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To the Highest Bidder Goes the Prize (Chuckeles/butterfly040

He pauses in the process of pulling out her chair. "Of course we can. Do you think we will be missed if we sneak away now." He glances around the room smiling as the festivities seem to be in full swing. Most of the other nobles seem to be busy drinking their wine goblets empty. Gaisse smiles as he grabs two glasses and a fully bottle of wine. His empty hand takes hers leading her away from the hall.
 
She takes his hand but reaches with her other hand and takes the bottle from him, "You are crazy to try and carry all that in just one hand. You'll go and drop it. That will draw attention we will not be able to slip away from then." Lily had the bottle in her hand before he could think to protest her taking it as the moved out of the hall and down to the stables. Thankfully, the moon in the sky light the area well.
 
Gaisse does start to protest, but pauses hearing the wisdom in her words and actions. "Of course my lady. I wouldnt want that now would I?" He leads her quietly to the courtyard and through it. Most of the guards pay little attention their focus outside the walls. He opens the stable quietly leading her inside down the small hall to the stall his second gift for her waits in. A small nuzzle that is mostly white sticks its head out snickering softly as they stop. "Its a mare for you. Shes the gentlest horse Ive ever seen. I figured she would be perfect for you."
 
Lily gasps slightly at the sight of the pretty mare. "She's beautiful..." she comments as she places the bottle down and goes to the stall door the mare was being held in. Reaching out she started to tenderly stroke her hands over the mare's muzzle, showing the animal a tender affection. The realization that it was yet another gift he was giving her though made her feel guilty once more as she shook her head, "You need to promise me this is the final gift. I deserve no more gifts until I have spoken my peace with you and you decide if I am deserving of them." If she was deserving of being his wife was more like it.
 
Gaisse smiles seeing her reaction. He tugs a pilfered apple from his pocket pausing as she speaks. "Why would this be the last gift I have for you? I came to court you and that means plenty of gifts." He steps up to the mare offering the apple which it takes contendly. "You deserve so much more then what I have brought lily. I just wish I could give you more." He turns slipping his finger underneath her chin tilting her head up so he could look into her eyes.
 
She looked up at him, sadness in her eyes. Why did he think so highly of her? How could he when she was no real treasure. She was just damaged goods that was being passed off on him because no one else could have her but him. And he was such a kind hearted man. He deserved better and he was far to good for the likes of her. "I'm not a virgin..." she spoke suddenly with no warning ahead of time. She even shocked herself at the bold admission. But the cat was out of the bag now. She waited for his reaction and waited for him to finally understand why she was not worth of such affection from a good man let alone gifts meant for a pure, honest woman.
 
Gaisse is busy feeding the horse when her bold admission suddenly fills the air around them. He studies the horses face petting it softly showing no real emotion as he takes in her words. "I had heard such a rumor on the road here and back at home. I thought until now that it was just a rumor." He turns to face her his hand touching her cheek caressing tenderly. "We all have our flaws that people will use against us." He steps towards her tilting her head up to look into her eyes. "I will not be ashamed of you because you arent pure. I understand things happen in life." He leans in and lightly lets his lips brush against hers.
 
Her lips seem to feel a spark between his lips and her own at the ever so gently touch one another. The spark seemed to shoot right to her heart as it skipped a beat within her breast. The touch only lasted a moment before Lily pulled back, looking into his face, confusion on her own, "That's it? You just... accept me? Even after knowing why I have done? You just accept me? Why?" She could not understand. She had seen her brother accept Kiana even though she was not the 'proper' image of a perfect wife but never in her own mind did she think she would find herself her own man accepting her much the same why. How could their be two men out there in the noble world that accepting? "Why would you take a flawed woman to wife when you are so much better then me? You deserve better then a tarnished one."
 
Gaisse pauses as he turns away from her picking up the bottle of wine. His mind plays along thinking out his response. "My father had a few offers concerning marriage for me. I asked for your hand. I had heard you were down to earth." He offers her the glass of wine to her. "I wanted someone I could trust. Someone I knew would be loyal not because our marriage demanded it, but because she knew I deserved it. "
 
She took the glass from him but just held it, not drinking from it yet, "You... chose me?" She asked. Of all the women he had been offered, he chose her? Even with the things said about her. She laughed slightly as she leaned against the door of the mare's stall, "If I was the most desirable offer, I can only imaging the horror's of the other woman you were offered..." Her voice was actually rather playful.
 
He laughs softly as he takes a sip from his glass at her words. "I did chose you. Some of the other offers were interesting but nothing that interested me like you. I heard your father had you locked away in your rooms. Is that true?" He moved towards her clinking his glass against hers. "Do you find me appealing or perhaps I don't quite fit what you expected?"
 
She sighed as she sipped the drink in her hand, answering at first with a nod, "He did. He was very disappointed in what I had done and was ashamed of it. Afraid perhaps I would try it again." There was a pause before she went on, "The truth of the matter? Nothing happened the night in question. It was just a case of the wrong place as the wrong time I suppose." Looking towards him, she thought over how to respond to his question over finding him appealing. "I would have to say you are. I was not expecting someone I would be able to talk to and make me smile. I was expecting the only man that would have me after my actions would be some old, balding man that would be cold to me."
 
He brings his hand up to his hair smiling softly. "Well I'm certainly not in any dangers of being bald anytime soon. Do you mind if I ask about the night you mentioned? I wish to know more of the woman I'm to marry." His hand moves to her cheek caressing tenderly. He pauses after a moment clearing his throat with a quick drink from his wine.
 
She should have thought more carefully about what she said. Now she was going to have to tell him all about Jas. It felt a little odd to talk about Jas, her lover, with Gaisse, her betrothed who was still basically a stranger to her. One thing was so sure, names would not be mentioned. She had protected Jas this long and would continue to. "I fell in love with a man that worked for my family. Someone lower then me in class. We cared on a secret... well I don't know if you could call it an affair. Some stolen kisses and holding of hands. One night he came to me and things went to far. I knew it then and I still know it now. I had not wanted to but I just was not firm and... things happened. That night he had come to me to apologize and we fell asleep sitting on the floor. He was still sleeping there in the morning when my maid came in and we were found together..."
 
Gaisse sips his wine listening to her talk nodding a few times. "Do you still care for this man?" He reached for the wine refilling his glass even with barely any of it drunk. "Do you have anything you wish to ask of me. It isn't fair for me to be the only one asking the questions here." He takes the wine bottle offering to refill her glass. He turns looking at the mare rubbing his chin softly. "I Wont hold any of this against you lily. In fact I thank you for trusting me."
 
She looked at him and had to wonder why she was so trusting of him. She was telling him things she had not even told Lund or Kiana. "I suppose I just want this marriage to be built on a foundation of truth. It won't work if it's built upon lies. As for if I still care for the man..." she paused for a long while then, taking a hearty sip of the drink in her hand, "I think I do but... it's not in the same way I cared for him at the start. Something about... how... well...." she paused again and spoke feelings she had had for a long time but never spoke. "The night I lost my virginity to him, I had asked him to stop. I didn't want to sleep with him. But he kept kissing me and asking me please. So I bent to his will even though I did not want to. Something about the way I felt about him changed that night. I had said no and I can not help but wonder why, if he loved me, he did not respect that. Rather he pushed me to give in to what he wanted. After the night morning we were caught together, he vanished all together. We had spoken of running away to be married but he just ran away from me when times were bad. I felt... abandoned. I don't feel the same way I once did about him. I don't really know how I feel I suppose."

It felt good to get that confession of her long buried feelings out into the open.
 
His hand clenched around his glass for a moment as she speaks. Once she has finished he turns away for a moment trying to find the right words to be said. He places a gentle hand on the mares head rubbing. "I also want this marriage to work. My father doesn't always understand me. Thinks because I'm not the heir I should aim higher through marriage. I believe a man's destiny is forged by his own hand." He takes a drink from his glass turning back to her once more. "Will you allow me the pleasure of being your husband dear lily?" He knew he didnt have to ask but somehow it felt right to him.
 
Lily could not help but notice how his hand was tightly grasping the glass in his hand. She looked down and away, guilty over how she was making him feel. He had to be disgusted with her and the things she had done. Through it all though, all she could think of was how she understood what it was like that no one understood her. Perhaps then, they could understand one another. "Of course I will be your wife. It would be an honor." She raised her glass up towards his in a toast. "I am sorry if my past upset you my lord."
 
Gaisse brings his glass against hers softly. "It's not your past that upset me so much as what this man dis to you. I think he was a fool for leaving such a woman." He moves towards her support from his glass once more. "Would it upset my betrothed if I were to kiss her once more? Ive come to realize I rather enjoyed the first." He touches her cheek smiling as he looks into her eyes. His own eyes reflect his smile showing his genuine enjoyment of there time.
 
She failed to tell him that Jas was still out there seeking her. Perhaps the marriage was not entirely built on truth after all. She had to wonder though, as she looked up into his eyes. "If I were to deny you a kiss right now, what would you say? What would you do?"
 
"If you were to deny me then I would accept it Lily. And then I would deeply apologize for taking such a liberty with you earlier." He takes a step back bowing deeply before her a soft smile on his face. "I humbly beg forgiveness from you my dear lady. If you so deem it I will kiss your boots in apology.
 
She could not help but smile at his statement about kissing her boots. "You don't need to ever kiss my boots. That is terribly demeaning. No on should ever be made to do that." She reached out her hand towards him, offering to let him accept it. "You may kiss me. A small kiss though. I think I should like taking small steps in our relationship." Especially after taking nothing but bigs ones with Jas.
 
Gaisse smiles as he stands up from his bow as he looks her in the eye. "Then I thank you for thus honor my lady." He steps up to her gently pressing his lips to hers tenderly. He keeps the kiss soft pulling away after a few moments. He then turns refilling his wine glass. "Perhaps tomorrow we can return and you can enjoy a ride on your mare."
 
After the gentle and rather acceptably slow and small step kiss, she accepted the wine from him before turning to the mare and stroking her muzzle once more before turning to him and starting to walk towards the stable exit once again, "That would be lovely. I accept your proposal. Shall we?" She motioned towards the exit. "People will start to miss us soon if we do not reappear at our own party."

----
Kiana slowly crept back into the bedroom, the baby sleeping in her arms as she rejoined her sleeping husband with Sarah. Sitting upon the sofa, she rocked Sarah and kissed the babe's forehead as she rested, thankful for having just a few moments of peace before the baby would wake and she'd be in full mother mode once more.
 
Gaiise smiles as she steps to the horse rubbing its muzzle. He takes a generous sip of his own wine as he watches her nodding softly. "Of course Lily. I wouldnt want the rumors to start about us already." He grabs the wine bottle as he moves to follow her laughing softly. "So will you need a saddle Lily or do you have one?" He keeps close to her as they walk back towards the dining hall.

-----
Lund groans as he shifts in the bed whispering Kiana and Sarah's name as if sensing them entering the room. He coughs softly as he pushes the blanket down off of his body slightly letting his bare chest show as he moves to his back. His body seems fully relaxed as he continues to rest smiling softly in his sleep.
 
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