Comments | iwhinny4dragons: another year older.

iwhinny4dragons

another year older.

Feb 14, 2007 01:30

The ball had been lovely. Sybil couldn't have been happier to watch the coaches go. She walked from the ball room where the servants where cleaning up to the smaller dining room, collapsing into the window seat that looked over the side of the house. She intended to remove her jewelery before Sam showed up. At least the tiara. She would have ( Read more... )

au, sam vimes

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sir_samuel February 14 2007, 06:49:10 UTC

The night felt strangely still. Uncomfortably so. Sam couldn't put his finger on it as he trudged across town, but there was tension in the air, expectancy, and not for something good. It made him nervous. It almost made him wish he hadn't said he'd come.

He took his time in walking - not because he truly didn't wish to be there, but because he was afraid he might catch straggling guests, or, gods help him, Sybil's mother still awake. Neither was in sight, though, when he made it to the drive and walked up it to the door.

The silence was as heavy and uncomfortable as ever.

iwhinny4dragons February 14 2007, 06:54:26 UTC

Sybil looked up as Wilikins passed her, heading for the door, and stood quickly. She heart him open it, invited Sam in, but had only managed to tag her gloves and one bracelet off before it had closed again and the scullery boy had directed Sam her way. She set the gloves and the bauble on the table, head down for a moment as she tried to reign in her thoughts, but she managed to straighten and offer Sam a smile as he approached.

sir_samuel February 14 2007, 06:58:12 UTC

It didn't feel quite like the best sign, but Sam managed a smile that was only a little nervous and scrubbed a hand through his hair.

"Evening."

iwhinny4dragons February 14 2007, 07:05:58 UTC

She pulled in a quiet breath to respond, but took a few swift steps to close the distance between them and threw her arms around his neck instead. She glittered when she moved, dress and accessories designed to create a delicate, light-catching ensemble. She was in no place to appreciate the aesthetic.

"Oh, Sam," she breathed.

sir_samuel February 14 2007, 07:46:26 UTC

Sam flushed a bit and swept her into his arms, squeezing her tight. "Happy birthday," he murmured, and kissed her hair.

This really wasn't good. Idon'twanttoknowIdon'twanttoknowIdon'twanttoknow... His hold on her tightened further.

iwhinny4dragons February 14 2007, 16:22:56 UTC

That was more than fine. The pressure was grounding, that solid feeling of being held precisely what she'd needed, though she hadn't realized it. She pulled back, after a very long moment, just enough to brush their foreheads together, her lashes skimming his cheek.

"Thank you," she whispered.

sir_samuel February 14 2007, 17:48:41 UTC

Sam closed his eyes and took a shaky breath, letting their weight rest together. He brought a hand to her cheek and let his thumb run across it, and felt calmed.

"How was the party?"

iwhinny4dragons February 14 2007, 18:34:29 UTC

"About as expected," she sighed. "A bit overblown, a lot of my father's acquaintances. And their sons. So most of my class was in attendance for balance. I missed you the whole time."

sir_samuel February 15 2007, 02:09:09 UTC

"Ah." He flushed a bit and smiled weakly. " 'm sure it wasn't that terrible." He tilted his head slightly to kiss her temple.

iwhinny4dragons February 15 2007, 02:13:10 UTC

"It wouldn't have been," she said with a slightly shaky breath, "if there hadn't been talk of the patrician."

sir_samuel February 15 2007, 02:31:48 UTC

Sam swallowed. He knew things were getting bad, of course, he knew more directly than she did. The Night Watch had been gutted and systematically reduced to little more than a joke, taxes were high and getting higher, and while not in full force the Unmentionables were back. But none of that was anything new for him.

"He's a nutter," he finally, biting his lip. "Everyone knows that."

iwhinny4dragons February 15 2007, 02:39:30 UTC

"His paranoia gets worse every month," she said, not pulling back any further, keeping as near to him as she could. "He's...some people have disappeared who... One wouldn't really think they would be the kind, you know, to be made to disappear. It has a lot of people worried, but there's nothing to be done at this point."

sir_samuel February 15 2007, 02:48:42 UTC

"You don't need to tell me that," he said quietly and swallowed. He hadn't meant it to come out like that, but it was true. He'd heard all this. He'd known all this. "I'm fine, Sybil. It's been like this for ages..." he began before she could continue further.

iwhinny4dragons February 15 2007, 03:11:06 UTC

"No, Sam, please," she said, swallowing hard, looking up at him, "I know it's- it's been this way. I know you know better than I possibly could. But it's- now it's-" She looked away then back, because she couldn't not look at him when she said it, that was far too cowardly.

"We can't marry," she said.

sir_samuel February 15 2007, 03:19:42 UTC

Sam looked a bit like he had been struck, suddenly and out of the blue. It had been lingering in the back of his mind for weeks now, the thought of marriage, but it had never been articulated. Not until now. And then there it was between them, and not as a happy hope, but as-

The world spun.

"Oh," was all Sam finally said, a little distantly.

iwhinny4dragons February 15 2007, 03:29:30 UTC

"I know you haven't said anything about it before," she continued on in a near-rush, "and I know it's awfully presumptuous of me to even think, but there's- there's no other man I would even consider and now..." She shook herself a little, trying to gather her thoughts.

"Sam- if we did- I may not have a title but my family's the wealthiest in Ankh-Morpork now. Can you imagine? What that madman's reaction would be to a Watchman becoming the head of my family and all its stupid estates? His- his paranoia and his enmity wouldn't allow it."

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