by Donald White
Rinaldo turned to Delshess. “What do we do now?”
She drew close. “Hold me, foolish man.”
He pulled her into a warm embrace.
Then, she whispered, “You like to sing. Sing for me.”
Rinaldo chuckled. “I thought you said my voice sounded like the bleating of a goat.”
She giggled. “I like to hear their bleating.”
He laughed, hugging her close.
She responded, “Sing me the song you failed to finish.”
Rinaldo was incredulous. “I failed? You kept interrupting me!”
She smirked. “You should not blame me for your failure.”
He shook his head, chuckling. “You are something else…”
The elf was indignant. “You refer to me as a thing?”
“Yes,” he replied. “A sexy little thing.”
She glanced up at him. “Sing, human. I am weary of your prattle.”
Rinaldo cocked an eyebrow, smiled and then began to sing:
The stars up in the heavens,
the moon, it shines so bright!
You are here beside me,
beauty bathed in light.
And I feel it so deeply,
this heart in rapture lies.
I caress you tenderly,
and stare into your eyes.
Piercing to the soul,
you see all I am.
Through all the pain and woe,
I am merely a man.
Oh, give me just a sign!
Or is this love in vain?
Fall upon me gently,
like the early morning rain.
Come to me,
beauty in the moonlight.
Rest with me.
I will make you warm.
Just to feel you next to me,
I am full of ecstasy.
And I never want to leave your side!
Come to me,
beauty in the moonlight.
Next to me,
is where you belong.
I will hold you to my heart,
and be there where you are,
beauty in the moonlight.
The coolness of your skin,
and the warmth within my breast,
shows me deep within
that I have been blessed.
And now, I know that love
can cut you deep inside.
Calling forth a flood,
when I look into your eyes!
Come to me,
beauty in the moonlight.
Rest with me.
I will make you warm.
Just to feel you next to me,
I am full of ecstasy.
And I never want to leave your side!
Come to me,
beauty in the moonlight.
Next to me,
is where you belong.
I will hold you to my heart,
and be there where you are,
beauty in the moonlight.
I will hold you to my heart,
and be there where you are,
beauty in the moonlight.
When the song was finished, he gazed into her bewitching green eyes, and then he kissed her. Delshess embraced him, probing his mouth with her pointed tongue. Their taste organs entwined as if they were one. He held her close, and she could feel his warmth. And then, she could feel that strange warmth within her chest. It did not burn her, she found it comforting, like sitting next to a fire, and feeling the coolness fade. Or snuggling into a warm blanket… But now, the feeling was inside her. Such a strange sensation… One she did not understand. But one she wished to feel all the more…
***
That night, Rinaldo and Takis put on a performance many believed to be among their best. Though strangely reserved, there was a deeper quality to the poet’s singing than people had heretofore experienced. Every note seemed as if it had arisen from the very depths of his soul. And his companion responded in kind, harmonizing not just with the music, but also with the meaning of the songs. Takis played his instruments with a passion, infusing greater power into each piece of musical artistry.
And, somewhere in the shadows, a pair of pointed ears took in every tone and beat, as if each one were meant for only her. Her bright green eyes shone much brighter, and a satisfied smile was displayed on her sharp features. She held a delicate hand against her breast, feeling that strange warmth within her, pulsing with every beat of her heart.
By the time the concert was finished, Rinaldo had confessed all. He cleared the elf of any wrongdoing, taking full responsibility for his actions and the result of his designs. He apologized to his accomplices, and exonerated the false witnesses, by claiming that all had been done according to his desire, and his alone. Since no murder had been committed, he was not arrested. And the crowd, far from being judgmental of his doings, embraced him in his humility!
He made no spectacle of Delshess, though he spied her hidden in the back. The shame was his to bear, and she was finally free from unwanted notice. Though his loyal followers had forgiven him, he would never forgive himself. He would hold the pain inside, a continual reminder of his falsehood. But this suffering would be a joy to him, for he had gained the love of a precious creature…
The next day, Rinaldo and Takis departed for another city, and another performance. Delshess was sad to see the poet go, but glad to know he would come again. For his burning desire, the passion she still could not fathom, had made a home in her heart and she knew it would never leave.
Her people welcomed her back, once her shame had been lifted. Lady Ursula even embraced the little elf, promising dire retribution against the false man who had disgraced her. But Delshess humbly replied that she had passed the trial of her courage and lifted her shame. And she confided her love for this strange creature who had done her such grievous harm. She forgave his lies and indiscretions, as merely the foolishness indicative of his race.
A short while afterward, a lone woman left her modest dwelling early one morning. Grace carried a few baskets in her hands, sighing as she proceeded towards the garden, which was her livelihood.
The weather had not been kind, nor had the soil borne a bountiful harvest. Meager would be the yield, and trying would be the times ahead of her. But Grace bore up under it all, with the same courage with which she faced all of life’s difficulties.
She walked slowly out to the planted rows, thinking, “I will survive. I shall persevere. The worst of fates may befall me, but I will struggle on.” Her conviction was firm, when she halted suddenly, staring at the scene before her bewildered gaze.
Plants were green and burdened with fruit. There were luscious tomatoes and peppers in abundance. The squash gleamed yellow in one row, and green in another. There were beans, peas, and spinach all ready to harvest. The cucumbers were plentiful, along with the carrots, with their green leaves hiding the crisp delights buried beneath. And there were berries! Strawberries and blueberries and blackberries and raspberries, were all waiting for her to pluck them and wash them, and display them with pride.
But something else caught her eye, a mere shovel buried in front of it all. There was a cloak, perched atop its handle. The garment was spotless, with not a tear or even a loose thread to be seen.
The woman stepped forward to retrieve it. And she heard a voice, both musical and child-like. “Be at peace, Grace.”
She turned, but no one was there. Smiling, she spoke, as if to the wind, “And you as well, Delshess. And you as well.”
About the author:
Donald White grew up on the coast of North Carolina with his mother and father, an older and a younger sister. He has a degree in Information Systems, having graduated with honors. Later, he moved to Durham and is now employed at a software company in Raleigh. He is an avid reader of classical and modern literature. The following works are also available: Lady Killer, The Face in the Mirror, Vengeance and Valor, The Hound, Hallowed: The Collection, The Visions of Sandy Brown, T
he Bard and the Witch, The Monster, Otherplace, Getaway, Tales of Faygaea, Afterworld, Pulling Strings, Mystic Trails and The Path of Enlightenment.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donald.white.98871
Website: http://theblogofdonaldwhite.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NameDonaldWhite
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