Hope (2/2)

Writers: Suzee, Eimi
Date Posted: 20th October 2017

Characters: Devren, Sophque
Description: Sophque and Devren meet to celebrate Turns Beginning together...
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 13, day 30 of Turn 8
Notes: Follows "SSH: A Great Time"

Notes: 2 of 2

Sophque

Hours seemed more like minutes and the evening whirled by. Dancing and
laughing more than she had in turns, Sophque relaxed more and more as
the evening went on.

As couples started their leisurely walks home, Devren and Sophque said
they, too, should probably head back. But then some story would come to
mind, some song would stir a memory, some off hand remark started a
whole new and interesting conversation. Their journey back to her cot
was full of starts and stops as they enjoyed the night air, and each
other's company.

They rounded the final corner towards her cot slowly. "So there I
was, standing on the stage in front of the entire Hold. I had just
finished my solo, and I have to confess, I'm not sure if the people
were clapping because I was good or just out of courtesy. But I
thought I had just sang the Harper Class song for the ages and that it
would be remembered for Turns Ends to come. So I was beaming from ear
to ear and I bowed as low as I could, and just as I did the seam in
the back of my trousers gave way. And not just a small tear, that
seam was rendered from pole to pole."

Her eyes popped wide and she clapped a hand over her mouth as laughter
exploded. "Oh no," she sighed. "How did you get off the stage?"

"Well, I could just side step off stage, but the problem was as soon
as I finished my solo the rest of the choir had come onto the stage to
get ready for their next song as I was basking in my praise. They saw
the whole thing." He sighed dramatically and shrugged. "At least I
was right. It was a Turns End that was remembered by my Harper
classmates for Turns and Turns thereafter."

She shook her head, "I can only imagine. I don't know how performers
get up in front of crowds to play or sing. Did you ever do it again?"

"Not to sing. But a few turns before I left Jade Harbor I was roped
into a comedy play. I was a guard. I only had one line, but, of
course, it was the most memorable line of the play," he said with a
haughty grin.

"I'm sure it was," she grinned. "I would have loved to have seen it."
She could see her cot in the distance and slowed her pace just a
little. The night was beautiful and she found herself smiling.
Suddenly she didn't feel old anymore, or that her life was over. She
felt young and beautiful and maybe just maybe desirable.

"Well, I still remember the line, I can show you." Devren stopped and
cleared his throat dramatically. "'Stop, thief!'" He took a dramatic
bow. "Thank you very much."

She chuckled and clapped her fingers together in mock applause.
"However do you get that depth of character?"

"Well," he said leaning in a little closer to say softly, "have you
considered the possibility that I may have had my own run ins with
guards in the past? Perhaps I was drawing from experience..."

She shivered slightly but smiled. "Somehow I don't believe you're a bad guy."

"Yeah, you got me," he said with a helpless shrug. "Someone told me
once that girls like the bad boys best, but for some reason I just
could never seem to pull it off."

A flash of Inokin slapping her for some infraction made her pause for
a moment. She took a sharp breath and shook her head. "No, nice is
good."

"Are you cold? You sound cold," he said with genuine concern. "Would
you like my vest? It's not much..."

"No, no I'm not cold," she said quickly. The tone of his concern
wiping away the moment of reaction to her own past and she smiled.
"Thank you Devren. This evening has been lovely," she said and held
out her hand. They'd walked slowly but they were finally at the door.

Devren looked at the door, shocked that she seemed to live so close to
the Gather Grounds. He was sure she lived further than this...
Taking her hand, he breathed deeply before saying, "I had a really
good time, Sophque. A really good time. I've enjoyed tonight more
than any night that I've had in... Well, Turns, really." Swallowing
hard once to push down his fear he continued, "And I would hope that
this might be the first of many more nights to enjoy your company. I
like you. A lot." His face suddenly spread into an amused smile.
"I'm really out of practice, if you can't tell."

She smiled and lowered her eyes. "I like you too Devren," she said.
"I'm out of practice too."

He smiled, relieved at her reply. Reaching out to take both her hands
in his, he asked the question that had been on the tip of his tongue almost from the beginning of the night, "So, can I see you again?"

"Yes," she said smiling and squeezed his fingers. "I'd like that."

"Great. Well, good night then." He hesitated a moment before leaning
in to give her a soft kiss on the check, but he didn't pull away but
instead leaned back just far enough to meet her eye questioningly. Was a chaste
kiss on the cheek enough? Or was the night air and romantic evening
making her feel a little bold as well?

She didn't pull back but accepted the kiss and then turned a little so
she could see his eyes. Such kind eyes. They were nothing like others
she'd looked into so closely. Inokin hadn't really seen her and Morin
had seen everything around him. She looked into those kind eyes and
leaned a little closer.

His eyebrows lifted slightly at her unspoken acceptance, but his lips
spread into a smile. Devren looked into her soft brown eyes for
a couple breaths before the lids fluttered close over his
green eyes and he leaned forward to touch his lips to hers. He could
feel his heart flip inside his chest as it gave a silent crow of
triumph that so often accompanied a long desired first kiss.

Her eyes closed at almost the same moment as his and the warmth of his
lips seemed to spread pleasantly and suffuse her with its warm glow.
She kissed him back slowly and when their lips parted she sighed. Her
eyes opened and she smiled into his eyes.

Devren swallowed hard, trying to play it cool when in reality he
wanted to raise a loud whoop of joy. This night had turned out better
than he could have ever hoped. It had been a very long time since he
had felt like this, that was for sure! Releasing her hands, he backed
away slowly, not wanting their evening to end, but also knowing that
he was in very real danger of pushing the point and ruining the
moment. But he couldn't help the silly grin that seemed plastered on
his face as he gazed back into those lovely eyes. "Well," he finally
said in a rather choked whisper. "Good night."

"Good night Devren," she said softy then turned to enter her home. She
slipped inside and closed the door behind her. Then she leaned against
it and smiled. Hope. For the first time in a very long time, she had
hope.

Last updated on the November 2nd 2017

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Hope (2/2)