Fairytale   von grmblmonster
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                             Kapitel 1: Chapter 1
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Nathan sat on a bench in front of that small village inn in the middle of this
bustling city called Swordsforge. He watched the people walking over the market
place, searching for something, buying stuff, offering vegetables, bread or meat
and all the stuff you could buy within about 1 mile around this city. Especially
different types of weapons. This region was famous for its weapons and weapon
related things.

He sorted his small pack and the not very well hidden sword on his side, when he
spotted a small group of girls, coming down from that fortress, sitting above
that city like a huge, dark tomcat on the hunt, just waiting for the mouse to
move. Their long dresses, embroidered with flowers, swept over the ground,
leaving light dust in the air behind them.

Nate knew about the castle girls, the giggling mass of women always ready for a
little bit of fun, may it be flirting, dancing or the more active things. He
sighed quietly. With no money for a stay in the inn left he was willing to find
another night’s lodging. He was no dosser, he liked to call himself a roamer.
Taking a job here, helping out there, always wandering around, sometimes as rich
as a chieftain, sometimes as poor as a church mouse, he enjoyed his life this
way. It was not his ancestry, which made him become this way. He was raised in
richer parts of this country, there was no hunger nor cold winters in his life
before. He could’ve owned the huge ground of his father, if he hadn’t got
this hunger for more. He blinked and shook of those thoughts. Time for some
action…

 

He stood up, left a few coins for the drink on the bench and followed the
giggling girls. He knew, that his charm would get him everywhere, so he started
flirting with the girls, slowly wrapping every single one of them around his
finger by his precise compliments, his charming facial expressions, his manners
and after 2 hours, the giggling reached the point that implicates, that he’ll
be part of the party in that castle over there. Nate smiled self-satisfied. Some
of those girls were good looking indeed, even if not one of them was very clever
and they all looked and acted very alike. But for a warm and smooth bed no
sacrifice was too much. And even the dumb girls were sometimes… something in
the sentence one of the foolish pumpkins grabbed for his attention. When she
talked about the archon…

“I’m sorry, Mylady, what was that?” He smiled at her, making her face turn
deep red.

“Nothing.” She giggled. “I just said, that our archon is very open-minded
and employs researchers.”

Nate tried to reconstruct what had waved at his attention, but he had been so
deep in his thoughts, that he couldn’t remember.

“Sounds interesting, indeed.” He added, just to say something.

Meanwhile they reached the gates of the castle. From the distance it had looked
dark and mighty, but when the gates opened, he stepped in a very light
courtyard, that didn’t look dark at all. It was decorated for the upcoming
party with colourful bands and flowers and a huge bunch of people stood around.
The girls disappeared, one by one, until the last one, a small and a little bit
pudgy girl with a sweet and friendly face whispered her name in his ear, telling
him to name that to the guy on the other end of the courtyard, giving away keys
for guests.

Nate smiled and that last girl disappeared as well. He trotted to the line of
people waiting to get a key, leaned against the wall and took a closer look
around.

A scene caught his eye. Next to the entrance to the main hall was some kind of
horse shag. In front of it stood a really huge horse in the colour of desert
sand, dark mane and tail, the nostrils blown and uneasily paw his hooves. It was
held by an older guy, looking at a woman, examining the horse with the most
attentive gaze he ever saw. She wore a very unimpressive dress in a light blue,
her hair looking darkish blonde and undone. In this very moment she reached out
for the nose of that horse. It made a quiet sound, then stood still, letting the
woman touch his head, neck, withers and back, examining his legs with her hands
and letting her finally crawl the side of its neck. A huge smile spread over her
face, dimples on her cheek appeared and she made a laughing and happy sound.

Nate swallowed slightly. This woman was wonderful, not comparable to the castle
girls who brought him here. This one should be the one with the warm and smooth
bed. And with her in it, it would be heaven.

She let go off the horse and nodded to the old man, still smiling, then patting
the huge grey dog next to the old man on its head. She rose again, turning and
looking over the courtyard. Her gaze caught his. She froze a moment, then her
cheeks blushed and she gave Nate a small smile, that made his stomach jump and
he replied the smile carefully.

“Hello, Sir?” Nate winced at the sudden voice next to him and looked
irritated around. The guy next to him nodded in the direction of the key-master.
“It’s your turn, Sir.”

Nate swallowed a last time, then looked again to that woman. She had looked down
with still pink cheeks, and turned around now entering the main building. He
sighed and turned to the key-master, quietly telling him his own name and the
name of the maidservant, getting a huge grin from the man back and then a key to
his hand. “Have fun, Sir.” The man bowed his head slightly, and a boy
grapping Nate’s sleeve. “I’ll show you your room, Sir!” The blonde boy
grinned as dirty as the older man and guided Nate into a small chamber in the
lower parts of the main building.

 

The chamber was not very comfortable, but it had a bed, a cupboard and a washing
place. Nate threw his pack on the cupboard, took off his woollen cloak and let
himself fall on the bed. It was soft and smooth, and he sighed in relief,
closing his eyes. That was just wonderful. One moment later, he was deeply
asleep.

 

He awoke when somebody poked his cheek. His eyes sprang open and he looked into
the warm smiling face of that maidservant. “Maybe you should get dressed
properly and wash before the feast starts.” She rubbed his chest and he made a
humming noise, shaking of the pictures of his very delicate dream, involving
that blue clothed woman and him and a huge bath tube. He had always lived by the
motto “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”, so he reached out for
that warm and tender body of that maiden, trying to get some comfort. She
giggled and crawled into the bed. Her warm kisses and her body full of lust
shook of the pictures of that other woman for a while, but when he was close to
the climax, the picture sneaked back in front of his inner eye, pushing him into
a wild ride and making him forget who lay under his body.

 

Later he entered the main hall in his more fancy clothing, looking around the
huge tables full of food, people laughing, talking, flirting, singing,
discussing everywhere. Nate searched a seat in a good position to watch
everything and he found it in the lower end of the hall. He sat down,
immediately holding a cup of beer in his hand, testing every bit of food that
was in reachable nearness. A huge and satisfied smile appeared on his face. That
was a very good evening, comfortable sleeping opportunities, excellent food, a
good drink, music and…

In this moment the music stopped. The big door had swung open and a group of
very fancy clothed people walked into the room. Nate straightened up, looking
attentively in the direction of that group. Someone of them must be the archon,
and Nate was as curious as always when he saw an archon. Mostly they looked
alike in this country: elderly, slightly fat men with grey beards, trying to
hide their tiredness. Sometimes you could see a young monarch, full of
unreleased energy, keen on ruling the country, full of new ideas. But even those
guys turn into the first sort within a few years.

Nate’s jaw fell open, when he spotted the archon of this tiny country. It was
her. Now she wore a huge and rich dress, completely different from that blue
worn dress a few hours ago. Her hair was pinned up and she wore a thin silvery
ring around her forehead indicating her status. She really looked completely
different, but he could still tell it was her. Her smile looked less happy now,
but from time to time, when her gaze fell on a special person, her eyes started
to smile as well and a slight indication of the dimples came back.

She walked with the group of different middle-aged men up to the biggest table,
right next to Nate’s. When she went past him, her gaze fell on him too. The
smile spread again, and to his amazement she blushed slightly, turning her eyes
quickly down, trying to look normal again.

Nate blinked. Did she really blush at his sight? Good Lord, she did. His smile
came back and his heart bumped in his chest.

She sat down and when she raised her voice to welcome the guests, his heart
jumped some more. She had a wonderful voice, and even with that hint of dialect
in it, it sounded awesome.

Nate sighed deeply and went on listening to her.

 

The evening went on, more beer in more mugs, the music went louder, tables were
moved to make space for a dance floor. The vibes got more and more tense the
more the people drank, and when the night was all black outside, in the main
hall of the castle was a feast as big and loud like Nate has never seen one
before. He stuck with a few beers and watching the female archon, drinking and
laughing, and to his own amazement looking in his direction from time to time,
blushing slightly. When she got up and started dancing with different men, he
felt a sting in his chest. He tried to get rid of it by getting deeper in some
conversations with different people. He already knew, that they celebrated the
birthday of the archon, that her name was Elaine, that she took over the regents
position from her father because of the lack of a son, she never married so far,
the country’s most exported stuff were custom made armour, the country
researches on better weapon building systems, they were open to scientific
researchers, the archon paid good for good work, the country…

Nate noticed a really handsome guy dancing the fourth time with the archon. He
decided that maybe he should take over and get at least ONE single dance with
that woman. Maybe this weird feeling inside him would go away, finally. He had
seen the looks of that maiden in whose room he was going to stay, and maybe it
wasn’t the best idea to get back there with another woman’s face in his
head.

He cleared his throat, smiled his boyish charming smile to the older minister he
was talking to and whispered. “What do you think, Sir… would she like to
dance with a small man like me as well?” He nodded in the direction of the
dancing Elaine, who was laughing while dancing, due to something her dance
partner had said. The old minister grinned slightly, looking from Nate’s smile
to the archon and back. “Young man, when I think about her blushed cheeks a
few hours ago, I would say she would love to dance with you. Even a blind man
could tell that.” He patted Nate’s shoulder and pushed him slightly out of
the chair. “Do it now or don’t do it at all.” Nate blinked irritated, then
he saw the huge grin on the man’s face and nodded grinning. “Thank you.”

 

“I’m sorry, but I guess this now is my dance, Sir.” Nate laid his right
hand on the shoulder of Elaine’s dance partner. The guy looked slightly angry,
but let go off her hand and removed his hands from her waist, bowing to Nate and
bowing deeper to the archon and buggered off. Her blue eyes caught Nate’s dark
ones and she blushed again, when he bowed his head to her as well. “May I ask
for that dance, mistress?” He straightened up again and offered her his hand.
She smiled widely, laying her hand into his. “Of course.” Her other hand
laid down on his shoulder and he moved his free one onto her waist.

They danced silently, just looking into the other eyes, moving to the music.
Nate didn’t care about the people around them, just holding her in his arm and
dance with her was enough this very moment. This moment seem to last forever,
until someone patted Nate on his shoulder and he had to give her free again,
leaving her to another man to dance with.

Still completely stunned, he backed off, his eyes still on her and sat down on
the next free chair, breathing heavy, trying to sort his racing thoughts.

“She is a fascinating woman, hm?” Nate turned his head, looking into the
amused face of the old minister again.

“Yeah.” He managed to reply. “Yeah, she is.”

“You’re a charming one, young man.” The minister shrugged. “She likes
that.”

“I… I think, I had enough.” Nate stood up, bowing to the minister, who
gave him a confused look. “Have a good night, thanks for all the food, dancing
and feasting.” With fast steps Nate left the hall, not heading for the small
bedrooms where a warm and comfy bed with a warm and comfy maiden waited for him,
but for the courtyard.

Outside he took a deep breath, entering the small stairs leading to the wall. He
took two steps at the same time, walking fast past a few meters of the wall and
then sat down between two battlements.

Nate stared down the sleeping city under the perfectly clear dark sky with tons
of stars and the huge half moon. He didn’t plan that. He never felt that way
towards a woman before in that short amount of time. He felt confused and
helpless and… He heard steps behind him and turned round.

On the wall stood Elaine, her hands folded in front of her, her face uplifted to
the dark starry sky. “It’s a wonderful night.” This wasn’t a question,
just a statement. He nodded, aware of her not looking at him. “I personally
like those nights more when no feast is going on.” She turned to him. Even in
the dark he could tell, she was blushing again. This thought made him smile
again. He instantly liked her blushing. He rose and walked to her, stopping
right next to her, looking up in the sky as well. He could feel the look of her
blue eyes on his face, so he turned the head to look at her as well.
She was looking at him, her eyes dark with huge pupils, her gaze a little bit
dizzy due to all the drinks, but still very attentive and examining. “You
haven’t told me your name.” Another statement. “In contrast to you knowing
my name for sure.” Another smile appeared on her face and made Nate’s heart
thump against his chest. “It’s Nathan, Mylady.” “Nathan.” She repeated
quietly, then she looked back at the dark sky. “I liked dancing with you,
Nathan.”

Nate slowly got the feeling that she wasn’t used to ask, but just to point out
obvious facts, but before he could finish that thought, she continued. “What
do you search for in my little principality?” She looked back at him. “Did
you gamble on charming me to get some free weapons?”

Nate backed off, blinking and raising his hands. He didn’t expect an attack
out of the sudden by her. “No, Mylady, I didn’t even know about that fact
about your country before I joined the feast..:”

She frowned, her eyes becoming two small slits in her face. “You bewitched a
few of my maidens. What for?”

Nate lowered his hands and sighed one more time. “I’m sorry, Mylady. I’m
just a wanderer and I was…” His eyes met hers again. She had laid her head
to one side, listening attentively to him and he suddenly got aware of the fact,
that he didn’t want to lie to this woman, never in his life I wanted to tell
her something that was not true. “I searched for a warm place to sleep in
because I ran out of money a few days ago.” His shoulders sank and he looked
down on the stones of that wall, looking awkward.

 

Elaine looked at this handsome man, who gave her those weird feelings. He looked
ashamed and so honest, that something inside her melted. She smiled warmly,
gently touching one of his upper arms. “You don’t look like someone without
money.” She asserted, ignoring the feeling of the muscles of his arm through
the textile of his tunic. She moved her hand away, a bit too quick and his dark
eyes found her faces. One of his eyebrows slightly rose. Instantly she felt
herself blushing again.

“I’m from a richer house, down in the East. But I chose to live the life of
a traveller. So money comes and goes…” From his face she could tell that he
was being completely honest towards her and she breathed in relief. “So, no
bewitching the weapon-queen to get advantages?”

He laughed. “No, Mylady, I didn’t even know, that the Archon of this
district is a woman. And even if I had known that, I wouldn’t have expected a
beautiful young Archon like you.” His laughter was deep but light, and in
combination with that compliment, Elaine felt her cheeks burn again and a
bashfully smile rose on her face. She wasn’t really used to such light and
charming compliments, normally passing over any compliments, concentrating on
the important things. She got the gift of the gab as well, but this man took her
ability to answer easily. So she swallowed and looked back to the sky in the
lack of something else then his face to look at. For a moment, there was
absolute silence. Only the slight hint at music being played somewhere behind
them in the buildings, the short calls of an owl and the breathing of the man
and the woman on the wall. Elaine felt his eyes on her face, examining it and
she was surprised as she noticed the upcoming wish to please him. Then he did
something, she didn’t expect.

“What about having another dance to the sound of silence, Mylady?” She
looked down on his outstretched offering hand, then into his face. He smiled at
her in a charming, slightly rascally way and to top it all, he winked at her.
She shivered by excitement and grabbed his hand smiling.

 

Down on the courtyard, Bastian the old minister looked amused up to the couple,
dancing to the music of the silence, their hand entangled as well as their eyes.
He smiled and turned around, back in the main hall. Maybe there was a free
maiden right now. An old man needed some comfort sometimes as well.

 

Nate blinked bewildered and tried to get back in reality. He had fallen in those
deep, blue eyes and had bowed forward as they ended their silent dance to kiss
her. A few centimetres from her lips away, he had woken up. Now he stared at her
face, her eyes closed, obviously as entangled in this magic moment as he had
been. When the expected kiss didn’t come, she slowly opened her eyes. There
was a smile in those eyes, and it was dedicated to him, then her mouth joined in
this smile. Her eyes promised him everything and he felt his heart racing in his
chest again. But more than that he felt her slender body against his, her warm
hands in his hand and on his shoulder, the line of her waist under his other
hand. This… good lord, this was too much. He couldn’t charm a Archon, no
matter how young, beautiful and fascinating she was, could he? This was not
suiting him down to the ground, it was out of his league for sure. He closed his
eyes and was about to back off.

And suddenly he felt her warm lips on his own. His eyes shot open instantly,
staring at her bemused. She let go of his lips and smiled again, this time not
shyly, but with a wink and the hint of passion in her eyes. He stared for what
felt like an eternity, fell back into her eyes, then he wrapped one arm around
her waist, with the other hand he gripped her face and pulled her closer to his
body and his face. Nate looked one last time in her eyes, then his lips gently
touched hers again. Elaine sighed against his mouth, then her lips parted
slightly, allowing him to deepen the kiss. He took the invitation and kissed her
with the whole might of his rising passion, shivering slightly by the intensity
of this kiss, which seemed to be the first real kiss of his life.


~tbc~

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