Take My Hand

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 5:26 pm

" Bull."

Marina replied honestly, flashing her award winning grin, not really paying attention at how close they were coming up on the castle now anyway.

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 5:26 pm

" Bull."

Marina replied honestly, flashing her award winning grin, not really paying attention at how close they were coming up on the castle now anyway.

Post by **Sushi** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 5:32 pm

"Oh yeah? Try me." Jethro eyed the front door as though judging the difference.

"Ready? Set. GO!" He took a step, but looked over his shoulder to make sure she was starting and not going to leave him to look like a fool.

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 5:33 pm

Marina contemplated him for a moment as he started to call out, then played a bit on teh dirty side and pounced him down to the ground and hit the door at a dead run, barely getting it open as she stumbled inside, momentum kind of a pain as she skidded a few feet, giggling softly, completely aware there was no way she'd hurt him.

Post by **Sushi** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 5:40 pm

Jethro gave a grunt and a laugh as he hopped up, ignoring the dirt on his knees and the stray piece of grass poking out of his hair. He raced after her. However, as he got to the threshold the way his body moved looked as though he had hit an invisible brick wall.

"NRRRGGG!" He put a hand on his forehead as though he had just run full force into a barrier with it. The man looked at her expectantly from the other side of the doorframe.

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 5:43 pm

Marina made a small face, looking to Jethro.

" Really?"

She asked, moving to stand directly across from him, hand out stretched, not quite getting this one, thinking perhaps he was upset at her or something.

Post by **Sushi** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 5:46 pm

Jethro looked at the hand with a sort of pathetic expression.

"You have to invite me in." He frowned as if it were the biggest nuisance ever, looking over the castle front door.

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 6:29 pm

Marina smiled slightly, reaching and tugging at his hand, murmuring something under her breath along the lines of ' you can come in for a little bit' and tugging him in behind her, hoping he could help find Ephriam.

Post by **Sushi** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 6:36 pm

Jethro sighed slightly, following after her with a pout.

"Well, you're no fun. The last person I did that to stood on the other side of the door for half and hour trying to figure out how to get me in when there wasn't any problem to begin with - that's just a myth. But you... You just yanked me through." Jethro shrugged then, peeking into the kitchen only to find no Ephriam. No Ephriam in the study either. Jethro looked at one of the dimmer hallways, murmuring under his breath.

"Maybe his room." He cast a glance at Marina.

"I don't suppose you've ever been in his room?" The man began turned down a spiral staircase that would lead to one of the subfloors below.

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 6:40 pm

" I wasn't out of my own request, not his."

She replied softly, noting that she'd never been forbidden anywhere in this castle, following his lead at this point.

Post by **Sushi** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 6:56 pm

Jethro nodded slightly.

"I see." He scratched the back of his head.

"Well, I didn't see it for the first three years I knew him." Jethro turned into another small room, one that had bookshelf and a small worn chair. There was a rug on the floor and the wallpaper was peeling. Jethro walked over to the small lamp attached to the wall and pulled on it, the wall opening to what was probably once a servant's entrance.

"He's a little touchy about it sometimes." Jethro walked down the darkening stairwell. At the bottom it was pitch black, not any light anywhere. Jethro stopped.

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 6:58 pm

Marina was following fine until he stopped, and ran right into Jethro's back, wincing slightly.

" Warn me first. Remember, I don't see in the dark as well as you do."

Certainly she had very good eye sight, but nothing next to his.

Post by **Sushi** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 7:10 pm

Jethro just stood there, not responding for once. He did look down and step to the side so that the woman was exposed in the dark room. After a moment of silence there was a soft rustling of fabric and then footsteps.

Away from them about five feet a match was struck and then placed to a small candle. As the wick lit fire, the light spread, casting a soft glow on the entire room. Ephriam didn't look up at them, didn't say anything. Instead he paced back over the furthest corner of the room and sat back down in a huge collection of satin-cased pillows. The candle sat on top of a chest of drawers stained dark on the left, and its light reflected off of the midnight color of the paint on the walls. There was a cherry finish on the hardwood, and it all looked well maintained, if though a bit old. The right wall was one whole bookshelf with very little space not taken by books. Ephriam had one in his hands as he sat there. It was old and worn as though it had been well loved for a very long time.

Other than that, there was only one other piece of furniture:

A full sized piano and bench with black satin seat. It reflected the candlelight as though it were glad to finally show off its perfection to someone else.

There was no bed.

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 7:15 pm

Marina glanced to Jethro, in a silent 'thanks, and go on' kind of motion, making her way slowly to Ephriam, her face still showing it was obvious that she'd been crying recently, uncertain how to approach this with how she was feeling towards him, carefully setting down beside him in the silence.

Post by **Sushi** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 7:20 pm

Jethro looked between the two. Marina's shooing didn't really affect him - he had a certain tendency to do whatever he wanted. However, his wants happened to coincide with hers this time. Plus a smart aleck remark, of course.

"All right, I'll leave you kids alone." And he left.

Ephriam flipped the page. His colors were back to normal too, his washed out green eyes scanning the letters, not even looking up at the lady next to him. It wasn't exactly ignoring her, though. It was more like... waiting for your execution.

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 7:25 pm

" why did you have to lie?"

She asked simply, after the longest silence possible, taking in every inch of him.

" I don't understand."

Post by **Sushi** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 7:30 pm

Ephriam still didn't look at her, and he was quiet for quite a time. But then he exhaled long and spoke simply, truthfully.

"I was afraid." He hadn't changed clothes since before. His cuffs were still rolled back and there was a bit of dirt on him, his black hair stuck up at an odd angle on the side. The only thing he had done was take his shoes off and now he sat there reading.

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 7:34 pm

Marina moved, taking the book gently. She wanted full attention and answers, making it so her eyes caught his, wanting him to understand her, as she was already starting to understand him.

" Of what? I'd be terrified of you? I've known you too long for that to happen all over again. If you'd had told me at the beginning, it merely would have taken longer for me to trust... Nothing really would have happened either way...."

Post by **Sushi** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 7:44 pm

Ephriam's pale eyes settled on her bright ones as his arms rested on his knees.

"No." The man lifted one hand, exposing his wrist and offering his palm as though to show himself to her.

"Look. I chose you out of everyone. If I would have told you, you would have hated not only me but the world. You would have despised it for lying to you, shading existences from your eyes. It would have been condemning myself even further. Abominations are to be hated and to be outcast." He looked down now. Now his chips seemed worthless to him as he muttered the last part.

"I wanted you to like me."

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 7:46 pm

" I still do. I simply hurt, you hurt me."

Marina explained softly, trying to get him to know why this was such a issues, and that it wasn't the fact of what he was, merely that he'd hid it from her.

Post by **Sushi** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 8:10 pm

Ephriam sighed softly and shook his head.

"It was not my intention." His eyes drifted over her face and rested sadly over her cut. he knew that it wasn't serious, but still... He lifted a hand out to her, inviting her to lean forward if she wanted.

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 8:14 pm

Slowly Marina moved into his arms, as it looked more comfortable the just leaning forward, resting her head gently on his shoulder, looking up at him.

" anything else I should know?"

Post by **Sushi** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 8:22 pm

Ephriam looked down at her.

"I am really really old." He couldn't summon the smile that would have turned the fact into a joke. Instead he gently placed one of his cool hands on the side of her face.

"Now, please, do not panic. This is completely painless. Okay?" He paused for her permission.

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 8:24 pm

" I'm really really mortal, your point? while you'll maintain beauty and stature, I'll become a wrinkled husk and die. We're even."

she replied, smiling softly, watching him close as she nodded slowly, remaining nestled on his shoulder.

Post by **Sushi** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 8:34 pm

Ephriam leaned forward, gently pressing his lips to her wound and running his tongue along it. He tasted he blood and her soft flesh, swallowing as he focused on the healing wound. After a moment he drew away, not looking her directly in the eye.

"Better?" He wasn't exactly ashamed - it was a difficult emotion.

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 8:37 pm

Turning his head to look at her, she locked eyes with him once more, smiling softly.

" You tell me, how's it look?"

She asked softly, knowing it was definitely better, if not gone, as she no longer felt the sharp ache in her cheek.

Marina yawned softly, smiling slightly.

" Why are you having a had time looking at me since this happened?"

Post by **Sushi** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 8:45 pm

Ephriam just nodded at her face. It was much better, but then again he had known that before. He just sat there before answering her next question.

"You would laugh at me if I told you." He noted her yawn and his expression warmed slightly and he drew his book back out of her lap.

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 8:47 pm

" Tell me anyway."

Marina pressed, moving to snuggle up into his shirt, like normal when cold and tired, ignoring her destroyed dress and all it's tears, shoes falling off as she looked at him, waiting.

Post by **Sushi** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 8:53 pm

Ephriam wrapped one arm around her waist, picking off a stray bit of grass. He was quiet at first and then he let out a sigh, whispering the answer in her ear.

"You remind me of the sun."

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 8:56 pm

Marina smiled softly, nuzzling down a bit more, yawning and letting her eyes close as she rested to him, speaking softly.

" That's not funny, it's nice. Gonna read some more? If so, read aloud..."

Post by **Sushi** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:01 pm

Ephriam looked down at her thoughtfully and then wrapped his arm further around so that he could properly flip to where he had left off. He took a breath and then his voice rose out of his chest with deep intonation. And so he read to Marina. And the book? Siddhartha.

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:05 pm

Resting to him, she listened intently, following the story in silence, glad they at least seemed to be alright, if not perfect.

Then of course, her wondering mind pulled her out of thoughts.

" Is Jethro gone frmo the house?"

Post by **Sushi** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:09 pm

Ephriam paused in the story and stared at Marina.

"You don't still hate him do you? He really is a good man." But then Ephriam shut his eyes and took in a deep breath, took in the house with his senses.

"Yes."

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:13 pm

" He's annoying sometimes, but I don't hate him. Part of what was causing the problem was I could tell there were secrets going on."

Marina pointed out softly.

Post by **Sushi** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:17 pm

Ephriam just nodded slightly, like a little kid acknowledging that he had done wrong and was about to get a lick. It felt like she was punishing him, driving the steak into his heart only to leave it as a tourniquet. His eyes drifted away to the burning candle.

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:18 pm

" I'm not harping."

Marina purred, noticing him looking from her.

" Look at me. "

she purred softly, hating it when he looked from her... it was annoying.

Post by **Sushi** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:26 pm

Ephriam brought his eyes around to her again. He shifted his position slightly on the pillows so that he wasn't slid down so far.

"You should get some rest, Marina." It was late. He knew that well.

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:33 pm

" True, but I'm kind of curious about you right now, and I don't think sleeping in your invisible bed is the wisest idea, so I plan to stay right here and eventually work up to poking and prodding you when I have the energy."

Post by **Sushi** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:38 pm

For the first time all night, Ephriam gave a smile, if though very small.

"Well, I don't really see the point of a bed in here, but there are a lot of them in the castle. Besides, I will be here when you wake up. I do live here after all." He looked down at her with a sort of faint amusement.

Post by **Tree** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:39 pm

" Well, that the case or no, I don't need you disappearing on me again. So, I plan to stay here and work on building energy."