Stormlight - Ed Greenwood [80]
She sighed, and turned away. "This isn't turning out the way I meant it to," she said in a low voice. "I waited until you were alone, thinking this would be a wonderful chance…"
"Chance?" Insprin asked quietly, wand still aimed steadily at her. "Chance for what?"
Shayna Summerstar turned back to face him, and then peered quickly past. Assured that they were still alone, she said in a low voice, "I must now lead House Summerstar, and put away thoughts of gowns and feasts and… handsome men. I-I'll lose those things before I ever even get to touch them with my fingertips! Snatched away, so I can never have a lover, never-"
Insprin raised a graying eyebrow. "Why not?" he asked. "Being head of a noble house doesn't mean setting the world aside, lady! Not in Cormyr, anyway!"
Shayna looked up at him. "You don't see, do you?" She took a step forward, and he raised the wand tensely.
A painted look passed over her face. She snatched at the tip of the wand and thrust it firmly between her breasts, where her gown was cut away to show a fall of lace. “There! If I’m some sort of monster,” she told him fiercely, “blast away!”
He looked into angry green eyes that were very close to his, swallowed, and asked carefully, “Lady, what is it you want?”
"You, Insprin Turnstone!" she hissed furiously. "Do I have to go to my knees and beg you? I need a man to teach me what loving and kindness and comfort are all about… a man who dares not carry tales around the realm, and who has magic to keep unwanted children from me! The only man I've ever really loved and admired was my father-and you are so like him! Kind, and thoughtful, and yet quiet, keeping your own counsel until those around you really need it. I think I could love you… and yet I know I can't wed you, so I'd like to be in your arms for-for whatever times we can steal from the world together!"
She gazed into his eyes and almost whispered, "Of course, if you find me repellant, or my asking ridiculous, I'll understand, and say nothing… except to beg you to forget I ever spoke these words. Only please, please don't laugh at me, or call me a child!"
Insprin lowered his wand and put one hand to her magnificent hair, stroking it with infinite gentleness. "Lady," he said softly, "no lass who thinks such thing can be anything but a woman, whether she's known a man yet or not. I-I do find you young, and I confess I'm more startled than flattered, but if you'll allow me to walk with you awhile, and talk, perhaps you can persuade me that you really want me, and know what you're getting yourself into… this keep is not the safest of places right now, you know."
"Precisely," Shayna said, "and if I die this night, or on the morrow, or the day after, I'll never even have known a kiss from any man who was not my kinsman, and just being polite or kind!" She took his arm firmly, set down the dusty bottle, and said, "Right then-walk, you said, and we will. I'll walk to the end of Firefall Vale and back, wizard, so long as you take me!"
"Ah… I was thinking more of a tower where we could be alone," Insprin replied, holding his wand down by his side. Abruptly she caught hold of his sleeve and turned him, trying to kiss him-only to feel the point of the swiftly raised wand hard against her breast.
She glared into his eyes, her quickening breath warming his chin. "Fire the damned thing, I said," she whispered fiercely. "Find out that I am Shayna Summerstar, and then heal me, wizard, and then make love to me!"
He never knew, later, if he bent his lips to hers, or if she thrust her mouth forward, but her kiss was hot, and tremblingly eager, and sweet.
When he drew away at last to breathe, he said very quietly, "You mean it, don't you?"
"I do," the young noblewoman in his arms said simply. "Do you still doubt it?"
"No," he said, just as plainly, and took her arm. "Let us leave this place, and go wherever you want."
Shayna sighed as if a great weight had been taken from her, and smiled, her eyes bright. "Now we're getting somewhere,