#theladydevonshire

Arandoros lay awake, arms resting behind his head and eyes glued on the ceiling. It was much further away than his own bedroom’s–more than likely because he wasn’t in his own. He stayed with Naivaria tonight in her room within Lady Devonshire’s estate, and the evening had grown too warm for cuddling to be an option after she’d fallen asleep. So, covers completely shed and Naivaria sound asleep beside him, he’d had time to think.

And it was blessed. This was one of few nights he and Naivaria had actually been able to enjoy together considering how busy work had kept him these past couple of months, and their conversations ranged all over the place. He’d told her a bit about what he’d been up to lately, what work had been keeping him late with, and even his investigation into his past. It was nothing yet, but Caelendras and he had agreed on a future appointment, so it was progress.

Soon enough she yawned, and within ten minutes of that first yawn she was unconscious, her tiny form curled up against and partially onto him, Arandoros’ arm wrapped around her shoulders. Eventually, though, he had grown too warm and gently extricated himself, content to know that she slept comfortably beside him. But that hadn’t lasted long.

No, soon enough there were soft sounds coming from his lover, and not of the pleasant sort. Her brow was furrowed and body shaking, breath coming in short gasps. Finally her eyes darted open and she looked around, terror striking her. On seeing that Aran was fully out from under the blanket she clutched at his arm, looking him pleadingly right in the eye. “Stay…please,” she whispered, burying her face in his side and shifting closer.

“Sweetheart,” he sighed, curling around her in response and pressing a protective kiss to her hair. “You know I’m not going anywhere,” he said, one hand soothingly stroking up and down her back. “It was only a dream. You’re safe now, I promise.”

Jastee had spent most of the day at the beach, walking along the shoreline with her nose turned down as she scanned for shells and the like that may catch just the right sort of colors and designs she wanted. May had been chipped or broken in some way so she had to discard them. After the right amount of time she had a glass jar filled with the right amount, soon resting on a workbench in the shop as she began trimming flowers and thinking up the design.

In the morning she returned to Lady Devonshire’s estate, setting the vase down and breathing in the scent. The flowers filled the area with a sweetness and the shells were placed next to them, one being tied around the vase carefully. Underneath the jar was a note.

Dream higher than the sky And deeper than the sea.

It had been a few days since Jastee had set out the flowers for Lady Devonshire. She bit her lip and twisted the orchid around the roses, carefully slipping it against the stems to hold it in place. Guilt was in her eyes for not doing what she had been tasked to, and part of her head was still stinging from the amount of alcohol she had taken in over the past two days. At least now she was sober, though her body was paying for it. 

Instead of a note, however, Jastee stood next to the table, hands clasped loosely in front of her with her head bowed as she waited for Lady Devonshire to make her way down for breakfast.

She had tried to make herself presentable, but in the end her hair was still a mess of curls that fell in her face and her dress had been loosely fitted around her from not being able to tie the knot in the back correctly without assistance.

Memories flashed through her mind of how he had looked the night they had found him, freeing him from solitude. He wouldn't be like that again when he returned, he wouldn't run into trouble... He couldn't. Her sobs broke the silence of the shop, how could he do this to her? She had been so happy...

But what about him?

He had to do something with himself, and she knew he would eventually, but in this way? "Damn it, Sethos." She mumbled into her legs through the sobs. Minutes passed before she finally lifted her head, looking around at the shop. It was so beautiful, so many places bare and ready to be filled with flowers and other plants. Jastee stood once more, moving to look outside the window towards the city. The sun hit the shop just right, it would be perfect for the flowers, yet she felt so in the dark. People were vanishing, what could she do? Nothing. "You better write to me, you asshole."

Needless to say, Lady Devonshire would not be getting flowers that day. Instead, Jastee locked up the shop and went back to the estate, going down to the cellar and taking out the strongest of alcohol she could find. She drank away her sorrow until she could barely make it up the stairs, crawling across the room and collapsing on the bed with bottle still in hand.