Woman
Alexander
"Have you and Arthur visited the travelling fair this year?"
"No, we haven't."
"Well it would be my honour to take you both to see the fair. There are jugglers and lion tamers. People from far and wide travel down, even very well-read men come to take part. Would you be so kind as to offer your company at noon tomorrow?"
"Alexander..." I make myself stare at him as we stride.
His fierce blue eyes search mine for answers. The way he looks at me has me trembling. It's not love, is it? Is it? My heart is shivering so hard I have to hold my shoulder tight to keep from appearing to have a fit. And in the back of my head I notice that he almost looked taken aback when I addressed him by name.
"Mia." He says.
Confident. Almost taunting.
I glance away. His stare. He has me melting into my own sweat.
Well, we have been walking for some time and he has not brought up the proposal again and yet, he brings up Arthur a whole lot and he has to think me gullible if I didn't notice and really, I can't choose Alexander because he likes Arthur because I have to choose someone for me.
But is he the only man who will accept me?
My pace skips slightly as we've wandered, or perhaps I've been led, into the space between several buildings.
Alexander leans towards me and I step back.
He rests a hand on the wall at my back and closes his eyes for a brief heart stopping moment before unleashing his stare on me. With my hand holding my shoulder I feel as though I have locked myself into the space. The cold sweat on my hand on the lace fabric makes my dress feel filthy. I drop my gaze and stride toward the open space we came from.
My dress catches on a wooden plank that has been undone from the building. My back slams onto the wall as I stumble. Everything seems darker here. I glance around at the ground to see shadows of the buildings.
"Mia." He breathes.
I glance up and in one moment I access my surroundings. This is one of those do-or-die situations Theodore always reminded me of. This is where I do something or let things happen and fall in a completely different way.
Alexander leans towards my shoulder and takes my hand. I pull my dress from the wood and veer Alexander to the left and his added weight pulls us free.
We stand with our arms between us in a more open space. Our hands are clasped together. The houses beside us are turned away as if in shyness. As if in modesty.
His eyes call out apologies and confusion. I loosen my grip, but he doesn't drop his.
"Mia." He calls.
As if...as if I am too far. This is a "Gee, you ought to think before you act" moment. Where Theo reminded me that there are extreme troubles for those lugs who act out before they access a new set of events and situations. Even I've seen that happen. I've seen it kill a man.
"Yes?" I say as I pull my hand from him.
I stare right into his eyes as we are almost at eye level.
"Is there something you want to tell me?"
"Mia..."
"Should we head back then?" I begin walking back.
He clears his throat.
"Yes, I should be getting you home."
"Indeed, as you've been championed my protector by Joseph himself." I say in a bright voice.
"Uhh, yes. Right, let's get you home safe." He says and quickens his pace to be beside me.
With enough space for a carriage to cross between us.
"Yes, indeed. We must be watchful of the men that prey on women." I pointedly stare at him.
He gulps.
They've all heard about Mike.
"Don't worry Mia, none of those men will get you while I'm around." He pushes back his tremble and closes the space between us so that a large horse could pass between us.
"I expected this much from you Alexander." I throw him a Michael grin, almost taunting, but too flighty to be real.
He tries to access my gesture. I can see him wondering what I thought of the intimate moment in the alley and what it means for us.
He resolves himself and takes a step closer as we reach the fountain in the middle of town.
"Tomorrow at noon then. I look forward to seeing Arthur." He says.
My heart trembles. Perhaps he is the only man who will accept me now?
"I will meet you there." I say as I stare at the waiting figure of Joseph.
The sun rays waver on the earth and make Alexander's face too dark to see when I turn back to look at him. He bows lightly to Joseph and brushes his shadowed hair back before striding away.
Joseph chuckles quietly and I feel his arm vibrate as he takes my hand and strides towards the cart. I tear my gaze away and sit down on the bench of he cart.
All too soon he appears to not be the man I was walking with, but a stranger. But, Elsa said I should give him a chance, so I must remember that we all have our dark past. Our dark side.
But why is his so clear to me?
Perhaps mine, my dark past, is clear to him too? Maybe. I know he knows about my past, so maybe that's not it. Maybe...
"Mia, keep your head on earth here. I don't need my angel flying off before she's due." Joseph nudges me with his shoulder and chuckles gallantly. He sounds like a king.
I grin and blush. Well, I was thinking about Alexander.
Ruby, the horse, kicks up dust as she maneuvers the cart over a small grass covered hill.
"No, we haven't."
"Well it would be my honour to take you both to see the fair. There are jugglers and lion tamers. People from far and wide travel down, even very well-read men come to take part. Would you be so kind as to offer your company at noon tomorrow?"
"Alexander..." I make myself stare at him as we stride.
His fierce blue eyes search mine for answers. The way he looks at me has me trembling. It's not love, is it? Is it? My heart is shivering so hard I have to hold my shoulder tight to keep from appearing to have a fit. And in the back of my head I notice that he almost looked taken aback when I addressed him by name.
"Mia." He says.
Confident. Almost taunting.
I glance away. His stare. He has me melting into my own sweat.
Well, we have been walking for some time and he has not brought up the proposal again and yet, he brings up Arthur a whole lot and he has to think me gullible if I didn't notice and really, I can't choose Alexander because he likes Arthur because I have to choose someone for me.
But is he the only man who will accept me?
My pace skips slightly as we've wandered, or perhaps I've been led, into the space between several buildings.
Alexander leans towards me and I step back.
He rests a hand on the wall at my back and closes his eyes for a brief heart stopping moment before unleashing his stare on me. With my hand holding my shoulder I feel as though I have locked myself into the space. The cold sweat on my hand on the lace fabric makes my dress feel filthy. I drop my gaze and stride toward the open space we came from.
My dress catches on a wooden plank that has been undone from the building. My back slams onto the wall as I stumble. Everything seems darker here. I glance around at the ground to see shadows of the buildings.
"Mia." He breathes.
I glance up and in one moment I access my surroundings. This is one of those do-or-die situations Theodore always reminded me of. This is where I do something or let things happen and fall in a completely different way.
Alexander leans towards my shoulder and takes my hand. I pull my dress from the wood and veer Alexander to the left and his added weight pulls us free.
We stand with our arms between us in a more open space. Our hands are clasped together. The houses beside us are turned away as if in shyness. As if in modesty.
His eyes call out apologies and confusion. I loosen my grip, but he doesn't drop his.
"Mia." He calls.
As if...as if I am too far. This is a "Gee, you ought to think before you act" moment. Where Theo reminded me that there are extreme troubles for those lugs who act out before they access a new set of events and situations. Even I've seen that happen. I've seen it kill a man.
"Yes?" I say as I pull my hand from him.
I stare right into his eyes as we are almost at eye level.
"Is there something you want to tell me?"
"Mia..."
"Should we head back then?" I begin walking back.
He clears his throat.
"Yes, I should be getting you home."
"Indeed, as you've been championed my protector by Joseph himself." I say in a bright voice.
"Uhh, yes. Right, let's get you home safe." He says and quickens his pace to be beside me.
With enough space for a carriage to cross between us.
"Yes, indeed. We must be watchful of the men that prey on women." I pointedly stare at him.
He gulps.
They've all heard about Mike.
"Don't worry Mia, none of those men will get you while I'm around." He pushes back his tremble and closes the space between us so that a large horse could pass between us.
"I expected this much from you Alexander." I throw him a Michael grin, almost taunting, but too flighty to be real.
He tries to access my gesture. I can see him wondering what I thought of the intimate moment in the alley and what it means for us.
He resolves himself and takes a step closer as we reach the fountain in the middle of town.
"Tomorrow at noon then. I look forward to seeing Arthur." He says.
My heart trembles. Perhaps he is the only man who will accept me now?
"I will meet you there." I say as I stare at the waiting figure of Joseph.
The sun rays waver on the earth and make Alexander's face too dark to see when I turn back to look at him. He bows lightly to Joseph and brushes his shadowed hair back before striding away.
Joseph chuckles quietly and I feel his arm vibrate as he takes my hand and strides towards the cart. I tear my gaze away and sit down on the bench of he cart.
All too soon he appears to not be the man I was walking with, but a stranger. But, Elsa said I should give him a chance, so I must remember that we all have our dark past. Our dark side.
But why is his so clear to me?
Perhaps mine, my dark past, is clear to him too? Maybe. I know he knows about my past, so maybe that's not it. Maybe...
"Mia, keep your head on earth here. I don't need my angel flying off before she's due." Joseph nudges me with his shoulder and chuckles gallantly. He sounds like a king.
I grin and blush. Well, I was thinking about Alexander.
Ruby, the horse, kicks up dust as she maneuvers the cart over a small grass covered hill.