Arms of Darkness

By: Haruka-chan

 

Chapter 6: Sharing of thoughts

 

Shido looked confused and worried as they neared the Palace. [AN: What you guys were thinking something exciting was going to happen?] He helped her out of the carriage, and they were greeted by Guni at the door with a smile.

"Back so soon?" asked Guni.

"Yes, it was wonderful" said Riho.

Shido frowned.

Guni sensing the tension between the two spoke up. "Well, why don't you sit out in the balcony and have some tea?" she asked and left to get the tea before anyone could object.

Riho followed after Guni as did Shido. Once more they were in the patio/balcony where the candles were lit.

"I have to admit that every time I come here I feel much more relaxed" said Riho leaning over the walls and inhaling the night's breeze.

Shido let lose a small smile that she was returning to her normal self. He took a seat and watched her as the candles flickered and danced around her, making her appear mystical. Riho turned towards Shido and smiled.

"You know Lord Shido you shouldn't worry about what Lady Yayoi said to me, it's all right" she said now coming to sit across from him.

Shido nodded. "It is all right to you my Lady but to me it was not" he said looking in to the water that was the reflection of the heavens. "I have the greatest respect for everyone but I am hurt when, someone as Lady Yayoi does something this very low."

 

"Not everyone will return the feelings that you give to them" said Riho looking at the flames.

Shido was confused but there was this strange longing in her eyes.

"Here you are some nice warm tea" she said setting the tray down.

"Thank you Guni" said Shido.

Guni smiled "No problem at all, so anything exciting happen at the ball?"

Riho chuckled and Shido smiled. "Well, all of Lord Shido's admires were planning an attack on me."

"Lady Riho got 'swept of her feet' by almost ever male present at the ball" said Shido.

"I met a wonderful Lord named Eric" said Riho.

"I did not meet anyone for my eyes were only one Lady there" said Shido.

"Sounds fun. Ok what really happened?" asked Guni.

Riho smiled "I will tell you about it later, it's something you will die laughing of."

Guni smirked, "I look forward to it" said Guni and stalked off.

"What a wonderful night" said Riho. [AN: again with the weather]

"It's always better after it rains" said Shido.

"Are you feeling all right?" asked Riho.

Shido smiled. "Quite."  

Riho nodded. "its wonderful here the weather, the people, the strange..." Riho caught herself before she gave away her true feelings.

"Strange what my Lady?" asked Shido leaning towards her.

"Nothing at all" she said blushing.

Shido chuckled. "Florence is the perfect place for landscape paintings."

"Really?" she asked.

"The play of light, the way the wind rustles the leaves of the trees, the wonderful feeling of the sun, if one can capture all of these in a painting" he said with his eye closed.

Riho found herself staring at his face as he spoke with his eyes closed as if he was there at that very moment.

"The imagination of an artist is his most prize possession next to his paint and brushes" He said.

"You speak so wonderfully, and highly of the land, why do you not wish that people see your paintings?" asked Riho.

"My paintings are nothing compared to those who are slaving away looking for someone to find them" stated Shido. "Lady Riho I have more then I need, and I surely do not wish to take any more. My paintings will be of value not because I have talent but because I am a Lord."

Riho found herself stare at the man in front of her was this a dream or was he really saying that he didn't want his power to achieve what his talents can't? This couldn't be real, can it? Her heart jumped. The more she got to know him the more deeper she fell, and this falling was wonderful yet frightening. She loved everything about him, he was kind, generous, handsome, charming, and a poet. What wasn't there to love about him? Riho let out a gasp.

"Lady Riho?" he asked. Riho blushed.

"I am sorry Lord Shido" she whispered.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yes, fine" she said with a smile. Her heart was beating faster then it has ever. She looked at him and found herself getting lost once more.

Shido looked concern as he took a sip of his tea.

"Maybe we should retire for the night Lord Shido, you are still recovering" she said.

"I am fine Lady Riho" said Shido noticing the intending blush on Riho's cheek.

"Are you feeling all right, you looked flushed" said Shido.

"Umm...I'm wonderful" stated Riho putting her hands to her cheek.

Shido smiled at her action. She really was something different from anyone he had met, maybe she was sort of like Guni, but she was so strangely wonderful. Guni walked on to see Shido smiling in a dreamy state and Riho beet red holding her cheeks. She sighed. "Is everything all right?"

"Wonderful" both answered at once.

"Ok" said Guni.

"I think I will go and retire for the night. Good night Lord Shido" said Riho getting up and bowing.

Shido nodded. Guni gave him a questioning look but he just shrugged.

Guni followed Riho to her room. "Are you all right?"

 

"No, this not happening...no" said Riho as she paced around her room.

Guni watched as her hand went to her head and then to her cheeks.

"My dear God this isn't happening" she said.

Guni growled. "What isn't happening?" asked Guni.

Riho looked towards Guni as the mentality kicked in. ‘He loves her’ she thought as her eyes got blurry and she felt the warm liquid trailing down her face.

"Lady Riho?" asked Guni.

"I can't" she whispered to herself as she dropped to her knees.

Guni ran towards her and sat down next to her. "Lady Riho?" she asked again.

Riho couldn't stop the tears. "Damn it why me?!?"

Guni was confused as she watched Riho cry and whisper things. ‘What the hell is going on?’

After 10 minutes of emotional break down Riho recovered and undressed and got in to bed. Guni gave her one last look before closing the door and walking away. She walked towards Shido's studio. She smiled when she saw him sitting in front of a canvas.

 

"You haven't painted anything for a while" said Guni.

Shido smiled and nodded. "Ironically I have been inspired so many times, but the strange things is that, I can't get my mind to concentrate."

Guni smiled and nodded. "Did something happen at the ball?"

Shido sighed and nodded. "Lady Yayoi, she told Riho to stay away from me."

Guni rolled her eyes. "I don't know why you got involved with that woman."

Shido smiled. "Lady Riho is asleep?"

Guni nodded. "Something is troubling her."

Shido looked at her.

"What might that be?" asked Shido.

"I don't know" said Guni.

Shido nodded. "You should go to bed."

Guni nodded. "You'll be all right?"

Shido nodded and smiled.

"Good night" she said.

"Good night" he answered back.

 

It was in the middle of the night that Shido found that his body had grown a mind of all it's own as it neared Riho's room. He opened the door and walked in quietly. His breath caught his throat once more as he saw her sleeping figure. If only this image was on a canvas he could test his skills. He walked closer. His hand itched to touch her, his lips burned to taste her. His hand went to touch the side of her cheek, it was warm and soft just as he imagined it to be. his thumb moved over her lips. The parted lips tempted him to take a taste. He went down to take a small brush. As soon his lips touched hers it was as if a spark flickered. he tasted her sweetness. He took a few more brushes before raising his head. His heart running and jumping out of his chest. His hands moved to touch the silk that was her hair. She was beautiful and he wanted her more then he wanted anything in his life. his hands wanted to touch more but he moved away. He backed away and closed the door behind him his breath coming heavy. He smiled he could still taste her on his lips. She was driving him mad. Everyday that past he wanted just pull her towards him and mold her in to him. Touch her and love her the way he did. Shido stopped dead in his track. He loved her. He was falling in love with this run away angel. He had wondered off and there was no way to return now.               

 

It was one of those afternoons where everything seems to be lazy. Shido found himself on his balcony sitting on the elegant table and chairs that was placed in the center of the large balcony. The graceful table and chair legs had a scrolls and leaf design. The finish was an ivory with gold highlights, the tabletop was made of glass, and the two chairs had ivory padded seats. The tabletop had a clear glass vase filled with white tulips. Shido smiled at the flowers, they were so simple yet so beautiful in their simplicity. He seated himself in one of the chair and looked out in to landscape, where there was the sky, the trees and nothing more. Yes, this is one of those quite moments that life granted us, to ponder on things that were both useless and useful. Again Shido found himself smile at the way things sounded. It has been a 15 days since Lady Riho Takagi has come in to his 'world' as she would put it. [AN: Yes everything is fast forward 9 days, I can't describe each and every day, I’m too lazy for that, hehe.]

 Strange how it seem so natural to have her here. It was as if she belonged here, with him. Shido's face took on a frown at the thought, he knew eventually she would decide to go back, and just the thought was disturbing. He himself has been around and with many women, but none was as she. Everything about her made him feel different and strange. She was different and completely unlike her kind. She had said to him that he was not like other Lords and that he lived in many worlds. The things she said to him somehow stayed in his head, refusing to leave from his memory. He found himself dream of only her, and the urge to paint her not only with the pigments of his paint, but to paint her with his feelings and kisses was growing stronger. Shido sat as his thoughts started to wonder to many places. Has he wondered to that place where there was no way of returning? Does he really want to return?

 

“What if you like the place you wonder to?” Riho's words floated in to his head.

 

"Lord Shido?" asked Riho walking in to his room, after knocking and finding no answer. She smiled when she saw the sheer white curtain fly around from the breeze that was now rushing in to the room. She saw a glimpse of lavender hair and knew that Shido was out on the balcony. She walked slowly towards the doors of the balcony. Her smile grew when she saw him, sitting there with his hair tied as usual, wearing a white shirt and loose gray trousers deep in thought. "Lord Shido?"

Shido turned to see the sheer white curtains flying all around her making her seem somehow angelic...even more then she already was. Shido smiled and nodded. "Lady Riho."

Riho walked towards him and sat down in the chair across from him.

"Lady Riho is there something you want to ask me?" asked Shido.

Riho frowned ‘The only reason I can talk to him, if I have to ask for something from him?’ thought Riho. "No Lord Shido, I will leave if I am disturbing you." said Riho getting up.

"No! Lady Riho you are not disturbing me" he said.

Riho give him a 'are you sure?' look before sitting down.

Shido smiled at her.

"Lord Shido may I ask you something?" asked Riho.

Shido nodded.

"What do you think time is?" she asked.

"Time? One cannot express what time truly is Lady Riho. For some it is a barrier, for others it is a way of organization. For me time is a factory where everyone slaves away earning enough lone to break their own chains" he said.

Riho's feature took on a look of awe. "I don't understand you Lord Shido, how do you make the simplest matter seem so charming?"

Shido let out a small chuckle. Riho giggled, yes this was the life she wanted, where she was free to laugh, where she didn't have to lock away herself, where she could ask any sort of questions.

 

"Lady Riho why did you asked me that?" asked Shido.

Riho smiled, "It is nothing Lord Shido." She replied, "I have always wondered about Eternity, what it would be like to have all the time in the world to do the things I wished, but after I cam here, I found myself think it was silly."

Shido shook his head, "I don't think that it is silly at all."

"Lord Shido do you have any desire?" asked Riho.

"Oh many Lady Riho. A man lives inside boundaries, he must conceal his desires" said Shido.

"Oh come now Lord Shido I am sure you can share them with me, I will not tell anyone" she said.

Shido chuckled again ‘Yes, one of the desire with in me is to share everything with you’ he thought. "Some things are best left unsaid" said Shido.

Riho shrugged, "I suppose you are right."

"I am sorry if I offended you" said Shido.

Riho laughed, "No, not at all Lord Shido." Thinking back to a question she wanted to know for a long while she looked at him, "Lord Shido...how...how could you tell that my smile was untrue?" asked Riho looking down at her hands.

Shido smiled. "Expression my Lady.”

"Expression?" asked Riho.

"Yes, I have never painted anyone before, but I know the expression that you make when you smile, the way everything on your face lights" said Shido.

Riho blushed at the way he described her.

Shido smiled as he watched the redness on her cheeks grow. ‘If only you knew what I see when I look at you’ he thought. "What you are you do not see. what you see-that you are not my Lady."

 

"Again and Again I must praise your sense of poetry and passion for beauty" said Riho.

Shido stood and walked at the end of the balcony. "Passion yes, but the poetry no. It is the muse that makes one release those locked away words." Turning to look at her. 

The small warm breeze blew making everything move with grace.

"When a flower opens, do you know what it wishes Lord Shido?" asked Riho looking towards him.

Shido shook his head.

"Please, world, do not fade, but the truth is eventually it will" said Riho.

"Lady Riho do you ever think of love?" asked Shido.

Riho chuckled, "How could one not think of something they do not know of?" asked Riho. “But I suppose that every young girl thinks of such things, I am no different, I have thought of what it might be, but haven’t found the answer yet.”

Shido nodded with a smile. "Love what a strange emotion it is. The excitement of falling in love always comes to an end, and when it does, the mystery of it fades."

"How could love end? It is always there, if it fades were they ever truly in love?" asked Riho.

"I suppose not, but day by day the intoxication is less and soon the lovers get welcome back into reality of business as usual. Yet privileged few are spared this return to everyday life and remain in love seemingly without end" said Shido.

"Such true words" said Riho looking distant.

"There was a princess who walked away from wealth and privilege to live among the common just so she could remain intoxicated" said Shido.

Riho let out a small chuckle. ‘Sounds so much like me’ she thought.

"What is such a love, and why do certain people fall so deeply under it's spell?" asked Shido.

“Will it be so bad?” she asked softly.

"Lady Riho?" asked Shido.

"Is it so bad to long for love that will last through everything?" she asked with a dazed look over her.

"What is longing?" asked Shido.

Riho looked at him. "A desire."

Shido found himself laughing once more, with her it was always something to think of, yes his library was filled with many love poems, sonnets, and novels, but never had he ever wondered about love more. "Everyone has desires Lady Riho, it is what they do about the desire that tells them apart."

"I only desired two things freedom, and love" said Riho.

"What have you done to get those things?" asked Shido.

"I ran away...from being confined for the rest of my life" said Riho in a whisper.

Shido thought something inside him cries out in her pain.

"I ran away from a loveless marriage and of a false world" she said as tears welled up in her eyes.

Shido moved in front of her, kneeling before her. "Lady Riho" he said softly trying to read her.

Riho looked away from him. "I am sorry that you have to see me this way."

 

"Lady Riho, I would never mind seeing all of you" said Shido softly. [AN: Sure he wouldn't ^_~]

 Riho looked down at the man that has awakened so many feelings with in her that it was too much to keep inside. "Then you found me, and I started to learn your way of life, you have given me a different kind of freedom Lord Shido."

"I did nothing of the sort, you gave yourself your freedom, but I am glad I have meet you" he said placing a hand on her hand.

Riho looked at the hand he had placed on hers, she found herself blush once more and smile. "Thank you Lord Shido, for everything and I don't care if it means nothing to you...it means something to me" she whispered lacing her fingers with his.

Shido pulled their laced hand towards him, he turned it so that her hand was turned towards his lips. Riho shivered slightly when she felt his lips on her flesh, something about his kisses had her feel dizzy and 'intoxicated' she wondered what it would be like to kiss those lips, what she would feel then?

Shido stared at her face as she looked somewhat lost in thought. His eyes took on a look of hunger as he watched her tongue flick over her bottom lip. ‘I can't control myself, no I have to see if she feels as I do…’ "Lady Riho?" he asked. Riho looked down at him kneeling in front of her.

"Oh, I am sorry I must have been day dreaming" she said.

"May I ask of what?" he asked with a smile.

Riho laughed "My best kept secret."

"Come now Lady Riho you can share that with me" he said.

Riho shook her head. "Sorry Lord Shido" she said as she got up to leave, but before she could go away, Shido took a hold on her hand and pulled her towards him. Riho felt herself gently slam in to his chest, as a gasp escaped her.

 

"If you tell me, maybe I can help make it real" he whispered in to her ear.

Riho gasped, she felt his hand on her waist and pull her closer to his body. "Lord Shido..." she whispered.

"There are so many day dreams I would like to make real" he whispered.

"Then why don't you my Lord?" asked Riho is a whisper.

"They all need one thing that I cannot have" he said.

"And why not?" she asked.

"Oh many reasons" he whispered.

Riho leaned back and felt his lips on her cheek. "Lord Shido..." she whispered.

Shido's arms tighten slightly around her small waist. Riho wanted him to touch her, the feeling of his lips on her skin was like dying a happy death. If only time could stop and continue and he would continue with whatever that was wrong with him.