Beyond Time (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"It is a very fine portrait." Dylan commented, looking at the detail that had gone into it. Her eyes were soon drawn to the portrait of a lovely woman that looked very familiar. "I can see where the Lady Elizabeth gets her red hair. The queen was lovely, Henry."

 

[KieranSoares]

"She was..." Henry smiled as he turned to the portrait of his wife. Instead of blocking out all memory of his lost wife when she died, he'd celebrated her and had the portrait moved to the gallery so everyone could see it.

Ashien took Dylan's hand and smiled at the portrait of the woman he'd known for such a short time but loved dearly. "He met her at the coronation ball on his twentieth birthday when his father stepped down. He danced with her all night, but never learned her name. The next day, he asked everyone who she was but no one knew. So, he sent men across England to find her, and when he still hadn't found her after two years, he went himself and finally found her in Normandy. He asked her to marry him, but she refused, telling him that they didn't even know each other and he didn't even know her name. So, he invited her back to England and he spent another year at her beckon call until she finally agreed to marry him. It wasn't even a year before Prince Jacob was born, and Princess Elizabeth wasn't too long after him, named after her mother. Queen Elizabeth was a lovely woman in every way. She treated everyone like they were her family, even enemies, but once they met her, they didn't stay enemies for long."

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan smiled at the story and looked at the king, knowing that he still loved his wife dearly. "I'm sad that I did not get a chance to meet her, but it's wonderful that you still have such lovely stories and memories to tell about her."

 

[KieranSoares]

Henry nodded, taking one last look at the portrait with a smile, "Yes, well... she hated it when people were sad, so I try to keep a smile on for her. Now..."

They were up well into the evening, to the point that Henry would not allow Dylandra and Ashien to try to make the long journey home so late. They were shown to a guest room and so was John. As they made themselves comfortable, Ashien hung up his jacket and vest before turning to Dylandra with a smile. "So, what do you think of Henry and Elizabeth? She seems terribly interested in John."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I just hope that John doesn't move too quickly into this." Dylan said softly as she pulled off her outer gown to sleep in her undergarments. "But I think it's good for John to have other interests. Henry seems to be a very good man."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He's a fine man, and a grand friend," Ashien nodded as he sat down on the edge of the bed just in his trousers. "And I wouldn't worry about John, except for how interested Elizabeth seems to be. I don't blame her, of course; you people from the second millennium are a little odd." He grinned at her cheekily.

 

[heartofcourage]

"No weirder than you." Dylan said with a smirk as she moved towards the bed and sat down beside Ashien.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll have you know that being a horsemaster is a very normal and respectable thing for a nobleman to be, and just because I paint and spend half my time daydreaming about you doesn't mean I'm strange." He then paused. "Actually... you know what, nevermind. If you're part of my life, I must be fairly odd." That grin came back, loving to tease her any way he could.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Hmmm....you own a white tiger that your brother brought back for you from Mongolia. You have a magic piano that can bridge time and space. You have a large wolf that takes care of your stables. No, that's not weird at all." Dylan grinned back at him, laughing at the look that came to his features.

 

[KieranSoares]

"It isn't, really. Don't you have zoos full of strange animals in your time? And... what are they called... recordings? That's sort of like bridging time if I understand it correctly. But I'll yield about my stablemaster." He decided he'd lost, and instead pulled her down on the bed beside him. "Fine. You win. Only just this once, though."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You'll find, Sir Ashien, that I will win nearly every time." Dylan teased as she placed a kiss against his throat and grinned at him in that easy and charming way that he seemed to bring out of her. "I would love to show you my time. You would be in awe of the way that things have changed."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You'll win nearly every time because you'll seduce me to surrender, dear temptress," Ashien whispered. At her suggestion, he raised an eyebrow and smiled, "I think I might be terrified of how things have changed. And if there are more women like you there, I might go missing."

 

[heartofcourage]

"There are a lot of women, but you would certainly appreciate the fashions. Tight pants. Short skirts." She laughed softly as she kissed him again. "You have bewitched me, sir. I don't think I can ever stop kissing you, even if I wanted to."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Why is it that I can only picture you in such things?" he smiled before letting himself enjoy her kiss to the fullest. "This isn't the first time I've been accused of witchery." He propped himself up on one elbow beside her, gazing down at her adoringly. "... Dear Lady Dylandra, may I request something of you?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"Anything, my lord. How can I be of service to you?" She asked him with a smile on her features as he gazed down at her.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ashien chuckled at that, "You could be of plenty service just letting me look at you." He laid a gentle hand against her cheek. "Would you give me the honor of allowing me to court you, officially, milady?"

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan actually blushed as he asked to court her officially. She laughed softly as his hand settled against her cheek and she let out a soft sigh.

"Considering that you already know me intimately, I think it's a little late to ask me that." She said softly, as her gaze softened under his own. "It would be my greatest wish if you would court me, Ashien Ghis."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'd ask for more, but if I did, I'm afraid you might think me impulsive. Besides, I need to make absolutely sure that you're not just crazy, being here with me." He laughed softly to himself before drawing her up over him and embracing her tightly. "I love you, sweet Lady Dylandra..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"And I love you, Sir Ashien." She murmured as she kissed him with a passion that she was surprised that she had. She felt as if she'd known him forever and their bond was only growing deeper with time.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ashien relaxed beneath her at her sweet and passionate kiss, lifting his hands to her cheeks when their lips parted. His eyes searched her own, and she could see he wanted to say something, but he couldn't find the words. Instead, he simply kissed her again with all the love he could offer.

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan melted into his kiss, sighing as he soothed her with a simple press of his lips against her. She gasped as their lips parted and she saw something deep in his eyes that she wondered about before he kissed her again. When that kiss ended, she looked into his eyes and frowned slightly.

"What's the matter?" She asked softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Nothing. Nothing at all. In fact, everything's perfectly right," he told her with a softer smile. "I'm just racking my brain for words in all the languages I can think of, for a word to tell you what you, what all we share, means to me."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You are a hopeless romantic, Ash." She said softly, giving him a luminous smile.

 

[KieranSoares]

"No, I'm just terribly honest, which is why I tell you at every chance that you're the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes upon. If either of us is the romantic, it's you, thinking all my pretty words are so lovely and charming. I'm just being honest."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Ash..." Dylan murmured, blushing at his words. "You already have my heart. You don't need to keep telling me all about my charms."