A Room With a View - Shawntay

[Shawntay]

Shawn listened. She dared not to speak. In the end though he still did not reveal the actual reason behind his mark, only how he felt for his unrevealed actions, though it was evident that it was some sort of crime. Perhaps it is best for now. Perhaps in time he will feel comfortable enough with everything, and her, to unload such a burden from his chest. Perhaps when he realized that she wasn’t like anyone that he had ever encountered before.

What did Ulfr see as he was venting? He saw a woman sitting across him, full of compassion and the will to stay with him, though thick and thin. The half elf would not leave him sitting alone in the Tavern in order to face his past alone. For what Shawn saw was a man that has punished himself enough to want a change in his life. Shawn could witness the longing written on every expression that radiated from his face as he spoke. He has changed, now he just needed to admit this to himself.

"I won't lie to you, the person that I was deserved this reward. I hope that I am changed, but I don't know that I am, how can I tell?" His last words begged her for an answer. What was she to say to a man that has punished himself more than the mark that he wore from day to day? Again Shawn leaned forward. Her voice was, as usual, soft and reassuring, for what she saw was a repentant man before her and she would not deny him the satisfaction knowing that someone was finally on his side and free from judgment. "It seems to me that you have punished yourself more than any other. The mark serves as a warning to you as well, each time you look in the mirror. Perhaps you have changed more than you are willing to admit. You long for a life that is better. That is a good start. You have seen how harsh people can be for the brand that you wear, deserved perhaps, but you have also displayed repentance. I can see the desire to be a better person laced within your eyes. I doubt that you will go back to the person that you once were." Shawn paused for a moment and drained her ale, now feeling its power as it caused her skin to become slightly numb. "And I would love another ale. And I don't plan on leaving. I don't have it in my power to leave you alone like others have in the past. I could not fail you in such a manner." Yes she heard the words that he muttered beneath his breath.

The female relaxed back into her chair. She let her head fall back for a moment, taking a deep breath as she willed the situation and subject between them to die down. Slowly she sat up and untied her hair, the bun giving her a headache. Shawn's eyes, however, watched Ulfr with intensity. She wondered what he was really thinking. Perhaps he thought that she was like other women. But what type of women had he entertained before? Shawn held so many questions within her. For the first time she desired to know everything about this male but in the end she doubted that she would have the courage to ask since she still imagined his lack of interest in an ex-slave girl.

[Ulfr Grimsson]

Ulfr finally managed a smile at the woman who was seated at the same table as himself, this extraordinary woman who didn't seem to care about his past. The earnestness in her voice carried through, penetrating the walls that he had erected around his inner self. It was a tentative smile to be sure, and lacking the self assurance with which he had smiled at her earlier but it was a smile and in many ways more genuine than the earlier ones.

Thank you for staying and to be so kind with your words. He didn't move from his seat but sat mesmirised by her gaze, her eyes seeming to penetrate into his heart. But most of all it was the release of her hair that had stricken him, too closely had her movements replicated his earlier thoughts and now he couldn't see her with her hair fallen loose without imagining her shoulders also revealed.

He was caught between his previous desire for her, something that had managed to return in full force and without regard for his caution and that fear of revealing the nature of the crime. To someone not from his tribe, it might even sound foolish perhaps so he was afraid of her ridicule for his customs as well as disdain for his actions.

The smile played around his lips, nervous now and his eyes glanced around, suddenly feeling the presence of the crowd and it wasn't comforting despite the fact that others didn't appear to be paying any attention.

Would you mind if we carried on this conversation elsewhere? I have a room that I've rented and its nice enough, but it would be more private than here. He reddened slightly at his boldness coming so soon after his spirits had crashed so badly. I'd like to talk and to get to know you better, but I feel constrained here and I'd not want to embarrass you now that you've been so generous with me. I can get a pitcher of ale from the bar I think and we can talk in more privacy and comfort than here. It must be the ale, he realised after the words were out and he reddened slightly more at the boldness of his question.

[Shawntay]

The alcohol was oozing slowly into her senses and it felt heavenly. All of her cares vanished into the land of reality, a place that she wasn't now. The place that she was now seemed more like a dream to her. What man would be interested in her? This had to be a dream. Shawn fought with such flashing thoughts in her mind, remembering that this male 'had' to be real since she wasn't drunk when she ran into him the first time that they met.

The female smiled, a blush upon her cheeks, partly from the ale and partly from the company. Needless to say her thoughts occasionally turned to the fact that he was a very nice looking man, the type of man that she could spend the rest of her life with. She imagined him without the well-trimmed beard and she wondered why he wore it. Perhaps it covered his face enough to serve him as a disguise. These things Shawn would surely find out about him, or so she hoped.

Accordingly, and so that the conversation wasn't merely one sided, she responded to his first statement. "Oh no! You have been just as kind to me. I still recall the first time we met. I practically bowled you over and then fainted like a child in your arms and still you rescued me." Shawn laughed as she recalled what a sight that must have been for him, one minute minding his own business and the next being bowled into by a reckless female. Of course she was running from something but still.

With all of her experience so far with this male he seemed honorable enough when it came to females. Surely he didn't have only one thing on his mind when he finally got the nerve to ask her to join him in a more private surrounding. Of course Shawn took this as a kind gesture rather than merely a way to get her up to his room. The half elf grinned and then slowly nodded her head. She only hoped that he didn't see her as easy. She just longed for the privacy that he talked about and time to get to know him better, much better. "Sure. A private atmosphere would be delightful. I would be happy to accept as long as you promise to remain the gentleman that you have, so far, proved yourself to be." Again she laughed, hoping that he knew that she was joking, sort of. She only hoped that he would respond to it, without being offended.

And so she stood. Her new outfit now totally revealed, as well as her shapely seductive figure, and her long red hair flowing over most of it, since it was long enough to flow down to the top of her rump. She pushed in her chair and then chidingly moved over to him, holding her hand out as a gentleman would to a lady. "Shall we?" Shawn felt comfortably numb. The feeling was wonderful. Seasons of weight were lifted off of her shoulders. Perhaps this male contributed to her newly discovered light spirit. Either way this night of getting to know Ulfr would be a night to remember.

[Ulfr Grimsson]

He laughed softly as she called him a gentleman, description that could hardly be further from the truth. He smiled and did not attempt to dissuade her that she was mistaken, in part because he was flattered that she might think and in one way she was right for he had a iron code of honour, something that he had reforged from the ashes of his mistakes and something that he would not easily compromise. And the other part, the reason that he kept silent was that he did have other things on his mind, things that only a man and a woman could or would do in private and he longed for that. Not the intimacy as such for it was true that he had a Mistress at the moment, just for this cycle it was true, but although he was enjoying that game far more than he had ever imagined that he might, it wasn't the same as a meeting of equals.

He stood and stared at her revealed dress and smiled, a flash of pleasure and desire crossing his face. He took the offered hand, warm and soft in his and squeezed it lightly.

I can't speak of being a gentleman but I am honoured that you would accept my invitation and I promise to try and remain the gentleman that you so kindly beleive me to be.

He stopped at the bar and ordered a pitcher of ale for the room, for he was sure that they would be spending some time talking yet. He was curious to know more about this mysterious and beautiful woman who would accept his offer of company, and he led her upstairs and into his room. It was nothing special as rooms in an inn went though it did of course have a bed, one that he had found comfortable so far. It had a small table but only one chair for it and Ulfr supposed that it might only be intended for a woman dressing or some such, certainly he had never found a use for the chair and the table only for leaving things on. One of the serving staff bustled in as they arrived and placed the pitcher on the table along with fresh tankards and then left with a knowing look and a wink for Ulfr, something that he hoped that Shawn had missed.

He sat on the bed and smiled at her. Now, where were we?

[Shawntay]

When he took her hand Shawn just wanted to wallow in the moment because in truth she was taken by the exhilarating feeling of her hand being in his, in fact she had to keep herself from gasping back a breath, which would certainly reveal her growing desire to merely touch and be touched by him. So many different emotions were whirling around inside of her. So many that it was hard to concentrate on a specific one.

Soon, they were in his room. It wasn't as stuffy as she pictured it to be but still it was merely a room to be able to spend a comfortable night in with no fancy frills to speak of. Shawn waited patiently until the server did his duty and then promptly left the room. Indeed the female 'had' missed the wink that he threw in Ulfr's direction.

The moment that they were alone her heart began to pick up its pace, though her movements didn't betray her, she still moved with a grace that would befit royalty. Gently she laid her cloak over the back of the chair and then watched as Ulfr found his comfort upon his bed. Feelings began to stir deeply within Shawn as she saw this. She wondered how many women he had ever had and if he would tell her if she asked. Should she be so bold as to ask such a personal question?

Finally the half elf softly sucked in a big, long, deep and relaxing breathe of air. When she released it, after it being held in her lungs for a few seconds, she willed all of the tensions to be blown out with the stale air. What did she have to be so nervous about? Of course she reasoned profusely within her own mind. It's not like he's actually interested in someone like me anyhow. Thoughts such as these seemed to relax her, after all if he wasn't interested in her then she had no real reason to want to make a good impression upon him...now would she?

Shawn smiled, as if she just transformed into an entirely new person, gaining a new and fresh perspective on things. Her perspective being that he wasn't and could never possibly 'really' be interested in her. She walked around the bed and plopped herself on the opposite side, watching his reaction with expecting eyes because she wanted so much to be proved wrong about her speculations. Shawn was facing him as she made herself at home and very comfortable. "Yes.... where were we? My first question to you is.... Have you had many women here in this room before? I told you how many men I've had now you have to tell me." Shawn's grin grew wide. Her question added an extra sparkle in her pale blue eyes as she waited with a growing degree of suspense.

[Ulfr Grimsson]

Uflr watched as she swirled her cloak and laid it on the back of the chair with care. He smiled at the care she took in the action, for it was refreshing to see someone who cared about their things. Likely he would have tossed it on the chair without a great deal of thought and care, but then again he considered that her actions were consistent with the changes that he had seen in her since the last time. Not that he objected to women who threw themselves at him, literally in her case, but her appearance had undergone a dramatic change and even though he was more than a little affected by the ale that he had aleady drunk, it was a question that he wanted to ask when he got the chance to turn the conversation to her.

But for now she surprised him, for she didn't sit on the chair as he had anticipated but instead she turned and walked around the bed. He felt the bed move as she sat and it drove a lump up into his throat, his heart pounding in his ears. Why had she done that? The question circled in his mind. Of course the bed was more comfortable than the chair and actually it would be harder for him to reach over to her where she was. The chair he could simply have stood and then pulled her back onto the bed but here... He shut down that train of thought before it reached its logical conclusion. She wasn't going to do that. No woman who looked as good as she did would lower herself to sleep with him, so best put it out of mind.

he focused on her question as a way of avoiding thinking about her and laughed as he realised what she had asked. He shook his head and smiled.

Many women in this room? Indeed not. You are the first woman that has been in this room with me. He smiled and shrugged. I'll not deny that I've been with women before, but in a recreational sense I've not slept with any here in this city. Does that satisfy your curiosity about that? I'll not deny either that I have hopes of sleeping with a woman again soon, but I've not slept with a woman, not in the sense that you are thinking of anyway since I gained this mark. His fingers tapped against it and he wondered if she would let him get away with his evasive remarks. Somehow he doubted it.

[Shawntay]

The conversation wasn't soured by her overly prying inquisitions. Inwardly Shawn smiled at this, it was going even better than she had originally hoped. The woman giggled and taunted him a bit more before she, with the same enthusiasm as when she sat on the bed, got up and moved over to the table, pouring the both of them some ale. Before she sat back down she handed his mug to him for fear she'd spill the lot of them upon his comfy bed. With his ale she also served him with a teasing wink. "You have hopes of sleeping with a woman again soon? Do you have another meeting planned after me?" In her usual playful tone she chuckled and then leaned back against the bed's headboard/wall. Shawn took a deep breath. Secretly she was glad to hear that he had not had a woman in this very room. But why keep such information a secret? "Well...it's a relief to know that I am the first woman you’ve had in this room. I wouldn't want to think that I was just another one of your ‘helpless’ victims." Again another wink was thrown toward him as she accentuated the word ‘helpless’. Shawn felt that he could have been just as much as a victim as she. Perhaps he didn't know that but she did. Even though she had relations with only one man that didn't mean that she was stupid as far as the games between the male and female went.

Shawn drained half of her mug. Her mind and body relaxed even more from its effects. It was an invited feeling after all of the stress that she had felt from being thrown into this 'new life' of hers. But this time with Ulfr was far from over, with an ale-foamed mustache, and after licking it off, of course very seductively, with her tongue, Shawn continued their conversation. "Okay now it's your turn. Do you have something that you wish to ask me? The female inched forward a little, eager to hear what sort of question he would ask of her. Finally she seemed to be loosening up, longing to share things with Ulfr, in fact she was bursting at the seams. Perhaps it was just the ale, or perhaps not. "You can ask me anything...anything at all. I promise...I won't be offended."

[Ulfr Grimsson]

Ulfr relaxed on the bed, leaning back on one elbow and smiling with some relief that she didn't immediately react with more probing questions, but he also reflected that it likely meant no jealousy and therefore no interest. A part of his heart gripped into sadness as the faint hope that she might actually be interested in him and sharing his bed faded away.

It had only been a faint hope though and it didn't die entirely so now he set out to ensure that if nothing else then he would try and retain her friendship.

He took the ale that she gave him and wrestled for a moment with balance on the bed, drinking deeply so that it would not spill and then deciding that she had made the correct choice. He shifted up so that he was sitting beside her and drank again.

Helpless victim? He snorted and laughed. Somehow you don't seem to much of a helpless victim to me. He winked back at her, not helpless nor a victim I think. He was close to her now, close on the bed and he had drunk enough that whatever barriers he normally put up were relaxed now. Despite his disappointment of only a short while ago, the fact was that he had a beautiful woman on his bed, within touching distance and it was distracting to say the least.

He watched her lips, memories of her tongue licking the foam from her lips replaying in his mind. Now, as for questions, where to start? So, tell me about the men that you have had in this city, or if you claim none, then tell me about the men that you plan to ensnare in this city, for with an outfil like that I have no doubt as to your predatory status.

It wasn't what he had planned to discuss with her, but in the context of the bed and her questions it seemed fair turnabout for what she had asked. He drank deeply of the ale and placed the nearly empty container on the floor where it would not spill and leant back against the headboard while his head felt a little light headed.

[Shawntay]

"Helpless victim? Me?" Shawn shook her head and giggled some more. "Well I may not know how to fight but I don't think that I'd be taken down easily...that's for sure." The red head giggled as she took a very long draught of her ale, leaning back rather far, nearly losing her balance but catching herself before she made herself appear silly. And though she was drinking she still listened to every word that Ulfr said, including the comment about her way of dress. Mockingly she gasped as she grinned, getting up on her knees to demonstrate what she was saying. "Hey! Look! This doubles as a dress. See? I can make it look like a dress or I can make it look more seductive when I need too." Shawn threw him a seductive pose and then smiled as she sat back down, fumbling a little with her beer but leaving her dress in the position of temptation. The conversation continued on. "Anyway. I really don't 'plan' on seducing anyone. I'm not the sort that has casual intimate relations with just any man that I run into in the street." Shawn laughed and pushed him playfully. Surely what she had just said sounded like him and her but she named no names. Secretly though she was favoring someone, though she dared not say who it was. But still she couldn't help but to hint to the fact, longing to observe his reactions. "But I have met someone that I find very attractive."

Abruptly Shawn got up and went for the beer but instead of walking around the bed to fill his mug up again she sat back on the bed and then leaned over him, attempting to fill it up from there. Of course she spilled it slightly, the effects of the alcohol displaying itself nicely. But it was all in fun and so she laughed, though inwardly she admitted that she liked the way he felt when she did this.

[Ulfr Grimsson]

His eyes did not miss either her poses or what was revealed and a bleakness of jealousy came across him, for her words revealed that she did have another, a man that she fancied and would try to take for her own. That she clearly had not won him was a small consolation and the only thing that kept a spark of hope alive. Clearly she regarded Ulfr as no threat to her and was happy to tease him, trusting him to be the gentleman that she had named him. A perilous trust, to name a thing and then expect the man to live up to that but Ulfr had little choice, not if he could hope but to catch her on the rebound, assuming that there was some chance that the man would reject her.

So, he determined to play along, keep her as a friend until that brightening and hopefully she might just store away in a corner of her mind that he might be an alternate choice. He could play along with her games, return the teasing, but could not, must not fall into the trap of thinking that he could take what was not on offer.

He picked up his tankard so that she could fill it, though was surprised when she chose not to walk round the bed. He laughed as she leant across and kept the tankard clear of the bed so that the spillage would not wet the bedding. He reached for her with his free hand to help to steady her, sliding his hand across her back and could not resist but to lean forward and place a small kiss on her neck as payment for the teasing and he laughed, trying to resist the temptation to pull her down onto him with the arm that still held her.

[Shawntay]

Was it a down hearted jealous expression that played upon his face when he found out that she favored someone, even though that 'someone' was him, even though that bit of information he may never know? Shawn sure thought that it was and so she planned on playing upon it even more as she poured the beer. She would have said something like... Oh don't look so sad, it's not like you'd be interested in an ex-slave-girl who waited on people for her entire life thus far, but she didn't have time to because he playfully kissed her neck. Little did he know what that did to her. Chills started at the tips of her toes and then exploded to the top of her head, causing her face to become red hot to the touch and blushed to the eyes. Surely he could see the goose bumps that it left on the skin of her arms, and heck the rest of the bare skin upon her shapely body. Why had he done that? Shawn closed her eyes for a moment as she tried her best to regain her composure, though the ale's effects were luring her in even deeper, teasing her into doing something that she desired with her whole soul, something that she had longed to do since the first time that she literally ran into Ulfr. Kiss him. Plant her lips directly on his and kiss him, putting all of her effort into it. Surely he would know then that she was definitely attracted to him and that it was he who she was interested in.

Of course she was a good actress and as she finished pouring the amber liquid into his mug she popped up, as if a spring from a mattress. She laughed, wondering if she scared him. But she was smiling and giggling, surely he wouldn't think that she was angry with one little innocent...lovely, heart stopping...kiss. He didn't have to know that the one little touch of his lips sent her body into a cyclone of emotions. Or that at the same time it felt as though she just melted into a puddle upon the bed. Did he? Teasingly she shoved him, spilling a little beer on him. "Hey you! I might have to tell my secret admirer what you just did. Oh wait! I don't have one. I only admirer another so I guess it's ok."

Shawn sat back down, bumping into him and sitting closer than before, as she took another sip of her ale. Her eyes closed tightly. If only he knew what sort of feelings resided within her. If only.... "Alright! I guess I answered your question thorough enough? My turn! Ummm...what did you do to earn your mark?"

[Ulfr Grimsson]

Ulfrs lips tingled from the kiss, and he was unaware of its effects on her, beleiving that she cared not for him. His heart pounded and he removed his hand as she sprung back up again. He fixed a grin on his face as he waited to see how she would react, hoping for a positive and willing to make some excuse if turned on him angrily, willing to concede and withdraw and not to clash, trying always to keep it light hearted and positive.

His grin slipped as though she didn't seem angry she chose to remind him that she was interested in another, but he forced a laugh, wiping away at the beer that she had slopped, wondering if she perhaps were more drunk than he had realised.

His breath released in a whistle as she sat next to him, relief leaking out as from a leaky kettle. But any feelings that might be surging through him or thoughts of desire were neatly punctured by her question.

He buried his face in his mug as he considered how to answer. The question was inevitable, sooner or later everyone that he met would ask, and honesty was the only answer. And since she wasn't interested in him as anything other than a friend, perhaps best to get it out of the way now. If she left at least it was while his hopes were still low.

Thats not an easy question to answer, he replied after a while and a considerable amount of the fresh tankard. I don't know that there was any one thing that I did that caused it. He sighed. The mark as you must know is that of an oathbreaker. It wasn't a specific oath that I broke, it wasn't as though I had sworn to do a specific thing and then failed, well I suppose it was. He talked into his mug, regret for the actions clear in his mind. I won't bore you with the tedious detail of how I drifted into the situation that I ended up in or the excuses that I had created to justify my actions to myself, but in the end, the thing that brought me to their attention was a raid on the town.

He was silent for a short while as the memories played in his mind. I was part of the town guard, not on the walls as such, but patrolling in the town. It was the same every darkening and I just followed along what my partner did, which was to spend some time patrolling and some time doing other... things.... We covered for eachother, one patrolling while the other was busy. One darkening as I say there was a raid, and my partner was on patrol. They killed him and opened a side gate to let the raiders in. First thing I knew was when I heard the noise. The troops beat me there and though the raiders were driven off they did a lot of damage and there was an investigation after. Of course I claimed to be on patrol in the town, but it turned out that witnesses came forward after and told where I really was. He grimaced. People died, and no matter that I couldn't have stopped them any more than my partner could have, it seems that once someone is down, all sorts of people come out with tales of things you thought forgotten or that no one else knew of.

Well thats about it really. I don't mean it to sound like they used me to take the blame for it. Everything that they said was true enough and I deserved the punishment, even though I didn't think so at the time.

He shrugged and drank the last of the ale as he waited for her to leave.

[Shawntay]

"What is it that you were doing when your partner got killed?" Shawn knew that it was painful for him to talk about such things but for some reason she just 'had' to know what had happened, especially so now since she was undeniably developing feelings for this man. Well perhaps it really wasn't her business since, in her mind, she was positive that he would never carry the same feelings that she did, or so she had herself convinced as such. Still though the words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. Slightly she bit her bottom lip, looking rather worried that it would be he that got up to leave. If she could have taken the words back she would but now they were out there and now he knew that she longed to know.


Softly she placed the palm of her outstretched hand on his upper thigh, without any sexual meaning behind, as she rubbed it soothingly, reassuringly. "If you wish to keep any of this to yourself please just inform me to mind my own business. I'm sorry. But please don't think that I will think any less of you. I know that you want to start anew. It's just that sometimes a series of unfortunate events befall us, perhaps for certain reasons unknown to us at the time. If anything it has shown you that you want more out of your life...hasn't it?"

Now feeling very numb but still very alert to his feelings and what was going on around her, Shawn shuffled closer to him, as close as she could without actually sitting on his lap. Playfully, as if to lighten the mood as he shared with her what he dared, she draped her legs over his, drinking a bit more of her ale, letting a bit of time pass as she didn't wish to push him further. The redhead took a deep breath and sat her empty mug aside for now, focusing all of her attention upon Ulfr.

[Ulfr Grimsson]

He smiled, an expression that surprised him. Surprised as well that she was still there and even when he sneaked a glance at her, he couldn't see the expression of disgust that he had expected.

His heart lightened that she now knew the worst of him and hadn't flinched. There couldn't be many women who could do that surely? Of course it was just because she was a friend and had no feelings for him, that was why it didn't affect her... A chance met friend who would never mean anything, it wouldn't matter what they had done because they would never be close.

Her hand was gentle and it warmed him, even though he accepted it in a comradely manner, and he relaxed against the bed head. His smile broadened as she draped her legs over him. At least it prevented him from getting up and drowning his sorrows in the ale, his smile remained on his face, a reflection of his thoughts though his eyes remained saddened.

What was I doing? Well it's no secret since the person I was with was one of the first to denounce me to the troops. Clearly their coin was better than mine, or perhaps I just disgusted her more than normal, I don't know. You might well guess what I was doing and why the troops managed to get to the wall before me. The alarm caught me undressed and in a womans bed of course. I'd spent a lot of money on her services but as I say it didn't buy me any loyalty.

Actually this city reminds me of her for the whole place is the same, ready to be diverted into the arms of whoever has the most coin. I came here for some paperwork and I doubt that I will stay much longer, not if the choice is just this city, anyway.

The ale started to hit Ulfr a littel more heavily now, clearly the rush of emotion had tired him and left him vulnerable, even more so since he gotten out of practice at drinking.

[Shawntay]

Shawn listened intently, hanging upon every word. He was with other women, which he had already said, just as she had revealed her being with, well one other man. But this time it was different when he let the words slip through his inviting lips, Shawn became jealous and her face became hot with envy. And even though he said that he had 'paid' for her it didn't make a bit of difference since Shawn still longed to feel the closeness of his body though she would have to admit that him actually having feelings for her would be a nice compliment to the act of making love. Deeply she sighed and dismissed such thoughts of intimacy and the meaning that was behind such things. It was likely, in Shawn's mind that he would never feel that way about her.

Enough sadness! Shawn got up and retrieved the pitcher of ale and sat it next to him, upon the night stand and then handed him his mug. If he wanted to drown his past memories tonight then Shawn was inviting him too. And too it had crossed her mind that perhaps he would become intoxicated enough to sleep with her. That usually wasn’t her way but Ulfr was something that she was sure that she wouldn’t regret in the morning. The female redhead would not let such thoughts pull her down into a state of depression, actually the thought of rejection forever played upon her mind and it was those thoughts that depressed her. But here they both were, alone, close and getting to know each other. What was there to be sad and anxious about?

Again she plopped down on the bed, placing her legs across him. This position was comfortable and it didn't look like he minded. Shawn looked up at him and smiled softly, her voice as smooth as satin. "Well it's all done and over with now. And here we are, ready to start a new life. Have another drink and rejoice to the prospect of a new future. Forget the past! There's nothing but sadness there. Now what do you plan on doing if you leave Imperia? Though Shawn wouldn't admit it to him but the thoughts of him leaving Imperia did cause her to be downhearted. She only hoped that the expression didn't show upon her face, colliding with the words of encouragement that just left her lips.