The Shed 14

originally posted by: jacygirl
Chooch...Hiya hunny. Glad you're still with us. Your pics are giving me an itch to take the train to Toronto, lol. It's been too long and I won't drive there now.

If you take a train to Toronto there's not much stopping you at that point from taking a plane to NYC.

(that's in the United States, btw)

a reply to: jacygirl

You know what they say...

Good day folks! Today's Friday the 24th. I hope you're not superstitious. Because if you are, you've got totally no reasons to fear a Friday 24. There isn't any horror movies called "Friday the 24th", that name is just silly.

As for weather! Night your day will be sunny and warm (well, warm by my Canadian standards). Shep, yours will be cloudy, though you shouldn't get too much rain. Precipitation up here is falling as stupid rain nowadays. Rain is boring. Unlike Raine, who is absolutely very much cool.

Oh, and hi Jess! And Gordi!

originally posted by: Gordi The Drummer

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!

We made it!

Oh, and.....

HAPPY CAST-OFF DAY!

to Lags!!

G

PS - Our wee star is at the TOP OF THE ATS BOARDS!!!!
WooHooo!!!
Here is a wee souvenir for our 'Raine... Queen of the boards!! LOL

G

Happy Friday right back at you mate and to everyone else too...

Cast came off this morning... it feels really weird and looks like I have a severe case of leprosy!

Warmest

Lags

a reply to: Martin75

Awwwww thanks matin *blows a big sloppy kiss... tongue and all*

Warmest

Lags

originally posted by: Lagomorphe

....Cast came off this morning... it feels really weird and looks like I have a severe case of leprosy!

PICS or it didn't happen!

originally posted by: Gordi The Drummer

originally posted by: Lagomorphe

....Cast came off this morning... it feels really weird and looks like I have a severe case of leprosy!

PICS or it didn't happen!

Dont zoom in... pretty yukky :



I have skin all over my keyboard now!

If I scratch it all off I think I should have enough for a decent bowl of porridge for breakfast tomorrow!

Warmest

Lags

a reply to: Lagomorphe

YUK! (And that's just my avatar in the background!!!)

Man - that must have driven you crazy... Maybe rub some nice lotion potion of some sort on it?

G

a reply to: Gordi The Drummer

Nah, make some real porridge and rub that on it.

ETA: Oh, HI SHEDDIGANITICANS!!

Link to all my story posts in Sheds 11, 12 and 13
(Shed 14) Page 6 - The Cipher
(Shed 14) Page 20 - Kaena Returns
(Shed 14) Page 29 - As Good as a Death Sentence
(Shed 14) Page 32 - A Vow by the Lake
(Shed 14) Page 38 - A Bottle of Ink

Today's episode: Kaena's Mistake

The next night she came to his chambers again, but arrived before he did. She let herself in and prepared the room.

When he arrived, she was wearing only a short silk shift, a necklace of pearls, and a pair of silver bracelets on one arm. She met him at the door with gingered julafruit wine and led him to the fireplace, blazing with warmth to take the chill off the early autumn evening.

“I didn’t expect you tonight,” he said surprised.

“Eilana took my last class of cadets. It was just ro-ti anyway, she can handle it.”

Gaalen gave her a suspicious look. “What are you up to?”

“Oh hush,” she said, slowly taking his coat and shirt off, running her fingertips on his bare skin. Then she began kissing him.

Later, they lay in a sea of blankets by the fire, drinking wine and reminiscing. Julafruit wine had the usual effects of alcohol, but unlike regular wine julafruit made one’s senses sharper, clearer, even making memories easier to remember and more vivid.

With Gaalen relaxed and smiling more than he had since she’d been back, she took her opportunity.

“Yesterday, you gave me strange look.”

“I did?”

“When I teased you about giving you a Command. I swear you flinched.”

“I did not flinch. Why would I flinch?” The tips of his ears grew red and he didn’t look her in the eye, instead studying his wineglass.

“You flinched, Gaalen Braeghe. I know you, you tried to hide it. Why? What’s going on?”

“Nothing.”

“That means ‘something',” she said. “What is it?”

“I can’t.”

“I know you’re hiding something.”

“I can’t,” he said slowly. She could see he was being very careful, and alarm bells went off in her head. She looked at him intently.

“You can’t, or you won’t? I need to know. Tell me what you’re hiding, Gaalen.” It was a Command, and immediately she regretted it. She had wanted to be more subtle than that, but for Aomm’s sake he was so bloody stubborn!

For a flickered moment his eyes registered irritation, but then his face went blank, he began to grow red and his pulse quickened. The alarm bells rang louder now, something was not right. What is going on?

He growled wordlessly, shaking his head as if to clear it, and his hand began trembling violently. She lifted his wineglass out of his hand and set it aside. “What in Aomm’s Garden…why…” suddenly it clicked into place for her.

Gaalen’s heart was racing, the muscles in his jaw and temple were locked, and his breathing was shallow. His whole body was starting to shake. “It’s alright love, I release you,” she said quickly, “I rescind my last Command. Shh.” She rained kisses on his face, silently berating herself for her carelessness. Gradually, his breathing relaxed and his pulse slowed.

When he had recovered, she said, “You’ve been Commanded not to reveal something. Something that includes the Command itself, haven’t you? Of course you can’t say. Pethcataaka!” she swore. “It started while I was gone, didn’t it? One of the nights during the training maneuvers? Can you tell me that much?” He shook his head.

She took a different approach. Maybe if he talked through the few nights they were apart a clue would arise. “Tell me what happened the first night I was gone.” Not a Command, yet. She would have to tread very carefully there.

“A Bearer came to deliver a package, then left.” His words were mechanical. Kaena’s mind raced, and she tried to read his face. It was blank. Gaalen's face was never blank, not to her. That had to be it – something with the package.

“The package? The cipher? It’s from the Temple, isn’t it?” He nodded.

“Why did the Temple send you a cipher template?” Gaalen looked at her solemnly, then sighed.

“Poliara wants me to report on what my men see in the city while they follow Seeress Meron. She’s worried about something but won’t tell me what it is, only that it involves the Temple, Bastion, and the court, and swore me to secrecy. I think she might be chasing smoke, but I didn’t see the harm in having her indebted to me. Are you through?”

“Is it her? Did Poliara Command you?”

His brow furrowed, then he said deliberately, “Poliara has not given me any Commands.”

Kaena considered that response. If that were true, there was only one other she could think of, associated to the Temple, who would Command him to secrecy, though she couldn’t think what it might be about. This changed things. He wasn’t protecting her, but someone was making him keep a secret. Unpleasant questions arose. What if he had been Commanded in other ways? No, I love him, I know him. He would die before he betrayed me. She had to get to the bottom of it to understand how he was being used. She had what she needed now. But first she needed to distract him, to get him to forget about the conversation.

“Alright, I will let it go. I’m sorry, I should have trusted you,” she said. She looked directly in his eyes. “I do trust you, Gaalen. With my life, you know that.”

Slowly, gently, she began kissing him again.

edit on 2-24-2017 by PrairieShepherd because: some missing italics.

OK guys getting ready to head home and lock down into lurker mode. I hope everyone has an amazing weekend!!!!

Gordi, I went to bed right after you asked me why I was still up. LOL Any more soup left?

Jess, yes my sleep schedule is indeed screwed up, but I catch up on my sleep which could be any time of the day or night. Sorry I missed you earlier.

Jacy, We keep seeming to miss each other. You can be my agent if you'd like. It pays well and we can travel, have exotic drinks and stuff.

Mason, Hello! If jacy makes it to New York, you can both keep going and come to Rhode Island. I just need a warning first so I can clean up the house a bit and make sure I'm not in my jammies. LOL

John, the weather is amazing here today. Sun is out, it's warm and I even opened a window a bit for fresh air. Now I feel a bit motivated and will get some laundry done.

Lag, you need some nice moisturizing cream. I have plenty in different scents. You might like the apple scented as most others are floral. Must feel great to have that cast off!

Shep, really enjoying your story!

Ok, I have to dishes and get some laundry done.

a reply to: Martin75
Have a good weekend Admin.
BTW I do own a soldering gun. I haven't the faintest idea how to use it, but I own one.

a reply to: Night Star
Thanks Night Star!

I am thankful for the invite to join the discussion, and as you so kindly offered, Martin74, here I am.

a reply to: pfishylives

Welcome! Grab a seat and the pixies should be by soon with something to eat or drink. I go lurker mode on the weekends but hopefully others will be by soon.

a reply to: Martin75

I see I accidentally made you a digit smaller than was warranted. Numerical inattentiveness is absolutely inexcusable, and I offer my sincerest apologies. And a bowl of small rocks and twigs I found in my driveway. It will not happen again.

Hello Shep and whoever is around!

I don't have a soldering gun, but need a drill set with small bits for making holes in shells to make jewelry or chimes or something. Wonder if they come in purple or pink.

Laundry is done and soup is on the stove. Poking around the threads and might head over to facebook for a while and or youtube.

Little B, how are you feeling after your operation?

Chirp, are you still in quarantine?

a reply to: Night Star

You may be able to find a drill in one of those colors, but I think you would be hard pressed to find matching bits. Though, it really would brighten up a workbench if they did offer them.

a reply to: pfishylives

Well hello there! How are you? I'm popping in and out of here tonight. Are you the fishy that used to come into the sheds before? If so, you have been missed! If not, welcome to our wonderful realm!