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The Game of Love
[Do You Sleep?] [Secret Peepings] [Into the Wild Blue]
[Bottoms Up!]
[Je Reve de Toi] [This Night of A Thousand Stars] These
Things: [Part 1] [Part 2]
Challenge#12 The Garden or “The Great Outdoors”
(A reprieve from the usual places)
In your sweet embrace, all my pain’s erased.
Saillune was bustling today and Lina could tell just by the way she woke
up. She stretched and rose from her bed, eyeing Gourry, chuckling when
she realized he slept face down. She crept behind the privacy screen to
prepare herself for the day when something caught her attention. On the
end of the dresser sat a hand-written letter. She could tell from where
she was who it was from. Gourry must have received yesterday when she
was in her bath and just forgot to mention it to her. She grabbed the
corner, still half-dressed and opened the embossed envelope. Amelia was
having a garden party! She read further. Apparently Prince Phil was
approaching his twenty-fifth year as Saillune’s patriarch and to say
thank you, Amelia was throwing him a party and tonight, she noted.
She slid on her yellow undershirt before emerging again and dumping the
necessary’s contents out the window, resulting in more shouts, causing
Gourry to stir.
“It’s morning?” he asked, half asleep, rolling over on his side.
“It is.” she replied, setting the pot back behind the screen.
“I like that shirt on you,” he mumbled, trying to sit up.
“It’s the same shirt I always wear,” she replied, sliding her tunic over
her shoulders.
“But you should wear it alone more often.”
“Not in public,” she said, lying back on the bed to stretch. “But maybe
the next time we’re alone.”
She smiled, clicking her belt closed.
“Well, I’m starving. I’ll meet you downstairs.”
She ran through the bedroom door, looking for her boots in the sitting
room. Gourry heard her clamp her feet into her boots and shut the door
as she left. Lazily, he puffed the pillow under his head and rolled
towards the window. He sighed. It had been a tumultuous two days since
they had arrived. First they arrived late, then Amelia walked in on
them, the Lina insisted they sleep in her room, so she could get a good
view of the marketplace and scope for vendors in the morning, and then
she found the invitation for the garden party. Life had been nonstop
since they arrived in Seillune, just the way Lina liked it. Gourry, for
once, just wanted to relax; a comfortable bed to lie in, a warm body to
lay next to him…and explore…
He sat up.
“I really need to get up,” he mumbled to the walls.
He slid out of bed, forgetting he wasn’t dressed. When did he start
sleeping naked again? He must have forgotten his pants after last night.
He shrugged, standing up. He scratched his head, turning to the window.
It was busy, how many people knew about this garden party thing? He
searched for his clothes and dressed. Splashing water on his face, he
pocketed the key, locking the door to the suite behind him. It was
breakfast time.
“So, Amelia,” Lina asked, taking a bite of bread. “Tell me about this
garden party.”
“Didn’t you get an invitation?” Amelia asked, pouring more tea for
herself.
“No, we did. I just want to know about it.”
“Well…let’s see...Daddy’s ruled for twenty-five years. I’m throwing him
a party…you’re both invited as were some nobles…and Mr. Zelgadiss, but I
don’t think he’ll be here, and don’t worry Miss Lina, I’ve had
formalwear sent to your room. Oh, hello Mr. Gourry.”
“You better have saved me something, Lina,” he said, sitting down next
to her.
“Oh, don’t you know I haven’t saved you a damn thing?” she asked,
sweetly, grabbing the last sweet roll.
“Hey! Lina, that was mine!” Gourry started.
“I didn’t hear you claiming it!” Lina fought back, biting into it.
“But Lina, I haven’t even eaten yet. At least give me something.”
Their fighting continued through most of breakfast.
~*~
Lina returned late in the afternoon, hands full of baskets. Not a bad
day at the market, she had to admit. She set her things on a chair and
listened; it was quiet.
She walked into the bedroom, surveying the room. From the wardrobe hung
their clothes for the night. She heard splashing from the bathroom.
Good, she thought, kicking off her shoes. Sitting on the edge of the
bed, she loosened her belt, watching it fall to the floor. Sliding her
tunic off, she left it in the shape it fell in, stretching herself out
on the bed, stealing a quick nap.
Gourry stepped out of his bath to silence. It was unusual, he thought,
but Lina must not be back yet. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he
made his way to the sink. He brought his face to the mirror, rubbing his
thumb along his jaw line. That was the upside to being so fair; he only
had to shave no m ore than three times a week.
A movement behind him caught his attention.
“Lina! I didn’t even know you were here!”
“Come here,” she said, lowly and sleepily.
“What is it?” he asked, walked to the bed and resting his knee on the
side.
“Want to wake me up?” she asked, squeezing his towel.
He looked at the clock on the dresser.
“We won’t have time-we have a party to get ready for.”
The lustful look in Lina’s eyes quickly faded. She gave him a look and
slid off the bed. Gourry thought he heard her mutter something about
taking a cold bath. Shaking his head and laughing, he searched the
nightstand drawer for his straight razor.
Meanwhile, in the bath, Lina pouted. How dare he turn her down? The one
who expressed an interest about waking up sex? The never, she thought,
sinking farther into the water, and on the night of a party; it
would be torture waiting until it was over. Taking a deep breath,
she swallowed down her desire; she had done it before, she could do it
now. She allowed her mind to wander. It had been a busy two days, hadn’t
it? What she wouldn’t do to start over from the beginning. Oh well,
they’d be here a bit longer, she’d survive.
~*~
The satin fell in yards around her. She wondered how extravagant the
garden party actually was, with the unnecessarily long train that she
kept tripping on! She had to bunch the fabric up and lean on the doorway
to slide her feet into her shoes. She caught a view of herself in the
mirror and hitched in her breath- she hardly recognized herself. The
hairdresser Amelia sent up had up had pulled her fiery hair into one
loose, but stable bun, and teased the tendrils that refused to stay up
with it. The claret satin held itself at her shoulders, while the
neckline scooped tastefully, revealing just enough to make her blush. A
borrowed diamond necklace hung around her neck, teardrop resting right
below her collarbone. Teardrop earrings replaced her normal balled ones,
sparkling in the light. If only those fool boys from school could see
her now! She chuckled; they’d probably fall all over themselves to try
to talk to her first.
She was jarred by the door opening behind her, Gourry stood in the door
way, shirt unbuttoned and tie undone.
“Wow,” he breathed, then straightened. “Now, really, who are you are the
Lina hiding?”
“I am the real Lina.”
“No you’re not. The Lina would never allow herself to get this
dressed up.”
“Yes she does.” Lina argued back. “Tonight.”
“No,” he moved a little bit, shutting the door. “Are you laced up?” He
pointed to her back, changing the subject.
“All eight holes,” she said, quickly turning from the mirror, for fear
she’d look too vain. “Amelia sent someone up here to help me get into
this. And all this fabric, I still feel naked. It’s crazy, all the
pointless fabric and not he least bit comfortable.”
She was pulled out of her mild complaint by Gourry’s fingers fumbling
with the tie.
“Here, let me do this,” she said, and quickly tied the bow.
“Now, let’s go, before Amelia sends up a search party.”
~*~
The scene that awaited them at the ballroom was more extravagant than
any ball they had been to before. A quintet sat in the corner, playing
folk tunes and formal pieces while the nobles and honored guests filed
in. A little way from the quintet, tables were lined up, by rank, in
accordance to location.
Amelia stood a ways off from the main table, talking the Duke and
Duchess of Ratham. Her eyes met Lina’s and then quickly darted back to
the Duke and Duchess, apparently continuing where she left off.
“Hey Lina, there’s Amelia.” Gourry pointed out.
“She’s busy,” she started.
Before she could continue, a waiter bearing finger food appeared. Behind
him another one stood, with champagne.
“This is why I’m never comfortable with these sorts of things. I can
hardly walk in these shoes and now I have to try to balance these two
things.”
“Hey! Lina, if you don’t want your sushi, I’ll take it!” Gourry
remarked, chomping his down.
“No!” she yelled, gobbling hers down and spilling champagne on herself.
“Dammit!” she exclaimed. “Why can’t Amelia ever do something without all
this crap?”
“Excuse me Miss, but are you have trouble?” a voice behind her asked.
“Butt out, old man!” she screeched, turning around. “D-Duke Raster?”
“Hello Lina.”
He took her hand, and a quick bow.
“Hello Gourry.”
“Hi!” he said cheerfully.
“I’m so pleased to see you two could make it. Her Highness wasn’t sure
if you were going to make it when she first sent out invitations. What
brings you two here?”
“We felt like a little vacation, so we stopped by and found about this
party from Amelia this morning.”
“I wasn’t aware of your beauty; if I were younger, I’d give Gourry here
a run for his money.”
She blushed, suddenly aware of her ensemble. The gown and the hair and
the light daub of perfume made him and the others look at her strangely.
If this were any other day, they’d knock off the flirting and go back to
treating her as a boyish loudmouth. But today was different-even Gourry
kept looking at her differently. Lina watched Gourry’s exchange with
Duke Raster and suddenly wanted to sit down.
She grabbed his hand.
“Come on Gourry, let’s go.”
“Go where?” he asked, being pulled in the opposite direction of the now
confused duke.
“To sit,” was all she said. She dragged him to the table, near fuming,
and nearly knocking over the Earl of Voher in the process. She had just
reached their seats when the commotion started again-people were
searching for their seats.
“I had to get away-too many people were staring/. I don’t like when
people stare at me,” Lina finally confided after a moment.
Under the table, Gourry squeezed her hand.
“I know, I tried to stop staring, but you’re so beautiful-you
should really wear your hair up more often.”
He smiled, seeing Amelia make her way to the table. The party was
starting.
As the first plate was handed to her, she began to feel it; she squirmed
in her chair, rubbing her legs together, and took a bite, hoping food
would quench it. By the second course, she knew it wouldn’t. She looked
around for some chocolate, maybe that would stop her hunger. She found
none on the table. Secretly cursing Amelia, she devised and evil plan.
On the fourth course, she snaked her hand under the table and rested it
on Gourry’s thigh. He looked up.
“Lina, what are you doing?” he whispered as her hand inched farther up
his leg and began rubbing a very sensitive spot.
“Lina! Not here!” he whispered, alarmed.
“You denied me earlier. Now I’ll just have to take it.” she whispered as
her fingers spread and his eyes glazed over. He held back a moan. Why
was she doing this to him? Evil woman.
Amelia saw Gourry slide down into his chair; his eyes half-closed, mouth
slightly open and she knew. She kicked Lina under the table.
“Ow! Dammit Amelia! What?” Lina asked, stopping briefly.
“I won’t have you ruining my party with your affections.”
Lina gave her a look similar to the one she had gotten a few days ago.
“Miss Lina,” she started adamantly. “Please stop giving Mr. Gourry a
hand job under the table. I can see you.”
Lina withdrew her hand, trying to swallow down her desire. When the
quintet started, she breathed a sigh of relief. Watching the crowd, and
Amelia disperse, she grabbed Gourry and headed straight for the double
French doors that led out into the garden.
The garden was gorgeous this time of night; the half-moon and lamplight
illuminating the many trailed paths. For once, she didn’t care; she
bypassed groups she recognized, ignoring their greetings for the moment,
only one thing clear on her mind.
She knew it was here somewhere; one of her last visits to Seillune, she
remembered being show the garden guest house, which was apparently part
gazebo, part party room, and part house. She also recalled Amelia
slipping and mentioning many romantic trysts had occurred there, making
this house an absolute must in her case.
The path veered left, and she took it, moving farther from the people
and deeper into the garden-she was going the right way. When they found
the guest house, she hoped the door was unlocked.
It was.
Once in, she threw Gourry against the door and kissed him fiercely.
“I want no complaints,” she informed him as she slid off his jacket and
untied his tie.
“What makes you think I would?” he asked teasingly, holding her
shoulders as she unbuttoned his shirt and kissed down his chest.
“Because,” she said, reaching for the button of his pants, and kneeling.
“You’ve been denying me all day, so I’m going to teach you a lesson.”
Emphasizing her point, she slid his pants down and grabbed him. He
protested, beginning to mention the party again.
“If you give me a quickie now, I’ll let you go longer later!”
She smiled, quickly sliding him into her mouth, slowly, savoring his
moans. She slid him into her throat as he shuddered, tightening his grip
on her shoulders.
“Faster,” was his throaty reply as she bid to his wishes and teased him
with her tongue, moving it to where the rest of him sat. Again, she
gobbled up his length, burying him as far as she could, in the back of
her throat, until begged her to stop.
“No more,” he said, pulling her away.
“No more?” she questioned, looking up at him.
“No more,” he replied.
“Good, grab your pants,” she ordered him.
“What?” he asked, holding his pants at his waist.
“That table over there.” She motioned to the table behind her.
“What about you?” he asked as he walked uncertainly to the table.
“I’ve been too busy wanting you for the last four hours to be concerned
with anything else.”
She stopped to kick off her shoes and turned a minute, away from
Gourry’s sightline. Turning back to him, she noticed he was sitting on
the edge of the table, pants unbuttoned, notably more excited than
before.
“Oh, this certainly won’t do,” she said lowly, bustling her skirt and
sitting down. “But this certainly will.”
She moved forward, deeper as he reached for her. His hands rested on her
backside-his subtle way of controlling her. She tightened her embrace on
him, gently moving, enough for him to feel her, but not enough. Nibbling
her ear, he moved her back, sliding out for a moment.
“Gourry, what are you doing?” she asked.
“Shhh,” he said, kissing her quick to quiet her.
Counting off in his head, he moved towards him, pushing in as far as he
could go. He received a squeak for his efforts.
“Did I hurt you?” he asked.
“No. Just keep going,” she demanded breathlessly.
Pulling her back, he counted off again, and pushed again as hard as he
could.
She cried out. Squirming, she tightened her legs around him, riding him
with all her might. Her straps fell off her shoulder, loosening her
bodice just enough for Gourry to see her breasts heaving beneath it.
He knew what he had to do. He released his embraced from her and leaned
back, propping himself up on his hands.
“Yes,” she breathed, hissing the end of her words. “Oh gods, yes.”
She could feel it bubbling up inside of her; she wanted to scream him
name, dig her fingernails into his skin, rip this damn dress off and
take him over and over again for the rest of the night, the desire to so
strong it threatened to consume her.
Beginning to lose circulation in everyplace important, Gourry shifted.
“Oh don’t you dare,” Lina began.
Before she could finish the sentence, the height of her first climax
shook her body, making her screech. Biting her lip, she tried again,
bringing him to her, drawing him to the edge with her. It ran up her
spine, little silver shards of light and her breath hitched up in her
throat. In front of her, Gourry commanded her to come again. She could
feel him moving inside her- he was ready. Letting all her
defenses down, she climaxed together with him, a mass of contorted faces
and mangled names. All his strength gone, Gourry fell back onto the
table, Lina clinging to him, panting heavily.
“We should probably get back to the party,” he panted wrapping his arms
around her.
“In a few minutes,” she said breathlessly, finding a comfortable spot on
his chest to rest her head.
Her hair, now loosed from the previous excitement, heaved forward,
resting just above her. Surprised by the sudden movement, Gourry poked
her.
“Lina, your hair!”
“I know,” she muttered, shifting her weight. “I wasn’t expecting it to
stay up all night anyway.”
“But won’t Amelia be disappointed?”
“She didn’t do it.”
“That’s not what I meant-” he started.
Lina interrupted him, humming happily.
“We should probably get going.”
She raised herself off him, standing up and letting down her skirt and
fixing her straps. As Gourry got dressed, Lina let her mind wander. How
strange they were now sneaking around Amelia like she was some sort of
evil witch, and for what, a little carnal desire? Four months ago she
would have been the same old Lina, fighting Gourry for food, staying
night at a function as long as she was paid attention to all night.
“Gourry?”
“Hmmm?” He fumbled with his tie.
“Do you love me?”
“Course.”
“Are you sure? I mean we never say it, and…I kinda think we should. I
don’t want to just fuck you and leave.”
“Lina, we talked about this three months ago.”
“I know, but I’m just wondering if you love me still.”
“Yes, now come here.”
He pulled her to him. She sighed, she hated being this clingy. She
decided she’d have to work on it. As she pulled away, she looked up at
him.
“Thank you. Now let’s get back to that party.”
With the same sense of urgency as he had before, she pulled him from the
guest house down the pat back to the party, ready to converse with any
one they ran into.
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