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Post by Phantom on Jun 9, 2008 19:34:06 GMT -5
"I liked the excitement of the dance floor, all the people, the music, the dancing," he said, remembering. "It was irresistible." He looked up in front of them, his steps remained the same calm as before, nothing even implying he wanted to go back until she wanted to. The Phantom was content out in the gardens with his Princess.
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Post by Princess on Jun 9, 2008 19:43:52 GMT -5
The Princess continued to watch the Phantom from the corner of her eye as they walked together, trying to absorb everything about this strange ease, the oddity of the man she knew being content. "I did not know, or I might have as well," she said, keeping to the conversation. "It is entirely different dancing with old men one counts as strangers than it is dancing with one's lover."
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Post by Phantom on Jun 9, 2008 19:57:01 GMT -5
The Phantom nodded, "It is also entirely different dancing with some giggling girl than with the one that shares your bed and knows your stories." There was a connection that didn't even begin to exist with the others that was strong as chains between him and the Princess. He smiled down at her, pulling her as close to his side as he could without making walking awkward.
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Post by Princess on Jun 9, 2008 20:17:23 GMT -5
The Princess smiled as well, though her lashes lowered to hide the telling sheen of her eyes. She would not cry, no matter how beautiful the moment. Her hand in his tightened briefly, acknowledging the Phantom's words and the depth of meaning behind them while she gathered her ability to speak. "Do you know that I care for you?" she asked, the other words so close to the surface that she'd needed some outlet that only a similar question might satisfy. She had told him before that she cared, but that was so long ago now that the words held an entirely different meaning.
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Post by Phantom on Jun 9, 2008 20:25:29 GMT -5
The Phantom watched her, "Yes," he said, his eyes focused on her. There was no need to ask the same of her, she knew that he cared for her. "Even if I don't understand what I did to earn it." He had never let himself wonder before, had always pushed the thought away and tried not to think about it. He swallowed and looked away, unsure if he really wanted to pursue it.
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Post by Princess on Jun 9, 2008 20:37:52 GMT -5
The Princess looked up then, only to find that the Phantom had claimed the distance back. "You have shown me patience," she said, knowing he would argue the words. Her gaze shifted again as she went on, tracing the shadows of the bushes they passed. "You did not want to, I know, but you acted with patience, in waiting for me to decide. You answered my questions without censure. You have guarded and protected me as though I were a treasure. You have guided when you might have pushed. You are, in truth, my Warrior, and for that dream, for the reality which is you, I am grateful."
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Post by Phantom on Jun 9, 2008 20:47:48 GMT -5
The Phantom was silent, contemplating. The Princess painted a picture of him so very different from what the rest of the world saw, he wondered if it was even him, perhaps it was just a face he put on when around her, one that he still only used around her. "I wanted you," he said at last. "I was patient because you didn't pretend you were in control and you...reminded me of something from a long time ago." He was silent again, an idea forming in his mind. The thought process showed on his face as he grasped for the pieces that were floating in his mind.
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Post by Princess on Jun 9, 2008 21:01:50 GMT -5
The Princess looked at the Phantom again, silent a moment as she watched whatever detail had taken root in his mind expand. "You did not have to tell me these things," she said softly, hesitating to interrupt his thoughts. "You could have kept them secret, done as you wished. You could have abused my trust, taken me to your bed and discarded me. I know these things without your telling me of them."
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Post by Phantom on Jun 9, 2008 21:16:28 GMT -5
The Phantom looked at her, her innocence had been the thing that had given them the chance. She had had no idea who he was or what he was capable of, her purity had drawn him to her and protected her during the first few weeks. Yes, the bet with Lucretia had something to do with it, but he didn't care, he knew that it wasn't all that had pulled them together. "You're special," he said, nodding and then looking away yet again. He probably should have said something, but he would only have lost it if he had tried.
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Post by Princess on Jun 9, 2008 21:27:13 GMT -5
The Princess watched the Phantom a moment, wondering at those brief words, if perhaps she had touched on one of the thoughts he was keeping hidden from her. "There is much I do not know," she said carefully, "but there is also much I see for which I reserve judgment. It was not always so, perhaps, but I do not regret the knowledge."
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Post by Phantom on Jun 9, 2008 21:36:54 GMT -5
The Phantom turned his eyes to her again, wondering at her words. He let her hand go, putting his arm around her waist. "I don't know why you didn't run from me, why you believed me over Ryan." He swallowed, remembering their first meeting, though he had hoped that she had just not been able to think about it. He still wondered though, she had had what seemed like the entire school telling her to not trust him.
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Post by Princess on Jun 9, 2008 22:02:57 GMT -5
The Princess chewed her lip in thought. It was a difficult question to answer. "Ryan's arguments sounded like those of a spoiled child. It made no sense to me at all. Perhaps at first, I believed you because you seemed more genuine, or because I felt...attracted to you, and did not understand." She paused, giving her next words the thought they deserved before going on. "Once I knew, once I had been told, I believed, but I could not understand. I told you that I wanted to understand, and it was true. It remains true, though the reasoning behind the curiosity is no longer a vague generality." It was no longer only a question of human nature, but of his nature.
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Post by Phantom on Jun 10, 2008 21:36:06 GMT -5
So she hadn't been with him in spite of the things he had done, she had simply not understood what he had done, who he was at least to the outside world. The Phantom's fingers tightened a little on her side, wondering if it had been different... "If you had understood what I had done," he asked slowly, "Would you have still been with me?" Or would you have run?
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Post by Princess on Jun 10, 2008 21:55:15 GMT -5
Another difficult question, not because the Princess did not know the answer, but because so much rested on her ability to make a confusing concept understood. "I would have," she replied. "It had been explained to me before I gave myself to you. I wll admit that it was a difficult concept, but I cannot claim ignorance."
She paused, knowing what his question truly was. "I gave myself to you, not because I was unaware of your past, but because of the present, as I saw it. You were kind to me, interested in my stories, my questions. Your physical presence frightened as much as attracted me, but I had no reason not to trust you besides the word of others. So I trusted you, and I have no regrets."
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Post by Phantom on Jun 10, 2008 22:04:04 GMT -5
The Phantom released a breath and looked away from her, if she had no regrets, then he couldn't argue with her. After a few moments' thought he slowed their walking to a near stop and tilted his head to the side to kiss her neck, then looked forward and brought the walking back to normal. Arguments tried to fight to the front of his mind, that he had only been good to her to get her to do what he wanted, that it had all been a game. But he couldn't bring himself to do it, not knowing how it could affect their relationship, and the game had led to so much more.
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