Because Of The Night Ch 15

Leif returned to the dungeons, finding Taylor sleeping soundly where he had left her wrapped warmly in a blanket, a pair of handcuffs, only feet above her head. Silently, he picked them up and slumped onto a stool in the corner of the room. Shiny, they glared back at him with the pale blue light in the room. He folded them on top of each other, the chain dangling dangerously against the heavy brick wall and crushed his hand around them, pushing the locking mechanism through.

He wanted to do anything but sit here and watch Taylor sleep peacefully. And though there was the temptation to run and disappear, something kept Leif there watching Taylor sleep blissfully unaware of her precarious fate at this very moment.

Taylor shifted a bit, and opened her eyes slightly, assuming she was alone.

"I'm here Taylor." Leif mechanically answered, and she turned and slipped out of the blanket and to his side.

"Did you sleep well?" he forced himself to speak. He was hoping the distraction would be enough to keep him from brimming over with impulsive conclusions.

"Yes, thank you." She slipped into his lap and touched his cheek softly. "Is there something wrong Mr. Leif?"

-Not the searching eyes, please not today.- he begged silently. He took a moment and steeled himself her eyes locked with his own. "No Taylor. Sir Marcus is on his way for a visit, and Lady Daire is already here." He informed her.

She took one side-glance at him, but processed the guest list. She could only guess that he was being excessively moody for some other reason. He spoke again, detached from his surroundings. "You best go and see if Laurie needs your help. I'll finish in here."

"As you wish Mr. Leif." Leif kissed her temple and then let her leave the room.

Lady Daire had watched the two of them from the voyeur block, and shook her head empathetically as Taylor left. The companion she selected from Sir Glen's halls knelt patiently, unaware of how intently Lady Daire had been watching the couple on the other side.

"Little one, go into the next cell over. I will be there shortly." She assured softly and willingly, the companion left. Lady Daire went into the hall way and snagged Taylor by her elbow and pushed her into the voyeur room.

"Stay there." She ordered against the girl's puzzled half-heard protests. The door shut firmly and Lady Daire turned her attention to Leif.

As Leif began to examine all the equipment he had used from the previous evening, Lady Daire entered.

"Caught between the two worlds again are we Mr. Leif?" She entered behind him.

"You were watching." His steeled voice was still there, now traced with frustration.

"Yes I was, I was wondering how much more sensual you had become in the past years." Her quip and ego stroking drew a smirk out of Leif. "You've definitely become more introspective. And it scares her, she's never had anyone quite like you."

Leif slammed his fist into the table he had used with Taylor. It's solid wood polished beyond blinding only grunted under his fist. "I've heard this speech five times over Lady Daire." He paused then began, his voice broken. "I struggle with it, and some days, just seeing her helps me."

"And what I brought today just made that conflict worse." She crossed her arms. She crossed her legs and stepped forward on her left heel crossing in front Leif, blocking him from the direct voyeur room view.

"You need to stop being afraid Mr. Leif. She needs you to lead her and without fail she needs to know you're only thinking about her. You're in a precarious place, and it scares every one who sits in the very place you are now. But once you overcome this, she will know to serve you better than you can ever believe." She leaned forward over the table on her fingertips, catching the sharp look from Leif.

"She's not mine to expect that of." he refuted under his breath. -You've got to give Lady Daire credit. Age does not take the edge off of her.-

"She's more yours than anyone who's had her before or who you could imagine that she would ever be with." The words spat from Lady Daire startling Leif.

She drew back, tossing her hair. "I am going to hold a session later tonight. I would be honored if you and Taylor joined me."

Leif bowed his head as she headed for the door. "I'll ask her."

"Good." And with that, she whirled out of the room and back to the voyeur room, finding Taylor wiping away tears.

"You should leave now." Lady Daire urged quietly. Taylor nodded and complied. But before she left, Taylor turned to Lady Daire.

"Thank you, you didn't have to do that."

"I did it more for you than anyone. He just needed some of the right kind of prompting." And with a quick smile from Taylor, she slipped away.

Sir Marcus, Lady Daire, and Sir Glen stood facing the fireplace roaring with warmth in melancholy. Sir Marcus took another sip of brandy.

"I met Mr. Leif when he was little more than Sir Colin's slave." Said Lady Daire brimming with nostalgia. "He had slipped on the rug in my room that evening and caught my attention. He scrambled into the shadows of the room like a frightened rabbit. I might never have found him, but he left a trail of blood. I found him bruised beyond recognition. I barely remember him through his eyes."

"When I brought him to Sir Colin for attention, Sir Colin dismissed his needs and reassigned me a slave for that evening. When I saw him again, he was here under your watchful eye Glen. And that boy looked a sight better for all you've done for him."

"He was incorrigible those early days. I didn't think that there was a conclave in history that had such a troublesome companion." Sir Glen said with half a laugh.

"But I can guarantee no one in recent history will forget his antics." Chuckled Sir Marcus.

"We don't have to worry about Leif. He's mine to deal with, but Taylor is an entirely different matter."

"I'd offer help, but I know they'll come looking for Taylor from me." He said shaking his head.

Lady Daire turned to take a seat on the lounge by the fireplace. "Hiding her will only make matters worse for both of them. They are not our pawns in this game." She mused ruefully and then finished off her glass of port sliding the crystal goblet onto a tray next to the candelabra that burned with three candles.

"It is clear that Solomon's decision will not occur tonight. Perhaps tomorrow." Sir Glen sighed and rubbed his temple.

With a half smile, Marcus took a seat next to Lady Daire. "When we went through Sir Colin's estates after Lord Xavier had made an example of him, I found this faint flame of a soul in his most recent trainee. She was in one of his rooms, shivering with the most haunted eyes and the beauty unrivaled anywhere I had ever seen. But of all the others we had found that day, I was sure she was able to come back from the paces that Sir Colin had put her though."

"I helped her loose that haunted look, but I knew there was something missing, but nothing I did could fill that void. And I never knew what it was until Mr. Leif brought her back to me to ask my permission for her. And tonight at dinner, I saw how vacant Mr. Leif looked. He knows the reality of loosing her, possibly even himself."

"Sir Colin wasn't alone as a habitual tormentor. Sir Colin's Lady Marie had a nice hand in twisting Leif's perceptions as well. I thank the stars he was strong enough not to be shattered by either of them." It came out as a sigh as Glen turned back to the tray where an assortment of bottles waited to be emptied in order to pour another drink.

"Has Mr. Leif asked for his rights? I think he's more than proven himself in these past months since his return Sir Glen. He isn't without fault, but then again no one is. He can grow in time to everything else." Asked Lady Daire. "The sooner the better. It may secure his place."

"Unfortunately he has not. He's not asked after it, and I am loathed to push him with all that has arisen."

"He ran the last time you pushed him before he was ready." Sighed Marcus. Glen nodded and returned to stare into the fire begging for answers.

"I still stand by what I said earlier Glen. Marcus should take Taylor back, allowing you and I to focus on Leif. The time apart will do them good and it will allow Sir Colin to think he has a chance with all of us cooperating. And it may give us the chance to help Leif see that much of the desired outcome of this pending tragedy does pivot around him."

"I don't agree Daire. You said so yourself, they aren't our pawns in this game. This is beyond all of us. Perhaps the answer lies really..." Glen was cut off as the double doors opened. All eyes turned to see Leif standing in the doorway.