Lou's Life Chap 12 "Connecting"

Did I sleep? It seemed like I did because suddenly, unexpectedly, I became aware of a bird singing. I opened my eyes to follow the sound and found it perched high above us on the metal bar that held the heavy curtain behind Quinn's bed, embedded in the stalactites. Quinn and I were still laying in his bed, luxuriously satiated after our passion. I was on Quinn's left side, my head on his shoulder and he had his arm around me, right hand resting on my hip. I had lost count of the number of times we had made love, but I knew it was more than several. I had no idea what time of day it was or even what day of the week it was. We could have been laying there for 3 hrs or 3 weeks. I didn't know and didn't care. I was so happy, complete and fulfilled. I had never in a thousand years dreamed it could be like this, that I could be so happy and contented. To say that Quinn was a spectacular lover was an understatement. Again, there aren't enough adjectives available in the English language to describe it. I spent a moment reminiscing, thinking about how my life had changed so drastically in the past ten months. I was a completely different woman than the one that the Gitan had kidnapped on that fateful day. I was educated in more ways that one. I had learned to dress and carry myself as a Lady, of proper breeding and family, someone of the High Class. Before I could only speak French, now I had learned to speak, read and write in English, French, Gaelic, Spanish and Italian. And now I had learned how to please a man.

Now as we laid here, comfortable and content in each others arms, I couldn't help but wonder what would be next. Where do we go from here? Quinn stirred. "How do you fare?" he asked in a sleepy sounding voice. "I am well, content and happy. And you mi'lord?" my voice sounded just as scratchy as his. "I haven't felt this good in 100 years" he said as he looked down and smiled at me. He slid away from me, got up and padded across the floor in his bare feet to find his clothes. Several of the candles had been lit so long as to burn out, but there was still enough light in the room to see. "Get dressed and come with me" he said as he pulled his tunic over his head. As I got up and found my dress, I paused for a moment to watch Quinn as he was dressing himself. I had never seen a man naked except for him, so maybe my opinion was biased, but God Almighty! I thought again how he was the most exquisitely beautiful man I had ever seen. Once we were dressed, he came to me, kissed me and grabbed my hand. "Follow me" he said with a twinkle in his eye. We walked to the curtain and pushed it aside. I was very glad it was dark so I couldn't see the spot where Marcus's body lay. "What are we doing? Where are you taking me?" I asked. "Up there" and he pointed up to the hole still in the ceiling. Before I knew it, we were standing outside in the snow. I was surprised to find it warm outside despite the snow on the ground. The woods, at night, under two feet of snow was almost magical. There is nothing quite as beautiful as moonlight on clean, undisturbed, pristine snow.

Quinn stood very still, eyes closed and head tilted to one side, like he was concentrating very hard. We were standing about 4-5 ft inside the tree line surrounding a large meadow. "Wait for it, they are coming this direction, straight for us" I concentrated on listening and heard it to, thundering hooves. As I opened my eyes, a large herd of deer wandered out of the trees opposite us and into the meadow. They settled down and started pawing at the ground looking for tender shoots under the snow. "Let's eat, I'm starving." Quinn said. He was going to teach me to hunt, and with that my education truly be complete. We moved silently under the edge of the trees, around the meadow until we were on the side closest to the deer. With our extra sensitive vision, and the bright full moon, I could see them as clearly as if they were standing in bright sunlight. I suppose vampires have no scent because the deer did not react to our presence. They definitely smelled good to me, the smell of blood hung heavy in the air. As long as we stayed out of their line of sight, it was like we weren't there. Suddenly Quinn stopped, looked at me, and whispered "Ready, love? We will take the buck and doe standing together off to the side" We attacked the deer before they even had time to react, and as the rest of the herd took off through the woods, I made my first kill of a wild deer. Quinn was standing beside his deer not 5 ft from me and my deer. Together in the moonlight we had our meal, looking into each others eyes while we drank. The experience was the same as last time, but this time when I was floating on the sea of red, Quinn was there, holding my hand.

We stayed out walking in the woods for the rest of the night. We walked down to the creek and washed our faces, then sat on a rock high above the meadow watching the night animals play in the snow. Then we laid back and looked up into the stars. They were so beautiful, Quinn said they were like diamonds scattered across dark blue velvet. But since I had never seen diamonds, I had no point of reference. We were laying in snow, but because of the temperature of our bodies, we were not cold or even slightly uncomfortable. I gathered my courage and asked Quinn about what had been on my mind every since I saw his scar. "Quinn, can I ask you something?" "Of course, love. What do you need to know?" "Is that scar on your shoulder what I think it is?" He rolled over to his side and propped himself on his elbow, looking down at me. His arm rested lightly on my waist. " Why do you want to know?" "Because I want to know everything about you. You already know all there is to know about me, but then again there wasn't much to know, my life was very small compared to yours. But everything I know about you is knowledge you learned after coming to court and learning English. I know nothing about your life before, and I'm so curious. I have so many questions, like what were you like as a child? How old are you? How old were you when you were turned? Were you always nobility or was your family poor like mine? Did you have a father, mother, brothers and sisters? What made you decide to better yourself and become what you are now? How did you get---"

"Whoa, Whoa, slow down! I can only answer one question at a time." Quinn chuckled as he interrupted me. "Alright, my little Inquisitor, what question would you like me to answer first?"
"When and where were you born?"
"I was born on Friday, February 9, 1487 in Kildare late in the fall of that year. My father was nephew to Gerald Fitzgerald, the 8th Earl of Kildare until 1513, so I grew up in a noble household. My great-uncle had to battle for the position with the English, but I do remember life at the castle being calm and pleasant for several years. As a child, I was educated with Uncle Gerald's children by our Governess to speak, read and write, but only in Gaelic."
"What were you like as a child?"
"My childhood, I don't really remember all that clearly anymore. I do remember my teenage years and early twenties much better. My uncle was a great fighter and was always in a battle with someone. From the time I was big enough to hold a toy wooden sword, I spent all my time training in his garrison and as I grew to manhood, I became Captain of his guard. He actually ruled Ireland for 20 yrs with relative peace. I do remember ruffians, sent by the other ruling factions, storming the castle when I was 9 yrs old. They captured Uncle Gerald and sent him to the Tower of London as a traitor. I remember mostly because the household was in great turmoil over it, and his wife, my Aunt Alison, died soon after he was taken. I remember my mother saying it was of a broken heart. I remember he had a trial because I remember Father talking about it. Then suddenly one day he came back, and took up his position as the Earl again."
"How old are you? How old were you when you were turned?"
"I just passed my 113th birthday last week. I was turned in 1514 when I was a score and seven years old."
"How did it happen?"
Quinn had been laying beside me, looking down at me the whole time we'd been speaking, his fingers intertwined with mine, holding my hand. At my question he released my hand and sat up, facing away from me. I sat up quickly "My apologies, Mi'lord. I didn't mean to pry or cause you unpleasant memories. Forgive me"
"No, it's not your question. It's just that, even though it happened 85 years ago, I still remember it like it was yesterday. I remember it as being the ONLY time in my entire life that I felt true fear, the only time I've ever been scared. From the time I was a child, there was nothing I loved more than a hearty battle and a bit of bloodshed. When I was 13, Uncle, the Garrison and I went to Cork and hung the city's Mayor for encouraging a rebellion. When I was 17, and was the Captain of the Garrison, in charge of men twice my age, we joined forces with the Earl of Clanrickarde and fought at the Battle of Knockdoe, in Connacht. That day my comrades and I left the battlefield so weary we could barely walk, and we were covered in so much mud and blood we were barely recognizable as human beings. Even then, EVEN THEN I didn't feel the terror I felt when I was changed. It was a very black day in my life."

"If you don't want to talk about it, I will understand"
"No, it's okay. I suppose if anyone in my life has the right to know, it would be you. It's a long story. First, I have to tell you about my marriage and my Uncle's death. In 1506, I was 19 years old and it was 2 years after the Battle of Knockdoe. I was an important man in my Uncle's household and he often took me to his solar, privately, to advise him in matters of defense. One of our ongoing enemies was the O'Carrolls clan. We stole their cattle, they stole our cattle, just alot of mutual disagreement dating back to a huge fight my great- grandfather had with the Laird of the O'Carrolls over use of a large stream that ran between our two clans. Well, to bring peace between our clans Father and Uncle decided that I should marry the eldest daughter of the O'Carrolls family, Emoline. I argued against it, I had no plans to wed, I was to busy enjoying my life. A good battle with plenty of mayhem and bloodshed in the day, a lusty serving wench in my bed at night, and I felt my life was complete. But Father and Uncle prevailed, the truce was made, and Emoline and I wed 2 days after my 20th birthday in Kildare. Things were okay for several years, no complaints I suppose. We had been wed for 3 years, in 1509, when Emoline bore me twin children, Kiernan and Kaytia. After the children came, I settled down somewhat into family life, although I still trained every day in the lists. My life was happy for awhile, when I think about happy memories those are the days I think of. In 1513, the twins were 4 yrs old, Emoline and I were not necessarily in love but we were happy together, she had just told me she was again with child. Kaytia had me wrapped around her little finger, in fact everyone in my Uncle's household doted on her, even the servants. I had carved Kiernan his first wooden sword for his birthday. He constantly followed me around like a lost puppy. He was not allowed in the lists because he was still to small and might get hurt, but he watched from the sidelines and copied my every move. I was so proud, my little son would stand there for hours, thrusting and parrying with an invisible foe, and never once cry about needing rest, or wanting to go home to his Mama. He was happy as long as he could be with me and my men."

Quinn's voice broke as he was talking about his son. I came around and knelt in front of him and was surprised to see a tear trickle down his cheek. I reached out and touched his cheek, wiping away his tear. He grabbed my hand with his hand and pressed a kiss into my palm. "Again mi'lord, I am sorry to cause you grief for having to talk about this. You do not have to tell me anything that causes you pain." Quinn just looked at me with moisture in his eyes. "It is fine. As I said, you are the one person who has a right to know. It's just that I had completely forgotten about Kiernan in the lists until just now, when I was telling you the story. Sometimes when I think of them, it makes me very sad." tears were flowing down his cheeks now. "I'm sorry you have to see me so thoroughly unmanned" was all he said as he pulled his knees up to his chest, rested his forehead on his knees and wept like a child for his lost family.