Explanations and Retribution [Pala and J’lyara have a serious conversation]

[Palacrisis D Jones]

The tenth of Cryaxtum [Pracenda ]

The light was fading fast and the warm sultry air of the island was redolent of flowers. A perfect darkening for a romantic Pracenda for two lovers under the stars of Telath, Unfortunately that was not on the agenda for either of them. The walk to the mansion and their conversation had been pleasant delightful even but even with his wife’s partial memory both of them knew that this darkening was a critical for their future.

They could not put off this for long what had to be said was better said and better said quickly for both of them.

However Pala was not going to be entirely hair shirted about this and had ordered a small but tasty cold buffet to be sent to his suite a couple of bottles of chilled white wine and a table set up on the suite balcony over looking the gardens.

He had changed his crumpled clothing and sat twirling a fluted glass waiting for his wife like a boy on a first date.

The situation was confused , he loved J’lyara had always loved J’lyara but he had grown lonely in the two years she had been missing .A new job, a new province alone and under pressure and he had succumbed to the charms of another. What a disaster !

But now J’lyara was back she was alive and well beautiful as ever and he wanted her back . But that was easier said than done there were hurdles to be negotiated, missing parts and she deserved an explanation of his actions. It would be painful for both of them but pala knew that a little pain was worth getting her back.

He waited sat at the table on the balcony with an untouched glass of wine in his fingers waiting for the real love of his life to knock on his hotel door .

[J'lyara]

After they'd returned to the Marquis from having visited House Doni together, they'd decided to go to their separate rooms until pracenda. During that time, J'lyara continued to remember parts of her life the way it had been. The more she remembered, the taller she stood...not just physically but inside. The feeling that had plagued her over the past couple of eras that she was nothing, no one, unloved and unmissed was now gone. But in its place a simmering disappointment bordering on anger had surfaced. And the majority of it was directed at the man who was patiently waiting on her to come and share pracenda with him. Fortunately, or unfortunately, for them both her memory had returned enough that she was now incensed at the realization that the man she loved more than any other had discarded her and their vows for some other woman.

She looked down at the ring on her finger and frowned as she slid it from her finger. It was the first time in a very long while that it had been removed and there was left a small indention around her slender finger instead. Laying the ring on the stand next to her lonely bed, she turned toward the door and walked out with purpose, her pretty lips wearing no trace of a smile.

The woman who stood in the doorway when Palacrisis opened the door was by some standards extraordinarily beautiful. She hadn't the look of a Lady at this moment, but it was because she had been living as a waitress on a small, near secluded island and before that she'd labored to help the fishing family she'd been sheltered by in Abestat to earn her keep. No, she didn't look like a Lady, without the extravagance that was afforded those who never had to worry about the cost of a dress or nice shoes. But the simple dress draping her shapely curves did nothing to detract from her beauty.

It was vividly blue and flowed to near her shin. No intricate designs lined the collar or the hem, but simplicity to perfection while being in line with the brightness of island living. Her skin shown nicely tanned in contrast, shoulders bared because of the thin straps holding the dress to her form. Her hair was a vision to look upon, as she'd made sure it would be so, a simple golden band pushing her hair back from her face. Once again it was left to hang down her back, but it had been brushed over and over until it was a silken wave without a hair out of place, a gorgeous shade of red with natural golden highlights from so much time in the suns' light, swinging gently at the top of her rounded bottom. At some point, she'd be adventurous enough to cut it but it had been allowed to grow without hindrance in the time she'd been away from her husband.

“I remember our wedding day.” It was all she said as she walked forward to enter his suite, close the door behind her with a soft click, and then look up at him with a hint of accusation in her light hazel eyes.

[Palacrisis D Jones]

And so do I J’lyara he replied standing up and walking towards her letting his eyes wander frankly over her You were beautiful that day and you are beautiful now.

Do men really notice such things as rings? Maybe some men do but not Palacrisis, not this time. He had eyes only for her face and there was a harder edge to it. hardly surprising really what they had to say to each other did not call for humour,

Please J’lyara take a seat and have a glass of wine we have much to discuss and surely we can do that in some comfort. if she was willing he would lead her to the table on the balcony and sit her down with his hands behind her chair before sitting before her.

“Very well you deserve some form of explanation from me but that must start long before I met Katherine L’Rodan. When I realised that you had gone and there was no word from you to explain I tried to find you I searched high and low all that summer like a man demented . My work was ignored my duty to the empire forgotten all in the task of finding you. I will not bore you with details but I finally returned to Aelyria Prime a man weary broken and dispirited. I had convinced myself that you had left me and that somehow you either had found someone else or at worst you had died.”

“I went to see Milo and we talked , the role of the Imperial Consul was diminished by the development of Milo’s cabinet government system and frankly I was no longer prepared to accept a sinecure of three hundred thousand crowns per era. Thus Milo offered me a governorship either Arakmat or Sherian.

Sheria held too many painful memories and I accepted Arakmat and moved to Imperia in the autumn with Meyra and Kallick. Jacobus is still with us and as gloomy as ever , Clarisse Von Dribblepot retired and married Cedric Rioja the chef and they live on the estate in Taralon.

He poured another glass of wine and lit a cigar before continuing there was much that J’lyara had to assimilate and the worst part of the story was yet to be told.

[J'lyara]

A delicate hand reached for the glass of wine and she took a long sip of it allowing it to warm her chest, it also serving to calm her some. Allowing him to push in her chair, she watched his cherished face as he spoke. Her own lips didn't move, other than to take more sips of wine.

She was upset and it was visible in her demeanor. The woman he was looking at now was closer to the wife he'd lost than she'd been in quite some time. And because of that she was also heart broken over their vows having been broken and tossed away.

Finally she did speak when he seemed to pause, “You didn't look long enough obviously. I'm not dead and there was no other man. There hasn't been.” There were tears stinging the edges of her eyes and a hurt so deep it was impossible not to see it. But she was determined not to cry, she wanted to be stronger than that.

The thought of another woman sleeping in her bed, next to her husband...of her brushing her daughter's blonde locks or encouraging her son to be even better than he already was gnawed at her insides. The woman's scent was likely all over the home Pala now lived in and it make J'lyara nauseous to think of it.

Abruptly she stood up and went to look out over the city, her back to him, the warm breeze sifting through her red tresses. “Tell me about her. Who is this woman that took my place in your life. The one who made it easier for you to forget....”

She nearly choked on her words and grew silent again.

[Palacrisis D Jones]

“Confessions of an adulterer”

Pala pulled in a deep breath and for a moment sought that centre of peace that his occasional studies of sorcery had taught him to find

She was as mad as a wasp and who could blame her? he mused to himself. Harsh words, angry hurt words spilled from her and he knew she had every right to spit these accusations out. He should have searched for longer he should have waited but there is always a but! J’lyara was hurting at his betrayal but she had been missing for nearly two eras no word no clue of her whereabouts the but was that he was a man a real man and a man needs a woman in his life. He had mourned her thought her permanently gone from his life but he had needs as well.

The breath was expelled slowly and he was calm, he nodded sadly and looked deep into her hazel eyes.

Yes J’lyara I could have looked longer I wish that I had done so but I am not a private man, a man who can give everything up and indulge his most basic wishes. I am a servant of the empire and have duties to perform, responsibilities to fulfil. I was torn between two worlds J’lyara, it is the penalty of high office. No matter what my deepest desires were my private life had to be weighed in the balance of who I am. So I returned to the halls of power when I could have completed my search for you. I am guilty as charged and I ask for your mercy.

There was only sadness in his eyes as he thought duty is a hard taskmaster it weighs a man down and limits his free will it wrecks relationships and in the end only the duty remains a baton to be passed on whilst the individual is long forgotten.

She swirled to her feet looking out over the balcony into the distance, the fiery red hair like a halo of fire in the warm soft light of fading brightening. He longer to put his arms around her and hold her tight , to tell her that it was all right that everything was better but the stinging barbed words of hurt spat out from behind her tresses stayed him and he sought again for calm and some sort of reasoning behind his actions.

Katherine L’Rodan wrote to me and other well known people soliciting donations for a theatre which she and her father were trying to build in Aelyria Prime. I replied with a small donation and some words of support for the project and forgot about the letters. A month later this pretty girl arrived in Imperia to thank me. I was surprised but I confess flattered that a girl like Katherine should want to see me. She was so full of energy and keeness for the theatre being a budding playwright. I was low spirited tired and lonely. Arakmat is a minefield of problems and I was trying to build some form of government in Imperia so Katherine was like a flash of bright light in my life.

She led and I followed. I do not deny that fact J’lyara I was intrigued by her, puzzled that such a young woman was interested in me. Flattered, yes, she was bright vivacious and I gained something from being with her. We did not sleep together J’lyara her moral outlook would not allow her to do that at least not before she was wed. Meyra and her got on well and even performed a play together in the gardens. So I succumbed believing you gone from my life and I wrote to the regent explaining what was happening and as head of the church of faith he ruled that our marriage was dissolved on the grounds that two eras had passed and you were reasonably believed to have died.

The marriage was a grand affair with all the great ones of the empire in attendance except Nell for some reason. Archbishop Walt Jacobson married us and as we stood together on the steps of the Cathedral of Carmelya’s Fingers the marriage was over virtually before it had started.

A masked man broke through the crowd and pointed a loaded crossbow directly at Katherine turned and then fired badly wounding the Thane of Aelyria Prime Liselle Vamplyer-Sapientia, as you can understand utter chaos reigned for some moments I got Katherine and Meyra away and bundled them into her parents carriage and they fled back to their estate.

He paused wetting his mouth with some of the wine.

I was torn between duty and my responsibility to Katherine , Milo called a council of war and of course I had to attend, it lasted all of our wedding night and when I returned to the L’Rodan estate Katherine had barred her bedroom door to me.

Eventually she relented and we returned to Imperia but what I thought was love had gone , she was there for just two cycles before she threw my duty back in my face. I had warned her before we were married that I not a private man and that the empire owned much of me but she could not accept that fact. We argued and Katherine then packed up and left returning to her parents and we have not yet corresponded. The marriage was over virtually as it started, we consummated the affair but once but neither of us had much enthusiasm.

This my love is the truth the whole of this sad and sorry tale. I have no feelings for Katherine and I expect she has even less for me. I was wrong, dreadfully wrong I have made a mistake that frankly puts my whole career in jeopardy my lack of judgement over this affair must put doubt into the regents mind about my fitness to serve I know it does mine!

His shoulders slumped his head was bowed and J’lyara would see that the once dark head of hair was now tinged with the silver of age and experience, bitter experience!

[J'lyara]

She shifted around to look at him again, leaning against the railing, her large eyes seeking his tinged with the tears that spoke of how hurt she was. It was difficult for her to listen to his explanation. Not only had he been taken with the "vivacious" young woman, he'd married her in a "grand affair" that it sounded like the whole of the Empire had been invited to. Lowering her head, a sigh escaped her pretty lips that seemed to come from deep within her chest.

Part of her wanted to walk out of the suite, turn her back on him as he'd done her while she suffered with the loss of her memory separated from her family for so long. The hurt ran deep and she wasn't at all sure she'd be able to get past it.

The prevailing factor that made it more difficult than it might have been was that she deseparately still loved her husband. She remembered enough to know that there wasn't a soul in the Empire more suited to her fiery, whimsical nature than the man in front of her. Only he could steady her, keeping a firm hand for her to latch on to while still allowing her the freedom to be herself. Being married to him had been like a dream for J'lyara. He'd always spoiled her rotten and inspired her to be her best. That fact made it just that much more difficult to accept any other woman in his life.

A slender arm wound its way around her own small waist, almost as if she were going to be sick. And then she took a deep breath, walking back over to the table. Swiping at her eyes, eyes that seemed to have stars in them from the glare of the moons light...a gaze so intense.

“Where do we go from here? Does she wear your name? What if she realizes her mistake and decides to come back?” She didn't even give him a chance to answer before she turned around again, showing him the sultry curve of her back.

“No. I want to go to Prime, straight away Pala. I want this fixed. We need to go see Milo. I am not agreeable to a Dissolution of our Marriage and I.....I want it reversed. You must do this for me. I want it reversed.” She said it with conviction and the strength of her emotions about it pushed more tears from her eyes.

“I'm not hungry.” Her lips were trembling some as she looked at him, the pain in her heart making her appear as miserable as she was. She needed his arms around her but she wasn't going to ask for that. Instead, she walked back inside and lay across his bed and starred up at the intricate candleabra hanging from the ceiling, a constant stream of tears trailing down the sides of her face to the bed coverlet.

[Palacrisis D Jones]

He loved the fiery nature of this woman even the arguments were good with her they rose white hot like a blacksmiths sparks and faded just as quickly. He had indulged her and enjoyed watching her face as some gift or other was presented it had given him pleasure. But this darkening was different the hurt ran deep inside her and smooth words and little gifts were not going to be enough. J’lyara was looking inside herself and concentrating on the me ignoring the needs and emotions of her husband. Pala took a deep breath again forcing down the anger that was building inside of him. His voice was harder this time

“Yes she bears my name we were married its customary and no I do not believe she will return to me, ITS OVER!”

The last words were loud and fierce and would leave her in no doubt of his beliefs. He shook his head and turned away from her standing looking over the balcony his hands white with the effort of controlling himself.

In a softer voice he spoke. “ Where do we go from here?” he repeated her question and sank into silence for a moment weighing his words carefully. Before spinning on his heels and walking towards the woman he loved lying on the inviting bed.

“Very well J’lyara, in the morning we shall go to Aelyria Prime and beg an audience with the regent. As I see it the dissolution of our marriage was made on a false premise and that was that after two era’s both myself and the regent believed that you were dead. I shall ask nay beg Milo to rescind this decision. If he agrees that leaves me married to two woman at once in other words a bigamist.”

“Now J’lyara whether we like it or not there is no Article of the Imperium which prevents a man from taking two wives!”

He held his hand up to stay her hot words of protest

“I have made a mistake and it effects us but J’lyara this also effects the judgement of the regent so there is more at stake then our future happiness together. Ideally I would like to see the second marriage granted a divorce with a single sweep of a signature but Milo may not see it that way. He is the head of the church and this is a matter not only of law but of the morality of the empire. If he sets a precedent in our case who knows the ramifications this decision may give birth too.”

He shook his head sadly “My love a few candle marks ago I was the happiest man alive knowing you were alive and well. Now we must face the fact that there are going to be difficulties in front of us but know this J’lyara D Jones I love you more than anything. If you will have me back I shall be your husband for the rest of my life. If I have to return to normal life and give up my position I shall do this for you willingly.”

“But if you accept me back there can be no shadow between us you must forgive my error wholly and without using it as a weapon in any disagreement we shall have in the future. What is said this darkening must be put aside it cannot act as a barrier between us to picked at and chewed upon when ever some frailty is to remarked upon.”

He sat down on the edge of the bed and stretched a hand across to find hers “If we are to get through this ordeal my love we must be as one there can be no differences unresolved between us when we face Milo.”

[J'lyara]

She winced as he raised his voice at her, it reverberating off the walls of the extravagant suite. Turning to her side, and raising up so that her hand was supporting the side of her head, she looked at the man she'd married about to protest before his gesture gave her pause. Her dress had shifted some so that he could see much more of her smooth shapely legs and the curve of her hip as she lay enticingly across his bed was visbile. She not feeling particularly modest, it didn't bother her that having her dress caught beneath her side was causing the top portion of it to squeeze her ample bosom to distraction.

Pursing her lips together in a frustrated line, she remained quiet as he finished explaining to her that it was possible she would have to continue to share her title as his wife with Katherine. A silky curtain of red waves rained down onto the bed around her arm, she not say anything for a long while after he'd finished.

Her gaze revealed a mixture of pain and anger and 'how could you?' which registered on her beautiful face with absolute clarity. But she was trying to listen to reason and trying to settle the ache in her heart. Finally she spoke, her voice carrying to him in a seductive whisper, “I'll not share my husband. I won't.”

And she meant it. One way or another, she'd see her husband's name removed from the other woman's Visa. It seemed to soothe her some that he agreed they should go to Prime and speak with the Regent. A slender arm raised toward him, her hand outstretched, inviting him to lay next to her....to be warmed by the soft curves of his true wife.

If they needed to clear the air completely before they reached Prime and her dear friends then she needed to speak the rest of it. “The house...the one you lived in with her...the one you live in now? I don't wish to live there. I wouldn't be able to bear it.” She looked up into his eyes, pleading with him to grant the final wish she'd need to somehow move past their current situation so that they could find their love once again.

[Palacrisis D Jones]

J’lyara was giving off signals that not even a blind coal miner at midnight could misinterpret. Whether it was deliberate or unconscious Pala was neither blind or made of stone. He needed, wanted this darkening to be over to get the whole sorry business over and done with so he could hold her as a husband should hold his wife. It was torture to sit there beside her and watch her emotions paint a picture across her perfect face. It was torture to look at her in artless poses that inflamed his senses and not to be able to hold her.

He watched and the picture changed the very air in the suite seemed to take on a warmer hue, a sultry arm stretched towards him a simple gesture but one that was unmistakable and with a slight sigh of relief he accepted the invitation to lie beside her.

J’lyara he whispered touching her flaming tresses with his finger tips you are my wife, my love, the mother of our children in the future. I will let nothing else come between us no person shall deny us our happiness.

He almost chuckled as she made her stipulations Oh my love nothing would give me greater pleasure the governors residence in Imperia is a dump. If I never step inside that gloomy house again it will not be too soon. No, have no worries on that score I have plans for Arakmat and for us.

The next part of the conversation was muffled but involved words like …“Sultan, palace , wonder of the empire ..luxury“

Somehow Pala found himself not wearing a shirt and snuggling up to the curves of his love. The candles that illuminated the room were wearing down, the moons had hidden themselves behind convenient clouds and shadows slipped like coverlets across the room. Whatever was left to be said would be mere whispers in the dark.


What was going to happen in the next few brightenings was in the lap of the gods but one thing was certain lost love had been reunited.

[J'lyara]

It seemed natural to help him remove his shirt, her soft hands eagerly seeking to touch what she hadn't touched for much too long. She remembered how broad his chest was and it had always seemed even moreso without tunic or vest.

The room was exceptionally warm now that she lay in the arms of her husband again. Warm and fragrant with the flowery scent emanating from her skin. Their harsh and bitter words were forgotten as the power of their attraction to one another took over and they succumbed to the wondrous pleasures that exist between man and woman when love is true, deep, and lasting.

“I love you Pala...I do...” Her lips were pressed against his as she murmured the intimate words. And she always had loved him. From the very first moment she'd looked into his eyes in Taralon, wounded and vulnerable, she'd been entranced. And that intensity hadn't diminished despite all that had happened. “Take me...I long to remember whom it is I belong to...”

The small, lonely room that J'lyara had inhabited since arriving in Chelseanna would not have her presence any longer. She'd been found.

[Palacrisis D Jones]

OOC ~ For next post see Mixing precedence and pleasure