do you think I believe you care?

Her hand twitches away again.

"I think you already know that."

The girl's voice is quiet, and matter of fact.

Sitting on the cushioned window seat, a blue like the deep ocean, Elan glanced up at her. No command in his voice just an invitation.

"Sit. It will not help you any to be brooding in the halls at night. We might as well keep each other company while we cannot sleep."

Cautiously Shelley does so, sitting a good way from him, and on the edge before she pushes herself back to lean against the wall and lifts her bare feet off the floor to curl her legs under her.

A smile as he drew up his feet as well and turned to face her. His voice pleasant as hs studied her. He drew his white robe around his bare chest slightly from the cool radiated by the window.

"I know you have been practicing Sha'rah some. Are you familiar with the feint sequence 'The Winged Chariot of Time'?"

"A little," she says carefully.

She knows it perfectly, having studied it a few days back.

"It's defensive, to bypass a direct attack, isn't it?"

Elan nods calmly as he moved closer to the center of the seat. With a deep breath, he exhaled onto the window's cold surface. In the thin mist, Elan began to diagram a Sha'rah board.

"It is often used as a measure to purchase time, or to make a sacrifice to obtain something very important."

A few pieces were drawn with a delicate finger. Some arrows followed, as he tilted his head.

"Now, as you can see, it involves making an exchange, but in a careful way."