[Jaedah's Mirror] Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder (Ci'aran)

[Heartbreaker]

OOC: Continued from this thread


As he encountered the Mirror’s embrace, Ci’aran felt himself simply slip away from the reality that was present. It was almost as if floating in the warmth of a sunny brightening without knowing or even caring where one was. After that, he simply slipped out of consciousness.

When he awoke, a glance around would confirm that he was no longer where he had started…making the whole situation ever odder. That coupled with the fact that he was flat on his back on what appeared to be a soft bed…somewhere….increased the odd factor that much more.

The final straw, however, was the fact that the beautiful and mysterious Sabine was sitting next to him on the bed, holding his had within hers.

Noting that he had finally awoken, she gave him a brilliant smile…and a playful chiding look.

“You, Ci’aran Leonard, are going to be the death of me. I’ve spent the last month watching you…making sure you don’t kill yourself and then you go and play with the Mirror…forcing me to give up more secrets about myself. I can’t win with you, can I?”

The first thing he would notice is that while Sabine’s Jaedaxian accent was still thick, it was much less so then the first time they had met…something she immediately addressed.

“Don’t worry. I –am- Jaedaxian…but when in Jaedaxia proper, I tend to pick up their accents much more then when I am here. You are in my home on Trident Isle.”

Even though she wasn’t speaking with ‘ze’ and ‘zem’, her accent was even lovelier. Lyrical, one could say….like music playing for his ears and his ears alone. Giving him another smile, she reached over and brushed a soft strand of hair away from his face.

“I suppose I have some explaining to do.”


OOC: Ci’aran, this thread takes place after the festival…so obviously you’ve already met Sabine. Enjoy!

[Ci'aran Leonard]

Ci'aran let his eyes flicker lazily as his surroundings became clearer to him. Struggling slowly with his memory he tried to recall the events that brought him here, in this unknown place. What did he remember? He furrowed his brow as shards and fragments came to mind. A mirror. Jardin de Gelee. Voices and blurred faces. After that however, it was nothingness. He simply appeared here, and though the wisps of his surroundings betrayed its mystical and ethereal nature, he could not help but feel that this was beyond a dream. Beyond illusion.

It was the soft touch against his hand that stirred him to consciousness, that woke him from the realm of simple unknowing, and as his eyes traced the fingers that led to the face and beauty of Sabine he found his breath catching against his throat once more.

This could not be reality. At least none that he could ever hope of recognizing. Here he was, undeniably looking at the one person he was most infatuated with, and as he tilted his head back and forth taking in his environment he could not help but wonder if he had somehow perished, and the Gods had been so kind as to grant him this as his eternal paradise.

"Mademoiselle Sabine." Ci'aran murmured in slow tones, still unable to muster the full strength of his words in her presence, "Is this paradise? Did I pass away?"

He felt a small pang fill him, he had thought about Sabine without pause ever since they parted though he never mentioned it. He had sequestered it with the thoughts that it was a fool errands, a dreamer's quest and he even admitted to attempting to forget her, and move on with other, newer parts of his life.

But try as he may How could one forget such a face, such an accent. It was not that Sabine was beyond immortal exquisiteness, for she was every bit so, but it was the little pieces of her character that melded together to form an absolutely breathtaking masterpiece. Where as one had strengths in some areas, and weakness in others, it seemed that Sabine had strengths in all and he could not help but feel slightly small in the intimidating pricelessness that was Sabine.

It was when Sabine spoke however, that he began to realize that it was something else entirely. Something mystical but still very much connected with Telath.

"You, were watching over me, mademoiselle?" Ci'aran fluttered, a soft surging in spirits. It would probably explain why he did not seem to keel over in the difficulties that he had to face while living in Jaedaxia, but even as elusive as Sabine was; a unicorn to his soul, he could not believe that he had not, even once, noticed her. She had beauty that Gods would envy, he felt he could've recognized her even if he was facing the opposite direction, more than a mile away.

Her voice was different too, lyrical and sultry and though it was not as thick as she had originally conversed back in Jaedaxia Proper, it was still very much attractive and gentle, a soft brush against a dulcimer chime.

"No you can't win." Ci'aran finally managed the courage to speak, attempting a weak hand at jesting, "... and if you don't want to torture my sinnocent oul any longer, mademoiselle, please do share a little more about yourself. Which part of heaven did you come from?"

Ok. Perhaps it was slightly over the top. But if there ever there were beings that coexisted with the deities in heaven. Surely Sabine had to be one of them.

[Heartbreaker]

Immediately as the words started flowing out of his mouth did Sabine’s fair face become flush with the brightest hue of crimson. The flattery never stopped with this one and while it –was- overwhelming…a part of her secretly relished it. No one had ever made such a fuss over her before.

But then again, she already knew that Ci’aran was different. That was why she liked him so much.

Smiling at him, she gently helped him to a standing position, shaking her head softly.

“No Ci’aran…you are very much alive. You are in my home on Trident Isle. This place is situated a bit off the northeast coast of Jaedaxia…a small boat ride away really.”

Everything about him was beautiful. She couldn’t help but be as enraptured of him as he seemed to be of her. The thing was…it –seemed- as though he had a golden tongue but she –believed- him to be sincere. His eyes had been for her. Even in her observations of him, she had never witnesses a moment with him and another that came close to the ones they had shared.

“As for watching over you, of course I have been. We do that for those we care about…”

Of course, the blush came racing back. Ohhhhh….how he had a way of making her make a complete fool of herself! She could seduce a man into telling her anything she wanted to know but here…confronted with the real thing…he was turning her into a pile of goo.

Sighing softly, she laced her fingers through his and pulled him gently out the front door to the outdoors so he could see where he was. At first glance, it –was- heaven….a beautifully large glade surrounded by trees. A large river ran through the property as well as a large waterfall being situated just to the side. If he looked closer though, he would see the edges of the wood were brown and dying.

Something was obviously going on here.

Giving him a gentle smile, she reached up and caressed his face once again.

“I don’t want you to be in danger for knowing me. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you because of me. That’s why I’ve been watching you. I can’t openly walk around the city like I used to be able to do so I’ve had to stay in the shadows…not even able to let you know I was there. There are people that would hurt you…just to get to me.”

Sighing softly, she just looked at him. She could gaze into his eyes all day long and not care about the passing of time.

It simply wasn’t important.

[Ci'aran Leonard]

It was perhaps then, in the ivory haze of the ethereal that speech abandoned Ci'aran. His fingers, intertwined with Sabine's, brushed amorously against her soft, supple skin as his head swam in slow diaphanous weaves around his mind.

He knew beauty did not exist like it did in Sabine, and as he gazed at her, his mahogany eyes locked into her large pools of sapphire, he realized then that it was a growing addiction beyond any he had ever experienced. She was radiant, resplendent, and like the obsidian night beckoning towards the whispering stars, he knew that she was his solace, his sanctuary in the storm.

Thus it was this wondered petrification that stole him from reality, the pulchritudinous grasp that held him captive against the real and the tangible, and happy would he have been to remain there, a willing captive in the prison of dreams, but it was not to be. For his will was stronger than what even he had led himself to believe, and courage came in the most unlikely of places.

It was Sabine's response to his words that instilled faith beyond mortal means. She blushed a most brilliant hue of crimson and though it added to her incalculable beauty it also betrayed her humanity. He then began noticing small actions; a slight flicker in her eyes, a shortened breath, a flickering waver of hesitation... and a gaze so deep that it threatened to look into the very crevasses of his soul.

In essence, it was not Sabine's strength that had ignited his awakening, but rather her human fragility. She was exquisite, but her delicacy within her strength made her even more so, and as he followed her, slowly building confidence with each passing stride, he was beset by the heavenly scenery that befell him. Sabine was an angel amongst women, and her home was heaven against Telath. How much more blessed, could he possibly be?

"You are beautiful beyond words, mademoiselle." Ci'aran whispered finally, as his eyes traveled from her features to the outside world, "I... could not tell you what rages within me. But I have not stopped thinking of you. How can I? You are beyond memory, beyond time."

The words came out rather haggard, but it was in every essence true. He wanted to know her, wanted to see beyond the windows of her world and understand her. It meant more at that moment to him, than anything else, and for a moment, for a brief splash in time, it was all he could care about.

But it was Sabine's last words that sent reality back to him.

It took barely a phrase, a small whisper against the grains of time, to draw the potency of the situation back towards him. He realized then, the small traces of morbidity and darkness that arrived without warning or solicitation. The edges of the trees were dying. Like a masterpiece left to rot he could feel a sickness, a sadness indescribable as his eyes continued tracing the border between strength and weakness.

"Mademoiselle," Ci'aran turned to Sabine, "I do not know what forces are in play that would cause you to say such sad words. I care for you. More than I care for anything in this world, and though I admire and adore your gentle caring, the choice as to what I place myself in danger to, is ultimately mine."

Ci'aran felt his eyes moving on their own accord to Sabines' and for a moment, as it pored over her fair face and crimson locks, he smiled a long and genuine smile. "People have died, and risked their lives for wealth and treasure." he said slowly, lips pursed in a small smile as he continued, "So how much more would I risk my own for you, mademoiselle... the most priceless treasure of all?"

He smiled, remaining silent as he felt himself lost in her eyes.

"Every man lives.... not every man has something to live for."

[Heartbreaker]

Sabine was speechless. It was a condition that rarely happened to the young woman but how could she not in face of the amazingly beautiful words that kept coming out of Ci’aran’s mouth? His eyes told her everything she needed to know: His words were sincere. She was used to men trying to talk her up and flatter her profusely with empty words…but Ci’aran was different. He simply didn’t know how to do that. The words that he spoke, he believed.

Giving him a soft smile…in truth, an –amazing- smile…one that few had ever witnessed, Sabine took his hands in hers and inwardly vowed to be as honest with him as he was with her. He deserved nothing less and she would not see their relationship tainted with half-truths.

“Ci’aran…you have such a beautiful soul…how could I not want to protect that? I too have thought of nothing but you…but I’m bound by my duty to Jaedaxia. I’ve wanted to speak to you…so many times. Part of me was scared that I was wrong in reading you during our first encounter..that you might not be interested in someone like me. Honestly, I didn’t want to know the answer…content to watch you from afar and live in a delusion of my own creation. You however touched the Mirror and apparently the Mirror decided that you needed to come see me. I’ll never figure out how that works but I can’t really complain as it brought you to me….so I could see that look in your eyes again.”

He was so sure about her…about his feelings for her. How could she argue against them? She wanted nothing more then to melt into his arms and forget about the world around her. All her life she had shunned those that gave up everything for love…but now she was being confronted with the same situation. She simply had allowed herself to believe that no one like Ci’aran would ever come along….no one that would make her feel the way she did. When her eyes gazed upon him, she just melted inside. When she thought of him, her heart raced…and there was simply no description for how it felt, knowing he felt exactly the same way.

There was really only one option left to her…and it was more instinct and desire then anything else that drove her to it. She was tired of putting her own life on hold for the greater good. Didn’t the greater good owe her?

Perhaps her reward was standing in front of her?

Slipping her hand gently up to his cheek, she rose up on her very tippy toes and brushed a whisper-soft kiss against his lips…sending electricity through her body. In retrospect, she was amazed that she had been that bold, especially considering that it was her first –real- kiss….meaning having emotion behind it. Of course, there had been others in the course of her work…but they had never meant anything.

That could never be the case with Ci’aran.

[Ci'aran Leonard]

Never in Ci'aran's life had he desired anything more than what he desired today. Sabine was beyond celestial explanation, her presence derailed reasoning and defied logic, and try as he did to resist her beauty and his feelings for her, little could he do in its wake.

For there is only ever one key for a lock, and as he drew closer to her, with each passing breath, with each uttered word, he knew. She was the key to who he was, to unlock for him the world and the Heavens.

As if by miracle or by the Gods, Sabine rose to meet him in the epitome of his infatuation, and as she drew closer, all feelings surrendered. All logic was lost.

It was an experience beyond words, beyond the finite and measurable. All at once, the world burst into joyous song as soft, supple lips, tasting of honeysuckle and blossoms, brushed amorously against his own. His hands, calloused and uncared for, slid slowly forward, gliding gently against the small of her back as it brushed slowly at the very nape of her neck. There, in the midst of their intimacy he held her, pressing her close to him as his eyes lost its hues in the deep dark of her enchantment.

He held her there for an eternity, lost in the blossoms of time as he gazed longingly beyond words, beyond movement, drowning slowly in her deep pools. How beautiful she was. How graceful she moved. It was as if the air she breathed were carved from the heavens itself, and she was with him. If this was a dream, he dared not wake. If this was death, he dared not live.

"A beautiful soul?" Ci'aran whispered, the echoing starlight of his words cascading amongst the hue of emotions as an indescrible warmth eclipsed them. "A soul is only as beautiful as the pair that shares it, mon amore."

The adoration that Ci'aran felt, stirred within him, a lion amongst lambs as it grew slowly to a vibrant roar. The beauty of Sabine was shattered beyond mortal reasoning as her words resonated in unity with his own. Could this be love? Could this be the eternity that all man seeks?

"My love." Ci'aran whispered, "Do you not know how beautiful you are? How priceless and invaluable your affections are to me? My heart is rendered mute in your presence and my soul stands before you pure and honest." It was not Ci'aran's way to speak his intentions so clearly. But he could not hide anything from Sabine. Her face a delicate ivory against rosy lips, she did not know what her love meant to him. It meant the world. Life. Death. Everything in between.

But it was past the time of words, and in a slow, reckless movement, Ci'aran brushed his cares aside and entered into the gates of paradise. Craning his neck low, his eyes continued to gaze into Sabine as another small kiss landed against her own.

Such was love. Such was Paradise.

[Heartbreaker]

A small part of her had been afraid that he wouldn’t share her affections. A very small part but still…it had been there. She had been around men all her life…been the object of their desires more often then not and most likely could have had any man she wanted.

But she didn’t want –any- man…she wanted him….and at that moment, she didn’t care what it took, whatever obstacles she had to obliterate…

She had helped people find their places in life…helped them realize their emotions…but it was time to find –her- place…and she wanted that place to be with him, wherever it took her.

The sheer vastness of the emotion she felt overtook her as he leaned forward, brushing his lips against hers. Her arms finally woke from their surprised slumber and wrapped gently around his torso, pulling him ever closer to her. They were alone but even if they hadn’t been, what she felt for him outweighed any embarrassment she might feel so publicly displaying her affections for Ci’aran.

She simply didn’t care anymore.

Of course, she knew why he had been brought to her. The Mirror was usually very direct in its operation even though she had no idea –how- it did so. Even some things were a mystery to her. At any rate, it was time for him to know.

Slipping her lips from his for a mere second…only long enough to convey what she felt she must…she carefully slipped her finger against his lips and spoke softly.

"Mon amour..The reason you came to Jaedaxia was to find a home. The Mirror brought you to me so that you would realize that you –are- home. There is no reason for you to search anymore. I’ve never known anything of love until you…and I don’t want to anything –other- then you."

Smiling, her hand softly rose to caress his cheek, just staring into his eyes. She wanted to live in that very moment…know nothing outside of him and where they were…forsake the entire world for them…but in the end, she knew she couldn’t. Her duties were far to involved to ignore…but that didn’t chance the fact that she had him there and then…

[Ci'aran Leonard]

For Ci'aran to be anything other than smitten would've required a feat of incredible strength. Lost, and beyond reality or recognition, he simply fluttered from space to space as he felt himself pulled towards Sabine, lost in the cognizance that was her beauty and her grace. Her kiss, wet, soft, and luscious, enchanted him, capturing him as it suckled against his and as he closed his eyes in disbelief and wonderment, he felt giddy and light-footed in the acknowledgment of his desire.

It was a powerful sensation, a connection beyond the surreal or the ethereal. Knowing that she cared for him; that he was hers and she was his, and for a moment, however brief, it allowed him to succumb to the happiness that was his life and paradise, allowing the notion that the twain will be forever intertwined.

How easy was her beauty to his eyes, like a thirsting man stumbling upon an oasis her smile brought a candle to his darkness and a beacon to his ship. Gently caressing Sabine's supple face, stroking her cheek with his thumb as he listened slowly to her words. It sounded foreign to him at first, a mirror, Jaedaxia, and then the thoughts flooded, all at once as realization hit him. It came slowly for reasons beyond explanation; waves of memory seeping through his mind as his thoughts recollected on the notion on Jaedahs' Mirror. Yes he did touch that device. He remembered fair warning. He remembered laughing in contempt and ignorance at its purported powers.

Then he heard Sabine again, and this time a smile was present on his face, "Home, my love?" he smiled, completely in agreement, "I am home. You are what I've been searching for. I did not know that my city was in fact a person, and that my affections, flaws and gifts, however divided and varied, are united in your presence."

It was true, every word spoken. While Ci'aran was not a soul plagued by wanderlust, he had not felt at peace since he was a child, long realizing the abandonment of joy and affection. He had considered his apathy and eternal search as a curse and while he had exorcized its affect on him through pure ignorance and tasks, the void that remained could not be replaced. Until that very moment. In a heady rush beyond description he had found his destiny; Beside Sabine, beside Jaedaxia, and this was where he was meant to be.

But all that was emblazoned into the furthest reaches of his conscious memory. Into his emotions. For now his thoughts were undivided, whole, complete as he felt her hand against his face, the soft touch warm and reassuring. His eyes searched hers, gazing through the windows of her soul as he dipped his cheek against her own, nuzzling the bottom of her neck with the tip of his nose. There, holding her, claiming her as his own, he cradled her. Listening to her heartbeat through the suppleness of her chest, feeling it mesh in unison with his own.

Their hearts were one, and at least for now, so were they.

[Heartbreaker]

Everything that came out of the elf’s mouth was pure sentiment, striking at the very heart of who she was. Never had she thought she deserved such love…such loyalty. Her purpose in Jaedaxia had always been dictated for her, much like another young woman she had recently been introduced to.

But what she was slowly beginning to realize is that sometimes, life just gifted you with things. She suspected that it was some sort of divine reward for choosing the correct path in life but whatever –was- responsible, she was utterly grateful. Precious little had come along in her life to make her happy, deferring to duty and responsibility instead…having to look over the welfare of others…sometimes without them even knowing she was doing so.

It was a thankless task at best.

Nuzzling her face softly against his, she leaned forward and kissed him again, letting herself relax against him and enjoy their closeness. Their had always been something about Ci’aran that made her feel loved…safe…even when she didn’t know that she would fall in love with him. Those emotions so early in a relationship…or fast even….were very frightening…especially to someone not prepared to deal with them…but it hadn’t felt that way to her. Everything about them felt….natural….

…as if it was always intended to be that way.

Caressing his face softly, she smiled, still tightly wrapped up in his arms.

“Anything else you wish to ask me?”

[Ci'aran Leonard]

Ci’aran felt the opulent brush of Sabine’s face against his own, the sepulcher skin, soft and supple teased and tormented him as he wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace. He loved her, he knew. But it was so vulnerable for him to do so; to love someone as fragile and as beautiful as the flower that stood before him. How many men would give their kingdoms and their lives to stand where he stood? How many hearts would have been broken with her attachment to his?

These were questions he needed no answers to, for none would have satiated him. Just as the stars that were infinitesimal against their obsidian canopy wove diaphanous weaves of gossamer starlight, granting rays of ivory light to those who gaze did she stand like a beacon to his bay. Though what little bastions could he have carved from the depths of his entranced stupor was beyond the cacophony of words and expressions as he simply stared in silence at the awe and majesty that was Sabine, as her grace and charm that betrayed her petulant and revered nature seeped through her being, and poured out between them.

If this was love. No wonder men died for it. If this was to serve, no wonder men served. To fight for something as attractive and as addictive as this seemed second nature to him and though no words could fill the void of his expressions he was content merely in not speaking, and embracing Sabine as if she belonged to him.

This was paradise on Telath, beyond words, beyond consciousness.

Grazing his fingers up to her chin, he tilted her head upwards towards him as his eyes smiled at hers, entranced by the deep pools of her emerald eyes.

“Ask you? No…” Ci’aran cooed, “Ask of you, yes…”

Ci’aran broke into a soft smile, “Let me stay with you forever?”

[Heartbreaker]

Smiling, Sabine lifted a gentle hand to his face, brushing another soft kiss against your lips.

“ It has always been intended for you to do so, Ci’aran. Fate plays strange games but in the end, it always gets what it wants. In this case, it wanted you and I together. For what purpose, I have no idea…but I for one am not going to argue the point. Are you?”

Grinning softly, she wrapped her arms gently around his torso, cuddling close to his body, simply allowing herself to relax against him and enjoy the closeness. She had never felt anything so secure and safe in her life…a life of danger and conflict. There was always an element of the unknown but with him, she knew where she stood. There was no doubt that he cared for her and would stay with her for as long as the Gods would allow. There would be difficulties ahead…that she was sure of, but as well, she was sure their love would see them through.

[Ci'aran Leonard]

Even though Ci’aran felt the arms and soft luscious skin of Sabine graze warmly over him, a cozy blanket against the cold reality, he still felt the small undertones of realism and fantasy. What if this was an illusion? A trickery? He had heard of night terrors where people were given their hearts desire, only to realize it was a dream. The loss of what they had in their illusions drove them half mad…

Of course those were such half-baked tales that it was hard to distinguish between myth and legend, but this felt too good to be true. It was as if he was holding the only key to a treasure which hundreds if not thousands of others had attempted to take. Could he really be this lucky? Or was this devilry beyond human tolerance?

As thoughts flew into his mind, as did the small tender kisses and the long, slow, entrancing gazes into her eyes, Ci’aran felt pulled towards. His hands running through her hair as tilted his head towards her, pressing their foreheads together as a small smile drew warmly against his lips.

“I’m waiting for you to tell me that this is a joke. A prank of some sort. That this is a dream and that I’ll have to go back to whatever hell I came from.”

It was true. Now that he is with Sabine, now that he had tasted her lips and savored her presence, how could he return? That was beyond his knowledge, beyond his belief and endurance. What shade of grey would the world be when his foot stepped into it? He did not know, nor did he care to now.

If only he could stay here with her, and bask in their union.

[Heartbreaker]

Breaking into a soft smile, Sabine reached over and caressed his cheek softly. They were two children wading into the depths of love for the first time, and while neither was skilled nor adept in the ways of such, they had their feelings to guide them.

"Tis no joke..And as wonderful as it feels to know you feel the same about me, I cannot help but be hesitant because of the dangerous life I live. I can’t be with you day in and day out. There might be some stretches of time where we don’t see each other. I wish it were not true but as I’ve said before, there are responsibilities I hold here…and for Jaedaxia. Is this something you can live with? I would not hurt you for the world…nor would I wish you to have doubts about our relationship during those absences. If so, I understand."

There was doubt in her eyes…but only a small amount. Gazing softly at him, she waited for his answer, needing to know his mind and heart on the matter.