Frustration
This is my response to Day 14 of http://aldersprig.livejournal.com/'s 30 Days of Flash Fiction, the list for which can be found at http://aldersprig.livejournal.com/221684.html?view=1245940#t1245940
At least the spell only affected her reactions to one man. Laksa didn’t think she would enjoy feeling this way about every man she saw. One was quite enough.
Only she didn’t see enough of Ernst, whether alone or in company. They were barely allowed to be alone, probably wisely given her condition. Ernst preferred to take her out for walks in the park, tours through museums or art galleries, and, on one glorious occasion, a climb to the top of the cathedral dome. He’d kissed her there, on the top landing of the stairs in a sliver of cover and shadow with no safety or privacy for anything else.
It had been what she thought of as a ‘proper, grown up’ kiss. At nineteen she was old enough to be married. She’d grown up in the country and from observation had a general grasp of what was involved in procreation. She’d gotten detailed information from the sister of one of her guardians after she’d become engaged but she’d no practical experience. In her world, unmarried girls didn’t get practical experience and, oh yes, she wanted that.
“We,” Ernst had said, “Are not going to do anything which will upset a sword-wielding religious fanatic.”
“My guardians aren’t sword-wielding religious fanatics,” had been her protest.
“Liebling,” his affectionate one armed hug then was almost as dear to her as the cathedral kiss, “They’re Knights of the Church - they’re supposed to be sword-wielding religious fanatics.”
Ernst seemed to like her, which was hopeful given that he was not under the effects of the spell as she was. She also knew that he was trying to walk a delicate line between building affection between them and aggravating her problem.
One month. She only had to last out the month. She could do that.