Jeremy Laszlo - The Choosing

It was not long when the short balding man again came abruptly through the door. His apparently permanent grin remaining, greeted the companions and asked them how the food was. Accepting their praises on the quality of the food and drink he had provided, he assured Garret they could pay in the morning when they had eaten again and received their mounts. Whalen had told them that any friend of Sirus was a friend of the Stamping Steed and he trusted them to pay in the morning. Stating that he needed to return to his duties in the kitchen, Whalen informed them they were staying in room twenty seven on the second floor, and wished them a good night’s rest. The companions bid him good night in return, and collecting their packs from the floor, strode together across the room and up one giant staircase to the second floor.

They found their room easily and quickly went inside. The room was much larger than they had expected. Inside were two large beds, one on either side of the room. Beside each bed sat a small writing table equipped with quill and ink, and a stool. Directly between the two beds was a long wooden table with two large wash basins, several towels, and a hair brush upon it. Across the middle of the floor sprawled a decorative rug, brightly woven in contrasting patterns, and upon the walls hung several paintings depicting the city itself from different views within its walls.

After entering the room and taking in all its contents Ashton, the last to enter closed and barred the door, then stood with his companions waiting to see what it s they would do.

Garret first tried to reason with his brother, asking him to accept a bed, knowing that he above all of them needed to rest. Seth, denied the offer, knowing well that he would much prefer spend the night propped against a wall with Sara in his arms. Seeing this battle was lost, Garret then tried to reason with Sara, pleading with her to accept one of the beds, saying something about a lady should never have to sleep on the floor. Sara too declined his offer, if Seth was sleeping on the floor, so would she. Garret tried to reason with them each once more saying they should at least share a bed, he would sleep on the floor and Ashton could use the other bed. This proposal was replied to by Seth with a look that could have melted the walls around them. Garret quickly gave up his protests after the look from his brother and went to wash his hands and face in one of the basins on the table. The others joined him, each washing their face and hands. Garret and Ashton quickly washed and climbed into their beds, each blowing out the lanterns near their beds. The only light remaining in the room was a small candle upon the large table holding the basins. Sara stopped Seth before he left the table, and pulling his head low to the water, she rinsed the dried blood from his hair that still remained as best as she could and helped him to dry his hair. Smiling in satisfaction at Seth’s hair Sara then took up the brush, and began to brush the tangles from her hair. As she brushed, Seth stood watching her practiced strokes through her hair. He stepped behind her as she worked a knot from her hair and placed his hands upon her hips. Hearing his brother’s and Aston’s light snoring he pulled her into himself, and reached around her waist. Taking the brush from her hand, he returned it to the table. Raising one hand Seth gently pulled her hair back over her shoulder, keeping the other hand firmly around her waist. As he exposed her neck, he bent slightly bringing his lips to the warm flesh of her neck he kissed her softly. Sara trembled with the kiss. Seth kissed her again, this time a little higher than the last. Again Sara’s small frame quivered. So he kissed her neck again and again working his way up her neck to her fragile jaw and continued to kiss her all the way to her ear lobe. Here he exhaled slightly, blowing warm air into her ear, sending a powerful shudder through her small body, and she spun in his arms, turning to face him.

Sara’s face was flushed red, and she threw her arms around his neck and jumped up wrapping her legs around his waist. Seth held her there tightly, their bodies entwined. Sara kissed him several times on the mouth, each time more passionately, each time more vigorously than the last. Seth kissed her back, giving her everything in return that she gave him.

Seth realizing he had let her go too far, relaxed his hold on Sara, and gently pulled back to look her in the face. She looked disappointed. Sara remained, her legs wrapped around his waist, arms around his neck, supporting her own weight. She knew why he stopped. She looked Seth in the eyes waiting patiently for him to gather his thoughts. She knew it was time for the speech about it wasn’t time yet. She had heard it before, and she understood why he felt the way he did. At least she thought she understood. Sara recalled her decision to tell him how she felt when they were next alone, and listening to the other boys snoring quietly in the room she figured this was probably as alone as they were going to get for a while.

“I’m sorry Sara.” Seth whispered to her. “I let it go too far.”

“No you didn’t.” Sara stated matter-of-factly.

“Yes I did angel, and it won’t happen again I promise.” Seth said painfully.

“It better happen again.” Sara stated in a joking tone.

“What?…why?” Seth asked not understanding her tone.

“Because my love.” Sara said barely louder than a whisper. “Because I want it to happen again, because I want you love me freely and because I love you.” Sara said the last statement more boldly than the previous, making sure he heard her.

Seth was taken aback. He had not expected this turn of events. He had hoped for it, wished for it, even prayed for it, but never expected it. Wanting more than anything to make her happy he too whispered to her.

“I love you too, my angel, I have loved you from the moment I first laid eyes on you, and I shall love you beyond the day when my eyes no longer open.”

The words were nothing less than Sara had hoped for. She knew they were true, she knew he would love her like no one else ever could, and she knew also that she would never stop loving him, no matter what would happen to them, she would forever stay by his side.

With tears of joy clouding her eyes, she pulled her arms once again tightly around his neck and squeezed her legs around his waist and kissed him relentlessly. Seth did not hold back this time, and he kissed her furiously, yet gently, all the while crushing her body to his.

Seth was unsure if it was due to the weakened state of his mending body, or to the long hours on the trail, or simply because of the fact he was so overcome with emotion, but his knees began to tremble. Afraid he might fall and hurt Sara he finally forced himself to put her down. She relented, unwillingly, but soon realized he had released her due to necessity, not because it was what he wanted. Sara helped to steady Seth, and walked him across the room towards the door. Seth pressed his back to the door and slid to the floor landing a bit uncomfortably, seated against its wooden frame. Sara dug through his pack and retrieved their blanket. She wrapped it around his shoulders, and began to climb into his lap. Seth put his hand up in protest, stopping Sara in her tracks. Thinking he was in more pain than she had imagined she sat down next to him and just rested her head on his shoulder.

“That’s not what I had in mind.” Seth stated a jovial tone to his voice.

With that, Seth reached one arm around Sara’s waist and pulled her around in front of him, facing him. He pulled her to his body and gently lay down on his side, bringing her body with his. Seth stretched out his legs, and wrapped one arm under Sara’s head to support it, pulled her close, bringing her face to his chest. He wrapped his other arm around her waist, and slid one leg between hers. Bending his neck slightly he kissed the top of her head, breathing in the scent of her long black hair. They lay in the light of a single distant candle, their bodies pressed together tightly, entwined lovingly, reveling in each other’s embrace.