Island Hopping (RP for ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
immortalsparta)
Aug. 14th, 2009 10:37 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
faery_ringThe days in Greece had been wonderful and exciting both a whirlwind at at times. For both of them it was so beautifully relaxed and heady all at once. During those halcyon days, Caroline found herself ever-so-glad that they had waited until they were here in this place to become intimate. Certainly it was the one place in the world that made Stelios who he was - and during this time Caroline also came to realise just how much she had come to feel for Stelios. They had spent the day before procuring one of the fabulous boats that were so well known and native only to Greece. Now the sun was barely coming up and they walked hand in hand toward the dock where their boat was moored and waiting.
The water was lapping against the hull of the surprisingly large vessel almost rhythmically. The increased light of the coming morning seemed to emerge from behind the cliffs in white, blue and violet hues. Songbirds sleepily began twittering, proclaiming that the dawn had arrived. Day was breaking at last.
Caroline wrapped her arms around Stelios's waist. Gazing up into his face, she leaned forward and breathed a kiss upon his lips. It was tentative and gentle at first, but grew increasingly deep and passionate, until she could feel her own heartbeat against her chest. The night before when she had been lying in the comfort of her lover's arms staring a the ceiling, she had fought back the incredible urge to pace. A cool breeze from over the water washed over them both, causing small choppy waves on the water to make the boat buck a little, as if it were a horse anxious to be underway. The sun rose ever-lazily and begn to burn off the few touches of fog that obscured some of their view of the smaller islands in the distance. Reluctantly she pulled away and took his hand in hers, leading him to the small boat that patiently awaited them.
"Come on," Stelios said, smiling down at her, "Time to take you home."
They loaded their small satchels of belongings into the boat. When these had been placed on board, Caroline embarked upon the vessel in, her sandalled feet making barely a sound on the wood. Once inside she turned to see Stelios unfastening the boat. Almost instantly they began drifting into the harbour. Caroline wondered for a moment if Stelios might have some second thoughts, but when he glanced up to look at her with an expression of both delight and something else, her thoughts melted away in the rising sunlight.
Every moment with Stelios had led to this one. She had never before been so impetuous with anyone in her life. But this man, this Spartan, had moved Caroline’s heart as no other.
Caroline moved over to him, and ran her fingers along his jaw. She leaned forward a little more, closing what little gap there remained between them. Whatever doubts she may have had were banished long ago when they had so quickly landed together, both of them connecting as if cut and fashioned from the same materiall. "We are about to pass through a doorway. Are you sure you want this?"
Her answer was a gentle returning kiss from him that quickly turned steadily more passionate. "Yes," he said at last.
Caroline reluctantly pulled away from him and moved toward the rudder. A single look from Stelios and she knew that she should relinquish the it to him. Wordlessly she nodded, and gazed out from the shore to the open water. The foggy mist was still thick enough for her to summon a doorway to get them to her Homeland where her mother ruled as Queen and where she was to tell her mother and the Council of her decision with regard to the succession.
As he took up the helm, Stelios and Caroline looked at each other. Her gaze was calm yet inside her nerves were a shambles. She watched him as he skilfully steered the vessel past any rocks or obstacles. She watched his arms and looked at him and could not help the smile that crossed her face. Her thoughts had gone toward their days and nights and remembering more intimate moments between them. As if he could read her thoughts, when she looked back up at Stelios he was smiling at her knowingly. Surely they were thinking the same thing.
They neared the mouth of the cove that opened into the open sea The small craft bobbed on the waves and eddies. Carefully she moved to the front of the boat. She had discreetly kept her dagger that was used for this purpose on her and she drew it from it’s sheath. Her back was now to Stelios. Closing her eyes and took a deep breath and outstretched her arms, even as Stelios continued to row. Exhaling she opened her eyes and pointed her dagger forward and made a cutting and arching motion. Instantly the mist seemed to gather and swirl around them to a place on the water directly in line with where Caroline had made the cutting motion. There was a bright fissure that formed immediately before them and from it came a slight breeze blew toward and beyond the boat. At last the mists began to part and roll away.
Gone now was Greece and the Meditrerranean grace they had been in only moments before and in front of them was the harbour of the Fortunate Island and the Great City of Gorreas. On all sides they were surrounded by looming mountains. The deep crags that cast a purple hue were also interspersed with deep rich green of thick forests and vineyards and fruit groves. There were sheer cliff faces in the far distance and on a nearer rolling vantage point, there stood an ancient castle - more ancient than anything on earth, yet surprisingly in stunningly good shape for something so old. Its towers stretched up like spires from the imperious rock, blue and silver banners flapped in the breeze.. All around the castle compex were walls and other dwellings that were perched in among trees or on cliffs. Everywhere there was city, but the city was lush and blooming with life and yet the city would have been fortified, clearly from any attack. To the West was a rich valley dotted with fruit orchards, where in the very great distance flocks could be seen grazing. Across the bay was another castle, this one not as great as the first. On the bay were small fishing vessels, barges and assorted craft that were not there a moment before. Clearly they had come through to some otherwhere to this place.
When Caroline was satisfied that she had safely opened the doorway, as soon as they had come through the opening disappeared. With a slow sigh and a satisfied smile she carefully turned to sit down before Stelios who was staring now.
“Welcome to my home, Stelios,” she said softly, “Welcome to my Homeland.”
On the shoreline, there was excitement. Surely the flash upon the horizon indicated that one of the Fortunate Island's very own was coming home? Was it their Lady or her daughters or ones long lost and distant to other parts of other realms of existence? Suddenly a shout from one of the highest towers was heard only to be picked up by the shouts of another and another until at last a large trumpet was sounded. In a matter of moments, the entire Fortunate Island would know that Caroline, one of their Bards, had returned home at last and would be at the docks if not some of them actually swimming out to the boat to meet them.
The water was lapping against the hull of the surprisingly large vessel almost rhythmically. The increased light of the coming morning seemed to emerge from behind the cliffs in white, blue and violet hues. Songbirds sleepily began twittering, proclaiming that the dawn had arrived. Day was breaking at last.
Caroline wrapped her arms around Stelios's waist. Gazing up into his face, she leaned forward and breathed a kiss upon his lips. It was tentative and gentle at first, but grew increasingly deep and passionate, until she could feel her own heartbeat against her chest. The night before when she had been lying in the comfort of her lover's arms staring a the ceiling, she had fought back the incredible urge to pace. A cool breeze from over the water washed over them both, causing small choppy waves on the water to make the boat buck a little, as if it were a horse anxious to be underway. The sun rose ever-lazily and begn to burn off the few touches of fog that obscured some of their view of the smaller islands in the distance. Reluctantly she pulled away and took his hand in hers, leading him to the small boat that patiently awaited them.
"Come on," Stelios said, smiling down at her, "Time to take you home."
They loaded their small satchels of belongings into the boat. When these had been placed on board, Caroline embarked upon the vessel in, her sandalled feet making barely a sound on the wood. Once inside she turned to see Stelios unfastening the boat. Almost instantly they began drifting into the harbour. Caroline wondered for a moment if Stelios might have some second thoughts, but when he glanced up to look at her with an expression of both delight and something else, her thoughts melted away in the rising sunlight.
Every moment with Stelios had led to this one. She had never before been so impetuous with anyone in her life. But this man, this Spartan, had moved Caroline’s heart as no other.
Caroline moved over to him, and ran her fingers along his jaw. She leaned forward a little more, closing what little gap there remained between them. Whatever doubts she may have had were banished long ago when they had so quickly landed together, both of them connecting as if cut and fashioned from the same materiall. "We are about to pass through a doorway. Are you sure you want this?"
Her answer was a gentle returning kiss from him that quickly turned steadily more passionate. "Yes," he said at last.
Caroline reluctantly pulled away from him and moved toward the rudder. A single look from Stelios and she knew that she should relinquish the it to him. Wordlessly she nodded, and gazed out from the shore to the open water. The foggy mist was still thick enough for her to summon a doorway to get them to her Homeland where her mother ruled as Queen and where she was to tell her mother and the Council of her decision with regard to the succession.
As he took up the helm, Stelios and Caroline looked at each other. Her gaze was calm yet inside her nerves were a shambles. She watched him as he skilfully steered the vessel past any rocks or obstacles. She watched his arms and looked at him and could not help the smile that crossed her face. Her thoughts had gone toward their days and nights and remembering more intimate moments between them. As if he could read her thoughts, when she looked back up at Stelios he was smiling at her knowingly. Surely they were thinking the same thing.
They neared the mouth of the cove that opened into the open sea The small craft bobbed on the waves and eddies. Carefully she moved to the front of the boat. She had discreetly kept her dagger that was used for this purpose on her and she drew it from it’s sheath. Her back was now to Stelios. Closing her eyes and took a deep breath and outstretched her arms, even as Stelios continued to row. Exhaling she opened her eyes and pointed her dagger forward and made a cutting and arching motion. Instantly the mist seemed to gather and swirl around them to a place on the water directly in line with where Caroline had made the cutting motion. There was a bright fissure that formed immediately before them and from it came a slight breeze blew toward and beyond the boat. At last the mists began to part and roll away.
Gone now was Greece and the Meditrerranean grace they had been in only moments before and in front of them was the harbour of the Fortunate Island and the Great City of Gorreas. On all sides they were surrounded by looming mountains. The deep crags that cast a purple hue were also interspersed with deep rich green of thick forests and vineyards and fruit groves. There were sheer cliff faces in the far distance and on a nearer rolling vantage point, there stood an ancient castle - more ancient than anything on earth, yet surprisingly in stunningly good shape for something so old. Its towers stretched up like spires from the imperious rock, blue and silver banners flapped in the breeze.. All around the castle compex were walls and other dwellings that were perched in among trees or on cliffs. Everywhere there was city, but the city was lush and blooming with life and yet the city would have been fortified, clearly from any attack. To the West was a rich valley dotted with fruit orchards, where in the very great distance flocks could be seen grazing. Across the bay was another castle, this one not as great as the first. On the bay were small fishing vessels, barges and assorted craft that were not there a moment before. Clearly they had come through to some otherwhere to this place.
When Caroline was satisfied that she had safely opened the doorway, as soon as they had come through the opening disappeared. With a slow sigh and a satisfied smile she carefully turned to sit down before Stelios who was staring now.
“Welcome to my home, Stelios,” she said softly, “Welcome to my Homeland.”
On the shoreline, there was excitement. Surely the flash upon the horizon indicated that one of the Fortunate Island's very own was coming home? Was it their Lady or her daughters or ones long lost and distant to other parts of other realms of existence? Suddenly a shout from one of the highest towers was heard only to be picked up by the shouts of another and another until at last a large trumpet was sounded. In a matter of moments, the entire Fortunate Island would know that Caroline, one of their Bards, had returned home at last and would be at the docks if not some of them actually swimming out to the boat to meet them.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-11-12 02:24 am (UTC)"They graze near the top of the hill in the thickest part of the forest where the oldest apple groves are," she said, nearly breathless with the climb. She slowed just near the final crest of the hill and turned to Stelios and looked into his face, "These horses are older than any of us. It is said that they belong to and are patrons of the Goddess Danu Herself. Maybe if they let us approach them, we can ride."
Among the rolling grassy slopes that were interspersed with wildflowers, a small herd of Faery Steeds grazed. There were dappled gray and white, black and chestnut coloured horses as well as one that could have been called a blue, whose gray coat had an almost cobalt tinge to it. Caroline pointed to that one and murmured in a low voice. "That one," she nuzzled close to Stelios, "he's the stallion. See how his coat is in the sun? It's from the grass and the apples here. If he goes to the other side of the island for more than a week, he isn't so blueish looking." The large stallion, as if on cue raised his head up, his ears pricked forward listening carefully and sniffing the air as he chewed a mouthful of grass. He looked as if he was as if he was trying to guage whether or not he should gather up the mares and foals and move them away from the two observers in the distance. After some minutes, he decided that neither intruder was of any concern and went back to grazing, but would raise his head from time to time just to make certain that his decision was the right one.
Caroline turned slowly, careful not to move too suddenly and frighten the steeds. Letting go of Stelios for a moment, she reached into a small pouch she pulled out some berries. She slowly pulled a little away from her companion and made a sweet whistling sound. Immediately, the stallion and at least four of the mares raised their heads and stared straight at Caroline and Stelios. Again, Caroline made a shorter burst of whistling and the leader of the herd nickered softly and began walking toward them, his dark mane blowing in the breeze.