Closed The Not-So-Secret Garden (Skyard)

[Winona]

25, Spring 516 AV
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helloThe morning air was crisp, fresh, and slightly nippy from the late night rainfall. The sky above was a clear, pale blue with the sun just beginning to rise out of the coast ahead. It was decided that Winona should explore her new residency before life would get too busy for her. And what better way to do so than a slow jog around the city? She followed the main road for the most part, but Winona wanted to find a way to get closer to the waterfall and see it up close. Winona could see the Bluevein river reach a drop from the road that crossed over, but she couldn't see the actual waterfall itself. In fact, she never seen a waterfall before and was utterly confused as to why it looked like the water stopped in mid-air from her vantage point.

helloWinona continued to jog until she reached the end of the road that stopped before the Crystal Rose. She took a small break there to gather her strength, grasping her kneecaps and letting out a few strained huffs. Gods, this place was so rocky. When Winona surveyed the area, disappointment plastered across her freckled face. She couldn't see the fall from here, and it didn't look like there was a way down the cliff. Maybe I must go more around... Winona hiked herself over to the edge of the cliff in attempt to see if she could find a quicker way down, only to discover that there were in fact multiple iron staircases leading down the side and all the way to the bottom. In delight, Winona thundered down the stairs, despite her throbbing muscles. The iron clanged loudly as she did, alerting a few birds in nearby trees to flee.

helloAs she followed down the staircase, a clash of scents and color invaded her senses. The grotto was rich with the smell of flowery perfume and a variety of many colors were splattered around her like paint on a canvas. Winona's eyes could barely take it all in, almost tripping over her own bare feet as she reached the bottom of the steps. The breeze brushed through the trees and caused small blossoms of all colors to dance in the wind, some landing in her wild ebony hair as she reached out to grab them. The scene had completely erased her thoughts on the waterfall. Instead, she drank in the sight and began to explore the grotto. This place... It was a secret garden. It was her secret garden.

helloHowever, Winona felt an emptiness that she couldn't explain as she indulged the riches of the garden. Was it because she missed Rasha? She did, but that wasn't it. Winona couldn't quite explain what it was... And Winona couldn't quite push the feeling away either.

hello

[Skyard Underwood]

The Kelvic hadn't long awoken from his seemingly indefinite slumber; the male ran his digits through the length of his platinum-blonde hair. He'd been clad in rather simplistic attire today; no more than a typical white T-shirt and black colored cotton trousers. Today he decided that he would be on the prowl for anyone who interested him. Love was in the air, and he knew that some-day soon he most certainly would find it. A man like Skyard who had constantly battled with himself; he hadn't truly known rather or not he was a “human”. On a day to day basis he tended to combat himself between instinctive reactions, and thoughtful well-planned decisions. However, as of recent multitudes of things took place all at once. Only a true mad-man could ever possibly maintain himself one hundred percent of the time; Skyard was no exception to the rule. Skyard knew very well that he couldn't possibly control himself at every single moment of his life. When he falls asleep he tends to dream; rather or not he remembers that he did so. He knew that regardless of what he did his heart would still throb beneath his chest cavity every single day that he remained alive. Life hadn't been quite so full of choices and filled with freedom as it seemed; Skyard has only just begun to understand that concept. Destiny, guided each and every one of the actions he compulsively completed and he was simply along for the ride.

Skyard had no genuine care in the world about any one particular individual. Therefore when one interested him; he made sure to befriend them and become “acquainted” with them. As the days passed he noticed that he looked for females much more often. Perhaps he was in a phase where he would eventually put himself to a stop. Yet, for now he felt compelled and couldn't resist; every single beautiful woman he spotted absolutely had to be his. Skyard would stop at nothing to find his one true Love, and whoever she may be he hoped that she would be good for him. The air itself carried the heavy scent of water; he was near a large body. Skyard begun to walk along a rather rocky path and observe multiple things about the scenery. Fresh dew covered each and every single visible blade of grass that he could see; spring was such a beautiful and whimsical season. The kiss of the suns warmth caused plants to flourish in the vicinity. Spring was one of the two seasons that he was actually very well pleased with.

Skyard approached the edge of what seemed to have been a massive cliff; with a very clearly vertical face. Skyard spoke to himself in a rather mumbled and hushed tone as he wouldn't want anyone else to know of his thoughts. “If any individual, man woman or child fell down the face of this cliff they would meet certain death. With a height like this.. The place should be called “Deaths Fall”..” He concluded his brief speech as he spotted something peculiar out of the corner of his eye. Staircases; several of them in a sequence which seemed to lead somewhere. However, they were in quite the idiosyncratic location; as if they weren't meant to be walked. Skyard contemplated the advantages and disadvantages of exploring the mysterious staircase. The advantages were rather simple; he would get to visit a place that he hadn't before, and it would provide him some sort of entertainment. The disadvantages however were fairly consequential; what if he were to lose balance upon the slippery staircase?

Skyard knew that he was daring, and thought of himself as fearless, but he knew there was a fine line between fearless and reckless. He stopped allowing himself to hesitate, and almost as if it were subconscious he walked down. The Kelvic typically hadn't been the type to explore the unknown, but today would be the day that he did something very different, and out of character for him. His nostrils flared at the “new” combination of scents that filled the air.

The aroma changed immediately as he entered the vicinity in a silent manner. If anyone else was present he didn't want to be seen, nor heard. Skyard attempted to be stealthy; although he knew he didn't have any skill in that particular area. The Kelvic knew that him trying to sneak up on anyone or anything was the equivalent of having an elephant try to silently enter a room. Heavy footsteps accompanied his movements; low and behold he saw a sight he wasn't prepared for. A wide array of color and absolute beauty struck him multiple times. Reds, blues, yellows, and vibrant greens were only a few of the several colors he saw all at once. Not to mention he got to see something he actually intended to see today; a woman.

Skyard saw what he thought to have been something beyond him; had she even been from the area? Men heavily outnumbered women in Riverfall, and he knew that her darker-colored beautiful hair and somewhat tanned skin-tone were something he hadn't encountered before. She most certainly was foreign, and quite the exotic beauty. Skyard was fairly confident in the way that he looked, and had no trouble approaching her. However, he decided that he would wait for her to see him before he did anything rash. The first impression was typically the last impression in terms of women; because of the fact that people tend to judge one another at first sight.

Skyard couldn't quite see her face yet, and he was rather excited to see what it looked like. Was she truly as beautiful from the front as she was at a distance? Skyard thought to himself as the dim gale within the “garden” increased in velocity. His clothing and hair fluttered simultaneously among the winds that brought with them so many various scents all at once. Skyard simply stood off to the side and waited for the womans gaze to meet his own.

[Winona]

25, Spring 516 AV
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helloIt wasn't long before the adrenaline she felt upon discovering the grotto wore off and her legs finally screamed—enough! Winona never really jogged, let alone run, long distances before and her body was certainly keen on reminding her of that very fact. The deaf chaktawe reluctantly gave into her wobbly legs and planted herself onto a patch of fuzzy green. Running her fingers through the wet grass blades shot shivers up her arm. This grass was much different from the so-called 'grass' she seen in the desert. This was lush and soft, while the desert grass was much more rough and scratchy. Everything was so different here, it didn't matter where Winona happened to turn, there was always something new she never seen before.

helloWhile she rested comfortably in the grass, Winona's fingers felt a sudden but light trickling across her pores, which was odd since she wasn't able to feel a thing since she arrived. The city was full of people and excitement which took a toll on her ability to track with her hands. However, while in the grotto, she was actually alone and the only thing she really felt was the small creatures that roamed the garden, plus the dull background of the waterfall just a short distance away hidden by the giant trees. As soon as Winona noticed the small tremors, it quickly faded away. The object either vanished or became incredibly still, unless it was the grass itself that caused it. At first, Winona just ignored it but curiosity burned almost as harshly as the emptiness she felt as soon as she entered the hidden alcove.

helloWinona subconsciously curled the fingers of her left hand in a protective fist over her chest, while her other hand remained very still in attempt to feel for more tremors. Nothing. Unless her senses were still struggling despite the small retreat from the busy city. Winona sighed and forced herself up, her black eyes scanning around her to pinpoint what she caught wind of.

helloThere he was. A strange man was standing near the iron stairs that she had entered from. Winona felt slightly disappointed at the fact that the garden wasn't much of a secret anymore. Someone else had discovered it's whereabouts, which meant others were bound to know about it. However, her sour feelings immediately subsided as she began to study the creature. His hair was more pale than the desert sands, and he had somewhat of a fair, rosy complexion that had Winona in awe. The man didn't look very tall from a distance, but Winona figured that he was probably taller than her like all the other akalaks. Did pale akalaks exist? Whether they did or not, she had no clue. Winona had only ever been around Benshira and Eypharians, other than her own race. Whatever he was, he was very pretty and Winona wanted to touch his face.

helloBefore Winona approached him, she glanced down at herself. It was a good thing she wasn't wearing her long tunic or else it would have had a giant wet spot on her bottom where she sat on the wet grass. With the black leather trousers, it was hardly noticeable. The deaf chaktawe quickly brushed off whatever decided to stick to her black sleeveless blouse and cautiously wandered over to the stranger. As she neared him, she could see his slender features in more detail, his cerulean eyes following her steadily. Winona's heart lodged itself in her throat when she noticed his eyes. They were such a beautiful blue, something she coveted for herself. Then it dawned on her... What was she going to say to him? Fear made a burrow in the depths of her belly. How would he react to... Her voice? Winona self-consciously checked herself again, ripping out the blossoms that stuck to her hair. Even with all the nervousness that bundled up within her causing her extremities to become cold with fright, Winona noticed that the emptiness she had felt earlier slowly reduced itself to a small, painless throb the closer she got to the man. What in the world was Winona so afraid of? She wasn't normally like this!

hello"Good morning," Winona greeted with a small head bow, her lips moving carefully as she spoke common with a warbly and slight accent. Her hands clung awkwardly to her sides, unsure of what to do with them. "I did not expecting anyone to come by very early. I can go now, if you would like to be alone." Did she pronounce everything okay? Although she expected her words to be on the choppy side (as she was scolded for this often), Winona prayed that her words were clear enough to be understood. She could almost imagine Rasha's face right now... 'You silly girl. It's just a boy.' Yes, but it was a pretty boy with blue eyes!

hello

[Skyard Underwood]

The Kelvic had been acknowledged by the absolutely stunning young lady. He simply sat and observed; his cerulean irises locked onto her body. He observed at a distance and watched as she clenched her fist against her petite chest. She was absolutely astonishing, and Skyards instincts began to cloud his conscious mind. Where could she have possibly come from; first The Kelvic encountered a strange red-head and next he encountered this? What in the world was she; because she most certainly wasn't human with those strange irises. As she approached him; his hands trembled against the iron railing of the staircase. Skyard hadn't been one to truly fear anything; however when it came to the unknown he had been shaken to his core. She was nothing more than a woman; why should he fear her Skyard thought to himself. Yet, inside he knew that if he did in fact approach the woman without any amount of confidence she would brush him off and walk away.

A bit of saliva pooled in his mouth as he grew increasingly nervous; she stood and stepped forth. As she approached he grew even more anxious. Skyard knew absolutely nothing about the beautiful person who would soon stand before him. He could only brace himself for the worst, and although he felt a temporal lack of confidence he most certainly did not show it.

Instinctively Skyard knew that in his subconscious mind; that an alpha male in a pride that lacked confidence would swiftly be taken advantage of. Skyard was not about to allow himself to fall victim to the spell of such a beautiful wench. Despite how incredibly nervous he was The Kelvic found excitement within her presence; his heart thumped away beneath his chest.

She got even closer, and Skyard wanted to show off his features. He knew very well from several of his previous experiences that he was attractive. However, he'd never flaunted it the way that he intended to in her presence. He would make it known very swiftly that he wanted her attention, and if she made any sudden moves he would seize the opportunity to flirt with her at all costs. Skyard fidgeted with his fingers for a moment as the woman began to speak. He listened closely and picked up on her rather peculiar accent in an instant.

She spoke to him, and the moment she'd said “Good Morning” to him he smiled. His smile was incredibly welcoming; pearly white teeth filled his mouth and his rather soft looking lips spread out slightly. She was absolutely stunning, what in the world did she mean if he wanted to be alone that she would leave? The Kelvic absolutely refused to allow an opportunity like this to walk away from him; a beautiful woman in a romantic setting was perfect! Skyard grew increasingly excited as he took a step forward. He closed the already short distance between himself and the young lass to the point of where distance was nearly nonexistent.

“Listen to me, young beautiful woman. I have no intention of making you leave; with a face like yours I'd much rather you stay. Perhaps we can become more well acquainted; you are absolutely stunning. Without warning if a man were to gaze upon you his heart may leap from his chest! You are the epitome of perfection; your beautiful hair, and skin comparable to high quality bronze. My goodness, where are you from love? My name is Skyard, tis' a pleasure to meet you!” He spoke and delivered a somewhat elongated speech to her. He didn't care about the fact that he had been incredibly straight forward and blunt with her. He practically let her know immediately that he was much more interested in her than the isolation of the place they resided in.

Skyard inhaled slowly, and rather deeply followed by a soft exhalation. He was incredibly nervous and attempted to shake the bad feeling. Perhaps she was a nice young woman after all; he silently hoped that she would accept his “offer” to her. The Kelvic had trouble beating around the bush and often found himself being a dead giveaway in majority of situations. He was not very skilled in the art of seduction, and he intended to become better at it today.

[Winona]

25, Spring 516 AV
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helloIt was far from unusual that a person would appear perplexed or uncomfortable once Winona spoke. Mainly because they would come to realize that there was possibly something wrong with her being a little... slow. Now Winona didn't have anything wrong with her in that realm of disability. She's just deaf. However, many people seem to associate deaf with dumb regardless.

helloWhen she finally spoke to the strange pale akalak (or whatever race he was), that was what she expected. She expected his nose to crinkle up in dissatisfaction or his lips to turn into a frown of disappointment. Instead, his whole face lit up with warmth and fervor in such a beautiful smile, even the corners of his eyes crinkled at her greeting. Winona almost lost her words in mid-sentence even with all the concentration she put into saying them right. If it was a genuine smile, she wouldn't have been able to tell but her pride swelled. She must have said her words flawlessly to get such a friendly reaction.

helloWinona expected a polite word of thanks and a parting to their separate ways, but something much more puzzling happened. The blonde came intimately close, his blue eyes seemingly studying her facial features. Normally, Winona would get a sick feeling in her stomach when a man would be in such a close proximity, especially after witnessing was done to her friend, Rasha. Winona was tempted to take a step back to recover the space, but she didn't feel the sick feeling this time. She didn't feel anything at all except burning excitement across her skin.

helloThe man's pillowy lips began to move, and she missed a piece of the beginning but caught the words, beautiful woman. He thought she was beautiful? Immediately, her eyes followed his lips once again. He didn't want her to leave... Stunning, beautiful, perfection. He slathered her with all these words and it completely caught Winona by surprise. What was she to say? What was she to do? Winona hadn't encountered a situation such as this. This usually happened to Rasha. Winona was skinny, boyish, and ugly compared to the god-like beauty that this man possessed. He's either blind or incredibly dangerous. As much as instinct told her to punch him and run away, the burning sensation begged her to stay.

hello"My goodness, where are you from, Love? My name is Skyard, tis' a pleasure to meet you!" Winona formed the name with her lips and repeated it over her breath. Sky-ard, sky-ard, sky-ard. That didn't sound like an akalak name? Winona then raised her eyes to him, lifting her chin slightly. He was taller than she expected. Winona estimated he was at least one or two inches taller, but in fact, he was probably four or five inches taller than her. Winona gave a helplessly foolish and giddy grin.

hello"Sky-ard... I like that name. I am Winona, from Yahebah... I am very sorry— I am not used to many compliments..." Her words were seriously affected by how flustered she was, causing her mouth to dry up. Winona wasn't really sure how to respond to his plethora of sweet words. It was somewhat hard for her to focus. After all, his blue eyes were almost hypnotizing and the burning sensation increased the longer she stood so close to him. The overwhelming feeling to touch his face was unbearable and Winona pressed her hands in little fists against her chest in attempt to fight it.

hello

[Skyard Underwood]

Skyard nodded as the woman spoke in order to let her know that he listened very closely to her words. Her accent was rather heavy, and exotic; although in the back of his mind he enjoyed every bit of it. He got to observe, and learn of new people as well as new cultures. One thing that she did indeed say intrigued him the most, and she confirmed that she was from a land he'd never heard of. She told him that she liked his name, and he could only look on with surprise. He hadn't ever been told that he had a name that was even somewhat interesting. Her allure could snatch a mans heart right from his chest cavity, and crush it mercilessly. Skyard only continued to listen and patiently wait so that he wouldn't cut off her speech.

She told him that she was from a land called Yaheba; “What in the world is a Yahe—buhh...” Skyard thought to himself silently. The Kelvics charming smile remained upon his face, and he made a rather bold move next. Skyard decided that he would stop wasting time; she was obviously resisting some sort of urge. He noticed how she continued to touch herself and “restrain” herself from him. Was the young lady a prude? Skyard had absolutely no clue how someone could possibly be at such a close distance to another and not bother to lay a hand on them. Therefore he decided that he would make the first move upon her.

Skyard raised his right hand, very slowly so that he wouldn't frighten the young lady while he touched her. The Kelvic gently extended his thumb, and the remaining digits of his fingers toward her visage. Within a split-tick he placed the flat of his palm against the womans cheek; whilst his fingertips touched the young lass's nape. He gently caressed the woman's flesh with his fingertips and wondered how in the world it could possibly be so soft. He questioned several things about her; she was from a land far from here, and she spoke in an off tone. Why was her accent so different from any that he had ever heard before?

Skyard thought nothing of it at first, and he figured that wherever she was from that they spoke in the same manner. Skyard no longer hesitated and he knew that she must have wanted to touch him as well; with the way that she appeared to hold herself back. He gazed upon the young lass's eyes, and contemplated for a moment about her lips. Did The Kelvic really want to kiss her lips, and risk being smacked upside the head? Skyard weighed his options and figured that a single peck couldn't possibly hurt him.

The Kelvic tilted his cranium to the right, and brought forth his visage ever-so close to her own. He took yet another step and pressed himself against her; whilst the hand he hadn't used to gently caress the woman's face had been placed in the small of her back. A soft exhalation preceded his lips suddenly being pressed against hers, and he took more than a few ticks to let go. Skyard could only hope that she wouldn't swat him away; however at this point he didn't care.

[Winona]

25, Spring 516 AV
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helloEven when the deaf chaktawe stumbled over her words, the Skyard man did not cease his kind smile. He would nod and occasionally glance down at her hands curled against her chest. A part of her wondered what could he possibly be thinking. The way his features went soft and the way he studied her. It reminded Winona of her parents when they looked at each other. The image in her head was faded with the years passed, but the feeling was strong. She felt... jealousy then. It kindled behind her eyes and made them swell up with tears as she watched her parents. Sometimes they would share that look with her brothers to some degree, but she couldn't recall them ever looking at her like that.

helloWinona's thoughts were interceded when the pale akalak(ish?) man gently and tenderly reached towards her face. Winona's soul leaned away like a reflex, but her physical body stood firm. Her brows knitted close together in curiosity, passing glances at his hand and his face before the palm of his hand pressed softly against her cheek. A lightning of nerves cracked down her back, and the burning she felt transformed into fluttering gratification. Winona's body relaxed slightly, a hand reaching up to cup the hand that was on her cheek. But a question stirred in her mind. Why did he touch her? Could he read her mind? Could he read into her feelings? Did his touch have some sort of magical power?

helloSkyard didn't say a word. He just continued to caress the side of her face as his pretty blue eyes trained on her, darting around her features. What was he thinking? Why wasn't he saying anything? What in the name of the gods was he doing? Suddenly, the pale man tilted his head in a peculiar way, and closed the gap between with a hand around her waist. Winona instinctively held out her free hand that barely nudged against his abdomen. Gods, was that a mistake. She did not understand why male stomachs were considered "attractive" to females, especially since most men she knew were more on the pudgy side. However, Skyard's slender stomach was very smooth and very warm like a thin luxurious blanket. So that's why.

helloIt didn't stop there. The man leaned his face in very close, and Winona leaned back slightly, not understanding. Not until his lips eventually reached hers and locked together for what felt like a whole season. Her body tingled worse than a leg that had fallen asleep, a deep red blossoming from her cheeks. When his lips pulled away, Winona's eyes were wider than the full moon. This man... just shared a kiss with her. Her first kiss at that. Her scary black eyes did not scare him, her abnormally thin body did not dissuade him, and what puzzled her most of all... Her disability did not deter him.

helloThe burning returned when their lips parted, and Winona wanted to kiss him again. She wanted to feel the tingling again. However, a disturbing thought crossed her mind. Winona remembered how her brothers would tease. She remembered when she saw her parents kiss for the first time and how her brothers started complaining and retching. Winona didn't understand why until her oldest brother explained that whenever her parents kissed, that meant another baby was possibly on the way. Winona was completely fascinated. How could a baby form by one little kiss?

helloHowever, it was this memory that terrified her in the time of Rasha's trouble. She remembered when Azeroteph forced himself onto her best friend and kissed her all over. Winona saved her but... The benshira kissed Rasha. So that meant Rasha was pregnant, right? Sometimes kisses did not work, she knew this... But she was still absolutely terrified in the moment.

helloRealization choked Winona when she realized what they had done. He kissed her and they weren't even married! What was worse was that Winona refused to push him away, she didn't want to... The very thought caused the burning feeling to grow. He looked concerned, nervous even, as the deaf chaktawe continued to stare at him in shock. Sometimes they do not work... Winona began to reason to herself. It probably only work on married people... Rasha did not get pregnant after Azeroteph kissed her and they are not married! Winona pushed away the thoughts, both her hands now trailed up to the collar of his shirt and pulled him into another kiss. She just had to feel the tingling again.

hello

[Skyard Underwood]

The hand that once rested upon the young ladies waist found itself much lower than he intended it to. Unknowingly The Kelvic grasped hold of the womans buttocks, and as she tugged away at his collar and pulled him into another kiss he exhaled through his nostrils. Followed a brief exhalation; Skyard refused to break the kiss, and he continued to kiss her in rapid succession. Skyard closed his eyes almost immediately, as she surprised him with the return of a kiss. He thought to himself for a brief moment What in the world is going on? He hadn't felt this way before, and never knew that a kiss could ever possibly feel so intense, and yet amazing simultaneously. Skyard stood there, and felt as if he entered an alternate reality for a moment as they continuously locked lips. He knew what he wanted, and judging by her body language he made several assessments. Perhaps she wanted him just as much as he did her. Skyard however did not exactly know what it was she desired, and for a moment he finally broke the kiss.

He took a moment and laid his forehead upon her own; his hand remained upon the side of the womans visage, and he continued to caress her face. She was such a soft, and delicate individual ; not only was she gorgeous, but she was rather affectionate as well. Skyard felt as if he wanted to relive this moment until the end of his days. Yet, he knew that he could not escape reality; not even for a split-tick the way that he wanted to.

Therefore he decided that he would look the young lady in the eyes, and talk to her for a bit. His opposing hand had been removed from the womans buttocks, and he instead placed both his hands upon her thin hips. Her petite frame provided him with a bit of ease, and he felt rather relaxed in her presence.

Skyard asked but one question, and he hoped that he would receive a response that he wanted to hear. However, he knew exactly what to expect from her and he did not expect it to be very positive. He felt a bit of unease as he beckoned the young lady. “My love, my love; will you listen to me? For your beauty is unrivaled by even the brightest of stars. You are so gorgeous that you could make a man question rather or not he is even present in the world. Oh beautiful woman, please allow take my hand and allow me to whisk you away.” He spoke to her with passion, despite the fact that she could not hear him as he locked eyes with her once again. Skyard simply paused, and once more that pearly white smile of his spread out across his visage.

He spoke to her and delivered multiple affectionate words; words that were meant to swoon the young lady. Skyard did not mind being a bit blunt at times, and this was simply the first step that he would take to do so. He did not particularly care about whether or not he had to wait several seasons; he absolutely had to have her. Skyard felt as if he had already been smitten with her the moment he saw her, and now that he'd gotten closer to her he did not want to let go.

[Winona]

25, Spring 516 AV
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helloThe moment she tugged him into another kiss, it seemed to have kick-started Skyard into motion. What started as a gentle and cautious kiss, turned into an unhealthy and eager lust. Each kiss showered tinkling pleasure that coursed throughout her body. She didn't want the high to cease... Winona craved the affection as much as one craved the sweet and pure taste of water in the midst of a drought. Her fingers were so tightly clutched around the collar of his shirt that it wrinkled in her hands. As the adrenaline increased, his hand brushed past the small of her back and grasped a firm hold of her bottom. Her eyes flew open in shock, a short gasp escaping her lips.

helloWinona didn't understand why she yearned for this kind of attention. She never desired it before? The deaf chaktawe was content in her own quiet world where selected few ever gotten close to being a part of. Yes, of course Winona had crushes but that's all they were. They were just boys she enjoyed looking at. Seeing the kind smile on cute boys' faces, the way the corner of their eyes crinkled and how their whole face would lift when a friend approached them. Their faces were pleasing to look at, but it was their spirit that drew her to them.

helloWinona's mind flashed to the third year she spent living with Rasha and her family... There was a girl that was sobbing at the edge of the city of Yahebah, wearing sackcloth and putting ashes on her head to reveal her shame. In a mess of shiber, Winona asked Rasha, "What wrong with girl?" Rasha peered at the girl as she held Winona's arm then quickly looked away. Her blue eyes appeared distraught but her face fought to stay even-tempered. "She has lost her purity and her family has disowned her." Winona continued to stare at the ash-covered girl, losing step with Rasha. "Why? How?" Winona asked. Rasha simply tugged Winona and ushered her away from the sight. "She did not listen to her parents, and ran away with some boy. Now she has been abandoned by the boy for another whore, and has no family to go back to... Because of her sin, she'll have to face the viper pit... I pray that she survives... And be given a second chance." Rasha's throat was tense, revealing a small vein. Was she holding back tears? Winona attempted to understand, believing that perhaps Rasha was afraid that Winona would do the same. "I never do that. Not happen to me!" Winona gave Rasha a reassuring smile. "Never, never."

helloWinona's heart fluttered with excitement, the hairs on her neck prickled from his sudden touch and toxic kisses. Her instincts were dulled down to a diminutive tremor as she shoved the memories away. She didn't care. She wanted Skyard forever.

helloSuddenly, their lips broke away, their chests heaving as they rested together in an embrace. Her heart finally had a chance to slow down, her extremities still trembling with what was left of the adrenaline. Where were they again? Her dark eyes wandered beyond Skyard's features and caught a glimpse of the iron staircase, along with blooming shrubberies. Oh right, the grotto... Winona had almost forgotten why she came here! She felt movement, causing her eyes to flit back to Skyard's as he slid his hands back onto her hips once again. Relax, Winny... Winona slackened her grip on his collar and slid her hands down to his chest, resting her fingers against the small patter of his heart. Relax... Winona let herself shut her eyes for a moment, ever too trusting of the acquaintance that held her.

helloSkyard's breathing followed a different pattern for a moment, instead of the usual rhythmic breathing that brushed against her cheeks, it was uneven like a whispering. Winona opened her eyes and realized that he was talking. She flinched and recoiled, studying his speech in a fluster. "—is even present in the world. Oh beautiful woman, please allow take my hand and allow me to whisk you away." Whisk her away? Winona's gaze returned to his pretty eyes. They crinkled again when he smiled at her. Where would they go? Winona's stomach clenched savagely at the thought of parting. She would be alone again. Alone with her thoughts.

helloShe wanted to feel his touch, the touch that made her skin buzz all over. She wanted to feel the high that crackled her nerves and made her adrenaline rush. She wanted him... So she would forget the pain of why she came to Riverfall in the first place. Winona finally reached up and let her fingers gently sweep across his jaw, her body trembling with anticipation. Winona wasn't sure where they would go, but she wanted to stay with him. "I would very much love that— v-very much..." Winona stumbled over her words, bashfully drawing her hand away. A piece of her heart wanted to say no. Perhaps it was the part that Yahal owned, knowing where this decision would take the two... But Winona wasn't searching for him. She didn't crave for Yahal, she was craving for man.

hello

[Skyard Underwood]

The Kelvic smirked the moment that she spoke; she said that she would love to accompany him to his home. She had agreed to be whisked away, and Skyard would never allow an opportunity this grand to slip from his palms. He turned about for a brief moment, and with his back turned to her; he extended his right hand and grasped hold of her own outstretched hand. He swiftly took steps toward the elongated staircase, and started with the singular step at the base. He attempted to work his way up step by step in order to spend a bit of “quality time” with Winona. Skyard was a rather sentimental and emotional creature at times. Not even The Kelvic himself understood why he had always been so quick to feel physically and mentally attached to a person with such speed. He knew that in the future he would need to learn how to control his impulses. Each and every instinct within the Kelvic told him to snatch the woman's virtue right where they stood. Yet, Skyard knew that indecency in a public place would be incredibly taboo for anyone else to watch.

Skyard turned his head to the right briefly, and took a rather long gaze at the waterfall. He enjoyed the wide array of color he got to see, and the unique combination of scents here. The Kelvic knew that he would eventually want to revisit this place of beauty. He was especially happy that he had gotten to discover a new location, and bed a beautiful young lass in the same day. He began to question how much more perfect his life could become presently; despite the fact that he lost Ayatah he had won the heart of yet another young lady. She was beautiful, and with her looks she could bed any man that she wished to. Skyard was still very well unaware of the fact that the young lass was deaf despite her obviously odd accent. Therefore he decided that he would turn toward her and speak as he guided her up the lengthy staircase.

He gave her an incredibly heart warming smile; both rows of his pearly white teeth showed in the young ladies direction. He spoke as he parted his lips, and the dimples in his cheeks sank in simultaneously. “ You are absolutely incredible my love! I hope that you enjoy your time with me as much as I will with you. You are magnificent in both your appearance and your heart and I've hardly gotten to know you. Why is it that you are so gorgeous?” He beckoned her with a simplistic question; in order to drive forward a bit more conversation between them. He took yet another step, and whilst his heel connected with the base of the next stair he turned his head forward. He did not want to appear rude, but he did not intend to slip either.

Skyard was in no particular hurry to take her directly to his apartment, and he would much rather take things slow than at too rapid of a pace. He believed that in taking several things slow, and savoring in the moment one could find much more pleasure in life. The Kelvic was never one for much philosophy, but he knew from a past experience to enjoy things while they lasted. Through the death of his master; Skyard discovered multiple new things about life. The way that he lived before shackled him with chains of conformity, and he knew nothing about what it meant to be free. However, now that he had his own “freedom” of choice he felt as if the entire world was his. Life was a beautiful thing, and the time spent in life should always be spent enjoying each and every bitter-sweet moment it brought.

The Kelvic instinctively took a deep breath, and as he had done so he inhaled a large amount of her scent. She smelled absolutely amazing to him; she had a rather earthy smell which included a hint of “perfume” that he had been unaware as to whether or not she'd worn. Skyard was intoxicated and grew somewhat impatient. They finally reached the top of the staircase, and he immediately picked up the pace. Skyard began to walk slightly faster as they had made it half way to his home. He used his opposing hand and reached into his pocket in order to grasp hold of the key.

They approached his door, and Skyard jammed the metallic key into the lock and with a brief turn it popped right open. The sound of a loud click erupted as the bolt shifted away and gave entry to his dwelling. He wasted no time, and grasped hold of the young ladies hips as he raised her petite frame off of the ground slightly. As he uplifted her he kissed away at her windpipe heavily, and took a single step backward which slammed the door shut. His eyes closed, and he prepared for the intense passion that would ensue.