Adapted from tweets between @Musketeer_Athos and @Exquisite_Wren 22nd August 2014

I sit at the edge of the bed running my fingers through my hair and sigh as I look across the open arms of an ocean of a bed that separates us. She’s there, next to me yet so far away. I lower my head and sigh again. Even the loneliness of shadows refuse to conceal the ripples between us, the sadness of the tide keeping our limbs, caress and hearts from each other’s reach. Touch we both long for, though the journey seems far and wide as she smoothes her hand gently across to mine in need of my affection, warmth and embrace. My love…she implores.

 I look over with my heavy lidded eyes trying to express words and feelings that are submerged and even drowning in a cataclysm of emotional foreboding. She looks so frail, so delicate. My heart wants to burst for the want of her as I take the proffered hand and rub my thumb across those slender lines. 

“I must get up and go to the garrison.” 

Her desolate eyes meet the grievance of mine as she slowly leans forward to pull the sheet from the tucked confines of our made bed, the distance between the gentle caress of our hands…now gone with a sigh of her own.  She rolls from the coldness of these sheets with her bare form and gently slides the fabric around her lines, shielding her heartache is what I will find as she stands concealed on her side of the bed. She then moves around towards me with the gentle lift of her head. Her features pained, her delicate cheeks stained with what was before as her feet reach mine and eye my boots that rest on the floor.

 “Let me help you dress” 

 She sweeps a hand that pressed against the covering sheet. 

“Sit back on the bed while I help you with your boots. It’s the least I can do.”

  She lays a gentle had to my cheek, our hearts so far apart, yet within inches of each other’s embrace. She restricts this distance that keep us at a distant mark.

 I lower my melancholy eyes to watch every minute detail and movement securing them in my mind to treasure these moments as if they were my last on earth. My hand yearns to reach out to touch and caress you but my inner darkness forbids all significant signs of affection. Yet within me beats the heart of man desperate to take her within my protective arms and crush down the most passionate of loving embraces….yet I sit motionless….just watching…just yearning …just falling apart, hidden from her eyes.

 With weary wings, her tender fingers clasp at the rim of my leather boots, oblivious to where my eyes layer down upon her features.  My eyes peel back the monochrome of the woman that bends down to dress me in my soldier’s detail. Her attempt at scooping up the shattered pieces of her soul, our love, my love and what was the passion that we knew.

  I stand before her, a mighty figure of leather shod masculinity oozing earthly testosterone, an Adonis of a true fighting man, yet crushed by the sheet wrapped siren before me and hungering for your love.

  “I must go”

 My eyes plead for understanding. 

She trembles afresh at the sight before her, longing to feel replete, standing now at the window of my beseeching wearing her own armour, though her eyes grant grace when she nods and leans forward bestowing a gentle kiss to my cheek.

 I nod a curt thank you, forcing a polite smile to brave itself across my face, turns and strides out the room without looking back. 

Purpose driven I can only focus on the day ahead. 

Based on tweets between @Musketeer_Athos and @Exquisite_Wren  on 14th August 2014

It’s a windy day in Paris and memories are stirred of childhood play. A smile graces my face as I take a risk and send a message to her requesting she join me in an open park near the palace. I wait nervously unsure whether she will come. 

She glides toward me as if on the wings of a delicate butterfly, her smile as generous as the rays of the sun that shines down upon us. Exuding and projecting her self-assurance, when approaching me she extends  out her hand and nods a kind greeting, smiling into my eyes. 

“Athos. It is so good to see you again “

 She tilts her head slightly, 

“I really must thank you for inviting me here today.” 

She takes a moment to absorb my striking features and smiles once more. 

Relief sweeps over me and a mellow smile creeps across my face as the wind gusts around us 

“…I want to share something with you…” 

I take your hand and an ember of happiness starts to ignite. 

“…something I haven’t done for a long time.” 

She sweeps her tresses from her features as her eyes alight with curiosity and she gently entwines her fingers with mine, 

“Do tell. I’m curious now” 

She enjoys the close proximity as she lightly smooth her thumb across my grasp reassuringly. Her smile remains as she searches my eyes, radiating a confidence and willingness to engage in conversation with me. 

I feel content with your compliance and my, eyes burn down a rekindled magnetic energy as the lively gusts of winds sweep between invigorating my resolve. I lead you to my horse. 

“This is what I want to share with you.” 

I unravel string, parchment and a wooden cross…a magnificent hastily crafted kite and I smile with an enigmatic air. 

“Perfect weather!.” 

I await your response. 

The leaves on the ground gently toss and dance between us as she studies the kite within my grasp, before lifting her eyes back into mine. 

“I most certainly agree” 

She shifts her gaze and smiles at our surroundings, only to push her loose tendrils from her features once more. 

“May I?” 

She slowly proffers her hands out to me while her eyes revive in where our feelings lie. Love sparks emitting true from the beat of our hearts. 

I place the kite in her hands, 

“You fly it…and when the time is right I want you to cut it free… “ 

My cryptic words cut across my sceptical brow.

She looks into my eyes for what seems an eternity, before positioning her back to the wind, then she holds up  the kite to catch the perfect gust of wind, before she  slowly glances back over her shoulder to address me, 

“Will you stand with me? I would like to do this…together…”

 Her eyes beseech my own. 

My enigmatic smile returns and standing behind her I gently place my hands on her waist, the wind sending wafts of her rose scented hair, to stir memories of emotional warmth, encouraging me to nestle my chin on her shoulder. My gentle laughter sears softly against her ear as I watch the kite rise magnificently in the air displaying the message that I cannot say…

“Je suis desole!”

She sees the written words fluttering upon the kite and reads those heartfelt words I cannot repeat while I stand cheek against hers watching the words dancing boldly in the sky. Together we watch my words toying with the wind, begging for release before turning her head to face me she smiles with a forgiving grace. 

“May I borrow your knife please?” 

I pass her my knife and whisper against her ear. 

“Only cut it free if you forgive me…” 

She closes her eyes with a deep breath taken, feels the give of the string. The hold, this burden…she cuts free, allowing the kite to soar into the sky as she unsheathes her eyes, leaving all the sadness behind to watch it take flight and smile her final good bye to a precious gift made by our love, our ties. 

I snake my arms around her waist pressing my cheek next to hers again watching our troubles fly away into the gusty skies above and whispers against your ear. 

“Let’s go home shall we?”  

She nods as she presses back into me and smooth her hands along my arms with a smile of contentment…

 “Yes. Let’s.”

Poem and picture courtesy of @karentompkins7

Adapted from tweets between @Exquisite_Wren and @Musketeer_Athos  13/08/2014

I stride purposefully through the streets of Paris having completed a task for Captain Treville and I am caught totally unguarded as I turn a corner and come face to face with….her!

My heart misses a beat as a smile instantly appears only to be forced back from whence it came…the darkness of my grieving soul.

She inhales discreetly as she clasps her delicate hands before her, placing them upon her gown, presenting a brief but pleasant smile, only to be reminded of the ache that constricts her soul… their shared loss, a life they knew not now absent in this space that is cold

I stare into her eyes directly and gives a brief nod being a man of few words he seems even more at a loss, as a confusion of emotions fight to say words that never seem to surface. The few words that escape are wrapped in my warm liquid chocolate voice.

“You are well?”

She unceremoniously lowers her eyes as her resolve evaporates and softens her  features, thoroughly thinking through her statement, while she  holds back threatening tears that have had no time to fall,

“I must admit that I…have had better days And you?”

She raises my chin slightly, though glancing elsewhere

I feel crest fallen, assuming her negativity to be a personal slight,

“…I am…keeping busy…”

My eyes implore a meeting so burn down into her face awaiting her glance back into my direction.

She becomes aware of my sight’s silent request and slowly meets my gaze in awkward silence with eyes that say everything and says nothing

With my’ eyes search down into hers for answers or reasons, begging for a word of warmth or even hope.. then the awkwardness of the situation crashes home… but I take a chance and ventures to give a reason for hope.

“….I would deem it a personal favour…if I could call on you some time…”

.I still  search your eyes for a response and continue;

“..a time of your choosing, of course.”

My manner, stiff, formal but very wanting.

She checks any of her self-consciousness before warming to my words, conjuring both humility and strength from deep down within her  broken soul with a slight smile of acceptance.

” I’d like that…very much”

She smiles even more, crystalline eyes shields my pain, disguising what her heart and mind truly endures.

I nod a relieved thank you, with a small twitch of the mouth, the basis of a smile,

“I’ll await your instructions…”

I tips my hat and move to continue on my way…wondering now how to say those other difficult words on our next meeting…

She gracefully glances back over her shoulder briefly and smiles to herself, watching me move away.

With a deep breath taken, she glides the remainder of the way back to her residence. On reaching the front door and turning at the handle… all her angst and her heart ache returns… flooding and crushing her perfect world. She pushes through the door in the company of one and falls to her knees with the release of those long awaited tears that did not fall.

Clutching at her forehead as she cries away pain that suppressed the sensation…of her knees that crashed to the floor

@Exquisite_Wren’s tweets from August 13th

I go about my daily routine with the occasional glance towards the front door, having not met with him in days.

The unkindness of my guilt continues to sweep me away, like a stone cast into the stillness of a quiet pool of water, the concentric ripples of despair deluge out in all directions, leaving me seemingly empty.

A budding seed, not yet with the flourish of petals, passed into the dark of night.

Our night, our child, our entwined love, now gone.

The dried up remains engulf me with grief. How I handle that now I pray won’t contradict my beliefs. This veil I must lift and breathe from beneath this burden that suffocates me