Patreon LogoYour support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)

Ties That Bind: A Fort Salem Story (Spitfire & Katu)

Jonathan inclined his head graciously at the introduction. Though he shot a look at Carter, knowing all too well the knowledge his fellow cadet possessed. Though he turned to Esme, taking the opportunity to speak first. "Your leader is with Joshua Hancock, and your fixer is with my good friend Thomas Carter."

"I can answer all the questions you might have about him, Cassandra." Carter said with a grin, looking deep into the fixer's eyes. "Don't you fret, if his answers aren't satisfactory, I'm fill in the gaps."

Hancock groaned, looking at Lydia.

Jonathan started neatly cutting his food. "There really isn't that much to tell really. My family has been very close with the Farrington's for quite some time, which means that I've been lucky enough to know Esme quite well."

"Tell them about the letters." Carter chortled.

"Yes, Esme and I write now and then. Many people do."

"Do they also travel with the letters when they are going to see the other person?" Carter's eyes were alight with mischief.

Jonathan glared daggers at him.
 
While Lydia laughed at Hancock's reaction, Cassandra grinned at Jonathan, "I'll make a note to find you later." The tone in her reply was much more seductive than necessary and Esme lifted a brow, clearly curious about the fixer's intentions with the young man. Beltane or not, it was rude to flirt with someone's companion right in front of them, as well as her own companion at the table.

"Oh don't worry Carter," Lydia said with a smirk, "we already know about the letters. Though they're not nearly as frequent or as tantalizing as a reader would hope. Our dear Esme is not the provocative sort. Quite tame for someone so ferocious in battle. Perhaps tomorrow will..."

Esme cut in before Bellweather could finish, "I'm sure we're all looking forward to a grand display of our skills with the scourge tomorrow. I'm sure after morning training, our unit will be selected within the top three in order to participate in the demonstration."

Cassandra leaned toward Carter, mischief in her dark eyes as well, "Brought the letters with him, you say? How intriguing." It seemed the pair were a perfect match, much to Esme's chagrin.

However, knowing he enjoyed receiving her letters enough to bring them along for the trip was affirming and she couldn't fight the smile that formed on her lips. If his friends knew he liked her, she took that as a sign his feelings were true and not just for show. That made her happier than she thought it would. She bit her lip as she began cutting into her meal, remembering the feeling of his lips on hers mere moments ago. There was so much more in store for them and she had faith in the goddesses to pair them together. She stole a glance at him as she took her first bite.

"Enough talk about these two, tell me about Hancock," Bellweather said with an obvious emphasis on the second syllable of his name, looking him over as though he was dessert.
 
The emphasis Lydia put on the second syllable of Hancock's name made clear where her mind was in all this. Poor Joshua could only blush deep red, but he also grinned. Jonathan was about to tell Lydia that she'd made a good choice for a dining companion when Carter jumped in. "Oh Joshy's a sweet boy. Fewest demerits of any of us. Wait... no.... Not the fewest. What I meant was..." His face became serious. "The most." He gave a wink to Cassandra. "Josh just seems to have a tough time being on time for... everything."

"Especially when you set his pocket watch back 3 hours." Jonathan interjected.

"I only did that the once. I felt bad!" Carter said, feeling accusing eyes on him. "He's actually done better since I started setting his watch ahead. He think's he's arriving 20 minutes late and boom! 45 minutes early!"

Jonathan rolled his eyes. "I'm not sure that our hosts were looking for a snitch."

"Yet they got one anyways." Carter said with a shrug before turning back to Bellweather. "He's a good kid over all. Just has issues with timekeeping. I'll make sure he's on time to the dance though." He turned to Esme. "Jonathan will be there early, waiting for you, even without my help. You can believe that."
 
Esme was quiet until she was addressed directly. Carter's assertion made her blush but grin as well. She knew how Joshua felt under Lydia's microscope. However, the young woman would move on to the next prospect after dinner and both Esme and Cassandra knew it. Bellweather wasn't just looking for a partner for Beltane but also for a potential long-term match. There was a reason her matriline flourished. They knew they were a minority and sought to wed and bare children accordingly. Finding herself suddenly being the last of her line, Esme began to understand the reasons their mothers urged them.

While Esme turned her attention to Jonathan, she gave him a warm smile, "That's good to know." Further validation from his friends was much appreciated, even if she'd never tell them their taunting of her intended made her feel better.

Lydia laughed, "These two are such bores. I'm guessing neither of them will even have eyes on anyone else. Esme, dear friend, please remember what this holiday is for." Looking to Jonathan, she smiled slyly, "Getting to know others, determining their... potential... and sowing your seeds." The suggestive look in her eyes made Esme want to kick her under the table and she found the temptation very difficult to fight with her unit leader right next to her.

Cassandra cut in, "It is nice to know that Carter enjoys a certain kind of mischief. Nothing wrong with a little harmless fun."

"Don't you dare change the clocks. I will make you regret it," Lydia gave her a warning glare before looking to Carter. "If you're going to be a bad influence on my unit, I may have to teach you a very harsh lesson." Her slight smile told him he might enjoy it but the comment made Esme blush again.

"Perhaps after dinner, we can show you the training grounds?" Esme offered.
 
Last edited:
Jonathan didn't really mind being called a bore. It was nothing that he wasn't used to, with Jacob as his twin. However, he knew that Esme was anything but, and he had no intention of letting anyone, even a Bellweather besmirch her. However, before he could, Cassandra cut in. The interruption gave him some time to reconsider. Esme seemed slightly irritated, but not hurt. This seemed like a better thing for her to sort out with her own unit leader. Getting involved himself might actually put Esme in a rough spot.

If Lydia thought that threatening Carter with a 'harsh lesson' was going to dissuade him. She was in for a rude awakening. Thomas leaned and started whispering in Cassandra's ear. Jonathan could only guess at what he was saying, though she giggled at whatever it was.

Turning to Esme, Jonathan saw an easy way to get the spotlight off of him. "I'd love to see the training grounds. I think Carter would too, though I have a hunch that he might not enjoy them as much as he thinks." He gave a look towards Lydia.
 
While Lydia's comment may have seemed genuinely threatening, her intentions were carnal or at least carnal-adjacent. Esme sighed in relief that the group found someone else to focus on besides she and Jonathan. Flirtation with their companions, the possibility of a strange trade after dinner immanent, the other young women continued their meal and left Esme and Jonathan to talk between themselves. Reveling in the excitement of the coming holiday, they would surely be distracted enough to leave the quiet pair out of their further attempts at seduction.

Esme offered a smile to Jonathan and nodded in agreement. Lydia could be much more than most men could handle. Her confidence matched her abilities in battle and while Esme couldn't speak to her sexual prowess, she knew her unit leader was experienced. And as Esme had suspected would happen, Jonathan was getting attention from more than just her. Of course, she seemed oblivious to anyone paying her any mind.

With a knowing smile, it was clear she understood his meaning in regards to Carter but she speaking her opinions aloud wouldn't go over well with her teammates so she slyly chose a different route. "It can be exciting to participate but I understand displays aren't necessarily fun to watch for everyone," Esme replied with a slight shrug. While she hadn't eaten much, she was very ready for dinner to be over so she could find somewhere else for them to be. Somewhere with fewer people and subsequently, fewer eyes on her intended. She did want him to herself, much as she knew how inappropriate that seemed given the circumstances.

She glanced around at the women looking their direction. Most eyes were on their meals and dining companions but Guthrie and Swythe. One seemed to hold a tinge of jealousy, the other was haughty as usual. Esme wondered if she truly saw herself as the victor in their cold war. Sure, she'd 'stolen' Jacob but did she really think him the 'better' brother? It seemed obvious to Esme that was not the case. She looked Jonathan over. Not only was he objectively more handsome but he was also more intelligent, more honest, more compassionate, and much less arrogant. He never would've done to her what Jacob did, embarrassing her in such a public spectacle.

"I think I'm finished with dinner," she said, even though she'd only eaten about three quarters of her meal. Whispering to Jonathan, "Please don't rush on my account. I'll be in the library when you're finished." She stood and took her plate with her, placing it in the dedicated bin before exiting as quickly as she could.
 
As Esme stood and walked out of the dining hall, Jonathan became aware of just how many of his fellow cadets took notice of her. He knew that he had no right to be jealous. Beltane was meant for young witches to mingle with a variety of their comrades. However he couldn't help his feelings. None of the other women here had caught his eye. He doubted that any would. He didn't want to merely follow her around... but he found himself eating quickly. The other four at the table certainly noticed, and exchanged amused looks.

Once he was done he stood and started to walk to the Library. Jacob suddenly appeared, smirking. "Picking up my scraps?" He said smugly.

Jonathan clenched a fist. "Don't start." He replied, his face showed how unamused he was.

"There are lots of women here. Branch out a bit."

"That's your game, brother. Go find a Swythe, or does she not want you now that you aren't pursuing a rival?"

Before Jacob could retort, Jonathan moved passed him and walked on to the Library. Esme was reading, and quietly he walked up and plopped himself next to her on the couch, hoping to startle her.
 
When she reached the library, she chose a book, or rather she took one off the shelf with little care as to its cover or contents. She found a comfortable sofa and took a seat. While her eyes were on the pages, her thoughts were not. She skimmed the same page three times, not retaining a word of what she'd read. With a sigh, she thought about the holiday and what it had meant to her. Growing up, she'd planted, tended her little garden at home, fed birds, and enjoyed the signs of the returning spring.

For the last year or two, while her friends were becoming well-acquainted with the more mature side of the holiday, she'd stayed within the safe confines of her garden. She wasn't envious, not truly, as she had no desire to be with anyone physically, but she couldn't fight the notion that she was without a doubt being left behind by her peers. Beginning to think herself immature, she tried to branch out with little success. No one interested her enough to actually begin any sort of formal courtship.

While the Johnston's were never far, after her debut, she considered any pursuit of either brother to be entirely off the table. Not to mention the potential of joining their matrilines had been avoided for generations before them. She never understood why but she didn't question her mother on why, if the families had been so close, they would not at some point marry a brother or cousin of the other clan. It was done with other families, so why not theirs?

She was pondering possible reasons when Jonathan was suddenly sitting next to her, pulling her from her assessments with unexpected abruptness. After a startled tension passed, she laughed at herself. "How was the rest of you meal? I hope Lydia and Cassandra didn't interrogate you too intensely. My apologies for leaving without you. That was rude and inexcusable. I promise it was not meant to insult you."
 
Esme was deep in thought, that much was quite clear to Jonathan. He recognized it too late however, instead only realizing that he had broken her concentration when he plopped down next to her, and giving her a start. He expected to be berated - perhaps only jokingly. Instead she actually apologized to him for leaving him alone with her unit. To be honest, he had wished she'd stayed with him. However, he could not fault her.

"I can more than handle myself, even among your unit." His grin grew. "Plus, I thought you might be checking to see if I'd follow." He looked around and shrugged. "Well, here I am. Now, we could stay here and catch up on our reading... though you promised me a tour of your training grounds. I assume you are a woman of your word?" His grin grew into a smirk, and he raised an eyebrow.
 
"It was behavior unbecoming and an unintended insult to a... wonderful man... I would be remise if I didn't offer an apology." She was sure plenty of her fellow witches took notice and would see the slight as a sign that he was freed of any tie to her. The thought made her bristle internally but she kept the warm smile on her lips as she looked at him. "Of course I am a woman of my word. Besides, I can't afford to insult a man twice in one day. He might begin to question my honor."

She stood and offered her hand to him. Walking arm-in-arm out of the room, they passed another couple who were clearly interested in getting to the festivities early and thought the library would be a private place to do so. Esme blushed and hid a bashful giggle as she led Jonathan down the hall. The training grounds were on the opposite end of the building and one of the few areas the splendid décor had not reached. Holiday or no, the space was severe and cold. It seemed much less harsh with moonlight coming in from the windows.

Pointing to the areas as she speaks, she explains. "The stands for viewing of course. These circles are used to teach us how to perform as a unit even when we're unable to cast our voices in the same direct, assuming we find ourselves surrounded. The wall over there, reinforced with wood and stone layered with plates of metal, is where we practice Windstrikes. The lines in the floor against the back wall there are from the tall stones being moved back and forth across the room. That... is where we practice with the scourge." She gives him a smile, almost preening.
 
Last edited:
Arm in arm they walked, and Jonathan did his best to reassure Esme that all was well. "I certainly would never question the honor of a witch such as you. As it is beyond reproach." Still even as he said the words, he was glad that she showed concern for his feelings. It was not something that all of the Fort Salem Cadets were known for, this time of year, especially when there were so many eligible men around.

He gave an appreciative whistle at their training yards, clearly they were doing work here that far surpassed his own training. For the most part, male witches learned support spells. "I shall really enjoy watching you tomorrow. I remember how well you move, I cannot wait to watch you work the scourge."

His eyes went to her belt, wondering if she had such a weapon attached to her, clearly his mind on a private showing.
 
With a smile and a nod, she replied quietly, "I'm flattered that you think so highly of me."

Grinning with pride, "I've always been rather impressed with the training area Fort Salem has to offer. I remember it feeling so much larger when mother brought Clara and I here as children." She sighed and smiled, "I do enjoy it here."

Following his eyes, she wondered what he was looking at, "Are you searching for my scourge?" She laughed, "We keep the practice items in the cabinet there. The ones we'll be given tomorrow replace them after Beltane." Walking toward the cabinet, she glanced back and gave him a sly, flirtatious look. She retrieved one, closed the cabinet, and turned to face him. With a smirk, she approached him slowly, "There are so many uses for a weapon such as this. It doesn't have to be... entirely offensive."
 
Esme had many admirable qualities, but her humility was always one that stood out to Jonathan. She had always been impressive to him, but he had never sensed that she thought it made her better than him... or anywhere else. It was certainly something that Swythe or Jacob could learn.

However, as she noticed that he was looking to see if she had her scourge, he noticed a slight change come over her. A sly light entered her eyes, especially when she glanced over her shoulder behind him. A smirk grew on her lips and she approached him with a scourge in her hands. For his part, Jonathan couldn't help but feel his heart jump, and his breath catch. He licked his lips, as his eyes moved from the weapon to her eyes and back again. He held his ground though, and asked with ignorance which was more than half feigned. "Oh? What other uses might there be?"
 
Rarely described as assertive in romantic matters, it seemed as though a fire had been lit in her green eyes. While it could have been purely lust, it would've been quite unlike her to be so brazen with someone she didn't also feel a connection with.

She knew he was just pretending not to understand, however she was sure she could surprise him with one bold stroke. Lashing out with the weapon, she wrapped it around his midsection and caught the tail before it could do any damage. The sweet, seemingly innocent smirk was counter to the knowing look in her eyes. As she stepped closer and closed the distance between them, she wound the tail around her left wrist and up her arm. The hilt remained in her right hand. "I've been told they're quite useful in catching a man, especially those who," shaking her head, "don't truly want to get away."
 
After Jonathan had baited her, he certainly expected her to make a move. However, he was caught completely offguard when she lashed out with her scourge. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't stop from flinching. He fully expected to feel the weapon's bite. Instead, Esme caught the end before it could taste his flesh. She had captured him and saved him in one move. Jonathan's breath caught as she stepped closer, wrapping the end of the scourge around her wrist.

Of course, with the leather cord wrapped behind his back only once, he could have escaped without a thought. She was right though... He didn't really want to get away, not from her, especially with the look she was giving him. "It does seem that you heard correctly," he said, allowing her to close the steps between them. "Because you have caught such a man. Now, what will you do with him?" He raised an eyebrow of his own.
 
With a wistful little smile and a small sigh, she continued toward him while considering his question. "What I want to do is highly inappropriate in this setting. And I had promised myself to wait. One more day won't hurt either of us. Not truly. Though it does pain me to see such a handsome man... so completely and utterly clothed."

She waited to see him blushing in the moonlight before she went on. "I have wondered for a very long time when or if I'd get to have you." When she finally stepped close to him, she tugged the cord to pull him the last bit toward her, pressing her body to his. Whispering, "Undressed. Beneath me." Experienced or not, she certainly knew how she wanted it to be. "I want to do things I've only dreamed of with you." She smirked, "As for the question of what will I do with him... at this very moment? I supposed I hadn't planned this part out so well." With a girlish giggle, she bit her lip to hide the mischievous smile but it resided her in eyes despite her efforts.

Just a day couldn't be so terrible but when he was so close, she couldn't help but toy with him. It had seemed such a silly thing to do, until she was face-to-face with her intended. Flirting and teasing were suddenly in full force. She decided then that she wanted him to anticipate their night together as much as she did. And she wanted him to ache for her.

The dance would not... could not... tear them from one another. The Goddess she worshipped would not allow her such a heartbreak.

"What should I do with you?"
 
Esme had stated the obvious, going any further was indeed quite inappropriate in this setting, and it would not hurt either of them to wait until Beltane - as they were meant to do. Still it caused Jonathan a touch of disappointment. He wanted her to want him as much as he desired her. Thus he was caught quite off guard when she said that seeing him clothed pained her.

He turned bright red almost immediately, he hoped the darkness was enough to hide it, though he suspected that in the moonlight, his embarrassment would be quite apparent. As she pulled him closer, his blush only intensified. He happily allowed himself to be pulled closer until her body pressed against his. An image of him, naked and looking up at her filled his mind, and he became noticeably aroused. He was pressed tightly against her that even his thick wool pants would not be enough to hide his member from her.

His mind raced for a clever way to answer her question, but came up blank. He took several deep breaths, the same perfume he had smelled on her letter filled his nostrils. He almost felt dizzy. His reply to her was simple and short. "Now that you mention it, undressed and beneath you sounds rather wonderful."
 
His body's reaction to her attention made her feel powerful in a way she'd never been before. She moved just slightly, giving him the sensation of friction and letting him know she was aware of his excitement and not at all planning on shying away from him. The strength was building within her as the moon shone down on them and she tugged at the cord slightly. Beltane was fast approaching and everything she felt was becoming more intense.

She tilted her head to whisper in his ear, "I am... thrilled... that you feel the same." With a sly smirk, she added, "But that doesn't answer the question. What should I do with you... now?" Every fiber of her being told her she could have him but she knew there would be consequences, followed by rumors neither of them wanted to face. Still... She pressed her lips to his in a much less tentative kiss than before. But once again, she kept the kiss short. Neither of them could afford being caught in the position she'd put them in, much less in more intimate poses. Yet, unraveling the scourge from her arm to free him seemed a task that required more willpower than she could muster.
 
Beneath the moon on the very eve of Beltane, Jonathan could sense a change coming over Esme. He had never known her to be weak or timid, but her confidence seemed to be an all time high, and he was not certain that he could untangle himself from the scourge if he wanted to be free.

He did not want to be, and her confidence in herself, in her power in this situation only heightened his arousal. Answering her question proved difficult. Obviously, he knew exactly what he wanted her to do, but saying it out loud seemed impossible. Opening his mouth to try to stall, he found himself kissing her. Though she kept the embrace too short to possibly rescue him from answering her. Instead, it seemed to only draw out the truth from him.

"If my clothed state pains you... then you should tear them off of me." He gave a small smirk of his own.
 
The astonished look on his face brought her a significant amount of joy but his words earned him a lifted brow. She wasn't sure how her forwardness would be received but she hadn't expected that. Those words. From his lips. It was as though her were laying down a challenge but she wasn't sure to what end. Was he testing her resolve? Her ability to keep to her word was important, especially a promise she made to herself. Was he tempting her? Her connection to and desire for him could tip her over the edge into acting on her feelings. How far was she willing to go for him? What was she willing to do to hold his attention?

As her mind raced with the possibilities, she gave him a smirk and took a step back to unwind the cord from her arm. A few twists of her wrist and seconds later, her bound arm was free. She placed her hand at the waist of his pants and hooked her finger into them, slowly pulling him toward her. Looking up at him, her green eyes holding an intensity he'd never seen before, she pulled him close enough that their lips almost touched. "You... Jonathan Johnston... are a wicked tempter. I will not deny how much I want you. But I will also not deny myself the surge of power I will receive tomorrow night." She tilted her head and kissed his neck before whispering in his ear, "When I have you, for the first time, on Beltane."

Perhaps it was only a rumor among young witches but it was sometimes said that if a woman's virginity was given the night of Beltane, she gained a level of power she might not attain otherwise. To some, it was rubbish. To Esme, it was possibility. If the dance didn't pair them, she would wait another year. There was no one else she wanted to share that experience with.
 
Two emotions conflicted within Jonathan's soul. First, arousal and desire from the smirk she gave him. It was a look that he found so seductive. She seemed so sure of herself, so in control. However, she was unraveling the scourge from around her wrist, meaning she intended to let him go. She did not intend to proceed further this night. Disappointment began to overwhelm him, until she explained.

There was a rumor that a witch who lost her virginity on Beltane received a massive surge of power, that would remain with her all of her life. Personally, Jonathan dismissed the notion as a lie told for the purpose controlling young witches sexuality, a remnant of America's puritanical past that preceded General Alder. However, somehow he found the idea that she would gain such a boost because of him erotic. It would only cost him a night - he hoped.

No, he had to have faith. The dance simply had to pair them.

He moaned quietly, and reciprocated her kiss on his neck with one of his own on hers, taking one last deep breath to take in her scent before he stepped back. "Until tomorrow then, and the dance. I will seek you out, rules or no."
 
When he kissed her neck, she let out a light sigh and gave him smile. Stepping back once more, she began to ravel the scourge for storage, her eyes still on his. "Rules or no... I'll do the same. We will find each other in the dance, Jonathan." She managed to say the words with more confidence than she actually felt. "I will accept nothing less."

She returned the weapon to the case and closed it before looking back at him. "I suppose that means we should say goodnight." Sighing, she sauntered back toward him. "I trust you can safely find your quarters," she said with a smirk. "Until tomorrow... I shall dream only of you." With a kiss on his cheek and another soft smile, she made her exit.

Back in her room, she got the ear-full she knew she'd receive from her unit, especially Bellweather. It ranged from scolding her for leaving without him to scolding her for spending the entire evening with him and finally rested on demanding to be told every salacious detail of the rest of the night. Esme gave them very little, only that she'd shown him the training grounds and spoke about the itinerary for Beltane. Lydia had plenty of curses for that response but she had to rest knowing nothing more.

Excitement and anticipation made sleep difficult for the Farrington witch but she did manage to dream peacefully. The feeling of his hands on hers. His arms about her waist. His lips on hers. His lips on her neck. So many other places she wanted his hands and lips to touch.

When the morning bells rang, the only reason she had to rise out of such wonderful dreams was that a very real man awaited her.

The line for breakfast was long and the dining hall was crowded but she managed to spot her handsome man. "I hope you'll join me again, assuming Bellweather and Quartermaine haven't frightened you off."
 
Back in the male dorms, Jonathan did his best to avoid attention. He could only imagine what Jacob would say if he knew how his twin had spent the evening. Jonathan refused to explain himself, though he also did not desire confrontation. Thankfully, everyone's minds seemed to be on Beltane and tomorrow's dance. So many clearly had hopes for the next morning.

"How are the training grounds?" Carter's question startled Jonathan, who jumped. "Better than expected, I take it." Thomas chuckled, before turning and leaving.

That night, Jonathan clung to Esme's letter, and to the thought that the next day, they might be together.

While he had trouble sleeping, eventually he was able to slip off, dreaming of Miss Farrington.

He woke up, thankful that Carter was not standing over him, instead, Thomas was pestering someone else. The man seemed to know far too much about all of them.

Jonathan took the time to shave and dress before heading to the dining hall, he sighed at the long line, which seemed to get longer as female witches fell in beside their favorites. The practice made him sigh, until Esme stood next to him. He beamed a smile, happy to see her, forgetting about those who stood in line behind him.

"I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't scare so easily that Bellweather and Quartermaine can scare me off." He said with some false bravado and a smirk.
 
Giving him a toothy grin, she leaned in slightly, "Just wait until you see how fierce we are together. You may think again about just how intimidating they can be after the demonstration." Her certainty that her unit would be chosen as one for demonstration was undeniable.

"I hope you slept well. I heard the men were up quite late last night gossiping about us." The women had done precisely the same though she wasn't planning on telling him if she told her teammates anything at all or what she would've said if she had. This was not the place for discussing anything about their escapade, lest rumors be spurred on. Not that they weren't beginning already with the pair of them together immediately at daybreak.

"It should be an exciting day. A few events here and there with plenty of time to get to know others." Her green eyes softened as she smiled up at him and became quiet again, "I won't be upset if you want to talk to other witches. If for no other reason than to keep up appearances. It's expected of us." Although, it did seem a cruelty to waste someone's time or give them false hope that there was interest when the two already knew who and what they wanted. Flaunting it also seemed unkind but it was the lesser 'evil' in this case.

"Not that I want to see oth..." The sound of Bellweather's laugh from a nearby table caught Esme's attention. Her unit leader and their fixer were already seated, flirting away with a different pair of men. The Farrington witch was simply glad she wasn't the target of the morning's taunting. "You'll have to introduce me to a new set, it would seem."
 
"Why would I want to talk to any other witches?" Jonathan asked with feigned incredulity, as if he truly couldn't understand her statement. The truth was, he felt sorry for the others. Those who were spending their time mingling. In his mind, he'd found his perfect match. Why should he try to risk being with someone else? Someone worse. If he left Esme's side, one of his fellow males might take his place. That scared him as well. He didn't want to lose Esme merely because he made small talk with someone he didn't want to chat with anyways.

"I'd rather spend my time with you, if you'll have me. Though I would understand it if you decided to follow tradition. Further, please do not get in trouble on my account." Even as he said the words, he knew he didn't mean them. He'd much prefer that she not look elsewhere, though he recognized that he had to right to ask it of her.

He looked over at Bellweather, his gaze following Esme's. "Of course..." he muttered. "Sherridan and Mosby." Both were fine witches on their own. Walking over to the table, he introduced the two to her. "This is Bill Sheridan, and Peter Mosby, but we all call him Sam. Gentlemen, this is Esme Farrington."

The two lads stood respectfully before grinning at Jonathan. "We know who she is. Have you even talked to anyone else?" He was at a loss. It seemed that everyone knew about his focus on Esme. Carter was certainly to blame.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom